#1
Posted: 2/7/11 at 11:30am
I spent a few days in the city at the end of last month and I wanted to give you my thoughts on the shows I got to see :
DRIVING MISS DAISY
I’ll admit it, I went because of the cast, and what a cast! They really know how to make the best of a little play, there is so much nuance in every little line and gesture, it was fascinating. However, I found the play quite dated, and as a foreigner, maybe I’m not as emotional about that era as some older American people in the audience, so I didn’t love it as much as they did, but I still recommend it, Vanessa Redgrave is too brilliant for words. (B)
AMERICAN IDIOT
I bought the tickets way before we learned BJA would be joining the cast. Overall, I was a little disappointed. I love Green Day’s music, and I like the idea of using it in a show, but I wish the book were stronger. Basically, it’s an opera, there is almost no dialogue, only monologues which frankly, didn’t bring much to the story. However, it’s a great production, maybe a little too “in your face”, but very effective, I especially enjoyed the choreography. The cast is good but it’s difficult to judge their acting when there is so much going on on stage. So I enjoyed myself, but I wasn’t particularly moved. (B-)
SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK
I’d bought my tickets months ago when I thought they would never discount for that show. My friend got a rush ticket, rear side orchestra, that turned out to be a better seat that my fourth row center orchestra seat. Anyway, I have mixed feelings about this one. Let’s start with the bad : the score is atrocious, the worst I’ve heard since The Addams Family. Apart from the theme from “The Boy Falls from the Sky”, it’s all pretentious, boring and sounds the same. The book is silly but makes sense in the first act, so that was alright, but the second act is a complete mess. Everyone left wondering exactly what happened in the end, you understand it’s a happy ending, but how they got there remains quite unclear to me (the “new” ending was in when I saw it.) The poor actors are doing their best with cardboard characters, Patrick Page is a fun villain but the rest of the cast is bland, and Reeve Carney lacks the charisma of a leading man.
However, the show is visually stunning. It doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen on a stage, it’s constantly innovative, fun and exciting. The forced perspective is especially successful in my opinion, and it does look like a comic book come to life. So once again, never bored, but very disappointed. (C+)
ANGELS IN AMERICA – PARTS ONE AND TWO
I have to review both shows together because they really are a whole, and I’m sad for the people who didn’t get to see them consecutively. As a big fan of the miniseries, I was really excited about this production, but it sold out almost instantly so I was sad I couldn’t get tickets until a very nice member of this board sold me his, and I am so thankful.
It was definitely the theater highlight of this trip. Everything that seemed a little odd, forced or obscure in the miniseries is crystal clear in this wonderful production that uses very simple sets and affecting performances to create a fascinating world unlike any other. I won’t get into a philosophical discussion about the play, but it is a must see for any theater aficionado. (A+)
BILLY ELLIOT
A few years ago, I bought a ticket to see the London production and I was so excited because I love the movie and Elton John’s music, and it seemed like a perfect fit… I was so disappointed; I’d never been so bored watching a musical. It didn’t help that the sound was bad and the dialogue, undistinguishable. I found the score to be serviceable at best, and the touching story from the movie, gone.
But after years of reading how great this Broadway production is, I had to go, especially since I was intrigued by the cast (Jbara, Shelley and now, Skinner.) Well, Carole Shelley was out, but understudy Merle Louise was a hoot. This time around, I actually enjoyed myself, and understood what the hype was about even liked the score, and the choreography remains the one great aspect of this show. I still think it is a very mediocre musical, but this production felt more focused to me, and unapologetic about being quite maudlin at times. I don’t have much more to say about it, except I have now reconciled with Billy! (B-)
MARY POPPINS
Once again, I’d seen this show a few years ago, when it first opened on Broadway. I also love the movie, and was very much looking forward to it, but I found Ashley Brown (Broadway’s original MP) off-putting, I thought she didn’t grasp the character at all. Gavin Lee as Bert was perfection, though. What a difference a cast change makes, and Laura Michelle Kelly (London’s original MP) is a delight in the role. She makes the character her own without betraying the movie’s sensibility, and people are eating it up. I still find the production, though impressive, to be a little too big for a sweet little story like this, and that tends to neuter the emotion, but overall, it is a lovely show, with stunning choreography. (B)
OTHER DESERT CITIES
When I got there, there was the dreaded little piece of paper in the playbill : THE ROLE OF BROOKE WYETH USUALLY PLAYED BY ELIZABETH MARVEL WILL BE PLAYED BY LIZ WISAN. I’d already missed Carole Shelley in BE, and now this. Anyway, kudos to Liz Wisan because her performance never felt like that of an understudy, she had great chemistry with the rest of the cast.
Now, this is a very effective play, it is very funny when it wants to, and quite moving at times, but I feel it might be a tad overrated. I think this has to do with a fantastic cast of veterans who chew so much scenery, it’s a wonder the set is not falling apart. I think with hindsight, people will realize the play is quite predictable, and never deals with many of the interesting questions it raises. That being said, this production is really fantastic, and I encourage anyone who can to go see it. (B+)
TIME STANDS STILL
I have to say first that I am a huge Laura Linney fan, have been for years, and this being the first time I got to see her on stage, I was ecstatic. Basically, I have the same feeling towards this show as I did towards OTHER DESERT CITIES : a great cast and production of a good little play, definitely not a masterpiece.
Both couples have great on stage chemistry. Linney, in a meaty dramatic role, really delivers, even though I’d seen her in that kind of role before. But the biggest surprise was Christina Ricci, she was incredibly real, touching, funny, and believable. She stole every scene she was in. The male roles aren’t as interesting but D’Arcy James and Bogosian held their own. A very pleasant night at the theatre. (B+)
WICKED
Like BILLY ELLIOT, I had seen the show in London before and left vaguely disappointed, not really getting all the hype. But after reading how great Mandy Gonzalez supposedly was as Elphaba, I had to give it another shot. Alas, the dreaded little piece of paper made yet another appearance : JENNIFER DINOIA was on as Elphaba. It was the third time I’d missed a major actor in the past week, you gotta love NY in January.
Anyway, she was a solid Elphaba and the Broadway production is miles better than what I saw in London. It probably has to do with the fact the score is not the easiest to connect to, and this time around, I really did. While WICKED remains a big spectacle, I find it is the great book and characterization that makes it a really interesting musical, and it is always fun to see a whole audience connecting so well with the material on stage. (A)
I have another theater marathon planned for late March, early April. I already have tickets to BOOK OF MORMON, HOW TO SUCCEED, CMIYC, SISTER ACT, PRISCILLA, WONDERLAND and ANYTHING GOES. I have one slot left and I’m planning on seeing THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE, what do you guys think?
I’d love to hear your comments, reactions…
DRIVING MISS DAISY
I’ll admit it, I went because of the cast, and what a cast! They really know how to make the best of a little play, there is so much nuance in every little line and gesture, it was fascinating. However, I found the play quite dated, and as a foreigner, maybe I’m not as emotional about that era as some older American people in the audience, so I didn’t love it as much as they did, but I still recommend it, Vanessa Redgrave is too brilliant for words. (B)
AMERICAN IDIOT
I bought the tickets way before we learned BJA would be joining the cast. Overall, I was a little disappointed. I love Green Day’s music, and I like the idea of using it in a show, but I wish the book were stronger. Basically, it’s an opera, there is almost no dialogue, only monologues which frankly, didn’t bring much to the story. However, it’s a great production, maybe a little too “in your face”, but very effective, I especially enjoyed the choreography. The cast is good but it’s difficult to judge their acting when there is so much going on on stage. So I enjoyed myself, but I wasn’t particularly moved. (B-)
SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK
I’d bought my tickets months ago when I thought they would never discount for that show. My friend got a rush ticket, rear side orchestra, that turned out to be a better seat that my fourth row center orchestra seat. Anyway, I have mixed feelings about this one. Let’s start with the bad : the score is atrocious, the worst I’ve heard since The Addams Family. Apart from the theme from “The Boy Falls from the Sky”, it’s all pretentious, boring and sounds the same. The book is silly but makes sense in the first act, so that was alright, but the second act is a complete mess. Everyone left wondering exactly what happened in the end, you understand it’s a happy ending, but how they got there remains quite unclear to me (the “new” ending was in when I saw it.) The poor actors are doing their best with cardboard characters, Patrick Page is a fun villain but the rest of the cast is bland, and Reeve Carney lacks the charisma of a leading man.
However, the show is visually stunning. It doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen on a stage, it’s constantly innovative, fun and exciting. The forced perspective is especially successful in my opinion, and it does look like a comic book come to life. So once again, never bored, but very disappointed. (C+)
ANGELS IN AMERICA – PARTS ONE AND TWO
I have to review both shows together because they really are a whole, and I’m sad for the people who didn’t get to see them consecutively. As a big fan of the miniseries, I was really excited about this production, but it sold out almost instantly so I was sad I couldn’t get tickets until a very nice member of this board sold me his, and I am so thankful.
It was definitely the theater highlight of this trip. Everything that seemed a little odd, forced or obscure in the miniseries is crystal clear in this wonderful production that uses very simple sets and affecting performances to create a fascinating world unlike any other. I won’t get into a philosophical discussion about the play, but it is a must see for any theater aficionado. (A+)
BILLY ELLIOT
A few years ago, I bought a ticket to see the London production and I was so excited because I love the movie and Elton John’s music, and it seemed like a perfect fit… I was so disappointed; I’d never been so bored watching a musical. It didn’t help that the sound was bad and the dialogue, undistinguishable. I found the score to be serviceable at best, and the touching story from the movie, gone.
But after years of reading how great this Broadway production is, I had to go, especially since I was intrigued by the cast (Jbara, Shelley and now, Skinner.) Well, Carole Shelley was out, but understudy Merle Louise was a hoot. This time around, I actually enjoyed myself, and understood what the hype was about even liked the score, and the choreography remains the one great aspect of this show. I still think it is a very mediocre musical, but this production felt more focused to me, and unapologetic about being quite maudlin at times. I don’t have much more to say about it, except I have now reconciled with Billy! (B-)
MARY POPPINS
Once again, I’d seen this show a few years ago, when it first opened on Broadway. I also love the movie, and was very much looking forward to it, but I found Ashley Brown (Broadway’s original MP) off-putting, I thought she didn’t grasp the character at all. Gavin Lee as Bert was perfection, though. What a difference a cast change makes, and Laura Michelle Kelly (London’s original MP) is a delight in the role. She makes the character her own without betraying the movie’s sensibility, and people are eating it up. I still find the production, though impressive, to be a little too big for a sweet little story like this, and that tends to neuter the emotion, but overall, it is a lovely show, with stunning choreography. (B)
OTHER DESERT CITIES
When I got there, there was the dreaded little piece of paper in the playbill : THE ROLE OF BROOKE WYETH USUALLY PLAYED BY ELIZABETH MARVEL WILL BE PLAYED BY LIZ WISAN. I’d already missed Carole Shelley in BE, and now this. Anyway, kudos to Liz Wisan because her performance never felt like that of an understudy, she had great chemistry with the rest of the cast.
Now, this is a very effective play, it is very funny when it wants to, and quite moving at times, but I feel it might be a tad overrated. I think this has to do with a fantastic cast of veterans who chew so much scenery, it’s a wonder the set is not falling apart. I think with hindsight, people will realize the play is quite predictable, and never deals with many of the interesting questions it raises. That being said, this production is really fantastic, and I encourage anyone who can to go see it. (B+)
TIME STANDS STILL
I have to say first that I am a huge Laura Linney fan, have been for years, and this being the first time I got to see her on stage, I was ecstatic. Basically, I have the same feeling towards this show as I did towards OTHER DESERT CITIES : a great cast and production of a good little play, definitely not a masterpiece.
Both couples have great on stage chemistry. Linney, in a meaty dramatic role, really delivers, even though I’d seen her in that kind of role before. But the biggest surprise was Christina Ricci, she was incredibly real, touching, funny, and believable. She stole every scene she was in. The male roles aren’t as interesting but D’Arcy James and Bogosian held their own. A very pleasant night at the theatre. (B+)
WICKED
Like BILLY ELLIOT, I had seen the show in London before and left vaguely disappointed, not really getting all the hype. But after reading how great Mandy Gonzalez supposedly was as Elphaba, I had to give it another shot. Alas, the dreaded little piece of paper made yet another appearance : JENNIFER DINOIA was on as Elphaba. It was the third time I’d missed a major actor in the past week, you gotta love NY in January.
Anyway, she was a solid Elphaba and the Broadway production is miles better than what I saw in London. It probably has to do with the fact the score is not the easiest to connect to, and this time around, I really did. While WICKED remains a big spectacle, I find it is the great book and characterization that makes it a really interesting musical, and it is always fun to see a whole audience connecting so well with the material on stage. (A)
I have another theater marathon planned for late March, early April. I already have tickets to BOOK OF MORMON, HOW TO SUCCEED, CMIYC, SISTER ACT, PRISCILLA, WONDERLAND and ANYTHING GOES. I have one slot left and I’m planning on seeing THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE, what do you guys think?
I’d love to hear your comments, reactions…
Updated On: 2/7/11 at 11:30 AM
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