Mack and Mabel - London

[alterego]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 7:37am

MACK AND MABEL is to have (another) production in London soon, starring David Soul. It is to be at the Criterion Theatre which has I believe, around 300 seats so I would assume it is much scaled down. Does anyone know anything about this, and/or how it is being done?

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 8:19am

the show is with David Soul and Janie Dee and before its Westend run, its been touring the UK I believe and has great reviews! It is a scaled down version I believe.... it is directed by John Doyle, so expect sth like Sweeney.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 3:35pm

Its fantastic! Seen the show on its pre West End tour and its just as intense as his production of Sweeney. It finally sorts out the problems with the book and changes the focus to the dark and intense story that it is. The number "Tap Your Troubles Away" is very very dark. I had tears rolling down my face by the time Mack sang "I Promise You a Happy Ending". That and David Soul is a larger than life Mack and Janie Dee sells one of the best songs of all time "Time Heals Everything" with perfection. Definitely one to see. Oh and the Criterion is at least 700 seats or so I am told.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 6:40pm

I remember Soul from Starsky & Hutch & his shortlived series based on Casablanca.

How is his singing voice ?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 6:44pm

alterego and mrkringas should take an average. The Criterion has around 585 seats.

[cturtle]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 7:37pm

omg, yes, a nice voice SOUL has! don't you remember his song "don't give up on us, baby" or whatever the title was. he recorded an album or two ... 30 years ago

i would so go to london to see this! been a fan of this score for years.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 7:42pm

He does have the voice for the role however due to the intense focus of the John Doyle direction all the "big Jerry Herman" finished are sorta removed and toned down so he does more speak singing to be honest. Also Janie Dee does not so much belt as we are used to with previous Mabels.

That aside it works for this production and it does look very different from Sweeney Todd!

[alterego]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 8:21pm

Thanks for the info. I assume the orchestra is minimal and also the chorus (is there one?).

David Soul appeared in Melbourne in BLOOD BROTHERS (Narrator) years ago. What I remember of him in it was one one very bored actor, checking out the house while the focus was not on him. I hope he has improved. Updated On: 3/13/06 at 08:21 PM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 11:44am

This has been confirmed by Playbill.com
From what I recall, the Criterion is quite small, and I'm sure appropriate for this production.
Is this the wave of the future?
Is this how to get around the problem of hiring a big orchestra?
Mack and Mabel in London

[alterego]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 7:30pm

I'm not too sure how I feel about seeing musical after musical with the actors/orchestra one and the same. Hmmm?

[PerforMeg]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 4:59pm

Okay-I'm behind the times. I just read about this.

I'm sorry. Sweeney was innovative. Company was a carbon copy in the light of Sweeney's success. Now Mack and Mabel with the exact same concept? It's just not original anymore.

I just feel that if you are a director you need to try new things and make creative choices to suit the needs of each show. There are other ways to make a show moving and special. From what MrKringas says, it sounds like Doyle has a knack for working out book problems and bringing a darker side to musicals we know and love. Why must he use this actors/musicians idea every time if he is talented in these other areas?

Also, as an actor, I must say this is not doing much to help the unemployment rate. This trend is taking jobs away from musicians and many actors who operate under the old school belief that to be a musical theatre performer you just need to act, sing, and dance.

I'm all for creativity. But when you do the same thing every time, are you being creative any more?

[creasemouse]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:12pm

i caught the JD production when it first opened in west berkshire and its stunning, truly great. i would much rather see his version compared to a big west end/broadway version - i love the dark side.

i dont think JD is becoming tired - actor musicans are his trademark, just like fosse was indented feet and strange hand movments - no one(i don't think) ever said "oh gosh why does fosse choreogaph everything"

susan stroman appears to do everything with a props...
richard jones with sarcasm and irony...

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:18pm

Meg, this is John Doyle's "thing." It's his approach to opening the inner life of the text and the characters. It's his theatrical conceit, just as Brecht, Stanislavsky, Kazan and countless other directors have had their own unique style of theatre. You can not like the style, or find it effective in one show but not another - that's fair enough. But he's been doing this for years and years - it didn't start with SWEENEY and its not going to end with MACK AND MABEL.

[joshy]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:33pm

Seeing this next week. Very excited! The actor/musician concept just exhilarates me when it's done well, so I hope this'll be as good as Sweeney.
Some info and pics about this production!

[cturtle]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 6:13pm

joshy, thanks for that link. i would never have recognized the photos of david soul!

[grizzabella]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:05pm

I wouldn't have recognized him either. However, the man should do fine in the role. He can sing.