"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
WestVillage: After working professionally in the theatre for over 30 years, I think I am entitled to my opinion on MAME. I found Baranski full of warmth and charm, Harris a delight and I applaud both of them for finding different and yet equally good ways of playing those roles after the standards set by Lansbury and Arthur. The production values, orchestra and choreography were spot on, IMHO. And yes, I have seen several productions of MAME during my lifetime, some done well (Juliet Prowse), some not so well, and this certainly qualifies as the best.
Again, all my opinion which, I am sure you will agree, is my right to have.
Along with several other great titles in the modern canon of the American Musical Theater, MAME is worthy of and due for an extendend, spectacular run on Broadway.
Here's hoping that many great Broadway shows are revived in the near future.
I am sorry we will not see this MAME in New York! Harriet Harris is always wonderful.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine. I thought it was just awful, every aspect of it (except the orchestra, which sounded great), as did my theatre-going friends. I expected such a fun night at the theatre, but in the end, wished I had just stayed in NY and watched the Lucy movie, which while not a good film by any means, is 100 times better than the crap on the Kennedy Center stage. Baranski was cold as ice, and Harris mumbled so much that I could hardly understand a word she was saying. Absolutely hated Man in the Moon, and Bosom Buddies was atrocious. Those flailing arm movements and front line moves to the back while back line moves to the front (in 2 numbers no less!) in the choregraphy looked like a high school production, and the dances made no sense whatsoever. I honestly think it was more than just the cost of the transfer that stopped a Broadway mounting ... I wouldn't be surprised if the Weisslers and anyone else involved got the strong sense that this production would get killed in New York, and not even last the length of the intended engagement. It would have never recouped.
Well, WestVillage, we will indeed have to agree to disagree on this one in terms of the quality of what was onstage.
The transfer was always unlikely, due to running costs and Brantley's negative review of Baranski's performance (after three previews). The Weissler's CHICAGO has seen performances far worse than those in MAME (do we need to mention Melanie Griffith?) but that ragtag production keeps going like the Energizer bunny.
Let's not forget that the Weisslers are famous for making one decision to gauge interest, support for the exact opposite decision. Shall we all re-visit the on-off-on-again shenanigans around SWEET CHARITY last spring? Dollars to doughnuts -- this thing will happen because the Nederlanders will want the Palace filled with something until LEGALLY BLONDE arrives.
I think this is definitely the right decision. To open a show on Broadway that is this expensive, has gotten mediocre reviews and doesn't have a true box office draw in the title role would have been a folly.
The good news is that there is always the possibility MAME will return to New York in the forseeable future in a first class production with a first class bona fide star attraction in the title role.
It has a huge ensemble by today's standards (30+ -- Pajama Game was barely half that) and a large orchestra (23 members) and an equally large backstage crew (tons of dressers and costume people, stagehands and technicians) so weekly running costs here would be astronomical given the high union minimums (it could have run at a profit at the Kennedy Center for many more months given the much lower rates). A 600K weekly running cost would have made it very difficult for the show to recoup in the 6 or so months it was slated for -- especially without a star name bigger than Baranski. They were right not to try.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Sadly, it is unlikely that MAME will ever return to New York in a production as big as the Kennedy Center's -- as Margo points out, you will simply never see that size cast, orchestra or backstage crew on Broadway ever again.
Well, I think that is the great debate: if the ensemble and orchestra of the KC production had to be reduced for NYC, is what you are left with what you would really want in a Broadway mounting?
I think the Weisslers and Nederlanders decided you could probably do better.
