Margo Channing Presents The Final "Review" thread of the Season! 110 In The Shade!

Variety is up and LOVED Audra...the show? Eh...


The luminous Audra McDonald is probably nobody's idea of a plain-Jane spinster, and even less likely to pass for one when she opens her mouth to release that full-bodied soprano. So it's a testament to her gifts that McDonald's vibrant characterization in such a role -- as spirited, smart and affecting as her luxuriant vocals -- gives "110 in the Shade" a touching verismo in the midst of Santo Loquasto's stylized design. Ambling along for much of the time like a low-rent "Oklahoma," this 1963 musical version of "The Rainmaker" gets by on its charming score, old-fashioned romantic heart and, most of all, its magnetic lead, but the temperature rarely rises above that of a mild spring day.

Variety

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Updated On: 5/9/07 at 07:08 PM

Who would want 110 in the Shade without the music? Word of Mouth is very irksome.

No video clips?

Eric Grode:

When it rains talent, it pours.

In a Broadway season that has already been blessed with two Tony-winning actresses ( Christine Ebersole and Donna Murphy) matching or even surpassing their past musical efforts, plus a strong showing by two new faces (Lea Michele and Laura Bell Bundy), Audra McDonald has reclaimed her mantle as the era's premier musical-theater actress.

Even when she's miscast, as in the Roundabout's capable new revival of "110 in the Shade," Ms. McDonald is the anti-diva, incapable of singing a note or saying a word that in any way steals focus from or diminishes the material. Despite her effortless glamour, she has turned Lizzie Curry, a spinster in the making who's "as plain as old shoes" and terrified of growing old alone, into a touching, forthright, and abidingly real creation.


New York Sun

Now that we see the competition, who thinks Audra's going to top Christine for the Tony?
(I don't but that's me.)

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Having seen both of them, I can say both deserve a Tony for their performance. I'm sure Christine will win, but if Audra does it is fully merited.

I thought that, too. And then he never explains what he meant by miscast. I can only figure--she's not plain--maybe miscast, because she's too good looking? Eh. He said she's the best this season.

"Who would want 110 in the Shade without the music? Word of Mouth is very irksome."

I just watched Word of Mouth. I see where Cat is coming from honestly. Audra is so brilliant in the scenes that when the music starts, there are times it almost does not fit. You feel as though you are watching a play. One might argue that a good musical is like a play with music, and I agree. But the two were not blended together well in this production. It almost felt like the songs were slowing down the story telling at times. Where as in something like the current revival of Company, I feel the brilliant scene work is blended with the brilliant score seamlessly.

Also, Audra's speaking voice for Lizzie does not match her singing. You watch an entire scene in which she is speaking with a twang, and then she opens her mouth to sing and the voice that comes out does not match what we have been hearing for the past 10 minutes. It takes some getting used to.

I found many flaws in this production, but one thing is for sure. Audra is giving the best performance of her career. Hands down.

Before I say anything, I really really enjoyed this production, story and music wise and plan on returning during the summer. That said, I thought I was the only one who noticed a different between her singing (classically trained voice) and speaking! Thats hilarious! I know its very common for this to occur, take Patti's Mrs. Lovett as an example.Does the director have anything to say concerning carryovers from speaking to singing acccents?

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But this has been one of my main problems with Audra McDonald's style. This is a generalization but Juliard-trained Audra always comes out regardless of what role she's playing, I don't think she is able to adapt her singing style in the way that Christine Ebersole or Donna Murphy do (Ebersole is particularly a great example, we see her beautiful soprano in Act I of GREY GARDENS but we don't see any shadow of it in Act II).

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I don't see why anyone is objecting to the review saying McDonald is miscast. She is a beautiful woman playing someone who's supposed to epitomize all things "plain" and be considered a washed up old made at an early age. I'm sure even she would agree that it's a role that she fits naturally (which, as the critic said, makes her believable performance all the more impressive.)

In regards to your comment ray, though I agree that Audra's classical training tends to come through in a negative way in some roles she plays (her Deena in the "Dreamgirls" benefit concert is the obvious example,) I don't think it hinders this particular role one bit.

While Audra's speaking twang and sophisticated singing take some getting used to as Lizzie, the same can be said for Christine Ebersole in "Grey Gardens." She is using an even more blatantly bold character voice in the second act and then singing with a similarly classical style and no one has raised any objectivity with that (as they shouldn't.)

I find that both performances are equally crafted and sublimely executed. If ever there was a justifiable for a tie for Lead Actress it would be between these two.

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Updated On: 5/9/07 at 08:57 PM

Talkin' Broadway Positive:

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/world/110Shade.html