I was at the matinee today (June 9) and although I was disappointed not to see Ebersole, Ms. Moore was excellent. I had seen her in the NYCO production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, but that was 15 years ago so I didn't know what to expect. She was quite tense in the beginning and in her first couple of songs had a tendency to run slightly ahead of the music. She became more and more assured as the first act went on, and her closing song of the first act, and the dialogue surrounding it, was spot on. The cast seemed comfortable with her and supportive, and there were no major slip ups (although the soft shoe part of "Peas in a Pod" was a little tentative).
The second act was superb. The writing and characterization are so much stronger in the second act, and I was deeply moved by the act. Moore seemed to enjoy the deeper character aspects of the older "Little Edie" and she and Mary Louise Wilson were incredibly touching. Wilson is so perfect for this part - alternately petulant and pathetic, funny and tragic. Moore put a wide ranging of color into her singing in the second act, and I can't get "Around the World" out of my head now.
The audience received Ms. Moore warmly and the standing ovation felt genuine rather than forced. Clever sets, interesting songs, some of the lyrics out of the ordinary.
Updated On: 6/9/07 at 10:31 PM