#1
Posted: 4/19/09 at 12:39am
I saw the show tonight, and had pretty high expectations given the caliber of A-list talent involved in all facets of this production. Sadly, they weren't met, with the exception of the radiant Megan Hilty, who picked up this show and stole it away. Every scene she was in, every song she sang, the energy in the place went up by leaps and bounds. She had more stage presence than anyone else on the stage, and she got laughter out of most of her lines, even the cheesier ones. She managed to do more than just impersonate Parton all night. It was thrilling to witness such a marvelous, show-stealing performance from a young actress, who 3 years ago was standing by for the role of Glinda in Wicked.
Unfortunately, much of the rest of the show does not match or even approach her, save for Kathy Fitzgerald, who steals a couple of scenes. Andy Karl, immensely talented, is completely wasted, in a role that need not even exist. What purpose is there for having a young accountant in this show? To show that not all men in the workplace are sexist like Mr. Hart? The one number they give him to sing is a complete throwaway.
Kudisch does well enough, but he doesn't get much of an arc. He's an *ss when the show begins, and remains one at the end. He would have done better had they given him a better number and more to do in Act 2.
Block, who graced us with her presence this evening, is a complete non-entity. She has a lovely voice, but by the time she gets around to Get Out and Stay Out, it's too little, too late. Not much presence at all, and unable to make much of an impact. Her performance barely registers.
Allison Janney is an actress that I adore. I thought her work as CJ on The West Wing was some of the finest acting in the history of television, and she won 4 Emmys for it, so she's quite an acclaimed actress. I wanted desperately to love her in this show, and for the most part, I enjoyed her a great deal. She acquits herself quite well onstage, her book scenes are hilarious, and she's clearly having a blast. Her timing is pretty impeccable. Unfortunately, her singing is barely even passable. She manages to carry a tune, but that's about it. Her big number, at the top of Act 2, fails to take off, because she can't belt it to the rafters. How she is even being talked about as competition for Alice Ripley is beyond me.
Beyond the performances, the rest of the show is just a mess. The score is serviceable, but there's really all that memorable, save for the title song, which of course isn't new. The projections are a complete waste of time, and do nothing to enhance the show. The rest of the set, however, is quite good. Blankenbuelher's choreography is nothing to write home about. The dance numbers could and should sizzle, but it just sits there, waiting to take off. It never gets the chance. The pacing in act 2 needs a LOT of work.
The show itself is mildly entertaining, but I left with a big feeling of, "so what?" It's just not all that great, certainly not the way some people on here are saying it is. I'm unsure why this is even being discussed as a potential winner of any awards this year. It's not in the same league as Billy Elliot or Next to Normal.
Unfortunately, much of the rest of the show does not match or even approach her, save for Kathy Fitzgerald, who steals a couple of scenes. Andy Karl, immensely talented, is completely wasted, in a role that need not even exist. What purpose is there for having a young accountant in this show? To show that not all men in the workplace are sexist like Mr. Hart? The one number they give him to sing is a complete throwaway.
Kudisch does well enough, but he doesn't get much of an arc. He's an *ss when the show begins, and remains one at the end. He would have done better had they given him a better number and more to do in Act 2.
Block, who graced us with her presence this evening, is a complete non-entity. She has a lovely voice, but by the time she gets around to Get Out and Stay Out, it's too little, too late. Not much presence at all, and unable to make much of an impact. Her performance barely registers.
Allison Janney is an actress that I adore. I thought her work as CJ on The West Wing was some of the finest acting in the history of television, and she won 4 Emmys for it, so she's quite an acclaimed actress. I wanted desperately to love her in this show, and for the most part, I enjoyed her a great deal. She acquits herself quite well onstage, her book scenes are hilarious, and she's clearly having a blast. Her timing is pretty impeccable. Unfortunately, her singing is barely even passable. She manages to carry a tune, but that's about it. Her big number, at the top of Act 2, fails to take off, because she can't belt it to the rafters. How she is even being talked about as competition for Alice Ripley is beyond me.
Beyond the performances, the rest of the show is just a mess. The score is serviceable, but there's really all that memorable, save for the title song, which of course isn't new. The projections are a complete waste of time, and do nothing to enhance the show. The rest of the set, however, is quite good. Blankenbuelher's choreography is nothing to write home about. The dance numbers could and should sizzle, but it just sits there, waiting to take off. It never gets the chance. The pacing in act 2 needs a LOT of work.
The show itself is mildly entertaining, but I left with a big feeling of, "so what?" It's just not all that great, certainly not the way some people on here are saying it is. I'm unsure why this is even being discussed as a potential winner of any awards this year. It's not in the same league as Billy Elliot or Next to Normal.
Updated On: 4/19/09 at 12:39 AM
