#1
Posted: 4/14/05 at 11:05pm
I was very apprehensive about seeing this show, because I really disliked (a video I saw of) the London production, I think the music is grating and annoying, and I HATE children's shows - but with a free ticket, I saw the show tonight.
First off, let me first say that this show is only meant for pure entertainment. Again, I usually hate shows like this, but this one really won me over. I don't know of anyone who would go see CHITTY expecting ground breaking theatre, but I'm just letting you all know (I'm sure you know already) that this show is pure fluff and is only here to be fun. Nothing more.
And, for the most part, it generally succeeds. My only real complaints with the show is some of the pointless songs and the never-ending dance breaks. Surprisingly, all the children around me seemed entertained the entire time so maybe it was just my friend and I - but they could easily make this show 20 minutes shorter by cutting some of the dances. None of them are terribly impressive and none of them serve a purpose. It's all eye candy - but it's very mediocre eye candy that could be much more than that.
With that said, the entire show is generally enjoyable. There are many many funny parts of the show that are meant for adults more than children. The pacing is very slow and it's very dragged out, but that might be a result of all the pointless songs which, most of the time, have unintelligible lyrics.
Raul Esparza (whom I adore,) is fine as Caractacus. I didn't really buy him as a father, but I'm willing to forgive him because I love him so much. But critically speaking, he's really out of his element here. Raul has a certain bitchy, sarcastic edge as a performer, even pre-TABOO, he's always been edgy. He tries to make the best here out of his below mediocre material and he generally succeeds. Through most of Act One, he was channelling Phillip Sallon, and while it was delightful to see him strutting around the stage with his quick sarcasm and hysterical sense of humour, it's certainly not for everyone and most people in the audience didn't find his antics funny. I did...and while I love him as a performer, he's nothing special here.
Erin Dilly - who sounds very similar to Rebecca Luker and Laura Benanti at times - is very standard as Truly. Nothing great, but then again - the material isn't great. She's sincere, loveable, and fine. Philip Bosco was out, but his understudy was fine as well.
Marc Kudisch was appropriately over the top as the Baron. While his performance didn't win me over, the general audience found him delightful. He's fine as well - nothing special.
Chip Zien and Robert Sella are fine as Goran and Boris (the Baron's henchman,) but are very campy. While camp is not my style, the audience ate them up and they were generally very entertaining.
Kevin Cahoon (who I have a crush on) is very creepy and great as the Childcatcher. He's perfect for the role. He frightened all the kids around me, and even reminded me of when I was a kid and was petrified of the film. Very creepy, very perfect. The two children were fine as well.
And finally, the great Jan Maxwell (who was brilliant in last season's SIXTEEN WOUNDED.) She steals the show. She's completely hysterical and hade my friend and I literally in tears because we were laughing so hard. She's perfect and I'm really hoping she can pull out a Tony nomination - perhaps the only cast member (deservingly so) to get a nod. Truly fantastic and worth the price of admission. SEE THE SHOW FOR HER!
The score (as everyone I'm sure knows) is obnoxious, catchy, and unnecessary - but it's all quite a bit of silly fun. While I would cut some of the numbers because they truly are incredibly boring, I have a feeling they're here to stay.
The giant, appropriately over-produced sets are very nice to look at - a probable win for best sets. Some moments really are magical and I can only imagine how long this show needs to run to recoup their investment. It's all just magical and I felt like a kid again - which is never a bad thing.
The choreography by Gillian Lynne (who did the amazing choreography for CATS) was pedestrian at best. Most of the dance numbers are unnecessary and the music is always unimpressive, and the dancing never makes it more exciting. It's just all very standard musical theatre - very disappointing. I wouldn't call it bad, but I expected better from her.
The special effects in the show really are magical. I had a great seat - I was towards the back, center orchestra - close enough to see everything first hand, yet far back enough so things didn't loose their magic. To all the cynics out there (usually me,) we all know how the car flies - we all know how EVERYTHING is done - but it truly is impressive and magical. Every aspect of the flying car, the blimps, the childcatcher in the net, etc. was all just magical and the entire audience was in awe at everything. It's all very cheesy, but so much fun and so nice to look at.
All in all, a very enjoyable night. While some of the dance numbers and songs were EXCRUCIATING, by the end of the show I was having so much fun that I was willing to forgive all that. I doubt the critics will be as forgiving (which I don't blame,) but if you're up for having senseless, mindless fun, you should check this show out. It puts anything Disney's ever done to shame - not in direction, conception, or content - in just pure spectacle. And it's funny, because I'm usually such an opponent to shows like this one, but I was truly won over and I had a great time - it made me feel like a kid again and, for that, it's welcome - atleast in my book.
First off, let me first say that this show is only meant for pure entertainment. Again, I usually hate shows like this, but this one really won me over. I don't know of anyone who would go see CHITTY expecting ground breaking theatre, but I'm just letting you all know (I'm sure you know already) that this show is pure fluff and is only here to be fun. Nothing more.
And, for the most part, it generally succeeds. My only real complaints with the show is some of the pointless songs and the never-ending dance breaks. Surprisingly, all the children around me seemed entertained the entire time so maybe it was just my friend and I - but they could easily make this show 20 minutes shorter by cutting some of the dances. None of them are terribly impressive and none of them serve a purpose. It's all eye candy - but it's very mediocre eye candy that could be much more than that.
With that said, the entire show is generally enjoyable. There are many many funny parts of the show that are meant for adults more than children. The pacing is very slow and it's very dragged out, but that might be a result of all the pointless songs which, most of the time, have unintelligible lyrics.
Raul Esparza (whom I adore,) is fine as Caractacus. I didn't really buy him as a father, but I'm willing to forgive him because I love him so much. But critically speaking, he's really out of his element here. Raul has a certain bitchy, sarcastic edge as a performer, even pre-TABOO, he's always been edgy. He tries to make the best here out of his below mediocre material and he generally succeeds. Through most of Act One, he was channelling Phillip Sallon, and while it was delightful to see him strutting around the stage with his quick sarcasm and hysterical sense of humour, it's certainly not for everyone and most people in the audience didn't find his antics funny. I did...and while I love him as a performer, he's nothing special here.
Erin Dilly - who sounds very similar to Rebecca Luker and Laura Benanti at times - is very standard as Truly. Nothing great, but then again - the material isn't great. She's sincere, loveable, and fine. Philip Bosco was out, but his understudy was fine as well.
Marc Kudisch was appropriately over the top as the Baron. While his performance didn't win me over, the general audience found him delightful. He's fine as well - nothing special.
Chip Zien and Robert Sella are fine as Goran and Boris (the Baron's henchman,) but are very campy. While camp is not my style, the audience ate them up and they were generally very entertaining.
Kevin Cahoon (who I have a crush on) is very creepy and great as the Childcatcher. He's perfect for the role. He frightened all the kids around me, and even reminded me of when I was a kid and was petrified of the film. Very creepy, very perfect. The two children were fine as well.
And finally, the great Jan Maxwell (who was brilliant in last season's SIXTEEN WOUNDED.) She steals the show. She's completely hysterical and hade my friend and I literally in tears because we were laughing so hard. She's perfect and I'm really hoping she can pull out a Tony nomination - perhaps the only cast member (deservingly so) to get a nod. Truly fantastic and worth the price of admission. SEE THE SHOW FOR HER!
The score (as everyone I'm sure knows) is obnoxious, catchy, and unnecessary - but it's all quite a bit of silly fun. While I would cut some of the numbers because they truly are incredibly boring, I have a feeling they're here to stay.
The giant, appropriately over-produced sets are very nice to look at - a probable win for best sets. Some moments really are magical and I can only imagine how long this show needs to run to recoup their investment. It's all just magical and I felt like a kid again - which is never a bad thing.
The choreography by Gillian Lynne (who did the amazing choreography for CATS) was pedestrian at best. Most of the dance numbers are unnecessary and the music is always unimpressive, and the dancing never makes it more exciting. It's just all very standard musical theatre - very disappointing. I wouldn't call it bad, but I expected better from her.
The special effects in the show really are magical. I had a great seat - I was towards the back, center orchestra - close enough to see everything first hand, yet far back enough so things didn't loose their magic. To all the cynics out there (usually me,) we all know how the car flies - we all know how EVERYTHING is done - but it truly is impressive and magical. Every aspect of the flying car, the blimps, the childcatcher in the net, etc. was all just magical and the entire audience was in awe at everything. It's all very cheesy, but so much fun and so nice to look at.
All in all, a very enjoyable night. While some of the dance numbers and songs were EXCRUCIATING, by the end of the show I was having so much fun that I was willing to forgive all that. I doubt the critics will be as forgiving (which I don't blame,) but if you're up for having senseless, mindless fun, you should check this show out. It puts anything Disney's ever done to shame - not in direction, conception, or content - in just pure spectacle. And it's funny, because I'm usually such an opponent to shows like this one, but I was truly won over and I had a great time - it made me feel like a kid again and, for that, it's welcome - atleast in my book.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
And, I'm MUY thankfully he's channelling the Phillip. 
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