My 110 experience

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 9:12am

I went to see the 2pm performance of 110 in the Shade yesterday and decided to add my 2 cents to the already long list.

We bought the front row tickets for half price, which I think is an unbelievable way to see the show if you have a little extra cash. We got there at 11:30 and the BO guy didn't think he had any left, but checked for us, and sure enough we had dead center seats. The stage is low, not too wide, and pretty well raked so the view was great

As far as the show goes, I enjoyed the score. I'm generally not a fan of "traditional" shows, as I tend to enjoy the livelier, pop and rock infused scores more. However, I found the songs memorable and tuneful and I will be picking up the cast recording. I liked the way they sprung from the book and the story very naturally. You didn't get that "here comes a song" warning, and I like the spontaneity of that.

I thought the book was the weakest part. I found many plot points didn't connect for me and seemed to come out of nowhere.

*SPOILERS BELOW!*
For instance, HC giving the $100 to Starbuck didn't make sense as a character choice for him. They tried to make sense of it in the 2nd act by having him happy that Starbuck slept with Lizzie, as if that was his plan all along, and not even care when he finds out for sure the man is a con-artist! I also thought that Noah suddenly being so rude at the end of the first act and during the second after being so excited about Lizzie coming home (earlier that day) was a little sudden. The worst was in the end when File and Starbuck are both fighting for her and she chooses File. The last time they saw each other, they were fighting. I felt like he should have had a song where he comes to appreciate Lizzie's strength and basically tells the audience he needs her and that she brought something out in him. Just having her say "I need to be Lizzie" when Starbuck wants to run away with her teaches the audience to play it safe and not be adventurous.
*END OF SPOILERS*

It's too bad this stuff is always so well protected. I would like to see a case where Roundabout could have given someone a shot at re-writing the book. This could have turned into a classic.

Onto the staging. Very, very good. I liked the starkness and natural feel to the set. I thought the turntables were used well and not overused. I did think it was a little odd to have a big house onstage at the beginning of the first act and then have very simple sets the rest of the show, but it was a very good house, nonetheless. I thought the direction was terrific. He made good use of the ensemble and always made me feel like I was there, despite some very simple sets.

As for the acting, I thought the rapport between Audra McDonald and John Cullum felt very easy and made the colorblind casting very natural. All the singing was good and as acting goes, I especially liked, of course, Mcdonald and Cullum, as well as well as Bobby Steggart as Jimmy and Carle Duren as Snookie. As Lily Ann Beasly, Elisa Van Duyne was also very funny.

And of course, the big question: Audra's performance. I went into both this show and Grey Gardens with a slight bias. I have never seen Ms. McDonald or Ms. Ebersole in a show before but knew of their histories and went in with very high expectations. To be honest, I didn't think they would be fulfilled in either case, they were just SO lauded everywhere, how could they ever live up? Basically, I went to see Audra, not the show. I was pleasantly surprised by the show and, by Audra, completely blown away!! Like I said, I had a slight bias due to the praise she's recieved and the fact that, in interviews I've seen, she seems a little egotistical. But damn, she has a right to be. It's not even the singing, we all know she can sing. It's the acting. I really felt every emotion for Lizzie. When she was happy or excited, I was happy. When she was sad, I was almost in tears. It always felt real and natural, and I felt she rose above the book.

If I had the power right now, the tony goes to Audra McDonald. I'm not trying to hate, I just thought both shows had flaws and she did a better job with the material she had.

A truly unbelievable performace! And definitely a show worth seeing for the performances and the staging.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 9:20am

<< For instance, HC giving the $100 to Starbuck didn't make sense as a character choice for him. They tried to make sense of it in the 2nd act by having him happy that Starbuck slept with Lizzie, as if that was his plan all along, and not even care when he finds out for sure the man is a con-artist! >>

I think HC was just at the point that he was acting on a "hunch"- The entire family had become so desperate for Lizzie to find a man, that he might have paid $500 for Starbuck to stay around.

As far as Audra... I totally agree. I will not be upset with either woman winning, but having seen both "110" and "GG" recently, I would give the Tony to Audra, because, as much as I love "110", I dont think she has as much to work with.

Either way, I woundn't be upset with the winner. They are both deserving !

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 9:24am

I guess I get what you're saying, but it didn't work for me. I also found it funny that Brantley made a mess of this plot point in his review, saying something like "HC gives Starbuck $100 in hopes he will sleep with his daughter." He makes her sound like a prostitute! Talk about taking it out of context!

[misschung]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 9:53am

I was actually looking for Brantley's review since I saw the show, so its funny you mention that.

I didnt see the connection that much between his giving Starbuck the money and hoping that he slept with his daughter.

For me, what didnt work in the show was, as you said, her choosing between Starbuck and File. Lizzy and File's song in Act 1 seemed like one that rose out of a mutual understanding of their both feeling out of place. Having them get together in the end seemed like they were just throwing the two previously unhappy charcters together to tie up the loose ends. Granted, this is more of a traditional musical where that technique is often used, but for me it really put a damper on the show.

Other than that, I expected the show to be on more of a serious note. The little cracks here and there seemed off-putting, like at the end when she's choosing between File and Starbuck, and she cries out to her father for support. It just seemed kind of hokey.

Born to Reign - what did you think of having the characters come onstage from the back of the theater?

[kasim]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:00am

I have to admit i also found it a bit strange for a 1936 western town to have someone want to pimp out their daughter essentially to be rather strange. (I was there last night)

I think it just came across a bit off. I think you nailed it in the front about a few extra songs to clear things up ... however then it would have been too long

[misschung]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:15am

Yeah, I felt that given the length of the show, there were parts that were undeniably draggy

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:16am

I too saw the show last evening and I really enjoyed it. The material is good, nothing more, nothing less. However, the cast is phenomenal, especially the three leads, Audra McDonald, John Cullum, and especially Steve Kazee, who really had the audience in the palm of his hands.

Audra'a performance was wonderful, however I don't think she holds anything to Christine Ebersole.

[misschung]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:16am

Yeah, I felt that it was a little bit draggy. And given the length, I felt that many of the songs didnt progress the story or contribute to character development that much. But I loved most of the ensemble pieces

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:23am

I didn't think it dragged too much, and I actually thought the songs were there solely for character development, and did a good job of it, but agree that they didn't progress the plot at all. A very "traditional" approach!

I think it's funny that everyone criticizes Legally Blonde, because if there's one thing you can say for it, the songs drive the plot. Think about it: take away the songs, and the book makes no sense which I see to be a strength.

And misschung, as far as the people entering from the house: It's something I usually find a little gimmicky. I did think it worked well (though I didn't like having the lift up my legs -I'm very tall- for the actors coming across the first row) I would have liked it more if the pit wasn't in the boxes and they had used those AS WELL, so it felt more environmental.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 10:31am

And I wasn't that crazy about Steve Kazee, though he sang very well. I thought Christopher Innvar as File did well with a pretty crappy part, and looked delicious!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 2:09pm

Hey, no one is mentioning Steggert???!!!

[misschung]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 2:17pm

He was excellent! Actually I thought he gave one of the best performances of the cast. He was in Kinsey, right?

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 2:18pm

I did! In my original review!

[LostLeander]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 2:31pm

I'm reading The Rainmaker (the play 110 is based off of), and Nash (who also wrote the book for the 110) and in the forward, he writes about HC that he is a wise man with infinite patience, and he knows the rain will eventually come - and Lizze will find a husband.

I think HC explains himself very well in Act II when he says that Lizzie NEEDS this experience with Starbuck - however long or short it may last. I don't think it's clear, or that it can be assumed that HC gives Starbuck the 100 dollars to sleep with Lizzie, although being the wise man he is, he suspects that something might happen between Lizzie and Starbuck - and offers the money to make Starbuck stay and shake things up a bit.

I think Cullum plays HC PERFECTLY, and that the family dynamic is palpable.

The direction of this production is wonderful because it balances the hokiness of the somewhat outdated book with honest portrayals of REAL people.

I think Lizzie's choice of lover is quite validated. She never takes to the name of Melisande, anyway, and she sings a whole song about how she wants simple little things, not living a life of grandure that Starbuck is promising.

It's a lovely, simple piece, but this production makes so much more of it.

And for the record, I LOOOOOOVED Steggert. I have a little man crush on him.