My Return to PIAZZA (June 1 Matinee)

The book is just so much tighter now. They also allow things to marinate over the course of the show now:

SPOILERS

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The small romance between Signor Nacarelli and Margaret begins earlier when we see small doses of flirtation between the two, allowing the entire love interest to be blossoming up until that kiss at the end of "Let's Walk".

We learn of how Clara was made to face retardation about half-way through the first act making Margaret's reprise of 'The Beauty Is' one of the most heartbreaking moments of the production. I sat in my seat yesterday crying during Clark's rendition of it. It is, byfar, her most electrifying moment on stage.

Margaret's asides with the audience are all much tighter now.

However, my only problem I'm still noticing is at the early moments of act two before the title song is sung. The dialogue leading up is a huge climactic moment for Margaret and Clara. Here, we see Margaret assume a position we shun these days: a mother hitting her child. However, instead of any huge reaction, Clara breaks into the title song. The moment was just... lacking. Not really sure what the problem is, but something is off and sets the sound of the music beginning to be a bit strange at first.

Overall though, huge improvements on an already thrilling, beautiful piece.

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SPOILER -

I saw the saw and loved it - I did find a few issues with the book however. These things bothered me to some degree (sorry, not great with character names) and these scenes may not appear in the original source material:

1. I would've liked to have seen Matt Morrison's character fight for his relationship with Clara after the father storms out of the church.

2. Not sure why the father suddenly decides to permit the marriage after the brief walk with Victoria Clark.

3. The kiss between the father and victoria Clark really seems to come out of nowhere and leads no where.

4. I would've liked to have seen a scene with the father/Victoria Clark announcing to Matt and Kelli that the wedding was blessed by him.

Just my opinion.

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SPOILER.

It just seems to me that there were a couple of scenes missing, scenes that could've been extremely emotional with song. I found the father to be a caricature, not so much a real person. By showing him grant his blessing in song would've humanized him.

IMO. Still love the show.

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Updated On: 6/2/05 at 02:17 PM

I was at the June 1st matinee as well...amusing how many people from the board are at any one show

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Well, then wouldn't that be kind of strange? Father and son involved with a mother and daughter? Hm...

~Steven

True.
But I think it's more of a vicarious thing. If they can't get married, then let their children be married.

~Steven

I'm not sure Nacrelli has any thoughts about a future with Margaret. The Italian family unit presented seems pretty strong. I think what we see is perhaps a more European sensibility at work. He realizes that he has attraction to Margaret, and that she could obviously use some reassurance that she is desirable. He probably is secure enough in his own reality to know he's not risking anything, and feels that Margaret is mature enough to also understand the situation.

I also think that it is that very sensibility toward the acceptance of love's path that Margaret could have tapped into by telling him the truth. He probably hears what we all do when she sings that glorious song at the end of the piece.