My Thoughts About XANADU

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:39pm

I'm sure my loyal followers on the board are just itching with antici (say it!) pation, so here goes.

I'll begin by thinking outloud: if fighting on a raked stage gets you assigned as an "extreme risk" by Equity (private, personal story), I can't imagine what rollerskating on a raked stage gets you.

Well, this afternoon, the show went on. And on. And on. XANADU is clearly a work-in-progress. It's about 65% ready and it's easy to pinpoint what works and what doesn't. It starts out great, plateaus for an hour and 10, and then picks up for the last 10. I must say, I felt like I was watching the punchline of a great joke I hadn't been told.

The strength of the production is the wonderful score by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, played by one of the best Broadway bands I've ever heard. They don't bastardize the rock-sound like so many others (Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde, etc.) have in the past. A big plus, IMO.

The cast is uniformly strong, but you can tell they're all still trying to find their sealegs. Kerry "Tinker Bell" Butler has a nice voice, despite an in-and-out Australian accent. She's got star quality and it shows. Maybe she should teach Laura Bell Bundy a thing or two. (PS: Somebody needs to give her a bucket of fried chicken - the woman's gaunt!) James Carpinello's goof-ball charm works very well but doesn't really stand-out the same way as if, oh, Richard H. Blake played the part. Tony Roberts is reliable, as always, even if he does look like a deer-in-the-headlights when he dances. (I assume that Gene Kelly danced in the movie. They couldn't get someone who could for this?) Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman are the only two who have natural chemistry and it shows. The ensemble is great, as well.

I can't decide whether or not the problem is in Christopher Ashley's direction or Douglas Carter Beane's book. There are about a handful of genuine laughs (I chuckled through most of the show - everyone around me was howling). The one thing that got me was the line about jukebox musicals. Christopher Ashley's direction is downright dull. The show is screaming for an intermission (especially with all the songs having end-buttons), but isn't long enough to warrent one. I'm reluctant to blame Beane, one of the best comedic writers around these days, simply because, well, the plot isn't his fault!

Lighting and sets were great, visual effects were decent. The first scene is ruined by the giant mirror - we see the trap opening! Party City costumes didn't impress.

I've never seen the Hayes so crowded, only a handful of empty seats. Very encouraging, especially for a show which I happen to be rooting for (unlike Pirate Queen which I'm rooting for the demise of.)

As a whole, I can see it being the hit of the summer. It's perfect, lite summer fare, and the audience clearly had a ball (granted the entire place was filled with gay men). What'll happen come fall? Remains to be seen.

Trivia Time:

Xanadu is the first of two shows this season to feature music by John Farrar. What's the second? Updated On: 6/2/07 at 07:39 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:47pm

Yankeefan- Great review ! So you finally saw it, huh? You beat me.. I will be seeing it
this coming June 17.. when I go to NYC to see Broadway Bares.

BTW - as promised, here's the picture that Ive taken from the 5/27 cancelled performance of XANADU.....that you and I should supposedly have seen-j*




PattiLuPoneFan- Thank you so much for helping me how to post picture in the message board-j*


Updated On: 6/2/07 at 07:47 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:53pm

Trivia Time:

Xanadu is the first of two shows this season to feature music by John Farrar. What's the second?

Grease. Farrar wrote "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "You're the One That I Want" for the movie, both of which will be incorporated into this stage version.

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:54pm

i always like to read your reviews on shows, because you always have well-formed opinions
anyways, very interesting review. i just bought XANADU tickets for July 7th, and they're onstage, seats 1-3. where were your seats located? im curious about onstage seats, because they seem to be scattered all around the stage (at least from the seating chart).
thanks for the review!

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:03pm

Updated On: 6/2/07 at 08:03 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:08pm

bjh - Good job!

Dirty Rotten - behind the playing area (which looked like about 5 feet of space) in a U shape. Despite having numbers assigned, the on stage seats are first-come-first-served. Having sat in the audience, I can't tell you what's good or bad. But,it looked like the people in the front row of the right side had a better view than everyone else.

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:28pm

the onstage seats are first come, first served? how dumb, haha

thanks for the help, though, yankee

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:30pm

No problem. Enjoy.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:34pm

Do they sing the title track in the show?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:42pm

It's the finale.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:46pm

yankeefan, great review! im hoping i will see it this summer.
oh yeah, and skating on a raked stage...i symphathize for them.

Updated On: 6/2/07 at 08:46 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:31pm

Tony Roberts had a great quip following the show today. A woman asked him why he wasn't on skates. His response, in that great voice he has: "Lady, I couldn't skate when I was 12!"

[mikem]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:36pm

Yankeefan, does there seem to be some kind of artistic reason why there is on-stage seating (as one could argue there is for Spring Awakening, Inherit the Wind, Copenhagen, etc)? I'm assuming there is no interaction between the onstage audience and the actors.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:40pm

I really see no reason why there's on stage seating. The actors sit in them at the beginning of the show, but that's about it.

It makes the play area smaller, perhaps safer, for Kerry, since she's on rollerskates for the entire show. The barriers are easy to grab onto if she loses her balance.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:45pm

wow, i didnt know she was on skates the whole show. i'd probably be dead after the first rehearsal.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:45pm

The stage is raked! That is pretty dangerous on roller skates. Anyways, fabulous review Yankee.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 10:16pm

Thanks.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 11:21pm

I'd love to hear if anyone else who's seen the show agrees/disagrees with my assessment...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 8:46am

Shameful bump.

[yellibean2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 9:06am

Great review, just wanted to point out that Kerry Butler is a vegetarian.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 9:40am

I just want to point out that Kerry is blonde.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:44am

Yankee--

Have you seen the film version of Xanadu? The plot has been totally reconstructed for the stage show. It's actually 100 times better. I do agree with the whole "what is the point?" I hadn't seen the film before seeing the show, but I tell ya, the Broadway show races circles around the film and it's far more entertaining.

Wasn't Butler's accent suppose to be going back and forth? She claims at the beginning when she comes down to earth she's going to pretend to be an Australian. Or maybe they've changed it.

But overall, the show is entertaining, and the length works well for me.

But nice review.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:47am

Nope, never saw the movie. I put it on my Netflix queue. About 150 titles down.

I thought the show was moderately entertaining. There were just lots of parts that were boring.
Updated On: 6/3/07 at 10:47 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:49am

People are TOO easy on this show. Christ.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:59am

What do you mean by too easy?