What I find fascinating was that before Sunset opened, this show was the buzz in town. The entire run was sold out. The production and performances were brilliant. Levy felt like an unstoppable force to win the Olivier. Even after Sunset opened it took some time for the attention to shift to Nicole.
I think many here might prefer the craft of this production and performances than Sunset - there is no doubt in my mind that if there is a Broadway revival it will be this.
Alice, Marin and Levy are the best Dianas I have ever seen. Of the three, I would say Alice and Marin had this raw emotion that I’ve never seen since - but Levy is the most polished. Every mannerism, line reading, song has been carefully constructed and perfected. The idea that she ‘screams’ the score in my opinion is not accurate - she might have among the most subtle and touching ‘I miss the mountains’ and ‘how could I ever forget’, ever. Also, unlike say Eden in Lempicka - Levy’s vocals were always so precise and on pitch. It was like listening to a studio recording there was never any roughness (the same of course cannot be said for Alice). And it’s amazing to hear the show work with the different voices of Marin, Alice, Levy.
And I continue to be touched at how much global success this show has had and continues to have since that original production of Broadway - and I remember we were all wondering here if it would find an audience during those early previews.
It is a joy to have this show in our lives. And I have loved being there for most of the journey - including being able to see Alice reprise the role in Barcelona around 2022 and even watch her tear through ‘I Miss the Mountains’ last year in a practically empty room at the green room in NYC or whenever it’s called. Seems that her fans have disappeared.
When old friends opened in London SJB who was in town for her concert described it as like going to church. Well next to normal and watching ‘light’ is like going to therapy. You can really feel it every time in the audience. And it makes me emotional to think of seeing it at the booth with Marin, who is no longer with us. Or Alice on tour screaming through it with the very last ounce of what was left in her vocals. Or in Barcelona in a tiny room where everyone is surrounded by projections on all of the walls around us. Or at the tiny Donmar where the intimacy is absolutely unmatched by any other venue I’ve seen the show.
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
Updated On: 4/20/24 at 03:24 AM
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