*Official* Sweet Charity review thread.- Page 3

[Benzy92]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 7:57pm

I think its safe to assume La Cage has won the Tony for Best Revival.. these were the reviews I predicted for Charity, although I am still curious to see it.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 7:58pm

Whoops

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 7:59pm

I don't think that is a good assumption at all of La Cage winning.

[justme2]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:10pm

Margo, You make excellent points and I respect that. Anne did a fantastic job with the Chicago choreography, and obviously Cilento is not impressing anyone with his work in this show. Of course theere will be comparisons of the original staging against the new staging; I realize that and understand it and respect it. Some of the reviews coming in are even clarifying why Cilento's work fails in this production, instead of simply invoking the name of Fosse and thinking that is enough. Those reviews are actual reviews of Cilento's work. We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess.

I just hope the show runs long enough to give everyone a chance to see it for themselves and make up their owns minds.

People like me...who haven't seen the Fosse stage version, were not interested in renting the movie, and were just hoping to see a new staging of this musical.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:14pm

All I gotta say is - rent the movie, or buy it! It's fantastic. Shirley is wonderful. Chita is so fun in it. PLUS IT HAS THE FOSSE CHOREOGRAPHY - which is just splendid. Ofcourse I miss "You Should See Yourself", "... Bravest Individual", and most of all "Baby Dream Your Dream" - but the movie is still great.
Updated On: 5/4/05 at 08:14 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:16pm

Linda Winer (Newsday) is Mixed-to-Negative:

"This is a drama of spunk, heartache and triumph. It is loaded with will-she-or-won't-she plot twists, and fortunes are at stake. In short, this is precisely the kind of story that Broadway loves as it loves the very idea of itself.

Too bad the best parts happen offstage. "Sweet Charity," the cheesy on-again, off-again, on-again revision of what was once Bob Fosse's show, opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre last night, just under the wire for Tony Award eligibility in a slow season for musical revivals.
___________________________________________________________

Applegate, best known for her 11 irreverent seasons on "Married ... With Children," turns out to be a sweetheart. She sings fine - think Betty Boop with a hint of vibrato. She has the upturned nose of a curious puppy, an endearing clown of a smile and an expressive way with physical comedy. With her feet supported in high-button ankle boots, she steps a bit gingerly through the reduced choreography of the opening numbers, clearly saving herself for a strong finish.
______________________________________________________________

What "Sweet Charity" has is a few dark and delightful songs by Coleman and Dorothy Fields, including "Big Spender" and "If They Could See Me Now." What it used to have was Fosse's irresistibly slinky yet sleazy, elegant yet cynical choreography.

Fosse was not merely the director and choreographer of the show now directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Wayne Cilento. Although Fosse never received a writing credit on the book that Neil Simon fixed and polished, this stage adaptation of the Fellini film "Nights of Cabiria" was all Fosse's idea - a dance-driven showcase for his wife, Gwen Verdon.

For whatever reason, the producers hired Cilento to redo the dance numbers, often in Fosse's signature style and attitude. "Big Spender" doesn't even have a barre for the Fandango girls to hang their long, weary limbs anymore. Worse, though the program has a dedication "to the memory of Cy Coleman," Fosse's name appears nowhere. Surely, this is ethically, if not technically, criminal.

Without his touch, the book seems even more vacuous. Denis O'Hare almost makes us care about Oscar, the neurotic geek and virginity junkie who might be Charity's white knight. He is so disarming, in fact, that we feel betrayed by the character when Oscar turns against her. The new ending, with Charity discovering her own strength, is supposed to be upbeat. Sadists might agree."


Newsday Review

[justme2]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:19pm

Wow, when are Linda Winer and Ken Mandelbaum going to review THIS Charity show?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:20pm

Linda's review does NOTHING for me.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:21pm

The reviews can't stop talking about the original production! AHH!!
Fosse Fosse bla bla bla..

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:23pm

Justme,
You may have a point about the Winer review. She really has nothing specific to say about the shortcomings of this particular revival. Funny, she used to be a decent critic, once upon a time.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:38pm

I know everyone's in a lather about the non-stop comparison with the original, but frankly, CHARITY and Fosse were always joined at the hip, if anything, more than CHICAGO. And it was a star vehicle conceived for a particular star's persona, a dance show built around Fosse's professional and personal knowledge of/ experience with Gwen Verdun. They created something memorable for a gifted female dancer to do in her 40's, when most dancers (then anyway) are winding down for good. That made the show memorable. (The MacLaine film was never wildly respected -- I remember distinctly.)

But I doubt it's even POSSIBLE to walk into a revival of this show and not have the iconic Fosse style/stamp -- think of the the way the girls hold themselves, their stature and posture alone -- flash before you. The choreography here is as much a part of the original collaboration as the score and book. That's pretty much a fact of this show's inception. I understand all the frustration here about the comparions -- in general, yes, they are odious and unfair -- but they are (so far) voicing THEIR frustration that this dance show has landed so blandly.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:51pm

I am glad that Newsday put in a little snippet about Charlotte. I saw her the first week and thought she was great, I was just thinking that it's too bad, I would have wanted to hear what critics thought of her.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:53pm

Margo, I agree with most of your very valid points about this production. As far as these reviews are concered, they are exactly what I suspected. I dont understand what all the bellyaching about comparing it to the orginial is - its a revival, some mention of the original is expected, especially when this production just isn't very good.

The only thing I was certain of when I sat in the Hershfield 2 weeks ago was that the critics would hate this the most out of all 3 revivals this season - In my eyes it falls flatter than Christina did.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:55pm

Ehhh...I don't know if the critics would have been much kinder overall EDIT* if they had reviewed Charlotte*. They have been relatively kind to Christina thus far. They seem to be focusing on the point that they're not at the Palace theatre and this isn't 1966.

And PS...it's nice to see that MMS2 pays so much attention to me. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Updated On: 5/4/05 at 08:55 PM

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:58pm

La Cage did not get better reviews.. so I still think Sweet Charity will win the Tony

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:59pm

as much as i want Charity to succeed i'm still rooting like hell for Pacific Overtures!

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:00pm

Tiny, Tiny - I hate to disagree, but I do with you on Both accounts. The first is factual...Brantley was kinder to LA CAGE as were several other reviews. Yes, all the Charity reviews havent been released yet...but these just aren't good for a show like SWEET CHARITY!

Anyway you look at it though...this certainly is the biggest contested award on this Board! When whichever show wins on June 5th, it will be interesting!
Updated On: 5/4/05 at 09:00 PM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:05pm

For it being called a rather boring season.....the Tonys are shaping up to be one of the most exciting I can remember.

I still think that Dennis O'Hare could be a major player in the actor category...especially if he's listed as a supporting actor. He was perfect each time I saw this show.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:06pm

I liked La Cage, but it looks like Charity gets mixed reviews and La Cage did too. We'll just have to wait and see.. June 5th!

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:15pm

Neat avitar Tiny. :)
Mine will go back to Jeffrey Mylett tommorow...but it's all about "Charity" today.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:17pm

Thanks Princeton! :)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:38pm

I know how ya feel princeton, I knew nothing about RENT going in, but now look at me!

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:45pm

LOL...
Sometimes it's nice to know the score and story so you know what to pay attention to, but in this case, it was nice to be pleasantly surprised. Also, unlike the critics, I was able to not constantly think of a certain choreographer and dancer in the show.

[justme2]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 9:57pm

lacageauxfolles,

There's no "bellyaching" about comparing it to the original. The point I am trying to make is to judge a choreographer on HIS work (crappy or not-and I agree that Cilento's is coming across as crappy), not on your recollection of choreography from a 40 year old production.

I don't care if you recollect that you enjoyed Fosse more, for whatever reason. Just don't use it as your sole argument against Cilento. Look at the work on stage in front of you, and if you can't, and can't be fair and unbiased, then you shouldn't be reviewing the show.

Say Cilento sucks..and then say why, as opposed to the "Well, Fosse did this in 66, so Cilento's version sucks".

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 10:00pm

Since I knew in advance it was not Fosse I was there to see something bold and different. This production was not a new take. It was a poor reworking of the old book. It was boring, weak, annoying and as cast members were quoted as saying when they thought it was closing in Boston - "it just didn't click."