As I type this review I am simultaneously searching Craigslist for some sort of hypnotist who, in keeping with the spirit of the show, can help me forget the last three hours of my life.
I found the show to be a complete mess. Everything seemed to be wrong. It's really hard to say what, if anything, they used from the original book. The show has been reset in 1974 and as if now well-known the Harris character has been split into a gay man in the present and a jazz singer circa 1943. The score has been ripped to shreds (I think the sound bites of songs in Baby It's You were often more cohesive), and what does remain from the original has been shuffled and changed dramatically.
The biggest issue may be that it doesn't showcase the considerable talents of Harry Connick Jr. This may partly lie within the show. I've always felt it was Daisy/David's show (well I've actually never thought it was David's show- neither the character nor Mr. Turner, but since there is no Daisy here David will have to do!). It belonged to Harris and then Streisand in the movie. David is by far the more interesting character and there are long stretches with Harry off stage. They've moved the title song to the finale, so we don't even get to hear him sing that early on.
Looking in my playbill I saw the show still started off with "Hurry! It's lovely up here," but alas the introduction, "Talk to flowers right here..." has been cut. The rest is so broken up with Connick narrating between each line it hardly felt a song. A huge mistake.
Connick then sang "She ISN'T you" to a pic of his dead wife, and though he sounded great the version was really just a snippet of the song. It could have been a great moment for him to shine, but was so brief you barely noticed it. As noted above the song is sung in full as a quartet in act 2.
"Open Your Eyes" is reprised a million times throughout. "SS Bernard Cohn" (corrected!) was different and not very effective in my opinion. What could be a knock-em-dead showstopper Turned into a weird trio like thing with Connick/David/Melinda and then the ensemble in the background. Personally I find the song to be better sung by a woman than a man.
All the 1942 scenes are pretty bland. Jessie Mueller, who plays Melinda, has a nice voice, but is boring and creates little chemistry with Connick. I just didn't think the role worked being split in two. I spent the whole evening rooting for Warrnen to find a better boyfriend who would appreciate him for the great guy he was!
"What Did I Have That I Don't Have" turned into "Don't Rain On My Parade" orchestrations for the second half and was a mess. David Turner was all over the place...I know it's the first preview, but I except people to know their notes to the songs. It was a bit rough.
"Come Back to Me" has become a duet with Connick and Warren that gets downright goofy. Again another moment where you just wanted Connick to take center stage and deliver and he was denied.
The set was pretty ugly despite often being bright. The whole production was like a cross between the Hair and Promises, Promises revivals. In fact "When I'm Being Born Again" sounded like it had "Hare Krishna" orchestrations. The choreography was amateurish and distracting. My friend thought it was like Raggedy Ann and I thought the Marshall Grease Revival.
If they had to go with this gay angle they should have gotten Sean Hayes (although way too old I think they could have made it work). Connick seemed stiff and uncomfortable, especially around the gay stuff. I'm trying to imply he's homophobic or anything like that AT ALL. I just thought he looked a bit uneasy.
You could feel the audience wanting to enjoy Connick, but the creative team rarely allowed him to let loose. The man can ooze charm- let him!!
Yes I'm frustrated and crabby, if you can't tell, but I truly adore this score so wanted to basically hear it done justice no matter what they did to the book, but I wasn't even given that. If Connick wasn't in the production I don't think it would survive the winter.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
