PORGY AND BESS = AMAZING!!!!!!- Page 5

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 12/20/11 at 10:18pm

I had planned to see it in Boston, but then my trip was cancelled, but I read all of the reviews. In fact, I found Brantley's review "encouraging." I bought tickets for the Bway production figuring they'd spruce it up...and despite my strong negative response to Paulus's HAIR.

I was open-minded and excited about seeing it. I have seen the four principals in other productions and like them all immensely. I even have a friend in the show. So I was "wired" to love it.

The direction is the problem. I did not extract from any of the performances the reasons these characters respond to one another as they do. No character development, no relationship dynamics, no personalities, nobody to root for! McDonald, Lewis, Grier and Boykin are all very, very good. But, as Brantley suggested, they don't seem to be doing it "together." And, yes, we want Bess to stay with Porgy, but it's because we love Norm Lewis and Audra McDonald, not because we love Porgy or Bess.

There are so many problems obviously tied to the direction that it would take hours for me to explain. And I just don't have the time. Sorry.