PalJoey Sees His Beloved West Side Story- Page 3

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:02pm

I saw the show at the invited dress and A-Rab's pants were all the way down around his ankles. It's a shame if they've changed that since. It was a very effective touch.

I agree. I hope Arthur considers bringing that back. It made the scene even more frightening.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:12pm

It's pretty evident that nothing is going to change regarding the present production. Sounds like Arthur Laurents is another one who needs to be run out of town along with the gang that destroyed the current revivial of Guys and Dolls.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:12pm

Pal Joey and Miss Pennywise outside the Palace Theatre, where he is telling all of BroadwayWorld how Arthur Laurents has ruined West Side Story. Miss Pennywise's comment: "It was good and loud."

---

"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"

http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html

**********

"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"

~ Best12Bars

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:23pm

"I saw the show at the invited dress and A-Rab's pants were all the way down around his ankles. It's a shame if they've changed that since. It was a very effective touch. "

I don't know how any of you would consider that either effective or chilling. For one thing the boy looked like he was 12 years old, his underwear didn't fit, and he had skinny, hairless little boy legs. I found it laughable. If you want to see chilling then watch any assortment of rape scenes on the LIFETIME for women network.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:23pm

PalJoey, can I ask what you thought of Josefina as Maria? You haven't mentioned much about her.

[karen24]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:25pm

PalJoey, thank you for the interesting and well-thought-out review.
I was remembering hearing my Mom talk about seeing the original production with my Dad. She said that she didn't know much about the show going in, except that it was a musical version of "Romeo and Juliet." She told me that after the ending, the audience just sat in stunned silence for several seconds before the applause started--everyone was that moved and shocked. And she said she was crying so hard that they had to stay in the theater for a while until she recovered. I was just wondering--has anyone seen that kind of reaction at the ending of this production? (I'm guessing not...) I realize that these days, more people are familiar with the ending from seeing other productions or from seeing the movie, but it still seems to me that if it's done right, the ending should still be very powerful.
(I was also thinking about how I actually didn't grow up watching the movie, because for most of my childhood--I was born in '59--the movie was banned from TV. Does anyone else remember this? The fear was that it would incite gang violence. I don't know if this was just a New York metro area thing or if it was a nationwide ban?)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:43pm

Spork--I said I liked her and her rendition of "Siento Hermosa." She was also lovely at the Dance and in the "Tonight" and "One Hand, One Heart" scenes. Arthur misdirected her in the "Killer, killer" scene and she has an oddly angry line reading to Schrank on "And his name?" "Jose," which I also attribute to Arthur's penchant for angry women.

I was looking forward to her final scene and dismayed to see how he ruined it. She would have blossomed with Jerome Robbins's staging of the final scene and processional.

Karen--I would love to hear what your mom and dad would say about this revival. My mother and father saw the original several times and saw the 1980 revival several times. I wish they were still around to see this one. I doubt they would have my laundry list of complaints, but I wonder how they would experience the difference.

Miss P--you always look dazzling in white, especially when we disagree.

Updated On: 3/6/09 at 04:43 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:47pm

I don't know how any of you would consider that either effective or chilling. For one thing the boy looked like he was 12 years old, his underwear didn't fit, and he had skinny, hairless little boy legs. I found it laughable.

- How old do you think the jets are suppose to be? They ARE teenage boys.
Updated On: 3/6/09 at 04:47 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:52pm

Trish--I actually heard from another poster in a PM that the tighty-whiteys fit well. Quite well, actually.

I can't for the life of me figure out why Arthur would have him put the pants BACK on. It seems the one change on the Robbins staging that actually improved the show.

And maybe they should have changed the Jet boy who is lifted and placed on top of her from A-Rab and Baby John (in the script) to Diesel or even Action.

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 4:57pm

yes, joey ! Now THAT would have been more menacing. In this menace-free production.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 5:08pm

I assume that the "rape" scene changes have to do with Laurents new interpretation that the boys are killers (which they are clearly not, by the reaction to the first two deaths) and degenerates.
In the original script and the movie it is not really a rape at all.
The boys are taunting and roughing Anita up, Baby John is actually trying to stop them, they pin Anita down and two jets lift up an unwilling Baby John (pants completely up)and aim him at Anita when Doc stops them.

[nealb1]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 5:09pm

I love the energy on this board with everyone's opinions and thoughts on how "West Side Story," should, or shouldn't be. It's Arthur's show - so, it's his vision of the material. You line up 5 different directors, you'll get 5 different shows. And, not one of them will be wrong - they will each be different.

Saw Pittsburgh CLO's "West Side Story" August of last year and it was fantastic. It's too bad that the leads from that show, weren't cast in this version as they were wonderful. Was really surprised that they weren't.

Prior to that I saw WSS here in LA at Cabrillo Music Theatre back in 2005. It was a staggering, brilliant production that received standing Os every night. The second the opening music started, I was crying all the way throught it. Ha, ha...




Updated On: 3/6/09 at 05:09 PM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 5:12pm

I always felt that the vaudevillian aspect of Officer Krupke actually added to the chilling factor of the deaths that preceded it. Here are a group of kids who, have just witnessed two killings and they are joking around and kidding each other just about how bad and misunderstood they are.
On the one hand it lightens the show at that point but on the other it gives a very dark and troubling glimpse on how these kids view themselves and the world they are in. In this version it doesn't work, it just seems out of place and superficial.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 5:31pm

Miss Pennywise disagrees with Pal Joey, Curtain, PhilCrosby and Dottie, but still loves them all very much.

---

"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"

http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html

**********

"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"

~ Best12Bars

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 5:33pm

Trish--I actually heard from another poster in a PM that the tighty-whiteys fit well. Quite well, actually.

- Yes. They did fit very well. Hopefully he brings it back. It was intense.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 11:54pm

Anyone see it tonight? Were A-Rab's pants up or down?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 12:00am

Miss Pennywise:
I Hope I am Donald O'Conner and not that baldish guy.
I still have alot of HAIR.
VARIETY has pronounced the revival DOA.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 12:05am

Hey, if I had to choose out of that group I'd go with O'Conner too. A wonderful talent.

[Luvinbroadway]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 12:08am

Thanks Pal Joey. Always well expressed!

[jejr]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 12:24am

I saw the original production although Chita was gone and Anita was played by a really wonderful Carmen Alverez. It was the most emotionally draining shows I have ever seen. The last act built and built until the tension in the last scene was almost more that you could stand. The audience all had tears in their eyes as you didn't know if Maria would shoot someone or herself.

It was the only time I have been in a theater and you could hear the weights in the curtain hit the floor as the curtain came down. There was a fairly long pause before the applause started.

A friend met me outside the theater and I literally could not talk to him for about 10 minutes.

For these reasons I would not even think of seeing the abomination that the new production seems to be. Mr. Laurents, commit yourself to an assisted living facility and stage any new productions in the dining hall.
Updated On: 3/7/09 at 12:24 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 8:15am

I've heard Carmen Alvarez's voice and it sounds like she would be a great Anita. How was her dancing?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 8:16am

I'm seeing it today, Pal - I'll tell you what I think!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 8:23am

As Lenny would say, "Sit back and let the music WASH over you."

Oh--and make sure you pay close attention to the status of A-rab's pants.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 8:27am

Yessir. Anything else you guys want me to report on?

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 8:30am

Anachronistic treasure trails?