Absolutely.
There are spoilers, but I suppose if you love the show enough to be reading this thread you'll already know them.
I can't comment on this incarnation of the show versus its previous ones, but I guess this relieves me of any sort of bias I would have toward the material and performances.
The score for this show is incredible. Songs that are memorable, plot-driving, character-driven, and exciting that rarely sound derivative and "been there done that". And such a range of styles- straight rock, indie-style ballad, rockabilly . I think I'm going to have "I'm Alive" stuck in my head for weeks. And I wouldn't mind if it is.
I found the book itself to be inferior to the score. Not bad, by any means. Lyrically, I think there are too many obvious choices and quite a few instances of a feeling of a forced rhyme. The actual spoken dialogue scenes, of which there are very few, were adequate. They're there for the most part to provide a bridge from song to song, and in the songs is where the most interesting stuff lies.
The plot itself was compared to a Lifetime movie by Ben Brantley, and I can definitely see why. It sure does run the gambit of melodramatic maladies. But, despite the fact that I was entirely aware of this while I was watching, I found myself simply not caring if the show's plot was a bit trite, a little cliche, and very much like a "woe of the week" made for TV movie. I was completely engaged in the story and characters.
I found the second act to lag a bit in terms of pacing, but I'm not sure if cuts are a solution. Being the 2nd preview, I'm sure pacing will be improved as the show goes on.
I thought the set was very cool and provided opportunity for a lot of interesting stage pictures. I liked the abstract house motif it had.
The lighting stood out to me as noteworthy, particularly for its use of darkness and shadow. Aaron Tveit disappearing into, and reappearing from, the shadows of the lower level of the set was a particularly striking effect, not to mention the multiple instances of silhouette and profile.
What really drives the show is the cast. I can't imagine this working nearly as well without a stellar cast. This ensemble is one of the tightest and best I've seen on Broadway. There really is no weak link. The standout is, of course, Alice Ripley- who is giving quite a tour-de-force performance. She is funny, warm, tragic... and although her voice is not as it once was, she gives a fierce vocal performance. One of her most affecting moments, at which point the audience audibly reacted, was her return from the hospital following the ECT and not recognizing Natalie. Absolutely heartbreaking. Enough wonderful things cannot be said of her performance. Allison Janney will have to be doing backflips while juggling hamsters in 9 to 5 to be more deserving of the Tony.
Aaron Tveit comes very close to wresting the show from Ripley. He is charming, sexy, and sinister. His vocals are incredible, his movements incredibly lithe, and "I'm Alive" was a sensational number. As I mentioned, I loved seeing him come in and out of apparently nothing but darkness. Most of his stage time is spent simply watching and reacting- and he does so completely believably and naturally. He was always, appropriately and ironically enough, alive.
Jennifer Damiano- wow. I find it hard to believe she's younger than I am. She has a remarkably maturity on stage, and a fantastic voice. I found her foray into drug abuse to be one of the more questionable of the plot developments, but she overcame my misgivings over that.
J. Robert Spencer's true moment to shine was toward the end of act 2, a moment that has already been discussed elsewhere on the board. At this point, the rest of his performance comes into perspective as his rather stoic facade breaks. His acknowledgment of Gabe was another moment at which the audience audibly reacted.
Louis Hobson and Adam Chanler-Berat have, in contrast to the family, slightly less interesting roles and material, but still manage to excel. Hobson's "rockstar" moments as Dr. Madden drew some of the biggest laughs of the evening, and provided a great contrast to his very professional doctor characters. Adam is extremely affable and adorkable as Henry.
The entire cast is extremely strong vocally, at some points mind-boggling so. Almost more impressive is the quality of the acting on that stage. This is easily one of the most well-acted musicals I have seen. Real people were on the stage, with false moments few and far between. I don't think I've seen an audience as emotionally invested in a musical as this.
To encapsulate my numerous opinions into a quick summary:
I feel that an absolutely amazing cast, great design elements, and a wonderful score are able to transcend the Lifetime movie plot elements and weaker lyrics.
This is easily the best musical on Broadway, however. And one of the best new musicals in a while. I hope it finds an audience and prospers. It deserves to, and I think there is definite chance for it to succeed and avoid the fate of so many other of the small musicals that have recently come and go.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Updated On: 3/29/09 at 12:06 AM
