Priest's Reviews of Spamalot, Doubt, Piazza, Woolf and Dessa Rose- Page 4

[hannahshule]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 5:38am

So far so great! Can't wait for your Dessa Review!

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:03pm

Dessa Rose
March 25 Performance

Ahrens and Flaherty really gave a solid effort to this show, I’ll give them that, but the show as a whole just has too many faults. The show is too earnest and has this “You go girl” attitude to it that really hurts the show as a whole. I adore Ahrens and Flaherty’s work, but I believe they were doomed from the start on this show for two reasons: 1) They picked a source material that did not benefit from being “musicalised” and 2) They really should have someone else write their books. Whenever they bring in another person to write the books for them (ie. Terrance McNally for Ragtime and A Man of No Importance, which are both brilliant) their work just ends up being so much stronger. The story is just trying SO hard to be inspirational and uplifting that it, at times, seems almost corny. But a lot of that, I would think, stems from the source material.

The book is in desperate need of tightening and tweaking and had some absurd elements to it. The whole “scheme” of going from town-to-town and faking slave auctions just could not have been done. It was ludicrous and undermined the rest of the story. And I also found the entire method of “switching to old women” to narrate the story was not needed. I was waiting for it to materialize into something more than it was, but it never did and made the whole thing seem pointless. Rachel York and LaChanze did a fantastic job of transitioning between old and young, but the transition was not needed.

The score was, for the most part, glorious. Ahrens and Flaherty are one of my favorite composer/lyricist teams, and they do not disappoint here. The score does have its weak spots, but, for the most part, it is soulful and lush with fine dramatic elements. The Ahrens/Flaherty trademarked twenty-minute or so opening number works extremely well, and is very moving, but I’m afraid that the show never again hits heights like it does in the score’s beginning. Ahrens and Flaherty write some the best opening numbers, and I love them for it. The score does have many hints of Ragtime in it, which I am sure were completely unintentional, and I thought that I heard the opening of ‘Crime of the Century’ three or four times throughout the evening. There are some songs that seem kind of out of place in the show. Norm Lewis’ Act II number, (I think it is called ‘The Scheme,’ but I left my Playbill in the taxi so I could be wrong), is a fine number in its own right (the absurdness of the “scheme” aside), but musically it doesn’t mesh with the rest of the score.

There is a fantastic moment in the show when all of the field hands start a lively percussion song using various objects on the stage such as chains and buckets.

The performers all do amazingly well with the weak book, and sing the score with true power and emotion. LaChanze was fantastic as the title character, though her voice did seem a little hoarse at certain times, but overall it was vocally powerful with fine acting. She really bares her soul in this role, and plays it beautifully.

Rachel York has moments where she soars, and her acting is mostly superb, but, compared to the rest of the cast, her voice was rather weak. But she plays the role with just the right amount of vitality and angst. The role was a hard one to play, and she succeeds here.

The two standouts in the supporting cast are Norm Lewis and Kecia Lewis. Both are fine actors, and possess powerhouse voices. Miss Lewis had many hysterical moments, and many tender ones, and my attention would perk up anytime she was on stage. She was marvelous, and I am now a big fan of the two of them.

Ahrens and Flaherty write some the best “classic” modern musical theatre scores, but they need to just pick better source material and bring in McNally or someone else to write the books. Then they may get another masterpiece like their brilliant Ragtime. Dessa Rose was a noble effort, but it just cannot soar with all of the weight holding it down.

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 07:03 PM

[hannahshule]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:22pm

Great review again priest. Although there are some things I disagree with, (I thought Rachel York had the strongest voice in the company) yoou certainly are a good critic. My english teacher would love you.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:24pm

I think Miss York might have had a cold the night I saw her. But she was wonderful nonetheless.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:25pm

*hugs Priest*

Someone agrees with me on Dessa Rose! And someone smart, at that! I was starting to think I was crazy.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:29pm

You're done! Woohoo!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:30pm

Great reviews.

I'm working on mine for Dessa Rose... I'm not sure why I'm having such a hard time with it, but I agree with much of what you said.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:40pm

I'm only a sophomore also and sure wish I could write as brilliantly as Priest! Incredible reviews :)

I wish you got the chance to see Spelling Bee however- my pick for Best Musical.. havent seen Piazza yet though!

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:43pm

I think Priest saw BEE before, just not on this trip. Could be mistaken though.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:44pm

I saw Spelling Bee when I was up there in Feburary.
Loved loved loved it.

EDIT: Yeah, what TGIF said.

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 07:44 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:47pm

Oh, a couple of things I forgot to say-

First of all, I'm jealous. You live in Texas and still got to see a bunch of shows before me. *shakes fist* Damn college.

Second, I have to agree with your speculation that Rachel York might have had a cold when you saw her, because her singing voice was absolutely lovely when I saw the show, as was her acting.

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:50pm

:)

Didn't Margo post your review of it because you were having computer problems, Priest?

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:51pm

That was my review of DRS. :)

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:54pm

Oh! Ha.

My memory isn't too reliable.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 8:21pm

So here's a question for Priest: if you were a Tony voter, what are your pics.. for musicals? :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:13pm

Okay, I'll bite.

Book: Spelling Bee
Score: I'm really torn in so many directions, so I'll abstain for now.
Actress: Victoria Clark
Actor: Norbert Leo Butz
Featured Actress: Sara Ramirez, though Kelli O'Hara is a close second
Feautred Actor: Dan Folger or Christian Borle
Musical: Right now I'm leaning towards Bee, but I'm not sure.
Orchestrations: The Light in the Piazza
Direction: Mike Nichols with James Lapine right behind
Sets: The Light in the Piazza
Costumes: Leaning towards Piazza
Lighting: Leaning towards Spamalot

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 10:13 PM

[Jwei123]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:15pm

Priest, in those predictions, you're doing alot of leaning.


...Just an observation

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:17pm

WOW! Priest is in the same grade as me. Go 07!

Seriously though, I would've thought Priest was the youngest 18/19.

[Aphexis]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:50pm

Priest - I saw Dessa Rose the same night as you and agree with everything you had to say....except, I definitely think Rachel York was having an off night because she's usually wonderful. Did you notice when she went flat at the end of "At the Glen?"

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:54pm

Yes, I did notice, it was pretty....obvious.
But, I decided not to mention it because I hope and assume it was a one-time thing.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:55pm

The only person who went flat in the performance I attended was Michael Hayden. The cast of that show is very vocally strong.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 11:24pm

Priest, somebody told me that the fake auctions and running away actually did happen. Don't know if it's true though. Does seem far-fetched.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 11:27pm

If it is true than I doubt they got away with more than a couple of times. I hardly believe they could keep doing it time and time again.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 11:34pm

Hm. I don't know. Communication then wasn't what it is now, so as long as they kept travelling to new targets, maybe it was possible.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/29/05 at 12:39am

the one thing i disagree with about dessa rose was that rachel york was brilliant the night i saw her and i thought had the best voice in the company (maybe excepting kecia lewis)