RENT 9/2
RENT 9/2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/25/04
RENT 9/2#0
Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:39am
Mark - Colin Hanlon! I was so excited when I saw Colin’s name up on the board. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do anything other than the "swing" roles. "We begin on Christmas Eve..." Colin is so attractive, and so much of a physical "Roger type", that I thought it might be difficult to get into his Mark. Happily, I was wrong. Colin’s Mark does something that very few people do with Mark anymore - he grows throughout the show, just as we all would grow over a year. In very subtle ways, through voice inflection, the way he interacts with the other characters, and the use of his eyes and voice, he makes remarkable progression. His "Tango: Maureen" is probably his weakest number; I felt it was very similar to Matt’s, but without the "I’m being absurdly cute to make you laugh- and it’s working!" factor. A very funny moment, however; in "TM", Colin did this huge wave-like movement, and Merle whispered (into her mic), "What is that?" Colin laughed and said "I don’t know." LVB was amazing; Colin really went all out, energy wise. His "mucho masturbation", simulating reading a magazine while tweaking his nipples, is adorable. Very smooth first act. Followed by the best second act I’ve ever seen. "Halloween" and "What You Own" were filled with intensity. It takes a HUGE actor to get me to look away fro Jeremy in WYO, and yet I spent most of the song watching Colin. Here is a Mark who is honestly trapped by his own fear, watching his little world fall apart in front of him. Colin’s Mark is not a show-off, nor does he fade into the background. Best I’ve seen in quite awhile.
Roger - Jeremy Kushnier. This man couldn’t get any better. From the get go, he puts his soul into Roger, step by step, building to the breakdown in Act Two. Jeremy acts with his whole body, which he’s so comfortable in. OSG was just huge. Nothing different than I’ve ever seen him do, but in my 7 years of seeing this show, I’ve never seen an actor who "gets" Roger more than Jeremy. Hell, if he can make me actually like "Your Eyes", he has to be a winner, right?
Mimi - Krystal Washington. Yay! After the abomination that was Mel B’s performance ("Sticks and stones, Kate Monster!) I was delighted to see Krystal. A solid, fun showing. Out Tonight was particularly jazzy; she’s worked in some new movement, and goes tit for tat in Another Day with Jeremy. Explosive Goodbye Love. Krystal actually responds to Jeremy, and reacts with gusto. If I hadn’t been sobbing already (more on that later), I would have lost it then.
Maureen - Kelly Karbacz. Very, very, good. OTM was fine. She’s stolen Maggie’s machine gun bit, but the voice she did last night (a tiny, Mexican voice) was hilarious. I felt she went a little overboard during OTM with the "stick to the same awkward position" bit, but she completely made up for it in LVB and TMOLM. Kelly’s Maureen is very young and flighty, much different than Maggie’s more grounded character. It works well. I can’t wait to see her as she grows into the character a bit more.
Joanne- Merle Dandrigde- Wow. Talk about people who have grown into a character. Merle’s Joanne was aggressive and spunky, and her TMOLM is so, so sassy. Beautiful job.
Angel - Justin Johnson. Well. Hmm. The very quiet crowd seemed to love him; T4U got the biggest reaction of the night (over the much more deserved WYO). Justin is an amazing dancer, and a fine singer. He’s not a tenor, though, and doesn’t even attempt the notes in T4U; he’s also very, um, manly. It looked like he had a five o’clock shadow by the middle of Act One. I’m so used to seeing Andy’s "I’m so pretty" routine, that Justin’s Angel was off putting. Still, not a bad job, just a little strange.
Benny - D’Monroe. Off the hook. I mean, D’Monroe is always high-energy, but last night he was bouncing off the walls of the Neder. Does that necessarily make him the best Benny? Of course not. But he knows the character so well that I give him credit for making some changes. Oh, and D’Monroe on the Contact wall? Yeow.
Collins - Destan Owens. Yay for Destan. Destan has taken a role that MRF has re-invented, and gone and re-invented it again. His Collins is not as smooth, more uncertain, and generally vulnerable. There is genuine emotion in ICYR, as he gently pauses on the opening notes, tears streaming down his face. (Yes, that’s when I lost it). Perfect.
Cary (as Gordon) Wow. Wow. Wow. The emotion coming JUST from Cary’s eyes in Life Support made me grip my chair. Beautiful grasp of the scene. I couldn’t help but think the confrontation between the dealer and Roger in CB was a little funny, Roger v. Roger. Still, Cary proves he’s a champ.
Mayumi, Todd, Shaun, Catrice and Frenchie - all fine performances. Nothing different.
Not crazy about Enrico as Steve if only because his Will I? solo is such a struggle, and unpretty. He’s a decent waiter, and his Honest Living is nice.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/8/04
re: RENT 9/2#2
Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:15am
Great review!!
Love this show to pieces.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/03
re: RENT 9/2#3
Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:47pmthanks so much for the review! i'm glad that you had fun!
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/28/04
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
re: RENT 9/2#5
Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:57pmI'm usually not a review reader but I read yours and thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks!
re: RENT 9/2#6
Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:59pm
Great review. Thanks so much for letting us know how Colin was. I saw him at Bryant Park and not only did he look great but he had a really nice voice.
And Jeremy is AMAZING! I couldn't love him more and am totally excited to see him in concert on the 23rd!
re: RENT 9/2#7
Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:02pmGreat, great review. God, I wish I could go see it.
re: RENT 9/2#8
Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:08pmThanks a lot for the review! I'm seeing the show on Tuesday and I'm glad that at least some people are enjoying it now. I really hope that Krystal Washington is in on Tues. as well, but you never know. Oh yea, was Frenchie Davis there?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/25/04
re: RENT 9/2#9
Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:15pmYes, Frenchie was SOL soloist. She was fine. She doesn't hit the high note in SOL, as most of the others have, but she's a decent actress, and very sassy as the bag lady.
re: RENT 9/2#10
Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:45pmI'm glad you had fun and that it was such an electric peformance. I'm also glad that you like Jeremy, because when I saw him a couple weeks ago I was just blown away!
re: RENT 9/2#11
Posted: 9/3/04 at 2:01pmGreat Review.
re: RENT 9/2#12
Posted: 9/3/04 at 3:05pmAwesome review and I agree with you 100% on Jeremy, he is my absolute favorite in the show and as Roger. He is SO freakin talented it's unbelievable! I can't wait till I get back to New York to see him again.
re: RENT 9/2#13
Posted: 9/3/04 at 3:07pmGlad you had fun. I think I am the only person on planet earth who does not like Jeremy, but I'm glad you like the show.
re: RENT 9/2#15
Posted: 9/3/04 at 5:10pmDelphine, I love your signiture or icon whatever you call it!
re: RENT 9/2#16
Posted: 9/3/04 at 5:28pm
yay! im glad to hear you enjoyed it! i LOVE collin hanlon 
he brings so much depth to the character - and i couldnt agree more with all the other comments you made.. wonderful review thanks
re: RENT 9/2#17
Posted: 9/3/04 at 5:31pmNope, I cringed through half of his Glory. The other half was made tolerable by plugging my ears. He redeemed himself slightly with the most intense I Should Tell You ever and a very touching Your Eyes. But mostly, I hated his acting and Glory. Kinda killed it for me.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/26/04
re: RENT 9/2#18
Posted: 9/3/04 at 5:52pm
Colin!! I saw him in Tick Tick...BOOM! and abosultely loved him. I am so glad that his portrayel is not as arrogant as Matt's.
insomniak, your not the only one to not like Jeremy's Roger. The first time I saw him in it, I thought he was great. But he had that country twang in his voice that is NOT Roger. Each time i went back I like his performance less and less. He, like Matt, is too confident. Lets think of Rogers's mindset. He just found out he and his girlfriend has AIDS and that she killed herself because if it. He is a recovering drug addict probably going through withdrawls or just recently stopped going through them. He knows he is in for a lifetime of hardship, and is tempted everyday with taking the easy way out like his girlfriend. When Mimi comes to his door he shouldnt be as flirty, he likes her but is afraid to commit because 1.) he doesnt want her to get AIDS..2.) doenst want to have to tell her he has AIDS...3.)Hurt her or himself again.
Jeremy's Roger, IMHO, is way to confident. He has a good voice and is a good actor. I just think its wrong for the character.
(oh and glad to hear that Scary Spice is gone!)
Joined: 12/31/69
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/26/04
re: RENT 9/2#20
Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:05pmColin Hanlon. He did a production of it at The George Street Playhouse in Jersey in March/April. He was wonderful in it.
re: RENT 9/2#21
Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:09pmI am so glad I am not alone, GITF. I hated the country twang, he does not have the required rock edge. And his character just seemed pissed off, there was no depth to his portrayal. He was annoyed, not brooding and angry like it makes sense for a starving HIV+ recovering junkie to be.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/26/04
re: RENT 9/2#22
Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:15pmYes, annoyed is a good word. And when he DOES get angry, its very extreme and at awkward moments. Again with him being to self confident. Look at his performance of Light My Candle. If you havent seen it, i dont know how to describe it. But for those who have, I think you will get what I mean.
re: RENT 9/2#23
Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:32pm
That was a great review! I'm glad you liked it!! Jeremy Kushiner is an amazing Roger- he's So good!
BTW- Insomniak- your icon almost made me die! I love it!!
re: RENT 9/2#24
Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:34pm
Thanks, Diva! I may adjust it still, it's not the greatest. But thank you for noticing.
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