#1
Posted: 8/12/05 at 4:06pm
I just got back from a crazy week on broadway, seeing 7 shows and shopping far too much... Anyway, for those who are interested, here are my reviews:
Sweet Charity - I've always loved the music to this show, but have never been a fan of Gwen Verdon's interpretation; Christina Applegate won me over the moment she walked on stage. I thought she was mesmerizing - her comic-timing was flawless, her dancing was fantastic and her singing was more than acceptable. She got through each song easily, staying in pitch for the most-part, and giving real depth and meaning to her character - I loved her. Denis was hysterical, and Janine and Kyra worked so well together. Wayne Cilento's choreography has been criticised 'big time' on this site, but I thought it was interesting, and he certainly made it his own; no one can beat Bob Fosse, but Cilento handled this project well, in my opinion. Overall, I thought it was a really enjoyable evening of theatre - it's not a major piece of drama, but I'd definitely rush back to see it, even if just for Christina's performance.
Hairspray - I've seen the show before, and I must say it's still great. The show is such good fun, the music just makes you want to get up and dance. Shannon Durig in the lead role is fantastic - that girl looks like she's having the time of her life on that stage, and her voice is great. Richard Blake gave a great performance as Link, and he sings the hell out of his two songs. Bruce Vilanch was hilarious, as ever, and Tracey Miller as Penny was hysterical, she had me crying with laughter. Darlene Love was sensational - she knows how to bring the house down. The only person I wasn't convinced with was Todd Sussman (spelling???) as Wilbur - he just seemed lifeless, and I thought that Bruce really had to work to get any reaction from him. That's my only jibe at this show - I loved it!
Wicked - I saw this last year with Kristin and Idina and was blown away, but seeing it a year later has changed my opinion slightly. I think that Shoshana is a fantasatic singer, and I believe that she gives Elphaba a rougher edge than Idina, and I thought that Megan was great as Glinda - her performance wasn't a carbon-copy of Kristin's, and she had the audience in stitches; she's got a great voice as well. However, viewing the show for a second time made me see the faults in the book - I'm just not sure how well it all works, and there are some very tedious scenes, such as the class room scenes, and anything with the Wizard (played by Ben Vereen to the best it possibly could be - I think it's a terrible role). David Ayers was fine as Fiyero, but he too has a very weak role to play. Michelle Federer looked bored in some of her scenes, though she nailed The Wicked Witch of the East (I'd be bored if I'd been playing that pathetic role for almost 2 years). Anyhow, I think the show looks amazing, and the two leading ladies are great, but it's just not as amazing as I once thought - maybe if the book was revisited, with some other characters being given a chance and the removal of a couple of songs (Something Bad and Wonderful...) it would work a lot better. I did enjoy it, though.
The Light in the Piazza - Wow! I laughed and cried at the story and book, and oohed and aahed at the set, lighting and costumes. The performances were quite extraordinary - Victoria Clark was outstanding, giving quite possible the best performance by a leading actress I have ever seen. She was endearing, funny, and gave a truly heart-felt performance; she truly deserved that Tony award. Kelli O'Hara has, quite possibly, the most beautiful voice ever! Her 'Light in the Piazza' had me in tears, and her character was intensely believable - she was vulnerable and naive, and I truly felt for her. She should have won the Tony award, in my opinion, but I shouldn't really judge as I didn't get to see Sara in Spamalot, but I thought the Lady of the Lake's role was not Tony worthy - Sara must be sensational. Matthew Morrison was also great, with a stunning voice, and the fact that he performed the whole show with an Italian accent was most impressive. All three of them were lovely at the stage door.
Adam Guettel's score is the best score in years, and in my opinion the best on broadway. I really do think that it would have been a great thing for broadway if this incredibly moving, and endearing show had won the Tony award for Best Musical. In recent years the award has gone to shows of great humour and razzle dazzle, with big sets and chorus numbers (The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hairspray and Spamalot). I really feel that if a show like Light in the Piazza won Best Musical, it would signal a new direction for Broadway, and make the more serious scores and stories more acceptable to a wider audience. I don't know, that might just be my wishful thinking.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - I thought this was ok. Norbert, Sherie and Joanna were great, I really enjoyed their performances, and Gregory was ok. But I found John Lithgow to be extremely annoying, and not really very funny. The set was extremely camp, and flashy, and Jerry Mitchell's choreography was excellent. I also really enjoyed David Yazbek's score, though I don't think it's his best to date (The Full Monty is my personal fav). However, the show somehow just didn't work for me - I came away asking what the point of it was - why should that material have been turned into a msuical? I just felt the score would have worked better with a different story and different lyrics.
Avenue Q - I was expecting to be laughing hysterically in this - it didn't happen. I thought that Barrett Foa was great, and I felt that his voice had more emotion than John Tartaglia's. Stephanie d'Arbruzzo was ok, but she looked a bit tired with it, as did the other original cast members, notably Ann Harada, who was funnier in the second half than the first, but didn't ever come across as enjoying herself, whereas you could tell that Barrett was loving everything minute of it. I think the show would have been a lot funnier if I hadn't known the songs - I laughed at the material I didn't know, but the songs went by for me without even a giggle. And seeing as I've mentioned Tony awards in two of the other reviews, I'm going to say it, and you may judge me for it - I honestly don't think it should have won the Tony awards for Best Score and Best Musical...
Spamalot - Oh dear! Spamalot wasn't for me. Yes, I was stupid to book tickets for a Monty Python musical when I don't like Monty Python humour, but I thought the spectacle and performances would be able to cover it up, but it didn't. I thought it lacked the spectacle, and I just found the actors annoying when working together. Individual performances were great, such as David Hyde Pierce's 'You Won't Succeed on Broadway' - it was the highlight of the show for me. Sara was off, and her understudy was ok, but as I've already said, I don't think it's the greatest role... My personal opinion is that Spamalot is not the best new musical of this season, but I can see that it would be great for Python fans.
I had an amazing time, and the shows are much better than those here in London (except for Mary Poppins, which would be fine in New York!) I can't wait to go back at Christmas.
Mary P x
Sweet Charity - I've always loved the music to this show, but have never been a fan of Gwen Verdon's interpretation; Christina Applegate won me over the moment she walked on stage. I thought she was mesmerizing - her comic-timing was flawless, her dancing was fantastic and her singing was more than acceptable. She got through each song easily, staying in pitch for the most-part, and giving real depth and meaning to her character - I loved her. Denis was hysterical, and Janine and Kyra worked so well together. Wayne Cilento's choreography has been criticised 'big time' on this site, but I thought it was interesting, and he certainly made it his own; no one can beat Bob Fosse, but Cilento handled this project well, in my opinion. Overall, I thought it was a really enjoyable evening of theatre - it's not a major piece of drama, but I'd definitely rush back to see it, even if just for Christina's performance.
Hairspray - I've seen the show before, and I must say it's still great. The show is such good fun, the music just makes you want to get up and dance. Shannon Durig in the lead role is fantastic - that girl looks like she's having the time of her life on that stage, and her voice is great. Richard Blake gave a great performance as Link, and he sings the hell out of his two songs. Bruce Vilanch was hilarious, as ever, and Tracey Miller as Penny was hysterical, she had me crying with laughter. Darlene Love was sensational - she knows how to bring the house down. The only person I wasn't convinced with was Todd Sussman (spelling???) as Wilbur - he just seemed lifeless, and I thought that Bruce really had to work to get any reaction from him. That's my only jibe at this show - I loved it!
Wicked - I saw this last year with Kristin and Idina and was blown away, but seeing it a year later has changed my opinion slightly. I think that Shoshana is a fantasatic singer, and I believe that she gives Elphaba a rougher edge than Idina, and I thought that Megan was great as Glinda - her performance wasn't a carbon-copy of Kristin's, and she had the audience in stitches; she's got a great voice as well. However, viewing the show for a second time made me see the faults in the book - I'm just not sure how well it all works, and there are some very tedious scenes, such as the class room scenes, and anything with the Wizard (played by Ben Vereen to the best it possibly could be - I think it's a terrible role). David Ayers was fine as Fiyero, but he too has a very weak role to play. Michelle Federer looked bored in some of her scenes, though she nailed The Wicked Witch of the East (I'd be bored if I'd been playing that pathetic role for almost 2 years). Anyhow, I think the show looks amazing, and the two leading ladies are great, but it's just not as amazing as I once thought - maybe if the book was revisited, with some other characters being given a chance and the removal of a couple of songs (Something Bad and Wonderful...) it would work a lot better. I did enjoy it, though.
The Light in the Piazza - Wow! I laughed and cried at the story and book, and oohed and aahed at the set, lighting and costumes. The performances were quite extraordinary - Victoria Clark was outstanding, giving quite possible the best performance by a leading actress I have ever seen. She was endearing, funny, and gave a truly heart-felt performance; she truly deserved that Tony award. Kelli O'Hara has, quite possibly, the most beautiful voice ever! Her 'Light in the Piazza' had me in tears, and her character was intensely believable - she was vulnerable and naive, and I truly felt for her. She should have won the Tony award, in my opinion, but I shouldn't really judge as I didn't get to see Sara in Spamalot, but I thought the Lady of the Lake's role was not Tony worthy - Sara must be sensational. Matthew Morrison was also great, with a stunning voice, and the fact that he performed the whole show with an Italian accent was most impressive. All three of them were lovely at the stage door.
Adam Guettel's score is the best score in years, and in my opinion the best on broadway. I really do think that it would have been a great thing for broadway if this incredibly moving, and endearing show had won the Tony award for Best Musical. In recent years the award has gone to shows of great humour and razzle dazzle, with big sets and chorus numbers (The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hairspray and Spamalot). I really feel that if a show like Light in the Piazza won Best Musical, it would signal a new direction for Broadway, and make the more serious scores and stories more acceptable to a wider audience. I don't know, that might just be my wishful thinking.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - I thought this was ok. Norbert, Sherie and Joanna were great, I really enjoyed their performances, and Gregory was ok. But I found John Lithgow to be extremely annoying, and not really very funny. The set was extremely camp, and flashy, and Jerry Mitchell's choreography was excellent. I also really enjoyed David Yazbek's score, though I don't think it's his best to date (The Full Monty is my personal fav). However, the show somehow just didn't work for me - I came away asking what the point of it was - why should that material have been turned into a msuical? I just felt the score would have worked better with a different story and different lyrics.
Avenue Q - I was expecting to be laughing hysterically in this - it didn't happen. I thought that Barrett Foa was great, and I felt that his voice had more emotion than John Tartaglia's. Stephanie d'Arbruzzo was ok, but she looked a bit tired with it, as did the other original cast members, notably Ann Harada, who was funnier in the second half than the first, but didn't ever come across as enjoying herself, whereas you could tell that Barrett was loving everything minute of it. I think the show would have been a lot funnier if I hadn't known the songs - I laughed at the material I didn't know, but the songs went by for me without even a giggle. And seeing as I've mentioned Tony awards in two of the other reviews, I'm going to say it, and you may judge me for it - I honestly don't think it should have won the Tony awards for Best Score and Best Musical...
Spamalot - Oh dear! Spamalot wasn't for me. Yes, I was stupid to book tickets for a Monty Python musical when I don't like Monty Python humour, but I thought the spectacle and performances would be able to cover it up, but it didn't. I thought it lacked the spectacle, and I just found the actors annoying when working together. Individual performances were great, such as David Hyde Pierce's 'You Won't Succeed on Broadway' - it was the highlight of the show for me. Sara was off, and her understudy was ok, but as I've already said, I don't think it's the greatest role... My personal opinion is that Spamalot is not the best new musical of this season, but I can see that it would be great for Python fans.
I had an amazing time, and the shows are much better than those here in London (except for Mary Poppins, which would be fine in New York!) I can't wait to go back at Christmas.
Mary P x
