#26
Posted: 1/26/08 at 12:46am
Copy/pasting from my post on ATC. Second act is better than the first.
1. Fantastic acting and singing, from both Evans and Russell. I was very, very moved, especially by "Children and Art" and "Move On". In particular, the STAGING of Move On, with so much of it directed AT the audience, is so haunting. Lots of weeping all around me. (And okay, me too.) Mr. Evans' last moments on stage are beautiful.
2. The CGI concept. A lot of people are going to hate it, especially The Sims on stage in Putting it Together. (Please, someone reserve the Sunday in the Park with Sim parody for me.) I was constantly surprised how enjoyable I found it, the silent soldier in particular. I think it's a dangerous concept for the stage, because I found it rather like watching a movie, and the jokes centered around "look at what we figured out how to do" rather than the actual humorous situation. However, the lightposts on La Grande Jatte in the second act were magical.
3. Slower tempi, different and more interesting orchestrations. Because Russell is hard to understand (to me!) when she's singing fast, I appreciated that some of her tempi are slower.
4. The "stupid Americans" scene. STILL funny.
5. Daniel Evans in the second act. I cannot say more good things about it. I thought he connected too much with Dot in the first act, but that is probably me comparing him to Patinkin's George, who was almost maniacal in his attention to his art.
6. Where the HELL was the Chromolume? This was a big mistake, I thought.
7. If you don't want Dot's dress to open up in the first number, fine, but we need to connect with her somehow, and the way it happens now, with a lame graphic staying put while she dances, ain't it.
8. Finishing the Hat was completely brilliant. Just the way I hoped it would be.
9. Gemignani and the supporting cast are all spectacular. Oddly, some of them seem directed to use British accents (I believe Jessica Grove has a line where she pronounces privacies as prih-vu-sees). That seems unnecessary. I can forget Evans and Russell have accents if you let me.
10. Beautiful lighting job. All the way through.
(Now if they could have found someone to clean up those leaves.)
1. Fantastic acting and singing, from both Evans and Russell. I was very, very moved, especially by "Children and Art" and "Move On". In particular, the STAGING of Move On, with so much of it directed AT the audience, is so haunting. Lots of weeping all around me. (And okay, me too.) Mr. Evans' last moments on stage are beautiful.
2. The CGI concept. A lot of people are going to hate it, especially The Sims on stage in Putting it Together. (Please, someone reserve the Sunday in the Park with Sim parody for me.) I was constantly surprised how enjoyable I found it, the silent soldier in particular. I think it's a dangerous concept for the stage, because I found it rather like watching a movie, and the jokes centered around "look at what we figured out how to do" rather than the actual humorous situation. However, the lightposts on La Grande Jatte in the second act were magical.
3. Slower tempi, different and more interesting orchestrations. Because Russell is hard to understand (to me!) when she's singing fast, I appreciated that some of her tempi are slower.
4. The "stupid Americans" scene. STILL funny.
5. Daniel Evans in the second act. I cannot say more good things about it. I thought he connected too much with Dot in the first act, but that is probably me comparing him to Patinkin's George, who was almost maniacal in his attention to his art.
6. Where the HELL was the Chromolume? This was a big mistake, I thought.
7. If you don't want Dot's dress to open up in the first number, fine, but we need to connect with her somehow, and the way it happens now, with a lame graphic staying put while she dances, ain't it.
8. Finishing the Hat was completely brilliant. Just the way I hoped it would be.
9. Gemignani and the supporting cast are all spectacular. Oddly, some of them seem directed to use British accents (I believe Jessica Grove has a line where she pronounces privacies as prih-vu-sees). That seems unnecessary. I can forget Evans and Russell have accents if you let me.
10. Beautiful lighting job. All the way through.
(Now if they could have found someone to clean up those leaves.)
