SWEET CHARITY Revival- Page 4
SWEET CHARITY Revival
#75SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 3:28pm
I'm glad they aren't trying to ignore Bob Fosse and his imprortant contributions to the piece. The last revival had many thinking Charity was a bad show in general, which really peeved me at the time. It's one of my favorite musicals and this production seems the be getting so much right. Maybe the brass would simply be too overwhelming in that small space? Though much of the score relies heavily on it and gives it a pulse.
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#76SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 4:32pm
Bob Fosse made more than contributions to the show - it was HIS idea, he wrote the original book (credited then to Bert Fields) before Neil Simon came in and redid it, and every inch of the show was his.
JoeyEvans1206
Understudy Joined: 2/19/15
#77SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 4:36pm
Excited to see how the revised ending works. I directed a production several years ago where I changed up the ending a bit, borrowing much of the tone and the sentiment from the original Nights of Cabiria. In this production, I had Charity pull herself back up only to be surrounded in the park (sitting, strolling, etc.) by couples in love giving her a moment of heart break and isolation and amid crowd. After this beat, a single man tips his hat to her in a gentlemanly fashion - just enough to give her a glimmer of hope to rejoin humanity before settling into that iconic (Gwen Verdon) charity pose with the look over shoulder.
#78SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 4:54pm
Joey, I love the sound of that ending! The ending of this show something very interesting. I don't know if anybody can ever agree on what should happen, and the fact that almost every revival has done something different is pretty magical. I personally loved the Applegate ending. It seems very in character for Charity to pick herself back up and exclaim to the audience, "Have you ever had one of those days that was perfect? I have. This isn't it. This definitely isn't it. But there's always tomorrow,"
brdwybuff
Stand-by Joined: 4/25/16
#79SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:35pm
I just got back from this show. Run, don't walk to it!! I loved it. The ending gave me goose bumps. This is the type of show that should be made into a broadway production. I will be thinking about this for days.
#80SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:37pm
Is Sutton still wearing the bad wig?
#81SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:39pm
CindersGolightly said: "Joey, I love the sound of that ending! The ending of this show something very interesting. I don't know if anybody can ever agree on what should happen, and the fact that almost every revival has done something different is pretty magical. I personally loved the Applegate ending. It seems very in character for Charity to pick herself back up and exclaim to the audience, "Have you ever had one of those days that was perfect? I have. This isn't it. This definitely isn't it. But there's always tomorrow,""
I adore that ending.
brdwybuff
Stand-by Joined: 4/25/16
#82SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:40pm
I didn't see the so called "bad" wig. If it was, it didn't bother me that much.
#83SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:42pm
...I'm gonna go ahead and say I actually kinda liked the wig. It could stand to look less fake, and it actually started coming off a little towards the end last night. But there's something endearingly goofy about it. Like. Charity is going for style, but it makes her look sort of kid-like and silly.
Updated On: 11/4/16 at 11:42 PM
brdwybuff
Stand-by Joined: 4/25/16
#84SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/3/16 at 11:43pm
Just saw the wig pic. The one she wore didn't look like that from my seat. It was lighter and longer.
#85SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 12:02am
Yeah I wasn't sure if it was just weirdness in the picture or not, but the wig looks longer than the pic and it is a very bright blonde. (Not very hair-literate.)
Updated On: 11/4/16 at 12:02 AM
#86SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 1:27am
Can't remember---but Charity in Australia-GOOGLED--Good God, 1967 ? Melbourne !!-think there was a Good Fairy at the end appeared and has a scene with her.
Anyone here that old and can remember or am I totally wrong and a different show ?
#87SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 1:31am
I'd be fascinated to hear about that, though it sounds shockingly wrong-headed.
#88SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 7:15am
The Good Fairy finale is from the original production. I'm not sure if it's been used in a major production since, I would have to listen to an audio from Fosse's 80's revival, or maybe someone here could tell us.
The original ending:
As they are walking through the park, Charity trying to save the relationship, Oscar trying to end it, Oscar makes his point by throwing Charity into the lake. This particular lake is bad luck for Charity. As she pulls herself out of the water, a Good Fairy appears and says to Charity, “Tonight, it will all happen tonight.” Charity is again overcome by hope and optimism for finding her true love, until the Good Fairy turns around. There is a sign on the Fairy’s back which reads “THE GOOD FAIRY – tonight at 8 p.m. on CBS.”
http://www.tamswitmark.com/shows/sweet-charity/
I can see why this ending isn't used anymore.
#89SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 7:36am
Just checked the 80's revival! It DOES end with the fairy. It's very abrupt, sounds like it played exactly as written above. After the fairy, theres a little music from Charity's Theme and that's it, show over, no singing, no introspective lines, I guess it was to portray a never ending cycle of hope and disappointment for Charity. The audience seemed to get a kick out of it, but I can see why the ending is constantly tinkered with.
Updated On: 11/4/16 at 07:36 AM
#90SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 8:25am
That Fairy ending is absurdism at its finest. In the words of Terri White's Twitter bio, "If you find Art, shoot him!"
#91SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 8:26am
I loved the ending of the last revival which had a reprise of I'm the Bravest Individual.
#92SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:30am
I loved the 2005 revival at the time, but looking back almost 12 years later, the production was too cheesy and sanitized. Applegate worked her ass off and deserved so much credit for everything she endured during that process. But from the sets to the orchestrations, it was pretty cheesy. I am glad this new production is trying to add some grit back to the piece.
Updated On: 11/4/16 at 09:30 AM
#93SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 10:10am
Wow! Jaw on the floor about that Good Fairy ending. I have NEVER heard of that!
#94SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 10:19am
I've seen the show performed with the Good Fairy ending and I think it works - its very Fellini-esque. The Fairy isn't really a "fairy" - she is clearly (to the audience but not Charity) someone walking the streets doing promotion for a television program. It would be like Charity having a run in with one of the people in costume in Times Square passing out Broadway flyers.
#95SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 10:33am
Here is a picture of Ruth Buzzi as the Fairy in the original production. She was probably hilarious.
evic
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
#96SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 11:14am
The original ending with the Fairy is pure Fosse and Simon....hysterical, cynical, irony- just another kick in the shins to Charity showing the absurdity of life.
#97SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 11:19am
I've heard that the Ruth Buzzi as a good fairy bit was an inside joke with the production; something like a producer asked for a happy ending, and Fosse said "What? You want a good fairy to rescue Charity at the end?" He then allegedly put the bit in out of spite.
#98SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 12:56pmI figured the fairy ending was all Fosse. It makes sense though, Charity gets knocked down yet again, but she won't lose her hope and optimism. Now I want it to see it done live, but I like how the new finale reprises sound in this new production. The 05 ending was a little too syrupy.
#99SWEET CHARITY Revival
Posted: 11/4/16 at 1:05pm
The Fairy ending, when I've seen it, has never played well... maybe it worked in the original, but it's always felt a little too pointedly contrived. The sort of "queer absurdist" sensibility of it feels much more out of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt than Sweet Charity.
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