Six Dance Lessons

[Schuyler]

Posted: 10/13/03 at 9:21pm

Anyone seen this yet or heard anything?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/14/03 at 8:33pm

The LA production starred Uta Hagen and David Hyde Pierce. It was supposed to come to NY for a limited run, but unfortunately Ms Hagen suffered a stroke. The put the kabosh on the play for a shile. A touring company was send out with Rue McLanahan and Mark Hammel, but Ms McLanahan withdrew for reasons unknown. As yoou know, the Broadway version will star Polly Bergin and Mark Hammel.

It concerns a gay dance instructor and a "woman of a certain age"

Posted: 10/15/03 at 12:30am

I think it would be a nice play... it does cater to those two most favortie crowds for broadway.

Blue Hairs and Gay Boys....

[lc1965]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 11:01am

lol! good point. let's also add star wars freaks. well, my mom loved it & she is none of the above. what she IS is the typical bridge & tunnel crowd, which bodes well for the show. looking forward to seeing it.

she is not the only one who loved it -- i've had friends of all ages say it's terrific. nice, isn't it, that a small production can actually sell some tickets!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 11:06am

has anyone seen Mark Hamill live in anything since ELEPHANT MAN? and has anyone ever seen Polly Bergen live in anything at all?

[lc1965]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 11:11am

polly in follies. don't you remember how she milked that one song for months as if it was her only claim to fame. can't blame her for having fun, but i was screaming "enough already" every time she started belting "i'm still here" for all she was worth.

[logan30]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 2:42pm

Mark Hamill did the flop musical HARRIGAN 'N HART in the early 80s, and was a success in Larry Shue's play THE NERD in the late 80s and also starred in a Roundabout production of the Marx Brothers comedy ROOM SERVICE in which he played the character Groucho originally played. He garnered excellent reviews for his over-the-top comedic performance. An excellent mimic, he has had a very financially successful career doing cartoon character voices (he the voice of The Riddler on Batman: The Animated Series).

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 2:48pm

Don't forget his performance as AMADEUS.

The mind reels.

[MartyO49]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 4:39pm

I enjoyed the play especially the second act which was a bit less mechanical & a bit more darker. The actor were convincing and quite entertaining. I don't know about it's Broadway life, but the play looks good for a long career in regional theater & summer stock: 2 actors, one set, funny lines, laughs & tears. I have always been a fan of the two leads & was fortunate enough to get their autographs after the play once I reassured Mr. Hammill's manager that I had no Star Wars memorablia to be signed, although I did threaten him with the Harrigan & Hart playbill at home which he said was a real collector's item.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 5:55pm

I am sorry to hear about Uta. I would have loved to have seen her and David in something. I hope she is recovering nicely.

Does anyone know of her condition?

I know the Goddess Julie Harris suffered a stroke a couple of years ago and it seemed like the end of her career, but she has been announced for a new show here in Chicago next year.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 10/15/03 at 7:17pm

One of my best friend's father plays the lead role in this show (Mark Hammil), and I've only heard about it from her, and the short summaries I've read, but so far it sounds interesting. I may be interested in seeing it.

[JKB2]

Posted: 11/4/03 at 1:50am

I saw Six Dance Lessons this last weekend. I was already a fan of Mark Hamill, but hadn't seen Polly Bergen in anything before. Anyway, I thought they were both great and the play was really funny and sweet. Everybody else there seemed to be really into it too, laughing a lot and going for the kleenex at the end, and a good chunk of the audience gave them a standing ovation. I honestly don't get why the critics have been thrashing it so much.

[Moriah]

Posted: 11/4/03 at 2:01am

Well, because it's simple. Critics love gnawing over convoluted, twisted messes that are sometimes great but more often than not just alienated from us. Why do you think the Oscars are usually lead by obscure films 2/3 of the world never saw?
There is nothing wrong with complication, but neither with simplicity. That explains the rise of minimalist art.

[JKB2]

Posted: 11/4/03 at 11:50pm

Yeah, it's partly because it's simple, rather than a deep meditation on the fundamental meaninglessness of life or something like that. But also, they seem to think it's impossible to relate to the characters, which wasn't my experience at all. I found myself really caring about both characters by the end, and while a lot of Michael Minetti's behavior is written so that it's over the top and can't be taken literally -- it is, after all, a comedy, and not one that's trying to present a realistic portrayal of what you get if you hire a dance instructor --, fundamentally the character's patterns of behavior do make sense. One reviewer wrote that by the time we get an explanation of why he's so angry all the time, it doesn't seem enough to explain it. Well, of course it's not; he never really *did* give a full explanation of why he gets so angry, and I don't think he actually knows. But it seems as if that's part of his defense against getting close to people, and when he *does* start to let his guard down and reveal something about himself, then he immediately gets hypersensitive and even more likely to blow up if Lily makes one wrong move in response. So that's part of why you get these sudden shifts between quiet rapport and explosions, which some reviewers commented on. Yet the reviewers write as if it makes no sense. Comments like those make me wonder if they saw the same play I did.

[QueenS]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:22pm

What an insepid play. I found it dull and predictable. In a show over 2 hours, billed as a comedy, I would hope to have more than 3 occasions to laugh. Ms Bergen certainly holds her own amid the drek. I wish I could say the same for Mr. Hamill.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:29pm

i would think the script had to have SOME merit if it attracted Ms. Hagen and Mr. Hyde-Pierce initially. She, particularly, doesn't do just anything for a paycheck. She's notoriously picky and naturalistic in her style.

[Jamie]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:35pm

Any idea how long this show can hold on?

[lc1965]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:40pm

what's your rush? you seem to have it in for this show the way lots of people do for taboo.

[Jamie]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:44pm

I haven't seen it yet. Lately, i have been waiting till the last minute and notice goes up and i have to run and see it before it closes.

[lc1965]

Posted: 11/6/03 at 5:58pm

Oh, I see. Because in one of your prior posts you gave the distinct impression that you were present at a performance where a patron was ill or injured & could speak w/ authority on the house staff's handling of the matter. Now I see that wasn't the case.