MemorableUserName said: "Tutty is on this evening, with Best on as Robin."
When I saw Tutty was on, I was disappointed because I'd rather see a healthy understudy than a struggling actor battling through illness. i was wrong, because while Tutty did seem under the weather to me, he is so charming and uniquely suited to this character, that it was well worth an errant sniffle here and there.
this is a delightful show, with an act 1 that is much stronger than its wandering conclusion. its a poor man's maybe happy ending: it doesnt have much to say substantively, its a simpler and less nutritious tale, but its alot of fun. and since its become impossibly expensive to put on a musical, finding a way to keep an audience entertained for 2+ hours with just two actors and a (cleverly) minimalist set is a real feat. kudos to them.
Tutty's character is almost too good- the show is off kilter, because whenever he sings its magical, while her three "i want" numbers lag in comparison. I dont think this is the fault of Phoenix Best at all- her voice is killer and shes wry as called for. I just think the story is bent a bit too much in Tutty's direction- her character is more divisive and in a a way less believable.
but thats quibbling with a show that works just fine. its a shame this might be the best new musical of the year, but it deserves to be in contention during award season. Certainly Tutty deserves to be in the same breath as Josh Henry.
we paid to sit in front mezzanine, but the "partial view" seats all the way on the ends are half the price and look to be perfectly fine, since everything happens front and center. word to the wise.
