The Color Purple- Next Big Hit!

Great review, Corine2!

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I too was at last night's preview of The Color Purple and I must agree that the show is very, very good. It took me about 30 minutes to get comfortable listening to the dialect, but once the show pulls you in, you're hooked until the final curtain.

The book, of course, tells an extremely compelling story, spread out over several decades. As the characters grow frail on the outside they stronger on the inside, old wounds are healed, past transgressions are, if not forgotten, at least forgiven. I defy even the most heartless cynic not to shed a tear at the final scene of reconciliation and reunion.

The score, while staying true to the book, never breaks out with a truly stellar number. Several times during the evening, you expect the character to let loose with a big, Broadway-style song, but, with the notable exception of "What About Love", it never comes. Now there are two schools of thought on this: one is that you should not 'sell-out' and should keep the score faithful to the book. The other is that the audience needs to be given that big, splashy Broadway song they came to see. I remember reading that Michael Bennett hated 'What I Did For Love' because he felt it was just that sort of sell-out number, but his fellow collaborators convinced him that, after sitting on their butts for 90-minutes, the audience expects a pay-off. (One wonders if A Chorus Line would've been such a smash hit if the song had been either omitted or sung in a quieter way). Call me a sell-out, but I missed a big, eleven o’clock number.

As previously mentioned, the performances are all superb. Although the women are given the meatier roles, I felt the men to be equally convincing.

Being white, I've always been a bit bemused by the apparent need for predominately white audiences to leap to their feet as soon as the curtain falls on a 'non-white' show. I first noticed it thirty years ago when seeing The Wiz and later with Ain't Misbehavin'. The audience seemed as if they wanted to show the actors (and each other, presumably) how Liberal they were and how much they ‘got-it’ by jumping up and cheering wildly. All through the show last night, I was struck by how mild (some might say tepid) the audience response was during the performance. The applause was polite but not what I would call enthusiastic, up until the final curtain when everyone immediately stood up and cheered. Now, over the past decades, a standing ovation has become mandatory in the USA , so it's hard to figure out if the audience really felt the production deserved one (I did), they stood out of a sense of desire to prove their Liberal credentials, or if they stood just out of habit (‘the show’s over Minerva, stand up’). A side note: La Chanze is given a full-out star's curtain call, the likes usually reserved for Broadway royalty such as Carol Channing or Bernadette Peters. While no mistaking she is the glue that holds the production together, her role is no means on a par with Dolly Levi or Madame Rose. I thought it even more interesting in that nowhere does her name appear above the tile, she is given only one solo number, yet at the curtain call, she is treated very much the star. (I dunno, maybe she has a really good agent). But as Corine2 correctly observed, her performance is remarkable, and her wildly enthusiastic reception during the curtain call is most deserved.

On the way home last night, I was taking the show apart and putting it back together in my mind. While I agree that the show needs some work (it lagged a bit in Act I and the 'Africa' number in Act II went on too long for me), the total is far greater than the sum of the parts. This is an immensely satisfying piece of musical theatre that succeeds on many levels; visually, emotionally, and even spiritually. I highly recommend it.

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Those letters are TOO TOO cute! Adorable...and well written for little kids!

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I think that a show can have problems, and still be enjoyable. I agree with much of what was written in other CoP threads. Munk's analysis, in particular was pretty fair and accurate...if a little more critical than I am prepared to be. The show needs a good bit of editing, and playing fast and loose with Mister at the end pretty much pissed me off.

But the bottom line remains that I was entertained, sniffled a little in a couple of spots, and had a good time being there.

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It is the best number in the show, but that's not saying much of anything.

"The Color Purple" first appears in the beginning of Act Two - sung to Celie by Shug. They then reprise it for the finale. The song isn't good enough to end the show, IMO.

You know, I was just thinking about adaptations and how they can either do the material justice, or just the opposite.

With films like A HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD and MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL and TRAINSPOTTING completely bastardizing their original material, I almost wish that no one had touched THE COLOR PURPLE.

On the other hand, the film versions of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, GONE WITH THE WIND, THE COLOR PURPLE (among others) didn't necessarily improve the original material, but brilliantly rose to the occasion.

It's things like THE COLOR PURPLE musical that make me fear for when J.D. Salinger dies and he no longer has control to the rights of A CATCHER IN THE RYE. I don't think I could bear to see anyone make a movie out of it.

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I found the color purple padantic and remedial in both lyrics and score. the acting was fine enough but the evening never really seemed to move the audience. i am sure i am being overly critical and thats ok.its only my opinion and i am glad audiences are seeing it and enjoying it.

It sounds pretty solid to me.

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I am still excited to see The Color Purple. After reading everyone's reviews I hope that all the little snags are evened out. I am sure they will be. December can not come soon enough.

Namo,
You are truly scrumptious!