The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens — Page 2

I much prefer Piazza over GG. Beyond the leading ladies' performances, I didn't care for GG (book, score, etc). I found Piazza to be a much more complete, satisfying piece of theater.

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Selling her daughter? How do you figure?

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That's right. For some reason I thought they paid her. Let me rephrase.

They're both outlandish stories, but I found the story of fallen American royalty more palatable and believable than romanticizing a woman paying a horny Italian's family to take her retarded daughter off her hands.

Honestly, I found Piazza a little smug and self-satisfied as well. And a little gruesome and cynical.

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Updated On: 6/12/07 at 10:27 AM

sorry but HATED Piazza but do really like Grey Gardens

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LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA didn't win Best Book, whoever said that.

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Piazza IS about romance, and is about a mother's recognition of when it is time to let her daughter go. Clara was not "retarded" -- she suffered an accident which the doctors predicted would not allow her to mature emotionally like a regular adult. Margaret always protects Clara like a child, but begins to see a new side of her daughter in Italy, and she comes to believe that Clara is blossoming and capable of mature emotional feelings. She does not "sell" her daughter -- she ups the dowry when she senses the marriage will fall through. She does all that she can to give Clara the chance at romance. Her decision to give her daughter this chance is a very difficult one, and we see her struggle with it throughout the show. Piazza is beautifully told, and the Lincoln Center production was gorgeous. Adam Guettel's score is my favorite since Ragtime.

Grey Gardens is a nice little show with some great performances, but for me, Piazza's just in a different league. I know a lot of people didn't take to Piazza, but I was swept up more and more every time I saw it.

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-Both are centered around a mother/daughter relationship.

-Both are more traditional scores, although not the same time period.

-Both feature lush, not bared down, orchestrations.

-Both won Tony's for costume design.

-Both should have taken home Tony's for score, but only PIAZZA took the prize.

-Both lead actresses were victorious.

-Both had nomination featured actresses, with one winning and one that should have.

-Both had beautiful, almost similar, period lighting designs.

-Both have atleast one character break the fourth wall often.

-Both have endings that are very open-ended.

-Both have relatively small casts.

-Both do not feature choreography.

-Both had fantastic directing, and PIAZZA deserved the Tony.

-Both lead actresses are somewhat character parts, requiring special voices, etc.

-Both lead actresses were hailed by almost all reviewers as "the best of the year".

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But SPRING AWAKENING has better direction. I have faced that fact.

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