The Official Kennedy Center FOLLIES Thread- Page 25

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 10:10am

My Pillow has arrived!

Bernadette did sign after the Sunday May 29th Follies performance.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 1:13pm

To be fair, justoldbill, the stockings at the Kennedy Center had seams, too.
Updated On: 6/7/11 at 01:13 PM

[justoldbill]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 2:29pm

See? I've already forgotton most of it.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 3:12pm

What nobody ever mentions about these shots, however, is Florence Klotz's seamed stockings- a genius mind at work. Her sense of period and detail just isn't matched in this production.

Don't most shows set in a period of seamed stockings use seamed stockings?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 3:42pm

The are many more reasons to refer to Florence Klotz as a genius than the seams in her stockings.



(This, by the way, is how you design a red dress.)

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 6:04pm

Oh, dear me, Pal Joey. I didn't realize that you also know how to design clothes. Is there any end to your talents?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 7:52pm

I didn't design Dame Dench's costume.

Florence Klotz did.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 7:58pm

Actually, Nicky Gilabrand did.

Florence Klotz designed this dress:

img> Updated On: 6/7/11 at 07:58 PM

[lizabombs]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 11:22pm

A lot of folks seem pretty bent out of shape about Bernadette's rather simple red dress. I don't think anyone would be happier if the dress were the far more sophisticated, fancier dress from "A Little Night Music."

[Katia2]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 11:40pm

I don't think anyone would be happier if she wore a kimono either.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 11:54pm

I didn't want to read this thread because I can't make it to DC, but I'm glad I couldn't resist - I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts, especially PalJoey's...those pictures of the Roxy are incredible.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:04am

No is saying that red is an appropriate choice at all for the character.

The dress is question displays a shocking lack of understanding of the character's psychology or emotional state.

The defenders of the dress say that Sally came to the reunion determine to "get Ben back," and that wearing red would make her more appealing.

It saddens me when talented professional designers and directors remind so blind as to the essential colors and subtexts of a piece.

Sally is much too lost to her serious self-delusion to think that she is coming to the reunion to "win Ben back." Quite to the contrary, she knows that he WANTS her back.

Sol red implies that there will be snagging going on. NOT SO.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 1:53am

Saw the show, June 4, Evening.
Here goes. Any director/choreographer who are staging a production of FOLLIES needs to read Goldman's original script and stage directions. I'm not saying they should copy the original but the themes and how they meld and what Prince, Bennett and Sondheim with expert help from Aronson and Klotz,were trying to do, it's all there. I agree with those who would love to see the script as first written. No other adaptation is that radically better or more character illuminating than the original.
Starting with the set. it needs to look like an old ornate theatre that is being torn down and it needs to simulate different areas of the theatre(with a lighting designers help of course)and it needs to change to LOVELAND in some dreamy magical way. This set hardly does any of that, except for the proscenium arch and that small clumsy staircase there are no other remnants of an old theatre anywhere. Just a brick wall with a doorway and two grey structured walkways are not enough. I found the set lacking in every way. The LOVELAND set was fine but not jaw-dropping. I thought there were several costume gaffes, starting with Sally's dress. A lot is discussed about the color, but the color is not the problem, it basically says nothing about the character except that she's hot, and I find that totally wrong. Also Carlotta's outfit (and hair) did not say glamorous movie star to me, she should be as sexy and flashy as Phyliss (if not more so). And Hattie also looked wrong to me. The point of her singing about being a BROADWAY BABY is that now she is the opposite, an old broad who is hard to imagine as a young showgirl. Whether it's Lavin's ego or whatever, this Hattie is way too pulled together and "hip". She sings the song very well but a simple irony is missing. Most of the other costumes are nice, the showgirls being the best, I would have liked the young couples to have some kind of character in their FOLLIES number, but that's minor.
Ms. Peters is terrific and certainly can act and sing this role, her voice was very strong and emotional and her LOSING MY MIND was heartbreaking. Brava! Mr. Burstein is quite perfect as Buddy, all the seething anger and pathos are there, he's so good you forget he's acting. I wish his director and choreographer had helped him more with THE RIGHT GIRL but he takes what was given and makes it work. Mr. Raines is singing the sh*t out of Ben is every bit in the mold. Again a little more help with his breakdown would have been nice but by then I was wondering if the director had done any character work at all.
I know I will be crucified for this but I had quibbles with Ms. Maxwell, who I think is one of our leading stage actresses at the moment. It seemed to me she was trying to soften Phyliss instead of tackling the bitterness she has developed over the years with Ben. She hits all the zingers and wears her party dress(the best) well. But then all got lost with LUCY AND JESSIE. Mr. Carlyle has no idea how to stage a number that makes her look fabulous surrounded by chorus boys. Instead of featuring her assets, the boys are doing all kinds of steps and she is left waving her arms as they suck focus. This, for me, was a disaster and marred her performance.
Elaine Page sings and acts I'M STILL HERE terrifically, but as I said. her look does not help (dirt, there are rumblings Sondheim is not her biggest fan). Susan Watson and Terrance Currier are adorable as the Whitmans but their number and Solange's looked understaged. Mdme Regine got through her number but looked lost. Teri White is killing WHO'S THAT WOMAN (in a good way), she ran out of steam for her "Lord, lord, lord, lord, lord" but made up for it with her spiffy dancing. Anyone else notice only she and Ms. Peters wore tap shoes? But again Carlyle is at sea with the dance break bringing the young girls on in a line from the wing instead of appearing as in memory. The young couples sing very well, but I had trouble telling them apart.
The discussions of if we will ever see the definitive FOLLIES are moot. We who were lucky and old enough to see the original will say we saw the definitive version, but by no means should they stop trying, just as they shouldn't stop doing HAMLET, DEATH OF A SALESMAN or GYPSY. The thing about FOLLIES, including this production (despite my misgivings) is that it is an insightfull and haunting work. Sondheim's score is a complete classic of showstoppers and meaningfull inner and outer monologues full of character, nostalgia and wit, each brilliant in their own way. It is unique in so many ways (except for WAITING AROUND FOR THE GIRLS UPSTAIRS) there are no reprises till the giant mash-up and this alone gives the score a feeling no other show captures for me. Even with the flaws I found this production well worth seeing and I applaud the Kennedy Center for mounting it.
P.S. The Orchestra is fabulous!

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 01:53 AM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 3:26am

That was a great read, CPD! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 3:26am

DP!

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 03:26 AM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:46am

Anyone else notice only she and Ms. Peters wore tap shoes?

I forgot about the shoes. That was just weird, that they just happen to come across a box of shoes that are wearable for anyone. I've never seen a production where the older women put on tap shoes before.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:32pm

Thanks, CPD. I think I agree with everything you said. Why do directors and choreographer who assay this show fail to understand that when the ghosts join in on "Who's That Woman," the effect is supposed to be magical?

And you put your finger on what is keeping the excellent Jan Maxwell from really soaring in the part. If only she and the misguided director had the courage to let Phyllis come on hard and get harder, her "Could I Leave You?" would have been as startling a facade-crumbling as Alexis Smith's was. (Maybe more so. Donna Murphy achieved it at Encores, but that was only a reading.) "Lucy/Jessie" really only works when that icy brittleness is brought to life and made alluring in the first half of the show.

And as far as the "Lucy/Jessie," I think any one of those chorus boys could have re-choreographed that number in 30 minutes to make Jan Maxwell look fabulous and not awkward. It's not brain surgery--it's Choreographing Musicals 101.

And I totally agree with you about Elaine Paige's wig--it was ugly.

Note to future directors, choreographer, costume designers of Follies: This is part of your job description: MAKE WOMEN LOOK GOOD.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 8:55pm

I thought Elaine Paige looked adorable! That wig was extremely flattering to her. I've seen her in horrible wigs before, and she's positively scary!

I have now seen this production 3 times, and I love what Jan Maxwell has done with Phyllis. I agree with WBAF: "There is nothing Jan Maxwell can't do."

As for the shoes...I don't know what your problem is, PRS. I keep a box of shoes in multiple sizes in my closet for guests. You make it sound so abby-someone! (You should have checked it out last week when you had the chance.)

I don't know why everyone is so obsessed with "keeping FOLLIES" as it was. I mean, I'm old enough to have seen many classic and cult favorites on Broadway, and while I want EVERY production I see to be "astonishing," I don't think it has to be 100% faithful to the original to be worthwhile. The director's job is to bring his or her perspective and vision to a piece. Isn't that the point?

If you really want to complain, let's discuss how the actual author of FOLLIES changed it for Cameron Macintosh! He certainly didn't see the need for being faithful...in the extreme! (I'm not in favor if that either. But it was Goldman's to do what he wanted with it...even if it meant completely transforming the libretto into something practically unrecognizable!)

My kids saw the show Saturday night, and I felt that I was being a good mother by taking them to this production of FOLLIES. They knew they were seeing something spectacular. I'm just glad there has been a production of FOLLIES this good for them to see. They will remember it for the rest of their lives. (I STILL haven't forgiven my parents for never taking ME to see FOLLIES! I think it was because they didn't want me to see and hear my beloved Gene Nelson use the "s-word." )

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:07pm

I attended today's matinee of Follies. Overall, I really enjoyed it and thought it was a fantastic production. The four leads were all excellent, and Terri White's rendition of "Who's That Woman?" brought down the house. The costumes were beautiful (especially the ghosts), as was the set. Regine was awful, and I also wasn't a fan of the Loveland set.

I'll review the show in more detail tomorrow. If you have any questions, just ask and I'll answer.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:20pm

I was at the matinee as well today. Full house or pretty close to it.

Not much to add to what has already been said, but when Bernadette came out in that red dress, I did have an immediate flashback to Sunday in the Park with George when she asks George "Should I wear my red dress or blue?"

Bernadette was in fine voice, and Losing My Mind really was emotionally devastating. The Loveland set was indeed underwhelming, but I enjoyed all the numbers during that segment.

Overall, well worth the special trip to see the show.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:25pm

Miss P, your opinions are duely noted and respected. You are absolutely right about Goldman changing things himself and I don't understand what his motives were, but he did make changes.
By learning from the original I don't mean they should copy, but I think some elements are essential (more in theme than physical constraints)but that's just me, different strokes...
When Sam Mendez rethought CABARET, I was blown away because it had a very solid vision and stuck to it, complete with design to match.
I think what this production of FOLLIES was missing the most was Debbie Reynolds!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 10:43pm

I agree with many of the performers in the original cast who believe that everything that is wrong about Follies is the fault of James Goldman.

Updated On: 6/9/11 at 10:43 PM

[goldenboy]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:54pm

I thought Loveland looked like a feathered pink vagina.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:21am

I don't think you've ever seen an actual vagina, then.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:22am

LOL