The Threepenny She-Bopera: Where’s Bobby Darin when you need him?

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:01am

The ThreePenny She-bopera: Where’s Bobby Darin when you need him?

Sunday March 26, 2006

After sitting through the endlessly boring revival of “The Threepenny Opera” over at “Studio 54”, I thought to myself that had Bobby Darin caught this production and not the infamous Off-Broadway production in the 1950’s, we would have most certainly been deprived of his legendary rendition of the musical’s opening number “Mack The Knife”.

Flatter than canned soda on a summer day, horribly mangled and misinterpreted, this revival lumbers on till you want Macheath to lash your own throat.

With a horrific new translation by Wallace Shawn, non-direction by Scott Elliot and possibly the most ugly costumes ever to grace a stage by Isaac Mizrahi, this show can’t even be called a trainwreck.

Trainwrecks have speed, points of view, and direction.

This, my friends, is a slow boat to China. Very slow.

Also, may I note, that when one uses the term “opera” in a title, it usually indicates that, even at the simplest level, the piece will have a lot of music in it.

Not so, this “Threepenny”.

It feels as if hours go by before any of the numbers happen and when they do – they fail to register.

I had hoped the performances might enliven the piece but, in most cases, that’s not how it went down.

Alan Cumming, whose character by the way is reduced to an afterthought here, isn’t he the lead, is capable if uninspired.

Jim Dale manages to steal the show every moment he’s on stage. No mean feat.

Ana Gasteyer is a bit to braying at times vocally but otherwise comically capable as expected.

Cyndi Lauper, while vocally secure, displayed a performance more under-cooked than revelatory. She simply forgot most of her lines. One feels this may change with time but right now this is not the “Tony Shoo-in” it is being touted as.

The real revelation came in the form of Nellie McKay. Ravishing in her blond wig and wedding gown, McKay intoned her lines with a creamy MGM innocence that has to be heard to be believed. If vocally, Miss. McKay seems a bit over-parted, one never feels one is in anything less than the presence of a performer assured in her task of bringing her character to life. A true delight.

Vocal and comedic honors of the evening go to Brian Charles Rooney who sings the hell out of ‘Lucy’s aria” and was simply a riot in the scene that followed it.

Poor Bobby Darin. First, Kevin Spacey and now this.
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 09:01 AM

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:16am

I bet you feel all good about yourself now, don't ya?

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:19am

Not just me sweetie, A former star of a former major HBO sitcom was asleep in front of me!!

Sorry!
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 09:19 AM

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:22am

Wow, a whole two people.

LET'S START STRIKING THE SET, PEOPLE!
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 09:22 AM

[LouW95]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:22am

Just for the record, the Bobby Darin version of Mack The Knife was created for him. It was never performed in any Threepenny production as Darin did. I suggest you listen to the original cast recording.

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:26am

Lou, no one ever implied it was ever done with the Darin swinging arrangement.

Bobby Darin was always quite a participant in everything he ever recorded.

His "Mack" is as much his brainchild as anyone else. (Remember, Darin played piano and guitar and often sketched out what he wanted done to his various arrangers.)

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:28am

Find your - I'm sorry you loved the show and maybe I went to an off night, but, I assure you, was not alone in my opinion nor were the others streaming out of it at the end.

[leefowler]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:06am

Leadfootlouie:
When I posted a similar pan of this terrible production, I had to endure a slew of posts informing me that I didn't "get" this version, so you'll probably have a similar response. And who knows, maybe there's an audience for this sort of thing. If anyone out there has ever dreamed of seeing a German Marxist musical directed in the style of Charles Busch, then hustle over to W. 54th st.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:10am

You guys might not want to stomp all over an opinion of a show you likely haven't even seen yet.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:11am

Have you seen Threepenny FindYourGrail?
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 10:11 AM

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:12am

Lee..

That's the point!

There is NOTHING to get!

Believe me, there were a great number of "theatre folk" there that night - and their comments were not in anyway favorable!

..maybe they just don't "Get it" either.
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 10:12 AM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:15am

Well you are being blasted by someone who "got" Spamalot, so I wouldn't put much stock in the insults.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:19am

leadfoot, thank you for your review. It is always nice to get different opinions on shows. I plan on seeing it when in NYC.

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:19am

that Spam thing was the other show I wasted 100 bucks on - I had to take three Advils mid-way - although Ramierez was wonderful and did the best Christina Augelira impersonation I have ever heard.

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:20am

I noticed Maureen Moore is in the cast. Is she Cyndi Lauper's Stand-by? I'm admire this gifted lady tremendously. I'd love some info on what she does in the show.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:20am

How dare you have an opinion that isn't the same as FindYourGrail's (who doesn't accept Pm's so people can tell them how rude they are)!

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:24am

I'm new to all this so I take things with a grain of salt - I did look for Find's review and it does not seem to be posted - I would love to hear what she thinks! What she loved about it!

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:25am

I have, in fact, seen THREEPENNY and was moved by this production. When I was exiting Studio 54 I must have heard at least a dozen people talking about how brilliant the show and performances were and how they were going to tell everyone they knew to come.

And, liking SPAMALOT has nothing to do with this discussion. Just because I like the show doesn't mean that influences my taste. I have a deep and profound love for the classics, thank you very much.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:26am

You know what.

You need to stop insulting people who don't like the crap you like. You're a rude, spiteful person.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:27am

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You can like the show, he can hate the show, but don't try to make them feel like **** when they don't ooze all over it the way you did.

Go treat some more people in your life like garbage.

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:27am

THREEPENNY is crap?

Wow.

[leadfootlouie]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:27am

Moved, in what way??

Moved, by what moment?

The show was never devised to be "moving".

The Finale is not "Candide"!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:28am

I didn't say Threepenny was crap. It could be brilliant for all I know, I simply meant


STOP PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE DOWN FOR NOT LIKING WHAT YOU LIKE!
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 10:28 AM

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:28am

And I didn't ooze over anything.

Forgive me if I can't take when people come on the board and post their review as if their opinion is infallible.

Read leadfoot's review again. It's as if his opinions are being stated as fact.

Cry me a river. I can defend whatever I wish to defend.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:30am

How do you know their opinion isn't valid? Because it's not what you thought about the show?

Your attitude is a prime reason so few Legends come on the main board anymore.
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 10:30 AM