The Woman in White Review, December 4, 2005

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:27pm

A friend of mine had already seen this show twice, and would not stop talking about it. Figuring I’d see it for myself, that friend and I ordered tickets for the cheapest seats in the house, the last row in the rear mezzanine. After having settled into our seats, the ushers pleasantly surprised us by giving us a voucher for row G orchestra seats (so as to fill up the house, I am assuming?). (Has this happened to anyone else? They moved a bunch of people along with us, to front orchestra seats!)
As so many of us know, The Woman in White is like no other show on Broadway, or ever. At first glance, a set of screens is located across the stage, in a semi-circular fashion. The scenery for the show is projected onto these screens. Doors to the wings are located at different points of the screen, actors making their entrances and exits through doors that are real and projected. Though the set is ingenious, it would be disappointing to see it reproduced often. It is a unique Broadway attraction, and should stay that way.
A signature Andrew Lloyd Webber show, The Woman in White is a combination of classical, opera, gothic, and rock music. Maria Friedman was amazing as Marian, with an absolutely amazing voice and a stage presence to beat. Though she still has a doctor waiting in the wings, any after effects that rough month brought her do not show. Thunderous applause followed her show-stopping belt in “All for Laura.” I loved Michael Ball; he added quite a bit of humour to the show, and he was so natural.
Angela Christian, the ‘woman in white’ herself, presented this haunting character with such grace and really got you to feel the pain she was feeling. Jill Paice was amazing as Laura- I would love to see Elena Shaddow in this role!
Adam Brazier was great, as well, and Ron Bohmer - sensational!
I especially loved the orchestra pieces around when Angela Christian was on. And "All for Laura" was awesome!

Everyone was so kind at the stage door- it was really great! There weren't all that many people waiting outside to see them, so they made sure they gave time and attention to everyone who did come.
I meant to see ensemble member Elena Shaddow (if some of you didn't see my post a while back, I have a vague connection with her - she is my mom's boss's daughter, and my mom has met her once or twice), but I didn't catch her.
Adam was the first one out- he was really nice.
Greg Mills, also ensemble, was really awesome. My friends and I chatted with him for a while; he's a really funny guy.
Lisa Brescia was SO sweet; she recognized the friend I was with (who'd seen it twice already). I made sure I let her know I thought she was AMAZING in Aida, and she stopped to take a picture with me. (It is the latest one in my fan photos.)
Ron Bohmer, Michael Ball, and Maria Friedman all came out at the same time, and they were all really sweet. They were in a rush, but made sure to sign autographs before they left. Ron talked to us personally for a few...
They do a GREAT job at making Marian look so much younger! Maria was GREAT at the stage door, very humble.

Another ensemble member or two recognized my friend who I was with- it was cute.

Definitely a GREAT show, and one I would see again!

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:31pm

great review!
i gotta see this now...
how is the merchandise?
sorry, random question!!
:)

[ken8631]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:33pm

"All For Laura" was good, but that was about it for me and the wife. The scenery was getting me a bit seasick, and I was honestly bored through most of it (it was very slow moving). We go to a lot of Broadway and off-Broadway plays, this is one we won't be going back to. Just didn't do it for me at all.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:50pm

Lisa is so nice at the stage door.

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 3:17pm

I'm seeing this on Sunday. I saw it on London and liked it. Now, I can say I saw a show in both London and on Broadway!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 3:22pm

the show is amazing...saw it once with Lisa and once with Maria. I am seeing it for the third time on December 22nd!

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:17pm

great review! i'm so happy you liked it. i need to see this show again. soon.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:56pm

thanks for the comments!
i wrote a review for the school newspaper, as i am on staff, but i made it more comprehensive for you guys since you know what I'm talkign about!

the merchandise was ok- vendors don't do it for me at the marquis, though, because there are hardly any of them because the lobby in front of the theatre is so tiny. They had the generic T-shirts, CDs, posters, keychains, etc, but nothing all too exciting.

as someone said- granted, it could have chopped off 10 minutes or so, but I don't think it dragged on too much.
Not so sure I am a fan of the new ending either, but it works.

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 5:21pm

*raises hand*

<-- is "the friend." ^_^ Damn I love that show.
Updated On: 12/7/05 at 05:21 PM

[jo]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 5:59pm

I was there, too, last Sunday - and most likely seated behind your back. We were on Row H and we saw 3 vacant seats on Row G and 2 seats on Row F in front of us being filled up after the curtain...er,the screen...opened

I had seen the show twice in London and twice more on Broadway before last Sunday's matinee - obviously I am a great fan of the show. I thought I would find myself a little jaded after seeing it so often, but it seems I am even more of a fan of the show after the fifth time around.

I saw the musical as a gripping story set in a time distanced in the past, which held me spellbound until the climax. It was absorbing and beautiful story-telling, musically and dramatically told. The characters, in Victorian times, presented interesting contrasts and reflected how social and cultural mores then shaped the character of these heroes, heroines, and villains. I think it is difficult to find musicals in the recent past where you can find such intriguing characters ( save perhaps the character cast of Les Miserables).

One can see these characters out of many novels of those times -the penniless hero of no prominence trying to shut out his love for the seemingly unreachable object of his affection, the beautiful heroine following what her parent meant for her and not what her heart dictates, the aristocrat marrying an untitled lady of money and property, the selfish relative hanging on to old perquisites, the true heroine coming out of her shell and being a poster girl for the feminist ideal, and even the English's occasional caricature of anything and anyone alien to their culture ( even Hercule Poirot, as portrayed by Agatha Christie, was depicted as truly eccentric), and not to forget the obligatory ghost-like waifs out of gothic stories.

The musical score was lush and lived up to the story's romantic and gothic theme. Andrew Lloyd Webber followed the fascinating unfolding of characters and plot with such ease and command, musically-speaking, that I began to hear each sung recitative as if they were actually spoken! The relatively few stand-alone songs served their purpose of highlighting a particular sentiment or statement, more like exclamation points to a sentence! And I thought it worked perfectly this way ( some people complained about this - they were obviously looking for songs - not for a musicalized story!). I was completely absorbed following the story ( even if having seen the show before already forewarned me of what was to follow) - amazed as each new detail or nuance revealed itself to me. Even the characters were changing in my view - or were the actors all growing even more into the roles?

I'm not very knowledgeable about English folk culture ( although I have been to England more than a dozen times ) but it is interesting how ALW had probably used English folk songs and dance ( Morris dancers?) to celebrate the time of Lammastide and the second wedding ( which seemed more like an epilogue than the real ending).

I thought the Marquis Theatre's wider facade made the scenic background of the English countryside or the details of an English manor more appealing to behold, compared to London's Palace Theatre. Also, I don't think any real sets could have competed as effectively as what the computerized images did for moving the story along. Did I get this right - I thought they had draped the panels of the mezz and the boxes with black cloth/paint to create the illusion of a moviehouse -- so that all that matters was what was lighting up the stage. Or was it more so that a modern-looking theatre did not compete with the period piece? Quite a contrast to the rococos of the Palace .

The show veterans, Maria, Michael, Jill and Angela as well as the new cast, Ron and Walter, and even new leading man Adam, were all outstanding and coming even more into their roles. I doubt one can find a more powerful singing cast on Broadway today. And their acting chops are also worthy of strong mention. I hope Maria and Michael do get nods ( at least for nominations) at TONY time for their performances which lit the stage!

At the stagedoor, the cast's smiles and friendly chitchat made the theatre-going experience even more memorable.

When will I see it again ( living halfway across the world as I do)?

Well, I already have tickets for the first performance after the TONYs


Jo



Updated On: 12/10/05 at 05:59 PM

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:48pm

Jo, do you live in Switzerland?
And did you go the stage door and talk to Daniel Torres?
If so, I think we talked briefly after the show, about how much all of us loved it, and how you'd seen it previously.

beautiful review on your part, by the way.

[kec]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:51pm

Darkmist... I'm the one who lives in Switzerland, and I spoke briefly to Daniel at the stage door. Was it you I spoke to inside the theatre while trying to make our way out?

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:58pm

yes, yes, it was you then! you, my two friends, and I spoke while trying to make our way out of the theatre. :)

[jo]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 8:33pm

Darkmist-

LOL - I am from the Philippines but I met KEC, a friend, before and after the show at the stagedoor, too. Likewise I talked to Daniel Torres and asked about his journal

I guess we all loved the show!


Jo

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 8:38pm

haha, yes!
actually, I remember seeing kec with you at the stage door, just while i was looking around.

definitely a great show!:)

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 10:48pm

Yes Kec, I was the one with the blonde hair you talked to while we were walking out of the theatre. Nice to meet you, darkmist was right behind me ^_~

[jo]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 8:48am

I thought I would add this to my comments ( as some people have made references to macarena music and dance similarities in previous accounts of the show) --

I have just discussed some aspects of the show with a friend from England who is involved in the theatre and she has provided this historical note :

"Lammastide...Morris dancing has its roots in pagan times and as you say, is the inspiration for ALW's sequence in the show along with the old Lammas festival (around 1st August). I don't know anything about Macarena music or dancing, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with WIW. I thought the Lammastide sequence worked well in the show. "


Jo

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 9:26am

I went on Tuesday and enjoyed it. Maria was out and Lisa was on for her. She was very good but I soooo wanted to see Maria. I guess I'll have to go back!

[darkmist115]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 12:53pm

as for my "After having settled into our [last row mezzanine] seats, the ushers pleasantly surprised us by giving us a voucher for row G orchestra seats (so as to fill up the house, I am assuming?)." in the beginning---
any thoughts?
is this a common practice in the Marquis?

[jeremykushnier1fan]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 1:03pm

I'm dying to see this show!

[mpw607]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 5:12pm

@Darkmist. That was a nice review, but I regret I don't share your enthusiasm. I saw the show here in London last week and didn't find it better than pleasant. There are two main problems. The first lies in the story. It's a Victorian gothic sort of tale which concentrates on how a mysterious story unfolds rather than on the development of character. So we get stock figures like a wicked baron and an oily "foreigner" (surprised the PC brigade would allow that) rather than subtle characterisation. I'm afraid I didn't get involved with any of them. Now that's saying something considering there's a fine cast, notably Ruthie Henshall as Marian.

The second problem is the music which I felt lacked inspiration or originality - pleasant but derivative and unmemorable. There were a couple of moments when i thought the show might take flight, but it never quite did. The combination of gothic plot, stock charcters and musical pastiche kept it firmly earth bound.

The best thing was the staging.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I'll happily see it again if someone else pays!

[BroadwayRandy0711]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 5:40pm

I am so excited to see this show. We will be seeing this show as a Saturday Matinee on the 16th. Can't wait. Great Reviews!