#1
Posted: 3/25/09 at 4:54pm
Let me preface this post by saying that I saw SOUTH PACIFIC for the first time on February 25th with Kelli and Paulo intact. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that I've been raving about it ever since and have been trying to find the time to make a return visit. Despite my initial dislike for the casting of Laura Osnes, I put aside my worries and decided to go in with an open mind after seeing the pictures of her in costume and hearing some fairly good things.
My rush seat was front row loge, house right. The overture started and, yet again, I felt overwhelmed by how beautiful the score is. Then... the actual show began. On top of the fact that Laura and David have not a single ounce of chemistry, he looks like he could be her father. Creepy. Also, he seems to be a) walking around with a stick up his a** and b) sleepwalking. And both his singing and speaking voice sound like a hybrid of Freddy Krueger and Sylvester Stallone. Laura's accent was either atrocious or non-existent. In and out of both. And she played Nellie far too young (not just age-wise, but in terms of innocence). I will give her the vocals though. Perhaps they're a little too sweet, but it's certainly as clear and smooth and lovely as I had heard. But man, is she all wrong for the part. Then, there's Andrew Samonsky. Good Lord. How that man made it into this production is just... beyond me. It boggles my mind. His performance is one of the worst I've ever seen. Anywhere. Not just on Broadway. His singing voice also just doesn't match his speaking voice or his character (or lack thereof). In short, I didn't care the LEAST bit about any of their characters. (The only things I truly liked about the rest of the act were the original cast members and Laura's rendition of "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy.")
By the time intermission rolled around, I realized there was no point in my staying. I didn't care about anything that was happening. My mind wandered constantly and all I kept thinking was "My God. This act is dragging on forever." Therefore, I stood up and walked out at intermission and didn't think twice. Thankfully, I saw most of the original cast already because I would have seriously questioned why it won Best Revival. The orchestra, set, lights, costumes, and a couple of the performances were as good as when I saw it a month ago, but there is something very vital missing now: the heart. It's what makes the production so completely ravishing. When you lose the core of the show, it all kind of falls apart.
If everything got better in Act Two, then I'm an idiot for leaving. But I just couldn't bring myself to sit through anymore. I was bored senseless. And loge seats? Not as good as I thought they would be. I preferred sitting in the orchestra. But it was more than fine for $20. Oh well, guess I'll just have to wait until October to see this absolutely stunning revival again when it's actually stunning.
My rush seat was front row loge, house right. The overture started and, yet again, I felt overwhelmed by how beautiful the score is. Then... the actual show began. On top of the fact that Laura and David have not a single ounce of chemistry, he looks like he could be her father. Creepy. Also, he seems to be a) walking around with a stick up his a** and b) sleepwalking. And both his singing and speaking voice sound like a hybrid of Freddy Krueger and Sylvester Stallone. Laura's accent was either atrocious or non-existent. In and out of both. And she played Nellie far too young (not just age-wise, but in terms of innocence). I will give her the vocals though. Perhaps they're a little too sweet, but it's certainly as clear and smooth and lovely as I had heard. But man, is she all wrong for the part. Then, there's Andrew Samonsky. Good Lord. How that man made it into this production is just... beyond me. It boggles my mind. His performance is one of the worst I've ever seen. Anywhere. Not just on Broadway. His singing voice also just doesn't match his speaking voice or his character (or lack thereof). In short, I didn't care the LEAST bit about any of their characters. (The only things I truly liked about the rest of the act were the original cast members and Laura's rendition of "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy.")
By the time intermission rolled around, I realized there was no point in my staying. I didn't care about anything that was happening. My mind wandered constantly and all I kept thinking was "My God. This act is dragging on forever." Therefore, I stood up and walked out at intermission and didn't think twice. Thankfully, I saw most of the original cast already because I would have seriously questioned why it won Best Revival. The orchestra, set, lights, costumes, and a couple of the performances were as good as when I saw it a month ago, but there is something very vital missing now: the heart. It's what makes the production so completely ravishing. When you lose the core of the show, it all kind of falls apart.
If everything got better in Act Two, then I'm an idiot for leaving. But I just couldn't bring myself to sit through anymore. I was bored senseless. And loge seats? Not as good as I thought they would be. I preferred sitting in the orchestra. But it was more than fine for $20. Oh well, guess I'll just have to wait until October to see this absolutely stunning revival again when it's actually stunning.
