rOcKS checks up on 'HAIRSPRAY' (one last time)

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 2:31pm

When HAIRSPRAY opened, I saw it about a month after it swept the Tonys for the first time and at that point, it was one of the best times I'd ever had in the theater (and still remains so) and the material was so fresh, clever, and really wonderful. I caught it two more times after that and the cast had changed a little bit (I don't remember how specifically although I know Harvey was in it still) and I still had a great, great time as did everyone I was with.

I haven't visited HAIRSPRAY since then (probably 2004) and when I heard it was closing, I knew I wanted to catch it one last time but I figured it wasn't the end of the world if I didn't. And then came the announcements that Harvey and Marissa were coming back so I went straight on TicketMaster and picked up two tickets for the December 19th show.

I trekked through a snow/rain storm to get to the Neil Simon and ... was it worth it? Well, yes and no. Let me explain...

The show seems to have lost some of it's electricity and spark. The audience seemed to love it but it was clear it was most of the audiences' first time at the show. But having seen it with the original cast and then twice soon after, I was somewhat let down. I still enjoyed myself but that "wow" factor was gone...the show just felt a little flat. At least the first act did; the second act was a vast improvement (I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN was stunning, YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT was tons of fun, and TIMELESS TO ME was four minutes of pure, unadulterated joy). The material however is so good that a mediocre cast can't really bring it down.

The highlight in the cast (for me) were Harvey of course (who is still a riot but still manages not to make Edna a cartoon...he gives her a heart. And proves he deserved that Tony.), Niki Scalera as Penny who steals I CAN HEAR THE BELLS without saying a word, Susan Mosher as Mrs. Pingleton/The Gym Teacher/The Matron who could have even hammed it up more than she did, Clarke Thorrell as Corny Collins (who, with the least stage time of any male "principle" was the best male on the stage), and Charlotte Crossley as Motormouth Maybelle (again, her acting was flat but I'm mentioning because she sang the sh*t out of I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN).

Everyone else was very milquetoast and didn't really standout too much. Particularly, and sadly, Annie Funke as Tracy. First off, there were no signs or slips in the Playbill saying Marissa was out so most people thought they were seeing her when it was really Annie. That was annoying... But anyway, she was really actually kind of irritating as Tracy, screaming and screeching and full of energy the entire time; it was almost like she was too busy being so bubbly and perky that she forgot to create a character.

And here is where I must give major props that I never really gave to Marissa Jaret Winokur. First of all, the woman is extremely brave for going through what must have been excruciating cancer treatment and keeping up with rehearsals and everything for the show. I admire her greatly. When I saw HAIRSPRAY for the first time, I noted that I had no idea how she won the Tony over Bernadette Peters. And now, to paraphrase Ben Brantley, I will gladly eat my hat. I never realized how hard it is to play Tracy and how much the show rides on that person's shoulders...not that Mama Rose isn't hard to play and isn't an integral part of the story. But I realize now, looking back on the other Tracys I've seen, none of them have come close to creating a Tracy that Marissa created. Someone with a heart, with a lot of joy, with a zest for life, and someone who really hopes to inspire change. Both Ms. Peters and Ms. Winokur gave wonderful, wonderful performances but I have to give Marissa a lot more credit than I originally did. Especially after seeing Annie in the role playing it a little annoyingly. Annie was fine (her signing voice was strong) but like I said, she forgot to create a real human being under the perkiness and jumpiness. And it really effected the show. I hope Marissa gets better soon.

The rest of the cast was mediocre at best (Karen Mason particularly annoyed the crap out of me as Velma...and not in a good way) and I have to say, it's time for HAIRSPRAY to close up shop. It's very, very sad to see it go but the time has come. It's lost it's sheen but it still hasn't lost something that few shows on Broadway can still do. The ability to leave you with the world's biggest sh*t eating grin on your face. You leave on Cloud 9, almost forgetful of all of the flaws that the cast had, and especially at this time in our nation's history, the material is particularly poignant.

I will miss the show very, very much. Even this mediocre performance of it was better than most of the stuff I've seen in recent years.

Catch it before it closes though...especially with all of the discounts floating around; it's worth seeing one last time or one first time. It's a brilliant show that right now is unfortunately bogged down by a so-so cast, but the material is so great that the cast can't really drag it down too much.

Bye, HAIRSPRAY. You had a phenomenal run and you'll truly be missed.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 2:43pm

You send out more mixed messages than my last boyfriend. I get your criticisms and you right to have your opinions, but to then say you left on cloud 9, with a huge grin, it's still better than most stuff out there kind of undercuts your opinion.

I think you might be learning the important lesson of life, when you become familiar with something it "loses its sheen," the one it had when it was all new to you. The question is, with the newness gone, did you appreciate things on a deeper level because of your familiarity with the work. Given that it made you reassess your earlier thoughts on Marissa, I'd say yes. Combine that with leaving on cloud 9 and I would have to say there's no need to decree that it's time for it to close up shop.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 3:28pm

I think I made it pretty clear that the material is strong, the cast is mediocre, and with a so-so cast trying to hold up a great show, it's lost its sheen.

And I said it's better than most of the stuff I've seen in recent years...HAIRSPRAY had a long run. But it's nothing compared to what it was in 2003. For those who are seeing it for the first time, it's great. For those who have seen the OBC, it's iffy. But again, the whole experience wasn't what was better than most of the stuff I've seen in recent years. The material is. It still holds up six years later. And just because you leave a theater with a grin on your face doesn't mean it was an amazing night of theater. I left smiling because, AGAIN, the material is so infectiously happy.

I was trying to emphasize that the material holds up but the cast doesn't and it makes it a very uneven night out. To be honest, my "mixed messages" are so because the show was so uneven and my feelings after it were very conflicted. Sorry if it's a "mixed-message"-filled review but the bottom line is the material still works and is wonderful but the cast is very mediocre.