Saturday, November 16, 2013

MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS The Honor Roll - Part 2

MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS
The Honor Roll - Part 2

Some more musicals from the fifteen shows that make up my musical Honor Roll. Lots to talk about, so this is going to be on the long side. Enjoy! Let's begin.

BILLY ELLIOT - Music by Elton John, Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall


Winter, 2005; Spring, 2006, January, 2008. In an earlier post I talked about this show and the New York incarnation of it. I mentioned that somehow the show didn't seem to play as well in New York as it had in London; that it didn't seem as moving or as dynamic despite a superb cast and the recreated London design, direction and choreography. In London, however, Bob and I (and niece Colleen in 2008) were simply blown away by the show. There is humanity and warmth in this show that skillfully manage to combine family with politics, that frequently had the audience erupt into prolonged applause and cheers, yet also could turn on a dime and bring a few tears to even this old curmudgeon's eyes. For the first two London performances, we were privileged to see the remarkable Haydn Gwynne as Mrs. Wilkinson. With Colleen, we saw a polished and terrific performance by Jackie Clune as Mrs. Wilkinson. Both ladies had top-notch support from the large cast of West End pros. Stephen Daldry's direction was seamless; Peter Darling's choreography was amazing; the production designs by Ian MacNeil (sets), Nicky Gillibrand (costumes) and Rick Fisher (lights) were spot-on, and Lee Hall's book and lyrics and Elton John's excellent score gave all these talented folks a remarkable story to tell with words, dance and music. Now here's the odd thing: although this is among my favorite musicals, it's perversely the only show in my top twenty-five that I don't especially want to see again. - at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London

THE VISIT - Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Book by Terrence McNally



September, 2001. This is in my top twenty-five in both the original play by Friedrich  Dürrenmatt and the musical version by Kander/Ebb/McNally. You either loved this musical or you hated it. I loved it. It was dark, daring, provocotive and ultimately disturbing. Terrence McNally's book was a skillful retelling of Dürrenmatt's tale of payback. Kander and Ebb's score was haunting and, at times, downright creepy (witness the Act One closing number "Yellow Shoes"…..brrrrr!). The lead performances by Chita Rivera and John McMartin were memorable and powerful and demonstrated why they are considered, after decades in the business, among the theatre's finest. And let's talk about a supporting cast chock full of New York and Chicago A-listers including: Jim Corti, James Harms, Brian Herriott, Mark Jacoby, Adam Pelty, Ami Silvestre and Steven Sutcliffe. This was a first-class production in all aspects and had a Broadway production in its sights. Sadly, those plans were derailed by the horrors on 9/11. It was felt that a dark tale of revenge would not play well in the post-9/11 atmosphere. Twelve years after it's premiere, The Visit has yet to receive a Broadway production and that is a great loss for the musical theatre. (Note: there are talks that a production will be mounted at the Williamstown Theatre Festival next season (2014) prior to a Broadway opening. We can hope!) (Factoid: Angela Lansbury was originally attached to the project, but dropped out to care for her very ill husband. She would have been fascinating in the role.) - at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago

BELLS ARE RINGING - Music by Jule Styne, Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
My introduction to this terrific example of a classic musical comedy from the Golden Age of Musical Theatre was the 1960 film starring the incandescent Judy Holliday, recreating her Tony-winning role, and Dean Martin playing, essentially, Dean Martin. The fairytale storyline about a big-hearted switchboard operator at a small answering service in New York is pure 50s fluff. Comden and Green wrote the warm and funny book to match the considerable skill set of their friend and star, Judy Holliday and, if her performance in the movie is any indication, and by all accounts she was even better on stage, Holliday more than returned the favor. But where the show really soars is in the glorious score with impeccable lyrics by Comden and Green and remarkable music by the prolific Jule Styne in one of his best efforts. It's a true treasure with comic turns for the leading lady, some rousing chorus numbers, two breakout standards, "Just in Time" and "The Party's Over," and a sensational ballad that is pretty much unknown; in fact it was replaced with a more uptempo number in the movie, but is unforgettable once you've heard it, "Long Before I Knew You." (It was one of the songs Bob and I chose for our pre-ceremony music CD at our wedding.) Yes, the show is hopelessly dated and absolutely must be played in its original time period, but is that a bad thing? This show makes me smile. There's not a mean bone in its theatrical body. All Bells Are Ringing wants to do is entertain you, give you some laughs and let you listen to some great songs. It accomplishes all that in spades. I love it.



The floating heads of the two stars are a bit disturbing, don't you think?


July, 1976. Okay. I think I may need to seriously consider turning in my gay card. I saw this summer stock production of Bells Are Ringing starring Rita Moreno (!!) and Tab Hunter  (!!) and I don't remember a thing about it except that I enjoyed it, thought that the role of Ella wasn't exactly a perfect fit for the uber-talented Moreno and was surprised at the easy-going stage presence of Hunter in a very likeable turn. Why wasn't I taking notes? Why didn't I sneak in a tape recorder or something? I hang my head in shame. - at the Melody Top Theatre, Milwaukee 
(Sidebar: Melody Top was a summer stock theatre in Milwaukee. It produced 23 seasons of musicals and operettas, most of which featured a star or two from theatre, movies or TV. Some were A-list, like Moreno, who had won her Tony for The Ritz the previous year, but most were B-list celebrities getting up close and personal with the folks to boost their visibility. Local favorites usually filled the supporting roles and the chorus.The shows were done in a big tent seating approximately 2200 patrons. If the quality wasn't exactly Broadway, it was still professionally done and enjoyable.)



June, 2001. Little did I know months earlier when I purchased these tickets that Bob and I would be attending the final performance of this show. It was an incredible experience. Not only was the show closing, but it was also being taped for the Lincoln Center archives. During the intermission, we went down from our perches in the mezzanine to the stage as is our custom so Bob can touch the stage. (It's a tech theatre geek thing.) Seated in the front row and mere inches from me was the legendary Betty Comden! She graciously signed my program and beamed when I told her the first show I appeared in was the Comden/Green/Bernstein classic, Wonderful Town. There's class and there's class. Comden was class. Faith Prince burned up the stage and stopped the show with her final number, "I'm Going Back," which resulted in a standing ovation that lasted several very loud minutes. Marc Kudisch made a handsome leading man and there was fine support from David Garrison, Beth Fowler and Martin Moran. At times the physical production looked a bit cheap and Tina Landau's direction didn't point up the breeziness of the show. I don't think musicals are her forte and it especially showed during those parts where everyone just appeared to be working too damn hard.  We thoroughly enjoyed it, though, and it deserved a longer run. - at the Plymouth Theatre, New York
(Sidebar: The 2000-2001 season was not an especially good year for highly anticipated musical revivals. Bells Are Ringing, in its first ever Broadway revival, received very lukewarm reviews during its tryout in Connecticut and when it opened in New York. Most of the criticism was leveled at the dated quality of the show and faulted director Landau with making a featherweight 50s bon-bon leaden and even more dated. Star Faith Prince also received very mixed reviews. There is a huge difference between a performer making a part iconic (for example: Carol Channing and Dolly Levi, Ethel Merman and Rose Hovick, etc.) and a part becoming iconic because of the performer (for example: Judy Holliday and Ella Peterson, Barbara Harris and her roles in The Apple Tree). In the former, it's easier for an actor to bring their own unique take to the role - there have been terrific Dollys besides Channing and there have been terrific Roses besides Merman - but in the latter, it's difficult to establish your own take on a role that is so indelibly associated with its originator. It's even more difficult when the part in the show that you are starring in was written specifically for its originator. In this case, lots of critics pointed out, unfairly I hasten to add, that Faith Prince was not Judy Holliday and didn't bring the same qualities to the part. Well, of course she wouldn't; she's Faith Prince, not Judy Holliday, and has her own comedic sensibility. The mediocre critical reception, however, wasn’t the only thing that adversely affected the show. It was widely reported that Prince was not consistent in her performances. Some days she'd be merely adequate and other days she'd be brilliant and that had an effect on box office sales. Patrons wanted brilliant, not adequate. For the record, we saw brilliant. Perhaps the reviews got to her; perhaps she felt misdirected by Landau; perhaps all the apparent backstage drama with management ineptitude (revealed after the show closed) wore her down. In any event, the show closed after a very short run and it's unlikely Bells will receive another major revival. For the record, the hugely-anticipated first NYC revival of Follies also received a great deal of critical indifference (lots of finger pointing at the director in that one, too) and closed after a short run. At least Bells got a cast recording of the revival; Follies did not.)

THE FULL MONTY - Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek, Book by Terrence McNally
I'm a big fan of the film, but frankly couldn't see how they could take this very English film and translate it into a musical. Happily composer/lyricist David Yazbek and playwright Terrence McNally figured it all out. Probably the best move they made was to shift the locale of the piece from Sheffield, England to Buffalo, New York. Crossing the Pond didn't detract from the story at all and in all likelihood made the piece more accessible to American audiences. Unlike Billy Elliot, which absolutely could not be done in any other locale or time frame, The Full Monty deals with issues that are the same in the United States as they are in the United Kingdom as they are in Brazil as they are everywhere in the world: unemployment, family, loss, love, self-respect. McNally's book combines great humor with heart and warmth and more than the occasional moments of tenderness that at first glance might seem out of place, but by second glance are just so perfectly right. He creates characters that you want to know. Yazbek's score is fresh, yet rooted in musical theatre tradition with numbers that range from an almost discordant and jarring opening number to gorgeous ballads that make your heart happy, "Breeze Off the River," "You Walk with Me," and the reprise of "You Rule My World." One of the best things about this musical is that is not dependent on a star performance. All this show needs are talented actors and good direction and choreography to make it a winner. Although it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2001, it had the misfortune of opening the same season as The Producers, which won in every category in which it received a nomination. No matter. In my humble opinion, this is the better show!



A fun flyer stuffed in our NYC program. Buy now...get the coveted first seven rows!! All the better to ogle the boys!

June, 2001. There were a lot of understudies performing at our matinee, but as is typical in New York, you would never know these talented folks weren't the usual performers in the roles. From the first brassy, rhythmic chords of the overture to the final backlit moment when the guys go the full monty, I was hooked.  Leading the troupe of great actors at the Eugene O'Neill was Patrick Wilson, whose  nicely layered performance that combined macho bravado with loving tenderness won the audience's affection. Joining him in the full monty adventure were these wonderful gentlemen:  John Ellison Conlee, Jason Danieley, Denis Jones, Todd Weeks and the extraordinary Andre DeShields as Horse. The distaff side wasn't short-changed on talent, either, with Annie Golden and Emily Skinner in the primary ladies' roles. The great Kathleen Freeman, who, sadly, would die during the run of the show, transformed her song, "Jeanette's Showbiz Number," which, in my opinion, is the weakest number in the show and the only one that tries too hard, into a triumph of talent and showbiz savvy over so-so material and easily stopped the show. A delightful afternoon at the theatre. We thoroughly enjoyed it. - at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York


The boys against the Chicago skyline. Kinda fun!


September, 2001. The tragic events of 9/11 derailed this production, the First National Tour, after only a short time on the road and on its second stop. (It would close in Chicago a few weeks after we saw it.) It had the misfortune of officially opening in Chicago on September 12, 2001, and, sadly, despite good reviews and a popular title, the production could not overcome the box office ennui that seemed to be a direct result of those horrid events. When we took our boys to see the show, we bought half-price tickets at Hot Tix and ended up in the 7th row. The theatre wasn't even 50% full! That was truly a shame since the company headed by Rod Weber, Danny Gurwin, Larry Marshall and the legendary Kaye Ballard was outstanding and their performance was just what those tragic times needed. The guys were great and Ballard used her considerable comic skills to nail her big number. (We met Kaye after the show…one of those six degrees of separation things. In person, she's warm and friendly and seemed genuinely happy to meet us.) Also in the cast were the now-popular musical performer Heidi Blickenstaff, Kevin M. Burrows, who is Christopher Sieber's husband, and James Moye, who would soon play File in Signature Theatre's amazing production of 110 in the Shade. The boys, by the way, liked the show a lot. - at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago



June, 2005. My Playbill states that this production was the inaugural production at the newly reopened and redecorated (gaudy beyond belief) Drury Lane Water Tower Place Theatre. The cast, a mixture of Equity and non-Equity actors, was talented and did well, though I felt the show lacked the energy and pizzazz that both the original Broadway company and the touring company had. Nothing was wrong, mind you, it just wasn't very exciting. Chicago favorite Renee Matthews was Jeanette and played the role sassily enough, but just didn't have the charismatic chops to really put across her number. Kathleen Freeman and Kaye Ballard both stopped the show with this number; Matthews did not. Peter James Zielinski was a fine Jerry Lukowski and anchored the show well. This wasn't a bad production by any means, but it wasn't an outstanding one either. - at the Drury Lane Water Tower Place Theatre, Chicago



June, 2009. Full disclosure. The reason we trucked out to Millburn, New Jersey, was because of the actress playing Jeanette, the legendary Elaine Stritch.  With Stritch, one simply must pay homage. At eighty-four, she was as feisty as ever and it was a joy to see her again in a book show. Now mind you, her performance was pure Stritch despite the character name listed in the program, but the capacity audience cared not one whit and she stopped the show with her solo number as only a seasoned pro can. She was a marvel to watch. The cast was full of accomplished New York actors, including Michael Rupert and Jenn Colella. Rob Richardson covered the lead role of Jerry Lukowski that night and he was excellent. The was the second show we'd seen at Paper Mill and this production confirmed for us Paper Mill's commitment to quality. As a bonus, we discovered that Millburn has a variety of nice restaurants a short walk from the theatre. Who knew? - at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey.

THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS - Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall, Book by Larry L King and Peter Masterson
This musical is thisclose to making my top ten. I love everything about it: the book, the music, the story, the sheer exuberance of it that's tempered by a wearily resigned view of life that infuses the show with heart and humanity. Carol Hall's score is a marvel from start to finish and Larry L King and Peter Masterson's book keeps everything remarkably real even when the sometimes in-your-face satire could easily overwhelm the proceedings, but, props to the creators, doesn't. There is an honesty to this underappreciated show that is refreshing. I'd love to see Encores tackle it. And I would absolutely kill to play the Sheriff, Melvin P. Thorpe or the Governor. (Bob, take note!) The flavorless 1982 movie version did the show absolutely no favors. It's a musical that, though wildly successful in its original New York run and throughout a profitable tour, hasn't received the respect I think it deserves. It's time for a revival! I would love to see Connie Britton as Mona, wouldn't you? This is a first-rate, A-quality show. Full stop. 




August, 1979. By the time I first saw this show, it had been open for a little over a year and many of the original supporting players had already left. Fortunately, Henderson Forsythe, Carlin Glynn and Delores Hall were still on hand with Forsythe and Glynn handily demonstrating why they won Tony Awards for their performances two months earlier.
(Note: Both won supporting Tonys for performing leading roles, a quirk that has happened more than once in Tony history. This was probably due to the fact that when the show opened, no one was listed above the title, and listing was/is a primary factor in determining leading vs. supporting Tony eligibility.)
Forsythe's profane and gruff Sheriff was an absolute delight. Texas-born Glynn offered an honest, humorous and heartfelt performance as a thoroughly decent human being who just happened to be a madam at Texas' most famous whorehouse. And just listen to the way she performs her songs on the original cast album! (Example: "The Bus from Amarillo." Divine!) Delores Hall, as Miss Mona's trusted friend, Jewel, tore up the house with her gospel-influenced "Twenty-Four Hours of Lovin'." Clinton Allman, still in his original role as Melvin P. Thorpe, Barbara Marineau as Doatsey Mae (beautiful version of the haunting "Doatsey Mae") and Tom Avera as the side-stepping Governor were especially noteworthy among the large and talented cast.
(Note: Years later I had the good fortune to meet and work with Michael Scott, one of Whorehouse's ensemble members, during the early development of Such a Pretty Face. See earlier post.)
Sets, lights and costumes were all first-rate. The Rio Grande band provided atmospheric accompaniment. Tommy Tune's choreography, especially the sexy and athletic "The Aggie Song" and Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune's direction perfectly complimented the fine book by Larry L King and Peter Masterson and Carol Hall's exquisite score. No surprise. I had a fabulous time! - at the 46th Street Theatre, New York

February, 1980. When my BFF, Pat, decided to stay with me for an extra few days following our appearance at a national word-processing conference, I took her to see this. There were further cast changes, but the three above-the-title stars were still around and still as wonderful as when I first saw them six months earlier. (Imagine…stars still performing in their original roles eighteen months after opening. How often does that happen today?) Pat became a fan. - at the 46th Street Theatre, New York



May, 1980. When the producers of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas rolled out the First National Tour, they made sure they stacked the deck in their favor by casting a bona fide star as Mona. Now this is absolutely no reflection on the marvelous Carlin Glynn. whose performance as Mona Stangley remains one of my fondest theatre memories. With that tricky show title, however, I'm sure the producers felt they needed an extra measure of insurance to put bums in seats while traveling the great American hinterland, so they cast the glamorous Alexis Smith in the role. Alexis Smith was not a star; Alexis Smith was a STAR. And that was, well, problematic. It wasn't that Alexis Smith wasn't good; she was. But…Smith was inherently very elegant and sophisticated with a commanding stage presence and all of that, perversely, worked against the role. She didn't try to steal focus; it was just hard not to concentrate on her and on what she was doing, even if she was only listening to another actor. She was on-the-mark and often very funny, but I didn't find her especially warm or vulnerable. Maybe it was me. Maybe I couldn't get her Tony-winning performance as Phyllis in Follies out of my mind. But maybe it was just an…uncomfortable fit of actor to role. Larry Hovis of "Hogan's Heroes" fame played Melvin P. Thorpe, Jay Garner recreated his Broadway role as the Governor and Barbara Marineau left the New York company to bring her Doatsey Mae to this tour. (Note: Marineau was Alexis Smith's cover. I suspect she would have been incredible in the role.) Also in the cast were future Tony-nominated director and choreographer Jeff Calhoun as the featured Aggie/Ensemble,  George Dvorsky, who I would see decades later in The Happy Time at Signature Theatre (see earlier post), as an Aggie/Ensemble and Ruth Gottschall, who I would see on Broadway years later in several shows, as Ginger, one of Miss Mona's girls. My companion for the evening, a houseguest, of sorts, from the UK (strange, complicated and ended badly) had a grand time. I enjoyed it, but… - at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago



July, 1981. When the Second National Tour toe-tapped its way to Milwaukee, Pat and I made the drive up from Waukegan to see it. This first-class edition starred William Larsen as the Sheriff  and in the leading role of Miss Mona, June Terry. A Google search for June Terry came up empty, but according to her bio, June Terry was a Dot recording artist and a busy singer and actress, primarily in the Houston area. I'm not sure if she was cast for her box office allure or whether it was simply a matter of casting two skilled actors in, at this time, a very marketable property and letting the property be the star. Whatever the reason, it was a wise choice. Larsen and Terry, both Texans, gave the show a verisimilitude that was absent in the Alexis Smith production and was a better fit for the material. Understudying the role of Jewel was a young Avery Sommers. I would see her twenty years later as Jewel in the Ann-Margret version. And in an interesting twist, William Hardy, who played the Sheriff in Chicago, was now the understudy for the Sheriff. Ah, the vicissitudes of the theatre! The audience loved the show; so did we. - at Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee
Drury Lane even had its own Stagebill cover design! 
February, 1986. This version unexpectedly turned out to be my second favorite production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, right behind the Broadway original. It was as though director/choreographer Jerry Yoder took a good look at the book and score and decided to keep it simple, keep it clean and keep it honest, unlike the misguided movie version which took this unpretentious musical and blew everything completely out of proportion, took songs out, added songs by Dolly Parton, who was also the affable, but miscast, star, cast Burt Reynolds in a singing role (talk about miscast!) and pretty much made it all unwatchable. Yoder wisely cast Texas-born, Northwestern University-educated and veteran of the original Houston company, Connie Cooper as Mona. Supported by a fine company of actors, many from Chicago, Cooper had an easy-going charm and a way with Carol Hall's songs that energized the proceedings and had the audience in the palm of her hand. She was quite marvelous. Everything about this production was done with skill and professionalism. Curiously, however, "The Bus from Amarillo" was moved from the end of Act One and placed as the show's closing. I understand the reasoning behind it and it worked, but not as well as the song's original placement. According to an article I just read, this was a stop on a national tour and not part of the Drury Lane subscription series. Steve and I had a grand time. Yee-haw! - at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace, IL
(Sidebar: Drury Lane Oakbrook is the sole surviving theatre of the Drury Lane theatres. At one time, there were also a Drury Lane South in Evergreen Park, a Drury Lane Water Tower Place in Chicago (now the Broadway Playhouse), a Drury Lane North in Lincolnshire (now the Marriott Theatre) and a Drury Lane East at Chicago's McCormick Place. The Oakbrook theatre is an ostentatiously-decorated affair that borders on bad taste. The redeeming factor is that rather than being bashful about its over-the-top awfulness, it revels in it. The dinner/show package is a staple there and after the performance, pre-show diners head to the lobby tables to pick up their doggie bags. It's a trip. The auditorium seats about 1000 on one nicely-raked level. It's a very wide house, however, which can make sightlines less than ideal. Drury Lane has a great reputation for spending money on their productions and doing quality work. Hmm, I may need to return to Drury Lane soon. The pictures on the website feature a gray color scheme instead of the red that I'm used to seeing. It's still pretty over-the-top, but it looks as if they may finally have toned down the awfulness.)

Drury Lane South was still committed to presenting shows with well-known names, some talented, some not-so-talented. Think of Drury Lane South as the theatrical version of "Dancing with the Stars" and you'll get the predominant caliber of the starring talent. The very idea of Carol Lynley starring in Bernard Slade's charming, unpretentious comedy chills me to the bone, but, truth be told, I wish I'd seen it.


May, 2001. Ann-Margret starring in a tour of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? Who wouldn't go see our favorite Kitten with a Whip make her stage debut at age 60? As it turned out, a lot of people didn't and for good reason. It was pretty awful. When the show opened in Chicago, Ann-Margret was, according to the show's management, fighting a throat infection. When we saw it several days later, she was, per the pre-show announcement, still fighting it. Unlike Jim Dale, who, even with laryngitis, gave a sensational all-stops-out performance in Barnum (see earlier post), Ann-Margret, wearing  costumes designed by Bob Mackie that belonged on a Vegas stage instead of on the madam of the Chicken Ranch in Texas, gave a listless, dull, odd performance that had the leading lady not really connecting with anyone and singing everything full front as though nobody else was on stage. (For the record, everyone else wore costumes by Dona Granata.) She looked totally out of her element and that rather surprised me. Years earlier I saw Ann-Margret do her concert act at the Auditorium and she was wonderful: vibrant, exciting, connecting with her dancers and the audience. Although not the greatest actor on the block, despite two Academy Award nominations, she's always had a personality that I thought would work well for her in this role. I was wrong. Not helping matters was the overall tattiness of this production. It looked tired even this early in the tour. Two bright spots: the Aggie number and Gary Sandy's portrayal of the Sheriff. The critics blasted it; the audiences stayed away. At the performance we attended the house was very small. We bought half-price tickets; the guys sitting next to us paid full price and were pissed. I would have been, too. Avery Sommers from the Second National Tour graduated from playing Jewel's cover in that production to playing it on this tour. I'm sure she was fine, but her performance didn't register one way or the other. Roxie Lucas played one of Miss Mona's girls in the First National Tour starring Alexis Smith and was now played Doatsey Mae and I don't remember her at all. To be fair, I understand things improved as the tour progressed and by all accounts Ann-Margret was extremely well-liked by everyone in the company. What I was most disappointed in was that Bob to this day doesn't understand why I love this show. With this as his only point of reference, I can see why. - at the Oriental Theatre, Chicago
That's it for now. I so enjoyed writing this! More later.
© 2013 Jeffrey Geddes




Sunday, November 3, 2013

WALKING IN A WEST END WONDERLAND - PART 3

WALKING IN A WEST END WONDERLAND
PART 3

I think it's time for another visit to the fabulous West End of London, don't you? Today's offerings include a beloved musical especially popular around the holidays, a Rodgers and Hart masterpiece, a sophisticated art-deco wonder by Comden and Green and Cy Coleman, Marvin Hamlisch's other long-running hit, a literate and interesting play about Oscar Wilde and an AIDS-themed play produced in the Fringe, London's answer to Off-Broadway. All set? Let's begin.


As I write this (early November, 2013), the holiday season is just around the corner and soon a plethora of playhouses…I just love the word "plethora," don't you?... around the planet…keeping with the alliteration here… will present a production of Lionel Bart's classic musical as its holiday presentation. I have to get this off my chest: I just don't get it! How did a musical based on Charles Dickens' harsh novel of contemporary London in the late 1830s become this kid-friendly, family musical? Why not just slot in Sweeney Todd as your holiday show while you're at it? (Full disclosure…I wouldn't mind that at all. Sweeney's an amazing show.) Oh, yeah, I know you're saying, "But, Jeff, Sweeney Todd has themes of  murder, revenge, cannibalism and that weird and very disturbing guardian/ward thing that Judge Turpin wants to get going. Ewww. Oliver! Is nothing like Sweeney Todd." No? Well, let's take a "big picture" look at the plot of the musical Oliver!.

Oliver is an orphan of about 10 in one of London's nastier orphan workhouses. Makes Miss Hannigan's establishment look positively plush. Anyway, he asks for more food and for punishment is sold to an undertaker (see song "Boy For Sale"). Oliver runs away and gets lost in the chaos that is London in the late1830s. Notice that nobody seems especially upset that he's run away. Oliver is picked up by an adolescent named Dodger, who lures him to his house with promises of food and shelter. As it turns out, Dodger's digs is the home of a gang of pre-pubescent boys trained as pickpockets and under the rather dubious care of an older man named Fagin, one of the most anti-Semitic portrayals of a Jew in literature, who at best is an extremely creepy perv and at worst a pedophile. Add to the mix Fagin's cohorts: Nancy, a prostitute, Bet, a prostitute-in-training and Bill Sikes a really badass criminal and murderer…and you've got a truly jolly band of pretty despicable characters. In Act Two, Nancy is bludgeoned to death onstage by Sikes (at the performance I attended in London, Nancy's leg-wiggling death throes were especially, well, graphic), Oliver is eventually reunited with a long-lost and wealthy relative (the explanation is a bit far-fetched, but I'll go with it), and Fagin is forced to set up shop elsewhere with his trusty Dodger at his side, though one is left with the impression that Dodger is indeed "artful" and now has the upper hand in the relationship.  Now, I don't know about you, but nothing says wholesome family fare like child abuse, prostitution, pedophilia, thievery and an onstage bludgeoning.

So why is Oliver! so popular as a family musical? Frankly, I haven't a clue, but I suspect the reason is that the show tends to be presented in a light and bouncy style. Nobody is really bad, not really. Bad in a cartoonish way, perhaps, but not truly bad people. Bill Sikes might be scary, but, gosh, aren't Nancy and Bet fun and isn't Fagin just lovable? There's also a crapload of kids involved. Translation: lots and lots of ticket sales to parents and friends and family forced to see little Joey or little Susie belt out "Consider Yourself" and "Food, Glorious Food." About little Susie…in the London program there isn't a female name listed among the literally two dozen or so children in a rotating cast as Workhouse Boys, Fagin's Gang, Oliver or Dodger. It's a boy's workhouse. Fagin's gang is not coed. This trend of casting little girls as little boys needs to stop. Until they allow a boy to be cast as Matilda (put the kid in a wig…a child soprano is a child soprano) or turn Miss Hannigan's into a boy/girl orphan house, well, then, I'm against the practice.

Now, before you get the wrong idea, I like Oliver! Quite a lot, in fact. It's a solid show with a phenomenal score by Lionel Bart. I just wish someone would have the guts to put some much-needed substance into this show. "I Shall Scream" is sung with such overwhelming cuteness that it's pretty much unbearable. Perform it with a "By the Sea" (Sweeney Todd again) irony and it could be a delight. I would trim "Consider Yourself" considerably (no pun intended) and end the song with Dodger. Who are all those cheerful Londoners exhorting to "consider yourself part of the furniture" anyhow? Nancy and Bet would be dirtied up (they always look too clean and put-together). I'd trim "Oom-Pah-Pah" and have the curtain to Act Two rise on the song midway through. It's a great song, but doesn't really do anything except give Nancy more to sing. I'd totally cut "My Name." Sorry, Bill Sikes, but it's not a good song and it just slows everything down. Audiences don't like it, either. Carousel and Oklahoma!, among others, have already been re-imagined. Why not Oliver!? (PS. Just in case you're wondering, I have similar concerns about The Sound of Music which will be addressed in a future post.)

Whew! Felt good to vent. Now on to this specific production….




May, 1980. I had always wanted to see Oliver! The Broadway cast album featuring the smoky tones of the incredible Georgia Brown was, and remains, a favorite. The real impetus to see this revival, mounted at its original theatre and produced by a young Cameron Mackintosh, was to see the award-winning and legendary Sean Kenny's design, credited in the program "décor," considered to this day to be a masterpiece of stage scenic design. (Kenny's design was/is so iconic that even I, a non-tech person for the most part, knew that to be able to see his original work was an opportunity not to be missed.) I was not disappointed in Mr. Kenny's work nor in the energetic, well-acted, well-sung efforts of the large cast headed by John Fleming as Fagin, subbing for absent George Layton, and Helen Shapiro as a full-voiced Nancy, who especially nailed the show's huge mega-hit "As Long As He Needs Me" with stunning vocals and characterization.
( Sidebar: Shapiro had a successful vocal career in the early 60s with a sound that today conjures up bee-hive hairdos and sunny dispositions and/or "tragic" teen events. Think Lesley Gore with a British accent. When her popularity as a pop star waned, she branched out to other music genres and the theatre, but today is all but unknown. )
This revival also featured direction by Robin Midgley based on Peter Coe's original direction. (Mr. Coe's name was bold-faced and in the same size font as Midgley's. Contractual or an indication of the importance Coe's direction for this show?) Even back then, I found the show struggling to make its point of view clear. I'm all for a revival with a fresh POV. - at the Albery Theatre, London



February, 1981. In an earlier post, I wrote about a production of Pal Joey that Bob and I had seen that had been mounted by a well-regarded local Chicago company (Porchlight). The critics lauded it; we hated it. We hated pretty much everything about it: the acting, the direction, the physical production. In my book, it was not only a major misfire, but a major disappointment since my previous exposure to this challenging and, for the period at least, daringly adult musical had been such an overwhelmingly positive experience. This tasty production was spot-on in all aspects. It was deliciously tacky when it needed to be and stunningly sophisticated when called for. The ensemble's accents were sometimes a bit over-the-top south side Chicago, but that just added to the hilarity of "The Flower Garden of My Heart." The sardonic, crisp and memorable score by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (book by John O'Hara) is a highlight and was excellently served here. Heading the cast was a young (34) Denis Lawson as a suitably sleazy Joey and a sexy and uber-sophisticated Sian Phillips as Vera. Phillips was 47 at the time and exuded an easy sexuality and worldliness that was perfect for the role. The I-smoke-too-much-and-drink-too-much earthiness to her voice added an additional element to her portrayal. I was mad about her and so wanted to hang out with her Vera. (Fun fact: Denis Lawson is Ewan McGregor's uncle.) I loved this show. - at the Albery Theatre, London





March, 1998. The relationship between Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, aka Bosie, was the subject of at least two plays in late 1990s: Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde by Moisés Kaufman and The Judas Kiss by David Hare. I think the Kaufman play overall is the better play, but this somewhat long and very talky play had its virtures, chief of which were the performances by Liam Neeson as Wilde, Tom Hollander as Bosie and Peter Capaldi as Wilde's most faithful friend Robert Ross, quite possibly the most decent character in the play. We were in the front row and I can tell you point blank that Liam Neeson is big: tall, commanding even when quiet and has huge hands. For all of you with filthy minds, I don't know if that means anything or not, but at one point, I turned to Bob and whispered "Lucky Natasha." (He was married to the late Natasha Richardson.) Critics noted that Neeson's physical appearance and vocal qualities were more like the real Wilde than most portrayals in the past had been and Neesom's Irish background added a nice sense of verisimilitude. I liked the play's structure of Act One taking place in London hours before Wilde's arrest on charges of "gross indecency," i.e. having sex with other men, and Act Two taking place at a seedy hotel in Italy following Wilde's release from prison where a broken Wilde is treated with disrespect and disregard by a supremely douchey Bosie. David Hare's dialogue was skillful and though the play could easily be trimmed, it was never dull. Throw into the mix gorgeous and expensive production values and generous amounts of nudity (why, hello there, Mr. Hollander! Face it, you gotta love the Brits…no qualms about skin at all) and the result is an interesting, if not exactly riveting evening at the theatre. - at the Playhouse Theatre, London
(Sidebar: Did you know that the British government was willing to look the other way if Wilde had exiled himself to the Continent even up to the time of his arrest? You can thank that twit Bosie for convincing Wilde to stay.)
(Fun Factoid: The Judas Kiss originated at London's Almeida Theatre, one of London's premiere Fringe theatres (think Goodman, Steppenwolf, Roundabout, etc.).in early 1998, transferred to the Playhouse Theatre in March, 1998, in what could pass as an out-of-town tryout, dashed across The Pond and opened in New York on the last day of Tony eligibility in 1998. All that dashing about, however, was in vain as the play was greeted with less than enthusiastic notices and did not receive a single Tony nomination.)




May, 1980. An under-appreciated treasure. Cy Coleman's remarkable, soaring score, Comden and Green's urbane and witty book and lyrics, Robin Wagner's wondrous art-deco inspired scenery and Florence Klotz's elegant period costumes seemed to be a better fit at the smallish Her Majesty's Theatre than at New York's sizable St. James. The more-intimate house brought the story more into focus while not diminishing the screwball comedy antics of the piece, yet, perversely, the smaller size of the house made the one major negative I have with this show even more glaring. The negative, in my opinion, is that of Mrs. Primrose, the evangelically-religious would-be backer of Oscar Jaffee's  latest production who turns out to be an escaped mental patient. Everything about this character and the way it's written seem at odds with the style of the show. Instead of being, like the show itself, sophisticated, yet ridiculously fun, Mrs. Primrose's material seems like it was grafted onto the rest of the material. Imogene Coca originated it in New York, and according to an article I read, the part was specifically adapted from the original source material with her in mind, so that could explain the stylistic disconnect. (For the record, I quite enjoyed Coca's performance both in New York and on tour, but it truly was an Imogene Coca turn and not a character-driven one. That's not bad, mind you, I'm just saying…) Ann Beach did what she could with the role and did well with material that was clearly written with someone else's specific skill set in mind. Having said all this, Coleman, Comden and Green did write a delicious song for Mrs. Primrose, "Repent." It, like the rest of the part, was stylistically different from the rest of the show, but it was great fun. Now on to the positive….Keith Michell's Oscar was suave and handsome with a gorgeous baritone voice that filled the theatre. Julia McKenzie's Lily? Well, by now you should know that I'm a major McKenzie fan and she used all her considerable talents to top advantage in this showcase of a part. Lovely to look at, hysterically funny, and able to hit those very high notes with ease, she was a wonder. Eric Delzenne lit everything with great skill, Gerald Teijelo recreated Larry Fuller's original choreography and director Peter Coe (London and Broadway Oliver!) made everything flow smoothly. (Sidebar: Julia McKenzie would work with fellow castmates David Healy in Guys and Dolls  and Follies in London and Ann Beach in the TV series Fresh Fields. Beach's line "It's only Sonia" became a catchphrase for Steve and me. I haven't the faintest why.) By lucky coincidence, thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, etc., I have a bootleg audio recording of a live performance of this production. It's pretty freaking wonderful. - at the Her Majesty's Theatre, London



August,1995. Another play I saw in London during my  "Lick My Wounds" tour (see burning blue comments in an earlier post). And another play in which AIDS and death played major roles. This play by Andrew Alty was produced at the black box studio at London's esteemed Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. It was praised by Time Out magazine and a Critic's Choice top five. This quote starts the Time Out review: "It's amazing how messy a threesome can become, particularly when one of the participants is dead." If the play was published, I can't find it on a Google search or through French or Dramatists. Critic's Choice top five notwithstanding, I don't remember a thing about this production except that I found it entertaining enough with good acting and a nice helping of full frontal nudity. (Note: 1995 seemed to be a banner year for men showing it all. I didn't complain. Interpret that as you will.) - at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Studio, London




February, 1981. This breezy slip of a musical is a favorite of mine. It has a melodic score by Marvin Hamlisch and Carol Bayer Sager that boasts three really fine ballads, a totally off-beat love song ("Fill in the Words") and a toe-tapping, exuberant title song. (Actually at ten songs listed, including the one reprise, it's thin song-wise by musical standards.) The book by Neil Simon depicts the show's two characters in very broad strokes and is absent of any introspective depth, but it's chockfull of laughs and plays with classic Neil Simon precision. I would have seen the show anyhow, but the real incentive for me was the dual casting of Tony-winner Tom Conti, in a surprisingly accomplished musical comedy turn, and especially Gemma Craven, whom I fell in love with in the underrated film The Slipper and the Rose. She was a joy with keen comic timing and a big, rich voice that did justice to her songs. I've always wanted to play one of the Voices, either Vernon's or Sonia's…don't care which, though Sonia's seem to have more Supremes-like fun. YouTube and Tony Awards clips of the show reveal a musical that is hopelessly dated, but it's still a lark and I remain a big fan. - at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London

What was going on in London theatre, West End and Fringe, during a week in August, 1995. WE=West End; FR=Fringe

That's it for now. More later. Go see some theatre! Cheers!

CONCERTS AND TUNERS AND PLAYS…OH, MY! - vol. 1

  CONCERTS AND TUNERS AND PLAYS…OH, MY! vol. 1 Spring is finally here. And what better way to celebrate than by strolling down theatrical ...