AN EARLY FALL WEEKEND IN NEW YORK - October, 2014

AN EARLY FALL WEEKEND IN NEW YORK - October, 2014

Six shows; four days. Two musicals from the Golden Age of Musicals, a Kaufman and Hart classic lovingly revived, a revised and totally hysterical production of a 1985 Terrence McNally play, a star-studded remount of one of Edward Albee's most highly regarded plays and a thoughtful and very funny work by an exciting new(ish) talent. Quite a weekend! Here's the scoop.

**********

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU - Longacre Theatre, New York - October, 2014

  

Way, way up in the second balcony of the Longacre. I'm getting far too old to schlep up that many stairs! Great view and could hear every syllable.

Taken just before going in.

Next day...daytime shot. I like the logo better than Bob does.

  

An artistic director for a theatre company in the suburbs thinks of You Can't Take It with You as a high school play. Seriously? Well, then, I suggest seeing what's onstage at the Longacre to dispel that misguided opinion. Sumptuous to look at and acted with humor and affection by an A-list cast, this was a delightful revival of a theatre classic that magically transported the capacity audience back to a gentler, simpler time when everything could be solved with humor and good common, if sometimes eccentric, sense. I'm convinced that James Earl Jones could read the proverbial phone book and we would all be thrilled. His quiet, commanding presence gave a gentle gravitas to the role of patriarch Martin Vanderhof. Kristine Nielsen was a delightfully flaky Penny and, seriously, folks, would you have thought from her role in Damages that Rose Bryne could play comedy with such skill? And seeing Elizabeth Ashley onstage once again was a special treat. (Ashley was the original Corie in Barefoot in the Park back in 1963 and made her Broadway debut in 1959!) Filling in for Annaleigh Ashford in the role of ballerina-wannabe Essie was Barrett Doss and, as we've always experienced with New York understudies, she was excellent. She's also the understudy for Alice and Rheba. Three distinct roles with completely different energies all covered by the same actress. Think about it. In other words, this lass is very talented. A directorial choice by Scott Ellis to have actor Will Brill play Ed very gay was odd, unnecessary and out of step with the rest of the show in general and his otherwise spot-on direction in particular. Kudos to all, but special mention must go to the inimitable Julie Halston as Gay Wellington, whose drunken crawl up the stairs with unabashed scenery-chewing abandon was three minutes of non-stop hilarity. - at the Longacre Theatre, New York.

CAN-CAN - Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ - October, 2014

On the way to the theatre...downtown Millburn, NJ 

 Bobby in front of the theatre.

 Gorgeous show curtain.

The Abe Burrows script, even with the new rewrite, wheezes and lurches along a bit, but that's all right because you have a terrific Cole Porter score, sensational show-stopping choreography, a splendid physical production and a talented cast that featured some star power from the dashing Jason Danieley and the golden-throated Kate Baldwin. Greg Hildreth as the sculptor in love with Claudine impressed yet again with his spot-on comic timing and his all-around likeability. Michael Berresse as Jussac was appropriately all ooze and slime and delightfully as close to a villain as this show gets. Special note must go to Megan Sikora as Claudine. We saw her earlier this year in Marriott Lincolnshire's underwhelming production of Cabaret and found her Sally Bowles bland and uninteresting. Not here. Funny, charming, with a terrific voice and outstanding dance moves, she proved what a talent she is with a good director and choreographer. Both Bob and I are big fans of the aforementioned Mr. Danieley and Ms. Baldwin. Both infused their performances with class, charisma and lush vocals. "C'est Magnifique," "I Love Paris," "It's All Right with Me," "Allez-Vous En" and "I Am in Love" were thrillingly, goose-bumpily sung to perfection by Mr. Danieley and Ms. Baldwin. And I can't forget the comic highlight of the show "Never, Never Be an Artist." There are lots of reasons why the original production ran nearly 900 performances. A piece of fluff, perhaps, but ooh-la-la, c'est magnifique! - at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ

ON THE TOWN - Lyric Theatre, New York - October, 2014

First it was the Ford Center, then the Hilton, then the Foxwoods, now the Lyric. What will it become next?

Just two days earlier, this revival of On the Town opened to rave reviews. This is the show that put Adolph Green, Betty Comden and Leonard Bernstein on the musical theatre map. It's a show many put on the short list of seminal, iconic musicals. For me, however, it's a musical of diminishing returns, despite a stunning production, a huge orchestra in the pit (30 if my count is correct) and a likable, attractive bunch of talented actors. The characters, especially the women, are cartoons. Only Jay Armstrong Johnson as Chip registered as a three-dimensional person. The plot is wafer-thin. The second act is all but non-existent. The choreography was perky or artsy as the situation warranted, but paled in comparison to that over at Can-Can and simply became too much of a good thing. Like You Can't Take It with You, this show also features a bonafide scenery chewer. But unlike Julie Halston, whose unerring instincts inform her just how far to take a bit or a piece of business before it becomes too much, Jackie Hoffman was mugging and ad-libbing to the extent that after a while, I actually cringed whenever she made an appearance. That made me sad because I love Jackie Hoffman. Her performance in Xanadu was a comic marvel, but in this show, she seriously needed to be reined in. And I found the portrayal of the MC of the Miss Turnstiles segment as a mincing, gay black man offensive. Ditto that of the two gay men in the Carnegie Hall scene. I'm sure neither were in the original. I don't care when the show was written; this is 2014. It wasn't fun. It wasn't clever. It was just offensive. But that's just me. The audience was clearly having a ball, giving long and loud ovations to many numbers. Curiously, however, when bows came, the hard-working cast received the obligatory standing ovation, but the cheers that accompanied the numbers were absent. It was almost as though the good folks at the Lyric enjoyed the parts more than the whole. Having said all this, though, to hear the Bernstein score played and sung with such skill was great and the evening was enjoyable. I'm glad I saw it. I just wasn't bowled over. For me, it's just On the Town. And, frankly, I could have done without the national anthem being played at the start of the show. Somehow that seemed, I don't know, inappropriate. - at the Lyric Theatre, New York.
        Sidebar: The time has come to keep theatres theatres and not substitutions for your

        living room, your favorite bar or a restaurant. Theatres have long allowed beverages

        and snacks into the auditorium, but at the Lyric they have finally gone too far and have

        introduced something called "Ordertorium." Menus were placed in a holder on the back

        of the seats and patrons can hold up these menus and order food and drinks directly

        from their seats. Thankfully, not during the show itself, but the ease one can obtain

        these things diminishes the experience. During the second act, the smell of Scotch was

        so overwhelming, I was getting an alcoholic rush. By all means, enjoy a snack and 

        cocktail…in the lobby. In the auditorium, let's keep it to just bottled water. Okay…I'll 

        get off my soap box now.

IT'S ONLY A PLAY - Schoenfeld Theatre, New York - October, 2014

The all-star lineup.

Yours truly with some pals from the play. We're all thisclose.

It wasn't at all surprising, given the star-studded cast of theatre vets, that Terrence McNally's play about the theatre would be funny. What was surprising, perhaps, was how relentlessly funny it was. Gasping-for-breath funny. Applause-on-exit funny. And who knew Stockard Channing could be so downright hysterical? A cast with this many award-winning stars could result in everyone stepping on everyone else's toes, but this cast was crisp, precise and a true ensemble. Special kudos to "and introducing" Micah Stock at the would-be-actor working as one of the party staff. His deadpan delivery and earnest cluelessness was a delightful contrast to the zaniness of the rest of the characters. McNally revised his 30-year-old play to make it up-to-the-minute current and everything theatrical was fair game. The simply gorgeous set by Scott Pask was a treat for the eyes. Packed house. Good luck getting tickets. - at the Schoenfeld Theatre, New York
        Sidebar: Definition of both a trouper and a star… During the run of Other Desert Cities,

        Stockard Channing had knee surgery to correct an earlier injury and was out of the show. 

        When we saw it, she had just returned to the show, having missed only a handful of 

        performances. Performing in a brace, she was absolutely brilliant. The knee flared up 

        again during previews of It's Only a Play and she was out on doctor's orders. She 

        returned ASAP to the show and when we saw the show, she was absolutely brilliant 

        (again!) and this time had a cane with her, which she used from time to time, primarily

        for support when standing. This is what true theatrical troupers and genuine stars do. 

        They get their injuries taken care of and then they get back to business as soon as they 

        can get a doctor's release because, well, they're stars and above the title and people paid

        a lot of money to see them. And they deliver the goods. Something younger performers 

        should remember as they call in sick because they have the sniffles or a hangover. Just 

        saying….

BOOTYCANDY - Playwrights Horizons, New York - October, 2014

The scenes in which the protagonist was not directly involved were all a shade too long, but overall Robert O'Hara's bracing play about being black and gay was full of both laughs and thought-provoking scenes. Playwrights clearly doesn't skimp where money is concerned and the physical production was impressive. Even more impressive was the caliber of acting given by the ensemble cast of five. This was the final performance and everyone was giving their "A" game. Not a perfect play and it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I hope this play has a long and successful life. - at Playwrights Horizons, New York

A DELICATE BALANCE - Golden Theatre, New York - October, 2014

First preview! Edward Albee's unhappy, elegant and literate play about the delicate balance called life was brought to vivid life by a cast that included Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Lindsay Duncan, Martha Plimpton, Clare Higgins and Bob Balaban. I wanted to move into Santo Loquasto's beautiful set. There were a few minor tech issues and some lines flubbed here and there, all duly noted, I'm sure, by the production staff sitting a few rows behind us and armed with laptops and yellow legal pads. Ms. Close, making a return to the stage in almost twenty years, has a presence even when she is an observer in the proceedings. Lindsay Duncan has won a Tony and two Oliviers (the London equivalent of the Tonys) and for good reason. Claire is arguably the showiest role in the piece and Duncan skillfully mined all the humor and sadness of this complex character. Martha Plimpton was simply wonderful. In the smaller roles of the neighbors, Clare Higgins and Bob Balaban (the original Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown back in 1967!) were powerful and really kinda creepy. John Lithgow's breakdown scene, however, clearly took the evening's acting honors with an almost terrifying depth and nuance. Already in good shape, this is a solid revival of one of Albee's finest works. - at the Golden Theatre, New York

And that's it for now. Next time, I'll chat about some more top twenty-five musicals. Ta!
© 2014 Jeffrey Geddes