Present Laughter (The SOB Review) - American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City, New York
*1/2 (out of ****)I was present, so where was the laughter?
Noël Coward's semi-autobiographical play about aging stage star and bon vivant ladies' man Garry Essendine is frequently revived on Broadway and in the West End. Yet in
Nicholas Martin's extraordinarily tepid revival, you'd never know why. That's because it's virtually devoid of all humor.
It would appear that Martin's sole focus was in ensuring
Alexander Dodge's sumptuous art deco set was the one element of the play to match its appropriate time period. In fact, the scenic design receives the most applause of the evening.
Evidently, that came at the expense of actually directing the ensemble, which is in dire need of being reined in. The entire cast, headed by the normally likeable
Victor Garber (Garry), perform as though they're each from different eras acting in completely different shows. As Roland, the incredibly annoying
Brooks Ashmanskas takes the cake as the most egregious offender, coming off as a contemporary fanatic. Only
Harriet Harris (as Garry's assistant) manages to escape unscathed with dignity intact.
If Martin had actually been present with his assembled actors, then perhaps this Roundabout mess would have been more cohesive and delivered the goods as advertised. Fortunately, as a paying member of the public, I'm now getting the last laugh.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Brooks Ashmanskas, Harriet Harris, Nicholas Martin, Noël Coward, Play, Present Laughter, Revival, The SOB Review, Victor Garber
Coward's Laughter Presented For Fifth Time On BroadwayWhat do acting greats
Clifton Webb,
George C. Scott,
Frank Langella and now
Victor Garber all have in common with playwright
Noël Coward, whose
Present Laughter is opening for its fifth time on Broadway this evening?
The answer? Each has portrayed the play's suave, yet egocentric actor Garry Essendine on the Great White Way.
Nicholas Martin directs Garber on his return to Broadway after a 10 year absence. A four-time Tony nominee in his own right, Garber has become a household name over the last decade for his Emmy-nominated work on the
little screen, although he's also been in many
hit movies, too.
Garber is joined in this incarnation of
Present Laughter by
Brooks Ashmanskas as Roland Maule,
Lisa Banes as Liz Essendine,
Nancy E. Carroll as Miss Erikson,
Alice Duffy as Lady Saltburn,
Holley Fain as Daphne Stillington,
Pamela Jane Gray as Joanna Lyppiatt,
Harriet Harris as Monica Reed,
James Joseph O'Neil as Fred,
Richard Poe as Henry Lyppiatt and
Mark Vietor as Morris Dixon.
With frequent productions on both sides of the Atlantic since it was first staged in 1942,
Present Laughter remains a favorite from the Coward canon.
It was first produced on Broadway at the
Plymouth Theatre, where it ran for 158 after opening October 29, 1946. Webb was its star.
The
first Main Stem revival was mounted at the
Belasco Theatre in early 1958. Hard to believe it only lasted a scant 6 performances, given that Coward was not only at the helm, but also starring as Garry himself, a role meant to serve as his very own self-caricature. The revival also starred
Eva Gabor as Joanna Lyppiatt.
The
second Broadway revival, mounted at the
Circle in the Square Theatre in July 1982, was significantly more successful and featured a truly stellar cast that could earn its audience members some major bragging rights. Not only did
George C. Scott portray Garry, but he also directed this
Present Laughter that featured
Kate Burton as Daphne Stillington,
Dana Ivey as Monica Reed,
Christine Lahti as Joanna Lyppiatt and a young
Nathan Lane in his Broadway debut as Roland Maule. While the production that lasted 175 performances drew no Tony nominations, Scott, Ivey and Lane would each receive Drama Desk nods, while Burton received a Theatre World Award.
Scott Elliott directed the last Rialto revival of
Present Laughter at the
Walter Kerr Theatre, where it opened November 18, 1996. Like its predecessor, this revival enjoyed a run of 175 performances. Langella starred as Garry and
Allison Janney played his estranged wife Liz; both earned Drama Desk nominations and Janney took home a Theatre World Award. The show itself would be Tony nominated for Best Revival of a Play.
Which brings us back to the present
Laughter. Will Martin's latest revival
present lots of laughter and mirth? I'll let you know shortly after I see the show within the next few weeks.
The
Roundabout Theatre Company's limited run revival of
Present Laughter at the
American Airlines Theatre is currently slated to close on March 21, 2010.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. Labels: Broadway, Brooks Ashmanskas, Clifton Webb, Frank Langella, George C. Scott, Harriet Harris, Nathan Lane, Nicholas Martin, Noel Coward, Play, Present Laughter, Revival, Victor Garber
Bye-Bye, BabyDespite showcasing its absolutely best number at Sunday night's Tony Awards (and even I concede
that was dazzling), the Broadway musical
Cry-Baby is set to close this Sunday, according to
Playbill (although as of this writing, tickets are still be sold for performances beyond that date). The tuner will have played 68 regular performances at the
Marquis Theatre in addition to its 45 previews.
ModFab
predicted as much on Monday. While the
Cry-Baby's capacity numbers last week of 64.4% didn't appear to be too terrible, dig a little deeper in the box office totals and you'll see that its average ticket price was rock bottom, coming in at $33.27. To put that into perspective, the only other show with an average ticket price under 50 bucks was
Les Liaisons Dangereuses at $49.75. Meanwhile,
Jersey Boys still commands an
average ticket price of $115.79!
Despite all those Tony nominations -- inspiring many,
including me, to wonder what those Tony nominators were thinking --
Cry-Baby never really caught the right footing, which is ironic given that
Rob Ashford's choreography was about the best thing to be said for the show.
Mark Brokaw directed this adaptation of
John Waters' film with a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan and score by
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum.
Cry-Baby stars
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley, along with
Harriet Harris.
Given the
dreadful performance I saw three weeks into previews, there was nothing that made me want to return. In fact,
Cry-Baby earned the dubious distinction of
landing on my "Five Worst" list for the 2007-08 Theatrical Season.
Obviously, I won't be shedding any tears at this show's passing.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
A Snubbed Affair (May 14, 2008)
Did Cry-Baby Induce Critical Cries of Joy? (April 25, 2008)
Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway Tonight (April 24, 2008)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Cry-Baby, Elizabeth Stanley, Harriet Harris, James Snyder, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, Rob Ashford
Did Cry-Baby Induce Critical Cries of Joy?First off, let me apologize for being so tardy today in posting this critics' capsule. I'm currently in Paris and enjoyed my day by strolling around this beautiful city, which I'm afraid takes precedence over
this site any day.
And given what
I thought of Cry-Baby during previews, it's not exactly like I was champing at the bit to drop what I was doing to post. You get it,
Cry-Baby critics' capsule or Paris?! Well, my feet finally needed a rest so here goes.
Last evening,
Cry-Baby, the second stage adaptation of a
John Waters, opened at the
Marquis Theatre under the direction of
Mark Brokaw. Boasting a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan, the tuner features a score by
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum and a cast that includes
Harriet Harris,
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley. Critics were split on the merits of the show.
Concluding that "
Cry-Baby will make you smile, and laugh, without patronizing you, or anyone else,"
Elysa Gardner of
USA Today awards three out of four stars: "The rockabilly-inspired numbers that David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger have crafted for
Cry-Baby aren't as ambitious or infectious (as
Hairspray), but the show is similarly good-hearted, and has more of a Waters edge. Javerbaum and Schlesinger's lyrics and Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan's book are both more inventively crass and less snarky than those of other contemporary musical winkfests; you get the sense that these writers share Waters' affection for his goofy subjects."
Lamenting that it "just doesn't gel as well" as
Hairspray,
Clive Barnes of
New York Post nevertheless provides a mixed review: "...book writers Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, who co-wrote the book for
Hairspray, have done a pretty nifty job with material not nearly so malleable. Decidedly less nifty are the songs by David Javerbaum and Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger. The music comes in two rocky flavors -- cheery and droopy. It's the kind of music that makes you wonder whether you've heard it before, just before you stop caring."
Labeling the show as "tasteless,"
The New York Times' Ben Brantley calls out the blandness of the production, "I meant without flavor: sweet, sour, salty, putrid or otherwise. This show in search of an identity has all the saliva-stirring properties of week-old pre-chewed gum. (Not to be tasteless.)... The songs by Mr. Javerbaum (a producer for 'The Daily Show With
Jon Stewart') and Mr. Schlesinger (of the pop group
Fountains of Wayne) include plenty of rockabilly riffs and soulful wails (for a
Little Richard-like character played by
Chester Gregory II), but they often feel stuck in a groove, repeated until they go dry."
Criticizing it as "benign, kitschy satire,"
Variety's
David Rooney also is less than positive: "There's a lot of talent, sass and sweat onstage, particularly in the dance department, plus a sprinkling of wit in the show's good-natured vulgarity. But somehow, it never quite ignites."
Commencing his review by stating, "Some musicals have high ideals and aspirations. Some even have something profound to say.
Cry-Baby isn't one of them,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News offers two out of five stars: "It hits the mark about half the time, whenever the show is dancing. The star of
Cry-Baby is choreographer
Rob Ashford, who has created some of the most inventive and athletic dancing seen on Broadway all season.... Snyder and Stanley are likable leads, but it's two featured actors who stand out -- Chester Gregory II and
Carly Jibson, as soulful sidekick and nasty knocked-up sister of
Cry-Baby. They bring big talent and oddball originality to the stage -- precisely what this baby needed more of."
So there you have it folks, it looks like the show hasn't improved much from when
I saw it a few weeks ago. Critics are hardly excited by this latest entry on the Great White Way, and there's now only
one more original musical left to open before the season is officially over and the Tonys are announced. Doesn't look like
Cry-Baby will be in contention other than for supporting roles and Mr. Ashford's pretty decent choreography.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway Tonight (April 24, 2008)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, The SOB Preview, Thomas Meehan
Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway TonightAfter one of the longest preview periods in Broadway history,
Cry-Baby finally opens at the Marquis Theatre. The musical marks the second time a
John Waters film has been given the tuner treatment.
Directed by
Mark Brokaw, this one has a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan and score by first-timers
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum. The show's cast includes
Harriet Harris,
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley.
Will critics be crying with delight? Find out tomorrow as I provide my critics' capsule.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Musical, Opening Night
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) - Marquis Theatre, New York, NY
* (out of ****)Those screeching sounds you hear are
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan as they literally scrape the bottom of the barrel.
You see, they've already gone beneath the
Grease, which with all due respect to
Mr. Riedel this morning, can no longer be deemed "the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values."
Au contraire, Michael.
Cry-Baby appears to be angling for that dubious honor. Despite its multi-million dollar budget, this new musical quite incredibly comes across as a poor man's
Grease with its tired good girl gone gaga for bad boy premise. Already three weeks into previews with -- surprise, surprise -- another three plus weeks to go, the latest
John Waters-inspired Broadway musical
Cry-Baby is trashy fun.
Without the fun.
How do I put this delicately without sounding like I'm piling on?
Cry-Baby is such a piece of doggy-do that not even
Divine would dare stomach it. In fact, I'd take "
Pink Flamingos The Musical" anyday over this if it were written by Waters himself.
With a cloying score by first-timers
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum, what little story there is limps along at a snail's pace. By the time we get to the closing tune "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again," it's too little and far too late for any reassurance given what we've already had to endure.
Not even
Harriet Harris can save this one. In
Cry-Baby, her Mrs. Vernon-Williams is merely an extension of other characters we've previously seen her portray. That she and
Chester Gregory II as Dupree manage to upstage leads
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley is not saying much.
If there is a silver lining, it's that first-time musical director
Mark Brokaw is at least benefitting from some fancy footwork from choreographer
Rob Ashford, particularly in the singularly rousing "Jailyard Jubilee" number. Indeed, Ashford seems much more in command than Brokaw. However, Ashford seems to have borrowed the license plate on shoe idea from
Matthew Bourne, who instead used trash can lids in the revival of
My Fair Lady currently touring the United States.
I can't help but wonder what the show would be like if only it had healthier doses of Waters' trademark ribald and subversively clever humor, such as in the opening scene when we first meet our "Squares" (antagonists) and "Drapes (protagonists) as they come together for a fleeting moment for their polio vaccines. Perhaps it would have been more interesting.
If there's any glimmer of hope for
Cry-Baby, it's that Waters himself was in the back of the theatre during my performance, hopefully helping punch up the script if he wasn't letting O'Donnell and Meehan have it first.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, The SOB Preview, Thomas Meehan
SOB's Singular Sensations Of '07 - Honorable MentionsDuring the course of 2007, I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate to have been in the audience for 82 stage productions ranging from the very small-scale play to the most elaborate of spectacles.
In my quest to see great theatre, my year began in Sydney Australia and took me to such far-flung destinations as London, Beijing, Stuttgart, Tokyo and Winnipeg. I've traversed the United States, crisscrossing from California to Massachusetts, Washington State to Georgia, Nevada to Connecticut, Colorado to Wisconsin. Then there were the three American communities that
really know how to do live theatre: Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul and of course, New York.
Throughout my travels, several outstanding plays and musicals captured my heart, thanks in no small part to the enormously talented array of actors who found a way to strike a nerve and tap into a vein like few others. They've mesmerized, wowed and inspired me with a unique turn of a phrase, fluidity of movement or sublime singing voice or a combination of all three -- all provided that rare spinetingling sensation that can only be found through a live performance.
While I’ve been singling out SOB’s 7 Singular Sensations of ’07, please allow me to add my special honor roll of outstanding performances from the past year that simply took my breath away. Although they narrowly missed making my top seven for 2007, I won't soon forget how captivating each of these singular sensations was:
Harriet Harris -
The Glass Menagerie (Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN) and
Old Acquaintance (American Airlines Theatre, New York, NY)
Saycon Sengbloh -
The Color Purple (Broadway Theatre, New York, NY)
Bebe Neuwirth – Chicago (Ambassador Theatre, New York, NY)
Chazz Palminteri – A Bronx Tale (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)
Vanessa Redgrave – The Year of Magical Thinking (Booth Theatre, New York, NY)
Frank Langella -
Frost/Nixon (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, NY)
Martha Plimpton –
Cymbeline (Lincoln Center at the Vivian Beaumont, New York, NY)
Kevin Kline –
Cyrano de Bergerac (Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York, NY)
Andrea Martin –
Young Frankenstein (Hilton Theatre, New York, NY)
Christopher Fitzgerald –
Young Frankenstein (Hilton Theatre, New York, NY)
Kerry Butler –
Xanadu (Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY)
David Pittu –
Is He Dead? (Lyceum Theatre, New York, NY)
Yasen Peyenkov –
The Diary Of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL)
With the addition of these thirteen, I’ve singled out twenty consummate performances that were singularly sensational. Each of these performers has my utmost respect and appreciation, and I look forward to the opportunity to see them perform another day.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #2: Christine Ebersole (December 30, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #3: Amy Morton (December 29, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #4: Elena Roger (December 28, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #5: Raúl Esparza (December 28, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #6: John Gallagher, Jr. (December 28, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #7: Jennifer Holliday (December 27, 2007)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #1: Patti LuPone (December 30, 2006)
Honorable Mentions: SOB's Singular Sensations Of '06 (December 30, 2006)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #2: Cate Blanchett (December 30, 2006)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #3: Chita Rivera (December 29, 2006)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #4: Barry Humphries (December 28, 2006)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #5: Kitty Carlisle Hart (December 28, 2006)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #6: Meryl Streep (December 26, 2006)
Labels: Andrea Martin, Bebe Neuwirth, Chazz Palminteri, Frank Langella, Harriet Harris, Kevin Kline, Martha Plimpton, Saycon Sengbloh, SOB's 7 Singular Sensations of '07, Vanessa Redgrave
Giving Birth To Cry-BabyDirector
Mark Brokaw knows a thing or two about birthing shows. And this November, he'll help bring the brand spanking new
Cry-Baby to life at San Diego's
La Jolla Playhouse.
Based on the 1990
John Waters flick, the Rialto-bound
Cry-Baby has a pretty impressive pedigree. For starters, in addition to Brokaw, one of my fave Broadway babies is on board: Tony winning actress
Harriet Harris, who'll make this her second Great White Way outing this theatrical season (she replaces
Jan Maxwell). Opposite Harris will be
James Snyder in the title role. Also in the cast is a terrific talent named
Carly Jibson, whom I first saw as Tracy Turnblad in the touring production of that other Waters-inspired musical
Hairspray.
Cry-Baby's book comes from two grown men who certainly know their way around Waters' material: the estimable
Thomas Meehan (
Annie,
The Producers)
and
Mark O'Donnell, the same duo who wrote the libretto for
Hairspray. Choreography will be provided
Rob Ashford, whose fine work is much in demand on both sides of the Atlantic these days. Broadway novices
David Javerbaum (writer for
Comedy Central's "
The Daily Show") and
Adam Schlesinger (
Fountains of Wayne) are writing the score.
Cry-Baby will be born on November 6 at La Jolla Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. It's expected to reach Broadway in March with an April opening.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, First Word On New Show, Hairspray, Harriet Harris, John Waters, La Jolla Playhouse, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, Rob Ashford, San Diego, Thomas Meehan
Old Acquaintance (The SOB Review) - American Airlines Theatre, New York, NY**1/2 (out of ****)While its advance billing would suggest claws finely sharpened for a good old-fashioned catfight of the first order, the revival of
John Van Druten’s somewhat dated
Old Acquaintance is less reminiscent of
The Women (its revival staged at the very same
American Airlines Theatre nearly six years ago) than the convoluted, nearly incestuous
Mia Farrow/
Woody Allen/
Soon-Yi Previn polygon from fifteen years ago.
Some may wonder why director
Michael Wilson bothered to revive this old chestnut, long since buried in the annals of theatre. Whatever the reason, I can tell you that this pre-World War II period piece does serve up an engaging summertime helix or two in the form of three bizarre love triangles against an exquisite set design by
Alexander Dodge. Van Druten also offers a rare peek at the era’s burgeoning feminine sexuality -- that is, if and when intimate boudoir talk was actually discussed openly.
At the center of each
major triangle is the respected and even-keeled occasional writer Kit Markham, played with understated humor and grace by the magnificent
Margaret Colin. Imbuing her Kit with a loyal and dignified air, it’s no wonder she easily attracts friends and lovers alike.
One such friend (and rival) is popular author Milly Drake -- a perfectly prickly
Harriet Harris -- whose mercurial temperament and prone for excess seriously undermine her relationships and repel those she loves the most, including her daughter Deirdre (a sublime
Diane Davis) and her now ex-husband Preston (a woefully ineffectual
Stephen Bogardus).
Infusing her role with the appropriate mix of vanity and vociferousness, Harris not only neatly underscores why Milly is her own worst, clueless enemy, but also why this accomplished thespian is one of the best character actresses on the stage today. In her leading role, Harris delivers a thoroughly entertaining performance.
Another friend of Kit's is Deirdre, who finds refuge with her surrogate aunt from the storms that perpetually lie in her own mother's wake. In Kit, Deirdre also has a trusted confidante with whom she can contemplate her own virtue.
And then there are the men who have been drawn to Kit. The curtain initially rises on a rapturous embrace between Kit and Rudd (portrayed with sophisticated style and winning charm by
Corey Stoll), a dashing young gentleman who's not going to let being ten years Kit's junior stand in the way of professing his love for her. Only, Kit rebuffs his overtures -- something she had also done years back when Preston was ready to leave Milly for her.
Just as any plot that heaps one love triangle on top of another and another would hint, this is ultimately a story of revelation after revelation culminating in a final "confrontation" between Kit and Milly. Despite the blizzard that's about to rage outside, there's not so much a storm
inside as a version of
True Confessions -- not exactly a satisfying conclusion, but that's what you get when you dust off an old play well beyond its freshness date.
Still, there's enough humanity and laughs left in this
Old Acquaintance worthy of visiting anew.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Critics: Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot? (June 29, 2007)
Old Acquaintance Opens Tonight (June 28, 2007)
"Sands In The Clouds," Or Why I Love Harriet Harris (June 27, 2007)
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway (March 23, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Harriet Harris, John Van Druten, Margaret Colin, Old Acquaintance, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
Critics: Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot?Last evening, the first-ever Broadway revival of
Old Acquaintance opened at the
American Airlines Theatre. Overall, critics gave this 66 year old
John Van Druten play helmed by
Michael Wilson a rather lukewarm welcome.
Heralding the show as a "tasty chestnut,"
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner offers three out of four stars: "There was a time, though, long before Rosie and Elisabeth or Paris and Nicole had at it, when the feline grudge match could be a modest art form, practiced by women of wit and relative discretion. OK, so some of these confrontations were staged, literally -- with playwrights (a good number of them male) fashioning the verbal blows. But the gals throwing the jabs made such capable and classy contenders that no one dared challenge their authority....(
Harriet Harris) and (
Margaret) Colin also reveal the abiding affection that make Milly and Kit more convincing and interesting as a dueling duo than most of their contemporaries."
Calling it a "mildly entertaining, maddeningly disjunctive revival,"
The New York Times's
Ben Brantley says the two lead actresses are inhabiting different eras: "Both approaches offer insight into a period piece that turns out to have accumulated less mold than you might expect. But seen in close proximity, they cancel each other out. That’s too bad. As written,
Old Acquaintance...has the surprising charm of a decades-old best seller you might come upon in your grandmother’s library. You pick it up to skim, thinking it could be a hoot, and then it hooks you with the wit and craftsmanship that define its vintage as much as its setting does....If only everyone could stay on the same page."
Labeling it a "tepid revival,"
Eric Grode of
The New York Sun shares many of the same criticisms: "[T]here aren't enough ice cubes and fabulous gowns in New York to yank the focus from Ms. Harris's steely grip....But while her heavy lifting and Ms. Colin's equally rigorous performance are each diverting on an individual level, the two very different acting styles never meld together in any sort of plausible manner. The anticipated tussle falls flat here, with Ms. Harris forced to ratchet up the hysterics to convey a comparable frisson."
Allowing that the show is "mildly diverting,"
David Rooney of
Variety laments: "The comic verve of Harriet Harris and the elegance of her co-star and foil, Margaret Colin, make the three acts pass painlessly, but the play's catfight lacks claws just as its lovefest struggles to summon warmth....Wilson keeps the play motoring along briskly enough, yet the production strains to find its groove, exposing the material's flimsiness. It's never quite as much fun as it should be."
Grumbling that "they set a standard that might be difficult to lower,"
Clive Barnes of the
New York Post offers a one-star review: "It's hardly a play panting for resuscitation. It's hard to believe anyone would want to take it out of drama's attic of discard, and, even after dusting it off, not have put it back or send it -- with little hope and less charity -- to the Salvation Army.... Harriet Harris...does have one fantastic piece of business with a telephone, which is the night's one bright moment."
The reviews won't likely lift the show's box office, which last week was hovering just under 70% capacity -- the average ticket price was only $42.47. But given that it's the only "new" play to open this summer, it may get a lift simply from those hoping to see something different.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Old Acquaintance Opens Tonight (June 28, 2007)
"Sands In The Clouds," Or Why I Love Harriet Harris (June 27, 2007)
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway (March 23, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Harriet Harris, Old Acquaintance, Play, Revival
Old Acquaintance Opens TonightAfter a 66 year absence from Broadway, one
Old Acquaintance of
John Van Druten finally shows its face again in a new
Roundabout Theatre Company revival directed by
Michael Wilson. The limited run opens this evening at the
American Airlines Theatre.
Set in pre-World War II New York,
Old Acquaintance concerns a stormy friendship between two accomplished writers that is put to the test. The play is headlined by
Margaret Colin as Katherine Markham and
Harriet Harris as Mildred Watson Drake. Other rest of the cast is comprised of
Stephen Bogardus,
Cynthia Darlow,
Diane Davis,
Gordana Rashovich and
Corey Stoll.
After its
170 Broadway performances that began in 1940 with
Jane Cowl (Katherine) and
Peggy Wood (Mildred), the story was later transformed into a
1943 film with
Bette Davis as its star.
The final performance for the play's first revival is currently scheduled for August 19.
As this is the first opening for a Broadway show during the new 2007-08 Theatrical Season, critics will finally have something new to write about -- whether they'll find it exciting is another story. Find out tomorrow as I capture their critiques.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:"Sands In The Clouds," Or Why I Love Harriet Harris (June 27, 2007)
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway (March 23, 2007)
Labels: Harriet Harris, Old Acquaintance, Opening Night, Play, Revival, Roundabout Theatre
"Sands In The Clouds," Or Why I Love Harriet HarrisHarriet Harris is featured in
Playbill's latest Cue & A Column and once again demonstrates why she's one actress who's more than worthy of my affection.
Harris opens in the Broadway revival of
Old Acquaintance tomorrow evening. It's her first Great White Way appearance since winning her very well-deserved Tony as Mrs. Meers in
Thoroughly Modern Millie back in 2003 (although she did reprise her role again the following year).
Break a leg, Harriet!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway (March 23, 2007)
The Glass Menagerie (The SOB Review) (February 16, 2007)
Harriet Harris To Headline Guthrie's Glass Menagerie (December 21, 2007)
Mame (The SOB Review) (June 18, 2006)
Mame with Christine Baranski Begins Saturday at Kennedy Center (May 26, 2006)
Labels: Harriet Harris, Interview, Old Acquaintance, Play, Revival
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway
But Harris has been busy earning accolades elsewhere for her breathtaking stage versatility. Her range has taken her from Vera Charles in
Mame (Washington DC's
Kennedy Center) to her current portrayal of Amanda in
The Glass Menagerie (Minneapolis' Guthrie), which ends Sunday.
In
my review of the former show, I called her "brilliant," while for her latter performance,
I was downright smitten: "Harris erupts with a volatile mix of authentic neurosis and delusional charm to make you believe she understands the archetype Williams intended perfectly. An actor's actor if ever there was one, Harris masters this role with clarity and precision, even when she's not speaking a word. Hers is one of the best performances of the year."
Harris is among a select group of actresses for whom I would go out of my way to see on the stage. Congratulations to Roundabout for once again tapping into this amazing and talented treasure.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, Harriet Harris, Mame, Old Acquaintance, Play, Revival, Roundabout Theatre, The Glass Menagerie, Thoroughly Modern Millie
The Glass Menagerie (The SOB Review) - McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN
***1/2 (out of ****)
No doubt, purists will lament that director
Joe Dowling has taken too many liberties with
Tennessee Williams' classic play
The Glass Menagerie, which is currently playing a Guthrie stage. Given the play's semi-autobiographical depiction of Williams' own emancipation from the clutches of his mother, protestations over Dowling's artistic freedom may be a bit ironic.
For those who hold the original stagings of Williams' works sacrosanct, the most egregious element of this production may be found in Dowling's decision to split the Williamsesque Tom Wingfield in two.
Randy Harrison portrays the younger Tom, while
Bill McCallum takes on the older one. The latter not only serves as narrator, but essentially becomes a specter looking upon the proceedings much like the portrait of his long-deserted father hanging on the Wingfields' living room wall.
But if there's an actual force that lingers, even when she's not on the stage, it is
Harriet Harris as Tom's manic mother Amanda. Given that Williams once sardonically referred to his mother as "a little Prussian officer in drag,” it takes a volcanic performance to make every seismic shift one to be feared. Harris erupts with a volatile mix of authentic neurosis and delusional charm to make you believe she understands the archetype Williams intended perfectly. An actor's actor if ever there was one, Harris masters this role with clarity and precision, even when she's not speaking a word. Hers is one of the best performances of the year.
There are other winning performances.
Tracey Maloney imbues "crippled" daughter Laura with a haunting luminescence that shines as brilliantly as the light through one of her beloved glass figurines, particularly when she's caught up in the possibility that her love for Jim O'Connor might actually be reciprocated.
As the tender Jim, stunningly bereft of self-awareness,
Jonas Goslow is a revelation. Once the ever-popular high school boy who could do no wrong, Jim now struggles to rebuild his sense of affable confidence after losing his way for reasons never enunciated. I've previously seen Goslow in Guthrie productions of
The Real Thing and
Hamlet, but this is the first time I've seen him so genuine and vulnerable.
For his part, McCallum offers a poignant take as the elder Tom that hints at the air of sophistication to come for this erstwhile "Shakespeare." Then there's Harrison's portrayal of the younger Tom. Often trying to find the appropriate voice for Tom, Harrison is all over the map -- literally. While Williams places this drama in St. Louis, Harrison's forced accent alternately sounds like it's from the Deep South or New England, with hints of New Orleans thrown in for good measure. Still, Harrison ably handles this pivotal role reasonably well, particularly in going toe-to-toe with Amanda.
There is much to recommend in Dowling's insightful, respectful and surprisingly entertaining production, and near as I can figure, none of Williams' beautifully poetic language has been altered. Certainly, sticklers may not approve of Dowling's dramatic tinkerings, but they've made for a very chilling evening that actually illuminate the darkest parts of Williams' soul. To me, that's the mark of a great production.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Harriet Harris, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Play, Revival, The Glass Menagerie, The SOB Review
Mame (The SOB Review) - The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theatre, Washington, DC***1/2 (out of ****)Although I've previously enjoyed repeated viewings of Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell, I had never before seen the glorious musical adaptation of Patrick Dennis' novel about his beloved aunt. I had no idea what I was missing. The Kennedy Center revival of
Mame has an exuberant brilliance that shines throughout.
While critics unfortunately converged on the show during the third day of previews -- giving only tepid reviews to Christine Baranski's portrayal of the title character -- it's clear that had they waited, they would have seen the Mame they thirsted for. In a bravura performance, Baranski more than commands the stage and captures Mame's "live, live, live" essence with gusto. The queen of perfect timing, Baranski asserts herself, whether in delivering a comic line or deadpan look. Coupled with a gorgeous singing voice -- if not always enough to overpower the formidible orchestra -- this multi-talented actress possesses the charm, wit and poise to make hers a most triumphant and confident Mame, one who lives life to the fullest and persuasively encourages everyone around her to do the same.
Despite the show's lengthy running time, director Eric Schaeffer expertly moves this musical's story along almost as quickly as Baranski's costume changes (elaborately designed by Gregg Barnes channeling his inner Bob Mackie) and evolving glorious set designs by Walt Spangler (with one notable exception: the pastoral Connecticut setting looks like it was swiped directly off a Microsoft screen saver). The story envelopes us from the earliest moments, taking us from Mame's unusual introduction to her orphaned nephew Patrick (played by a precocious Harrison Chad) to the stock market crash, to her disastrous attempts to make ends meet during the Depression, to her romance with Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside (Jeff McCarthy lends a gentile warmth as this southern gentleman), to Patrick's ill-fated romance with an intolerant, smug girl who stands for everything Mame rails against.
Through it all, Mame is supported by her long-suffering friends Vera Charles (the brilliant Harriet Harris) and M. Lindsay Woolsey (the charming Ed Dixon), along with her trusted aides Ito (Alan Muraoka) and Agnes Gooch (the delightful Emily Skinner), who takes Mame's advice on living life to its fullest to a fault by letting her hair down along with her guard.
The heart and soul of this show come from Jerry Herman's beguiling score and book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee (the same duo responsible for writing the play
Auntie Mame). Warren Carlyle's intricate choreography from one of the show's earliest moments on "It's Today" lets you know that this is going to be one heck of a ride -- Baranski, by the way, can hoof it with the best of them, and that in itself is pretty spectacular. The music and dance crescendos with the breathtaking title tune centerpiece "Mame." If the second act isn't nearly as electrifying as the first, it's because the plot turns decidedly darker with the death of Beauregard, Agnes' unplanned pregnancy and Patrick's unfortunate choice of fiance.
Yet ultimately,
Mame proves a feast for the senses and anyone who wants to relive the glory of old-fashioned musical genius. More importantly,
Mame is a celebration of tolerance and the most American of ideals: the pursuit of happiness. The only thing that could make me any happier is a well-deserved transfer to the Great White Way.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for ticket information (most performances are already sold-out).Related Stories:Mame Slightly Bruised, Not Maimed, by Critics (June 2, 2006)
Assassins Loose in Washington for Another Week (May 31, 2006)
Mame with Christine Baranski Begins Saturday at Kennedy Center (May 26, 2006)
Labels: Christine Baranski, Harriet Harris, Jerry Herman, Kennedy Center, Mame, Musical, Revival, The SOB Review, Washington DC
Present Laughter (The SOB Review) - American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City, New York
