4/9/2011 Recent Theatre

4/9/2011
Bill and I have enjoyed a few theatre productions recently. First is the Transport Group's production of Michael John LaChiusa's Hello Again. The musical was performed in a large open space on Mercer Street above Canal Street. Based on La Ronde by Schnitzler, the musical explores the relationships from one couple to another. LaChiusa takes liberties with time frames, but this production emphasizes the sexual content of the material by placing the action on low tables with steps leading up to them around the room. There is also a central platform. The cast uses every bit of space for their gyrations, especially on the tables which the audience is sitting around. The action becomes a little embarrassing to the audience especially when the fake sex acts are being performed on the table you're sitting at. But the cast was highly entertaining with broadway stars such as Alan Campbell, Bob Stillman, and Max von Essen among the actors. The music is typical of LaChiusa, considered one of the best of the up and coming musical theatre composers. His music is somewhat of an acquired taste, somewhat discordant at times, and at others, very melodic. This musical was first produced at Lincoln Center and is rarely seen. We were glad that we saw it, not having seen it at Lincoln Center.

This past week we saw Driving Miss Daisy on Broadway with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. We were impressed with the production and especially the acting. It was a pleasure watching Vanessa. She was in total command of the stage, and Mr. Jones gave a very subdued but effective performance. Boyd Gaines was also excellent as Daisy's son. The production closes this week.

Last week we finally saw Spiderman the musical. We had tickets from before, but changed them due to the continuing postponement of the opening night. We decided to see it before they institute the changes in the show. With all the hype and the press, we were not disappointed in the technical elements of the show. The flying sequences were amazing, and the set and lighting were top notch. Unfortunately, the music was pretty bad. There were only two halfway decent songs in the show. The cast was good, with the lead Peter being played by an understudy from England, Matthew James Thomas. He was actually pretty good. The second act was pretty awful. We can see why they are changing the show. This was Julie Taymor's concept and unfortunately the whole business with Arachne just didn't work for me. Hopefully, the new people helming the show will improve the show. Because of the technical aspects of this show, it would be hard to duplicate it in most theatres, and I'm sure that future productions will be done in arenas or permanent homes. It is that technical. It'll be interesting to see if it gets off the ground, so to speak!

The other recent show we saw was Priscilla the Musical. Both Bill and I had seen this in London and loved the show. It is a fun fest. The set, costumes and music are all over the top, and the audience went crazy the night we saw it. The critics hated it, but I feel that, like Mama Mia, it is somewhat critic proof. Through our friend Peter Eyres (from Australia), we were able to meet Tony Sheldon, who plays Bernadette, the transsexual in the show. He has been with the show since it's start in Australia, taking it to London, Toronto, and now to New York. He is a very nice person, and totally different from the character he plays on stage. He told us that this was his dream to play New York. We're hoping that he gets a Tony nomination for his performance. Great fun, go see it!

Wonderland is the new Frank Wildhorn musical on Broadway, based on Alice in Wonderland. It was first done in Florida and Texas before it came to New York. I enjoyed the show, but Bill not so much. The music is very pop oriented and I think that a couple of the songs could have a life of their own. Linda Eder does one of the songs on her new album, in which she collaborates once again with Frank (they were previously married). Karen Mason is good as the Red Queen, and Janet Dacall as Alice was wonderful. Bill felt the show was to derivative of other musicals of this type. It'll be interesting to see how the critics review the show, they have not been kind to Frank in the past. I had a chance at intermission to say hello to Frank. I had not seen him since the Jekyll and Hyde/Scarlet Pimpernel/Civil War days. I complimented him on his great success with shows in Europe. They seem to get him more than Americans do.

Other recent shows we saw were Good People with Frances McDormand at Manhattan Theatre Club; Other Desert Cities with Stockard Channing, Linda Lavin, and Stacy Keach at Lincoln Center; and The People in the Picture, with Donna Murphy at Roundabout Studio 54. Thumbs up on the first two, but not too impressed with The People in the Picture.

Today we are seeing Company at Avery Fisher Hall with Neil Patrick Harris and Patti Lupone. The reviews have been very good. Company is one of my favorite Stephen Sondheim shows and one I have seen numerous times. I did a production of it in Akron, Ohio at Weathervane Playhouse in the early seventies, designing the set and playing in the orchestra. I expect this will be a great production, and there is talk that it is being filmed.