Jere-Rigged

Sweet!

Okay, so I saw the Sweet Charity revival that is currently in previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, formerly the Martin Beck Theatre. Since the production is still in previews (and I've heard a rumour from a somewhat famous source that its opening may be delayed, taking it out of the running for awards this season), I will hold off making extensive comment and will try my best to offer only some general thoughts and observations.

-it was very exciting to sit in the theatre and hear the orchestra start the overture with perhaps the most famous six note vamp in musical theatre. Boy, does that get your blood racing!

-star Christina Applegate is charming and the audience was in love with her. The ovation that greeted her first entrance was such that she finally just decided to start speaking her first lines rather than waiting around till next Tuesday when the applause would have died down naturally.

-Applegate is still not doing the full complement of dancing that I assume she will take on when her foot is more fully healed from the break it sustained when the production was in Chicago. But I found it remarkable that she was doing even as much as she was doing.

-I didn't hate the choreography and I usually hate everything that Wayne Cilento does (at least since Dream). There are nods to Fosse everywhere, but much of the movement is original and fun.

-Some people find Denis O'Hare to be a bit over the top (not just here, but in general). I didn't find that to be the case here. He has his over the top moments, but he picks and chooses his moments and those mostly come early on as his character is in the throes of a nervous breakdown in a stuck elevator.

-The new ending really works for me in the sense that it's a very simple way to put a more positive, hopeful spin on what is actually a very sad, dark story.

-The oft-cut "Charity's Soliloquy" is included here, and, though it is cut down somewhat, I was grateful for the chance to finally see it performed.

-Despite early reports to the contrary, Applegate has a fine singing voice that was absolutely up to the demands of this score. She could have a fine career on the stage if she chose. She will certainly be hard-pressed to find a role this good in Hollywood.

-For all the reports from the road of all the changes that were made to the score and libretto for this production, most of the changes seem to have been dropped in favour of the original material. One new song remains in the second act.

-The original melody of the song "Sweet Charity" is used, rather than the version used in the film and the 1986 revival.

-I also didn't hate the direction by Walter Bobbie, who I still think is a hack. There were adjustments that needed to be made, but, on the whole, he kept things moving and mostly in view of the audience.

So that's it on this show for now. I'll probably write some more specific things later on whenever the show opens. Stay tuned.

Posted by Jere at April 30, 2005 08:06 PM | TrackBack