Theater Opinions/Commentary

[mamaleh]

I found it exhilarating both times. I'm not usually a fan of hip-hop, but it really works in this show; and although it comprises the lion's share of the music, the exuberant score incorporates several musical styles--even a bit of '60s Brit pop. There is constant movement on stage and not just on the turntables. Something is happening in every part of the playing space at any given time. While the show deals with serious subject matter, there are numerous light moments. The original cast is gone, but Javier Munoz, who replaced Lin-Manuel Miranda, is said to be better than Miranda. Anyway, the character of Aaron Burr is just as, and perhaps even more, pivotal than Hamilton.

Because the lyrics fly by in a torrent of intricate and clever rhymes, I would suggest listening to the cast recording before attending so that you don't run the risk of not catching pivotal speeches.

FOLLIES remains my all-time favorite show. But HAMILTON is also finely crafted. Anyone interested in musical theater should try to see it. This is one show that truly deserved its Tony awards.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Here's one to skip: IT'S ALL ABOUT LORRIE, an Off-Off Broadway farce at the American Theater of Actors, starts at a very high decibel level and has nowhere to go but more of the same: yelling of lines, sitcom-y hamminess, and mugging, The play has an amusing premise that's sadly wasted: a character only referenced, but never appearing, in a play barges in -- a real live person -- during rehearsals and demands to have a real part in the show, not just a mention. Bizarre and intriguing, but ultimately Pirandello it's not. It won something called a Thespis Award during tryouts a while back. I'm not familiar with that award, but I wonder if it had any real competition.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

A concert version of Jerry Herman's first Broadway musical, MILK AND HONEY (1961), is playing for a few more performances at the York Theatre's Musicals in Mufti series. I'd never seen a production, so was curious to catch this one, whose cast album I have long enjoyed. I can see why it's not done more often: the book is fairly outdated and would require much revision. But it was wonderful to see and hear the very able performers deliver the melodious songs in their proper context. The primary story has to do with a budding romance between a member of a group of widows touring Israel and an older man visiting his married daughter on a farm in the Negev. The secondary plot steals the show for me: Originally played by the late Molly Picon, one of the widows--here played by Alix Korey, recently Yente the matchmaker in the FIDDLER revival--decides the ladies should try to find new husbands in the land of "milk and honey." She's very funny and absolutely walks away with the show. Besides the title tune, the lovely score includes "Shalom," "There's No Reason in the World" and "I Will Follow You." They may be lesser-known Herman, but they're gems. Ends Feb. 5.

THE PRESENT at the Barrymore, a new take on Chekhov's first play under another title as updated by Andrew Upton, stars Upton's wife Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh. Even though three hours in length, it does not seem overly long, thanks to the brisk pacing by director John Crowley (A STEADY RAIN) and the great cast, especially the zippy performances by the two stars. Roxburgh, in particular, delivers his lines with such panache and out-there gesticulations that I found myself looking forward to his every scene and speech. Cate B. is also wonderful as the world-weary widow who has invited her "friends"--most of whom she's not fond of--to her 40th birthday party, at which she has a secret event planned. She has one particularly amusing scene in which she's bored silly at the dinner table. How she manifests that boredom I will not reveal so as not to spoil the play for anyone who plans to see it before its limited run ends March 19. Recommended.

Ellen

[jo]

Roxburgh, in particular, delivers his lines with such panache and out-there gesticulations..

Reminds me of his Count Dracula in VAN HELSING

[mamaleh]

At times he did for me, too. His wild, grand gestures in the play were a hoot.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

IF I FORGET is a beautifully acted comedy-drama Off-Bway play at the Roundabout Pels theater. Jeremy Shamos, Larry Bryggman and Kate Walsh head a very capable cast in this play about the anxieties, dilemmas and arguments besetting an extended, multi-generational Jewish family in a DC suburb in the early 2000s. The dialogue, much of which is quite funny, flows so naturally that you'd think you were listening to members of your own family. One is up for tenure at a prestigious university but has written a controversial book, another is a successful lawyer who has made a very stupid mistake in his private life and is trying to keep it a secret from his wife, and an unseen but often referred to character is off on a trip that changes her life and the lives of those around her. The second act is a little too long but the play is in early previews and I suspect there will be some cutting. Even so, it's a fine play, written by the book writer of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Recommended.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

A revival of Arthur Miller's lesser known play, THE PRICE, recently began performances at the American Airlines Theater. Danny DeVito was a late addition to the cast of the drama, replacing John Turturro. Nonetheless, DeVito steals the show as a wily used furniture dealer and sounding board for the contentious Franz brothers, played by Mark Ruffalo and Tony Shalhoub. Nearly two decades ago, Ruffalo quit college to care for their terminally ill father, while Shalhoub left to began a very lucrative medical practice. Resentment has been growing ever since. Shalhoub decides to try to end the resentment and guilt by revealing a long-hidden secret. Jessica Hecht rounds out the able cast as Ruffalo's wife, ready to walk out on him if he doesn't stand up for himself during the sale of his father's furniture and get what she thinks he--or they--deserve.
Ruffalo tends to mumble but DeVito is clear as a bell and provides great comic relief.

I'd never seen Glenn Close in SUNSET BOULEVARD. When I saw it on Broadway a couple of decades ago, "my" Norma Desmond was Betty Buckley, not only an amazing actress but a highly gifted singer. As a singer, Close is a fine actress. She puts over very adroitly Norma's neuroticism as she slowly loses her grip on reality, but had trouble sustaining notes, often clipping them too soon. Still, she got a thunderous reception from the audience as she nailed every dramatic scene. I must confess my mind began to wander during the Joe Gillis character's big numbers, 'Sunset Boulevard" and "Too Much in Love two Care." I just couldn't get that Australian documentary out of my head. As I mentioned on the Glenn Close thread, I couldn't help but wish Hugh had had the same costumer as the person who dressed the current Joe in a tiny swimsuit, which really only made sense since he was emerging from the pool as he sang the title song. (See? I'm being logical.). . British actor Michael Xavier was a fine Joe, though; he's also played the role in a recent Australian production, among others. The orchestra, omnipresent on stage as this is more a staged concert than a full production is magnificent, as are Norma's colorful and wild costumes.

Note to those who want to "rush" the show: I did so today and learned the producers have set three different rush prices, which I've never seen before. $42 for balcony, $55 for back of mezz, and $99 for orchestra far sides. Just to keep in mind.

This evening I also rushed COME FROM AWAY, the new musical based on the true story of how a tiny town in Newfoundland called Gander dropped everything to provide emergency food, shelter, clothing, phones, diapers, dog food, you name it to 7,000 airline passengers unable to enter US airspace immediately following 9/11. Although indulging in a. few stereotypes, it's still a moving tale that uses direct testimony of those who were there, including the first female Captain to pilot a major commercial airliner. The robust songs primarily center on the generous spirit of the locals and how the experience of being stranded and well cared for by strangers affected the international passengers. The audience went absolutely nuts in their enthusiasm throughout; this show may turn into a cult favorite.

Ellen

[jo]

"Too Much in Love to Care" is also Hugh's favorite song in Sunset Boulevard. Mine, too -- and that was before I have ever heard that there is a Hugh Jackman

I saw Sunset in London, with Betty Buckley ( and another time with Elaine Paige), both with John Barrowman. I think what I loved most about both productions was the musical score and the book ( which was almost a complete but musicalized adaptation of the film noir by Billy Wilder -- which I really liked as a movie)...plus that fantastic staircase

I had seen Glenn interpret Norma's iconic songs, complete with costume and turban, when she performed for the Lloyd-Webber birthday tribute concert!

Will they ever make a film adaptation?? If not now, in the time of Glenn Close, maybe in the near-distant future?


Have you ever seen the Billy Wilder film? I had to get a DVD copy -- William Holden had top billing over Gloria Swanson's name. The story is of course from his perspective -- but it looks like the publicity for and even the casting of the stage productions always focused on the character of Norma. The Joe casting always seemed incidental and secondary. Except of course when they discovered that there is a Hugh Jackman in Australia! Thanks to Trevor Nunn, who proceeded to recast Mr.Jackman for his London revival of OKLAHOMA!...and that set the motion for the world discovering Hugh Jackman!

Jo

[mamaleh]

Jo, I've seen the SUNSET movie many, many times. As a side note yesterday, as I stood at the stage door after the show, a woman from Australia began chatting with the security person. The latter said to her" "Do you know who played Joe in the first Australian production? Hugh Jackman. No surprise, right?" (They had just been talking about how fantastic Michael Xavier looked in his tiny Speedo-like suits. I'll bet they thought Joe always wears that in that scene, LOL.). I got a kick out of their conversation. By the way, Catherine Zeta-Jones and hubby Michael Douglas--whose daughter's bunny was boiled by Glenn Close in FATAL ATTRACTION--also attended yesterday's matinee. She looked great; Michael a bit tired. Not surprising after his bouts with serious illness. Hope he's OK.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

From the sublime to the (nearly) ridiculous: First, the sublime. I'd seen NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 downtown in the Kazino tent a couple of years ago and found it exhilarating. I'm happy to report that the Broadway mounting is even more so--kinetic, joyful, spirited and a treat on all counts. I had no special interest in Josh Groban but now I can see why he has such a following: his voice rang magnificently through the Imperial, the theater now re-fitted to resemble a Russian salon and opera house with twinkling lights and snacks, as they were downtown, thrown to the audience by brightly clad gypsy dancers. Be sure to catch this before Groban leaves in early July.

More on the ridiculous side, HOW TO TRANSCEND A HAPPY MARRIAGE at the Newman Theatre at Lincoln Center is a bit of a mishmash. The first act is a throwback to the classic sex comedy, with two happily married middle-aged couples, longtime friends, waxing intellectually while ogling a younger, free-spirited guest and her two male lovers. Before you know it, inhibitions as well as attire are shed. The second act throws the audience a curve: suddenly the play takes on a philosophical, metaphysical turn. Did what we think happened in Act I really happen? Did everyone participate in the goings-on? What happened to the young woman who suddenly disappears while taking one of the middle-aged women on a hunting trip? Marisa Tomei, who looks wonderful, stars. But I found her narration a little flat, and the play as a whole tries to be more than it is.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

GEORGIE: MY ADVENTURES WITH GEORGE ROSE is a compelling, funny and ultimately haunting reminiscence by stage actor Ed Dixon (Thenardier in the original B'way production of LES MIZ, among many other B'way roles) of his friend, Tony-winner George Rose. I'd seen the British stage star in two of his seminal roles, the Chairman inviting all to the music hall in the original production of THE. MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and as Major General Stanley in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (he also did the movie). Dixon shares hilarious stories of his hard-drinking friend, who lived in Greenwich Village with two pet mountain lions. But his tale takes a very dark turn toward the end of the 90-minute evening as Dixon relates his shock at Rose's relationship with a 12-year-old boy while maintaining a home in the poverty-stricken Dominican Republic. ("My dear boy, it's the culture here; the families encourage it.") Some of you may remember reading in the papers (remember that?) as I did in 1988 when Rose's car reportedly overturned on a winding road, causing his death. It was later discovered that because Rose had legally adopted the boy, his family--who fully supported the relationship--wanted all his money and beat him to death, placed him in his car with planted drugs and sent it down a ravine. The mix of wonderful show-biz stories and sordid revelations made for a jarring but memorable evening.

KID VICTORY is a new musical by John Kander (CHICAGO, CABARET, etc.) and his writing partner, Greg Pierce, his lyricist since the death of Fred Ebb. It tackles a pretty dark subject: a teen boy is lured away and ultimately imprisoned for a year by a man with whom he'd enjoyed playing online yacht racing games. His eventual return to his midwestern, highly religious parents is not what they expected. The boy has become a different person and cannot return to the carefree teen they knew before. The score is lovely, as are the performances by the entire cast. It's running through the end of this week at the Vineyard Theater at Union Square. Recommended.

LOUISIANA PURCHASE is a rarely revived 1940 Irving Berlin musical comedy being temporarily resuscitated by Musicals Tonight! at the Lion Theater in midtown. It's truly delightful, from the score to the performances. The subject matter is the wacky and dizzying interaction between corporate crooks, a politically ambitious US senator, and a unlikely seductress. Berlin's songs are uncharacteristically on the naughty side, at least for him. One memorable number, "Sex Marches On," brought down the house. Too bad this concert-style production ends today. Would love to see Encores! tackle this one.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

David Mamet presents philosophical and existential questions in his new play, THE PENITENT. A psychiatrist, recently returned to his Jewish roots, is being pressured to testify about a teen patient who went on a shooting rampage and killed ten people. The defense lawyers want him to say the teen was disturbed and therefore not responsible, but the doctor is so put off by the awful crime that he wants to keep all opinions to himself, supposedly out of patient confidentiality. Or is there more to his stance than he realizes? The lawyers maintain his faith in the Bible prejudiced the doc against the teen because he's gay. It's a short play chockablock with big ideas. The ending seems abrupt and thrown in from out of nowhere, not helped by Rebecca Pigeon's lackluster performance as the doc's wife. Being Mrs. Mamet can take you only so far.

Ellen

[JH4HJ]

I had the pleasure of seeing this when I was in London last year. It is "laugh out loud" funny with such outrageous physical comedy that they must have supply of ice packs handy for the actors after each performance. The set, which is almost another character, is the most intriguing and animated "plain, old" British Drawing Room I've ever seen. I find it hard to believe that they will construct such a complex mechanism for this incredibly short run. And, if they follow the London script, there is some "audience participation" involved which only adds to the unpredictability.





What I'm saying is - if you have the chance, GO SEE THIS ONE!

The Play That Goes Wrong
["Click" on everything - even "Don't click here" - the website "goes wrong" too.]

Here are the notes I made when I got home:

The Play That Goes Wrong - The Duchess Theatre
Maybe it was just because I knew nothing about this and had no expectations, but this was by far the most witty, entertaining show I saw. It's (literally) a troupe of young actors, playing a troupe of young actors, putting on a basic British murder mystery for their local Little Theatre - and absolutely nothing goes the way it should. Watching them attempt to cope with multiple, simultaneous, ongoing mishaps is laugh out loud funny. The (underlying) script is incidental. If it were performed "straight" it would probably be quite ho-hum, but the mayhem in *attempting* to perform the play is riotously funny. "Noises Off on steroids" is only part of it because it's not just the actors screwing up - the set (which is amazing) goes "wrong" too. Timing is indeed everything and I can't remember anything that would compare with this in terms of impeccable pantomime and exquisite execution.
There's a short clip from last year's Royal Variety Show on YouTube. It's just the very beginning of the play so things haven't gotten into full swing yet - and the (real) set is far more complex, but it will give you a tiny taste of it.
Royal Variety Show

I was late leaving the theatre - I used the Loo, and purchased a Playbill (which they don't give away in London). As I exited the building some of the cast were just leaving and I chatted with them a bit. One of them invited me to join them across the street for a snack (they had another performance later), so we got to talk a bit. Then I asked them what happened when something really *did* go wrong (I mean, it was inevitable - with so much going on and timing of the essence) - I don't think I said another word after that. They chatted on for the better part of an hour. Lots of things can and did go "wrong-wrong" (not that the audience could possibly tell). They were obviously a great group of tight friends and talented performers. "Tea" was almost as funny as the show. Fabulous experience.

[mamaleh]

What a great experience that must have been, Valerie. If it's still running in NYC on your next trip, do you plan to re-visit it?

Ellen

[JH4HJ]

It's a very, VERY short run - only through mid-April. I'd like to see it SO much I even looked at flights and hotels but (since Hugh is not in the lead ) I can't justify the expense. If you have the opportunity - GO! It is an amazing farce with extraordinary physical comedy unlike anything I've seen in ages. If Monty Python came up with a show that was a cross between Black Comedy and Noises Off it would be something like this. Yes, it was a wonderful experience and one of my fondest memories of a great trip to the beautiful, historic city of London.

[mamaleh]

I'll probably rush it sometime soon. I could have sworn it was an open, not limited, run. Will have to check that out.

Ellen

[JH4HJ]

I hope you're right, Ellen. Playbill lists specific dates but TeleCharge seems to have a schedule through the summer. I hope it stays around for a while. I would love to see it again!

[mamaleh]

A recent double dose of Cole Porter is never bad. I was happy to catch first a mini-revival of THE NEW YORKERS at Encores!, with a delightful score that includes the clever song 'The Physician" ("He thought quite a lot o'/my medulla oblongata") and "I Happen to Like New York," a song Hugh included in his one-man show. The plot is beyond silly: a society girl falls for a bootlegger, she sets up a speakeasy in her home so she can be jailed with him, a rival gangster turns up in many unexpected places and each time is comically bumped off, but manages to resurface every few songs. And of course hilarity ensues. Part of that giddiness includes the original 1930 Act One closer, special material for star Jimmy Durante, now performed by Kevin Chamberlin. The song is an homage to things made of wood. Honestly. Well, that's how shows were in the pre-OKLAHOMA! days. The book may be full of groan-worthy jokes (OK, a, few were funny), but the score is sublime.

Second dose of Cole Porter is occurring at Musicals Tonight!'s revival of the 1939-40 Porter show, DuBARRY WAS A LADY. I'm still humming "Friendship...just a perfect blendship" to myself. It's another unlikely plot but uses a staple conceit of the period: the dream as reality. A schnook named Louie accidentally ingests the "Mickey Finn" intended for his romantic rival and falls asleep, drawing that he is King Louis XV, who pursues the seductress Mlle. DuBarry. If you like screwball musicals and classic Porter (the score also contains the lively "Well, Did You Evah," which I used to think originated in the movie "High Society,) Live and learn. The original stars of the show were Ethel Merman, Bert Lahr and in her stage debut, Betty Grable.

THE MAN FROM NEBRASKA, written by actor-playwright Tracy Letts, just finished its run at Second Stage. So glad I caught it before it shuttered. It's a heartfelt examination of what happens to a happily married midwestern man in late middle age when he wakes up one morning and realizes he no longer believes in God. His new reality takes him to a different world populated by people he'd never interacted with before. How he copes is an acting tour-de-force by star Reed Birney, who should win a Lortel and Drama Desk award for his searing portrayal of a man lost to himself and his family. Annette O'Toole is wonderful as his long-suffering wife.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

I was so looking forward to the Broadway musical AMELIE adapted from the French film of the same name that I'm inordinately fond of. Unfortunately, it falls flat in almost every respect: no real French atmosphere (AN AMERICAN IN PARIS had much more), blandness instead of whimsy, undeveloped characters, and a very forgettable score. Only the charm of the child (Savvy Crawford) and the adult (Philippa Soo) playing Amelie shines through. Soo added much to the original productions of GREAT COMET and HAMILTON, but there's not much she can do to save AMELIE. It ran one hour and 47 minutes and seemed to last hours; a bad sign. Incidentally, as the lights were dimming, I saw Keala Settle (GREATEST SHOWMAN's Bearded Lady) running to her seat. She obviously knew people in the cast; at the curtain call, she was "whoo-holo"ing and pointing at certain ensemble members who pointed back and smiled. I'm glad she seemed to have a better time than I did.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

The 1993 Oslo accords between Israel and the P.L.O. shocked the world: negotiations between Israel and the terrorist entity were illegal according to Israeli law. But through husband and wife Norwegian diplomats' back-channel moves and their arranging of secretive talks, the two sides were finally brought to the bargaining table and secured, at least for a moment, some hope of ending mutual enmity and suicide attacks. (We all know how successful that was, unfortunately.) The amazing machinations behind the scenes are dramatically rendered in OSLO, a play that had an Off-Broadway run last summer and has now opened at a Broadway venue at Lincoln Center. You might not think such a serious subject could have a humorous side, but the absurd nature of the cloak-and-dagger meetings in out-of-the-way places elicits laughs, and the larger-than-life characters are realistically presented as human beings who get drunk, tease each other and delight in pulling pranks on the male fussbudget Norwegian diplomat (Jefferson Mays). Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth to Colin Firth's Darcy in the classic PBS PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) plays the other diplomat, who seems to have a better talent for diplomacy than her husband. With the exception of a few draggy scenes in Act I that could use a trim, director Bartlett Sher keeps things moving through a full three hours (with one intermission), no small feat.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG does just about everything right. I don't think I've laughed so hard at a play since ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS. I found it even funnier than the Roundabout's recent revival of NOISES OFF; yes, it's that hilarious. The fun begins even before the actual play does, but I don't want to say exactly how so as not to spoil the giddy goings-on. Just some advice: try to get seated at least 5-10 minutes before curtain. The crux of the evening is that a not-very talented British university troupe is putting on a murder mystery. To say it doesn't go smoothly is the ultimate. understatement. But of course the actual players are probably some of the most adept farceurs I've ever seen. Every garbled or out-of-sync bit of dialogue, every bungled movement is pure poetry. It's's a wonder the actors haven't broken any bones; their finely choreographed collisions with set pieces and each other are so intricately timed that one slip-up could have severe physical consequences.

If you like physical and "Fawlty Towers"-like comedy taken to the nth degree, I heartily recommend the sublime silliness that is THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG. It's at the Lyceum on Broadway through mid-September.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Kevin Kline continues to defy aging. He's just as smooth and agile as he was when I saw him swing across that pirate ship at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE back in the mid '70s. Proof positive can be found in the current revival of Noel Coward's PRESENT LAUGHTER at the St. James on Broadway. He plays egocentric British stage actor Garry Essendine, who seems to draw endless adoration from multi-generations of women--and at least one man. His antics and exasperation as he goes about trying to juggle his relationships and ward off those he'd rather not engage in while keeping his professional commitments intact elicit much earned laughter. Costars Kristine Nielsen (VANYA AND SONYA...) as his beleaguered longtime secretary; Cobie Smulders (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) as the extra-amorous wife of his producer-manager; and Kate Baldwin as his estranged wife provide excellent support. Recommended.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

BANDSTAND is a bit uneven, but even so, the '40s-style pastiche songs (at least some of them) and fabulous swing dancing choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler of HAMILTON fame make it a show to see. The outstanding performances of leads Laura Osnes (CINDERELLA) and Corey Cott (NEWSIES) are also pluses. Although this musical at the Jacobs Theater has many light, comical moments, it also, surprisingly, deals with some very serious issues: how some American servicemen returning home after WWII were exploited, and especially the difficulties of adjusting to everyday postwar life when memories of the horrors of what they'd experienced overseas are still with them and all too fresh. It's an unusual mixture, certainly. But those themes give the show somewhat more gravitas than one would expect of a lively musical.

The show is well worth the rush price of $35 I paid, but here's a tip: those at the front of the rush line were all given box seats. If you like boxes, great. But that vantage point can cut out about a third of the stage from view. Best to ask if anything other than boxes is available. I did and got not-bad mezz seats; and was even able to find a couple of empty seats in orchestra center for Act 2. Recommended.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Because HELLO, DOLLY! is commanding ridiculously overpriced tickets, I decided the only way I'd see this much-lauded revival starring Bette Midler would be to go standing room--and it's even relatively costly for SR: $47. Unfortunately, I learned that people start lining up for the very limited number (8-17, usually) of SR slots as early as 3 a.m.! And even then, if cast members request spots for their family or friends , that cuts the number available to the public. So I decided to be intrepid/crazy (take your pick) and attempt SR--but only on a 2-show day to increase my chances of success. Arriving at the Shubert theater yesterday at 5:37 a.m., I saw I was 13th in line. Four and a quarter hours later, I walked out of the box office with my "prize": two SR tickets for the evening.

The show is unabashedly old-fashioned, eliciting great applause for its bright, candy-colored costumes and scenery/set pieces, including a New York Hudson line train that moves across the stage. David Hyde Pierce is the best Horace Vandergelder I have ever seen, mixing irascibility and a hidden likability in perfect measure. The famous Waiters' Gallop, originated by Gower Champion, is lovingly largely recreated by Warren Carlyle with a few original touches. But of course, the big draw is the Divine Miss M as Dolly. Bette Midler is very funny as she makes the most out of her comedic Midler-as-meddler "shtick." She acts the more subtle moments beautifully and makes the most of her iconic entrance at the top of the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens as the orchestra launched into the title song. I don't think I've ever seen an audience go that wildly nuts over an entrance. If that outpouring of love doesn't motivate her to stay with the show as long as she can, nothing will.

One unexpected aspect: Maybe her voice has gradually changed over the years and I didn't notice, but last night her voice seemed unusually low and even raspy at times, and she didn't hold onto notes very long. I don't know if that's her "mature" voice or if she had a cold or allergy. Was it because it was the second show of the day? I'd be interested in hearing the opinions of others who have seen the show. But even given that vocal issue, she absolutely commanded that stage, and then some.
Recommended!

Spotted in the audience: Martin Short and Broadway choreographer Jerry Mitchell (LEGALLY BLONDE).

I made the day a Broadway double header by squeezing in a matinee via rush of WAR PAINT. Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole shine as, respectively, cosmetics queens Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden. I hadn't known much about their longstanding feud as fierce competitors, so it was an informative as well as entertaining experience--well, entertaining to a degree. The score was pretty lackluster; I liked maybe three of the songs. I can see why it wasn't Tony nominated for Best Musical. But the two forceful personalities on stage are very much worthy of their nominations, even though Patti is often indecipherable as she sings in a thick accent.

If you can rush it ($40) and are a fan of either or both divas, go. Otherwise, I'd say it's not worth Broadway prices.

Ellen

[jo]

Hello, Ellen!

Glad you made it to the revival before the TONYs -- I usually find that the time between announcements of the nominations and the actual TONYs to be arguably the best time to see the shows! Many would be still freshly opened as many shows open in early spring. Plus the production and the actors are at their best, especially if the show or their own performances are nominated! No absences of key performers, either

I did see HELLO, DOLLY! a very long time ago -- in its first incarnation ... and of course the film adaptation, too. Given that it would not have a high development cost anymore, wouldn't it be nice if the producers would be ...er...less $$$$ - inspired at the box office

Jo