BROADWAY TO OZ -- Buzz, Audience Reactions, Official Reviews

[jo]

Lol- I checked my post and corrected it after you posted.

Thanks.

[hughmanity]

A glimpse of "Rio"  


www.pikore.com/m/1125355480730926825_338290094

[jo]

More, we want more

[jo]

[jo]

What a review -- from THE GUARDIAN of the UK!

Honest, fairly objective, quite insightful, and seems to fully appreciate the intent of the show (hey, it is not a musical, a concert, a cabaret -- which is probably true, as he alleges). It is 4 out of 5 stars, but his analysis is probably a personal view. He does use certain terms a little too often ( camp, camp, camp).



www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/25/hugh-jackmans-broadway-to-oz-review-the-screamingly-camp-end-of-large

I will try to reprint it -- at the moment, I have some difficulties doing it.

Jo

[jo]

I am going to try to reprint - please be patient as I can only copy one paragraph at a time

Hugh Jackman's Broadway to Oz review – the screamingly camp end of large

4 out of 5 Stars

Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Things can’t get much camper than a gyrating, can-can kicking Jackman taking us through his life and times, complete with glitter maracas and disco balls





Hugh Jackman’s Broadway to Oz show is an all-singing, all-dancing arena cabaret variety revue. In silver pants and lots of glitter, the action movie star belts out the showtunes, tap-dances, projects the family photo album and soars across the audience on a flying fox – last night, at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, above the heads of a packed, ovating, rapturous crowd.

If the juxtaposition of the star of the X-Men blockbusters reeling off a tender number from Carousel amuses, it’s a joke that Jackman enjoys. He began his career both playing a crim on a TV crime show as well as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast at the Princess Theatre, and much mirth is made in the show by Jackman of his recruitment as Wolverine between the matinee and evening shows of his West End run as Curly in Oklahoma!

Indeed, he presents montages of his Wolverine head superimposed over his besequinned, Tony award-winning turn as Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz, just in case we didn’t yet find it all as much fun as he does. Then he does another song, throws in a few high kicks, reminds us how much he loves his wife and tells some tender tales about his dad.

It’s not appropriate to review the show as concert, cabaret or musical theatre, for it’s not a show about music as much as it is about Jackman himself – more of a live-action slide night with orchestra. And Jackman plays Jackman with gusto, reviewing his career to date with the enthusiasm of a man successful enough for others to be entertained by the exhibition of his own taste. His rendition of Nat King Cole’s L-O-V-E may expose him as an actor who sings rather than a singer who acts, but no one could argue he’s one of the world’s great triple threats. The use of camera close-ups for the arena presentation illustrate the man’s impressive and rare talent to deliver the emotional detail of a film actor while simultaneously hitting the big notes and gestures of a music-hall hero on a stage.

And big Jackman goes all the way to the screamingly camp end of large. Did I say camp? If the military coat tails emblazoned with epaulettes and stars as Jackman does Barnum weren’t camp enough, there’s the surge of strings in his cover of I Honestly Love You, the shiny shirts, tight pants, can-can kicks and fondling the head of a young security guard as he gyrates Allen-themed double entendres straight out of his pelvic joints. He appears on his flying fox dressed as a disco ball, engages some kind of mating dance with an audience matron, there are tambourines and dancing girls dressed as tambourines.

Camp? When a dance chorus appears looking like peppermint Oompa-Loompas in a Las Vegas tribute to the Rio Mardi Gras, you think it can’t get any camper. But then there are maracas. And then puppets of maracas – made of glitter. When an enormous glitter lipstick is carried over the stage, it’s a sucker punch. A celebration of Australia’s Indigenous culture is a deceptive respite – for after it, Jackman slaps down a triumphant finale, a camp trump – with a choir.

It’s fun, but it’s also more profound than that. Jackman’s show is the avatar of a transformative time. The queers are getting married and moving to the suburbs, while Hollywood’s action heroes are whacking on the spangles, doing medleys from Les Mis. Maybe the performance of sexuality and gender are just routines you can learn at Waapa (his alma mater Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts), after all. I mean, Jackman sings Don’t Cry Out Loud, for crying out loud.
• Broadway to Oz is touring Australia until 16 December

[jo]

Practically everyone's gushing --

www.3aw.com.au/news/broadway-to-oz-ten-reasons-to-love-hugh-jackman-even-more-20151125-gl7on8.html

Broadway to Oz: Ten reasons to love Hugh Jackman (even more)

Donna Demaio


Hugh Jackman sashayed onto the Rod Laver Arena stage for the world premiere of his show Broadway to Oz, which according to the singer/dancer/actor is a dream come true.

The concert is a mish-mash of memories, flashbacks and nostalgia with insightful stories and a thoughtfully-crafted set list.

The man is universally revered as a Mr Nice Guy and after the first of many sold-out shows on his national tour, there are now 10 more reasons to love HJ.

1. He serenades his wife of nearly 20 years Deborra-Lee Furness, professes his love and is generally a hopeless romantic before a crowd of about 12,000 adoring fans.

2. He plucks a woman from the crowd: an older woman who is visibly chuffed to have been hand-picked to not only get a peck on the cheek from the man but after hobbling on stage also manages a hilarious, hip-thrusting dance on stage with him.

3. He is not afraid to pop on an enormous video screen a grainy photo of a pre-teen Hugh at a sports day, with the skinniest of skinny legs and something (I assume a piece of cloth?) hanging from one of the short legs.

4. He has memorised hordes of obscure country town names for a brilliant rendition of "I've been everywhere" and loves a sing-a-long.

5. He still looks hot in a cherry red, sequinned shirt with bright pineapple-shaped motifs. Yes, a tribute to Peter Allan is a highlight.

6. He admits that he was close to settling in the outback at the age of 19 after working with Aboriginal communities before his dad begged him to come home.

7. He cries on stage during an emotional song from Les Mis then manages to have everyone in stitches with his comedic flair.

8. He declares the mantra, "The thing that makes you different in life isn't something to be ashamed of, it's something to be proud of".

9.He says an almost inaudible but awfully sweet hi to his daughter Ava while waving to the frenzied crowd during the finale.

10. He can tap dance. 'There's no Milli Vanilli tonight" as he changes into tap shoes in front of everyone

[jo]

Uploaded to YouTube --

[jo]

I am not sure how this came about, but it looks like there was a rehearsed impromptu part of the show -- Hugh singing and dancing with an Australian radio personality(Andy Lee), who was later joined by Hamish Blake... from a number from HIGH SOCIETY called "Well...Did You Evah!" if I am not mistaken ( sung by Bing and Frank).

katch.me/fawnfatinky/v/3c000850-fa98-3d19-ab11-d0330683305f

I am not familiar with how Periscope works, but this segment was recorded ( unofficially) via Periscope.

[jo]

OMG- this is even better! From the start of the show till L-O-V-E!

I heard the new song written for him by Nile Rodgers -- FOREVER FOR YOU.

katch.me/fawnfatinky/v/e28279ae-7f01-3c6b-bc66-907e75c760d4

[jo]

Just a bit of the finale of ONE DAY MORE --

http://instagram.com/p/-gOj-fwPF_

[jo]

A clearer clip ( via Instagram) of the surprise dance routine with Andy Lee --

http://instagram.com/p/-gTlLXn8bQ

[jo]

Those red flags -- can only be for ONE DAY MORE!







Valjean's Soliloquy ??

[jo]

Did he post this photo and tweet during the show intermission?

Hugh Jackman @realhughjackman . 26m
....and we are back to the grind. Who's with me?!

[jo]

Periscope is back -- it's the finale! Mack the Knife...and Once Before I Go


katch.me/fawnfatinky/v/96a4a02c-f234-3f24-8d34-9ae4bc92b13f

[jo]

Singing the more famous Soliloquy ( from Carousel) -- photo only.

http://instagram.com/p/-gdmW5JA4e

I know the song is dedicated to his Dad...but I do remember when Baby Ava was welcomed to the family that her Dad sang the "girl" part ( "My little girl, Pink and white, As peaches and cream is she ...") for her. I wonder if she was ever told this?

[jo]

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN photo --

http://instagram.com/p/-gfCR2Rg66

[jo]

Et voila --











Check out the brief clip

http://instagram.com/p/-guYiCBKEb

[jo]

Entrance for the second act, when Hugh becomes Peter Allen --

http://instagram.com/p/-gt6-mBKDY

[mamaleh]

Re the Guardian review, I can't believe critics still use the word "queers" when referring to the gay community. Maybe it's still current parlance in Oz?

In that 1:39 clip above, does HJ say to the male dancers, "This is hard" or "This is hot"? Either would probably apply.

Thanks for all the great clips, Jo. Like the old commercial used to say, "...the next best thing to being there."

Ellen

[jo]

I think the review is from The Guardian, a British newspaper/media outlet. So, the critic may be Brit?


Jo

[njr]

Nov 25, 2015 5:59:26 GMT -5 jo said:

Did he post this photo and tweet during the show intermission?

Hugh Jackman @realhughjackman . 26m
....and we are back to the grind. Who's with me?!

What? I highly doubt that! (almost typed "hughly doubt that!)

Nancy

[njr]

Nov 25, 2015 10:27:03 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Re the Guardian review, I can't believe critics still use the word "queers" when referring to the gay community. Maybe it's still current parlance in Oz?

In that 1:39 clip above, does HJ say to the male dancers, "This is hard" or "This is hot"? Either would probably apply.

Thanks for all the great clips, Jo. Like the old commercial used to say, "...the next best thing to being there."

Ellen

Which is the "1:39" clip? Can't seem to find it.

Nancy

[jo]

The tweet appeared at around that time ( you can tell because all of a sudden there is a flurry of tweets from audience members). Some tweeters even asked if Hugh had the training equipment in his dressing room (I highly doubt that ). It is likely that he had the photo taken very recently ( maybe that morning) and somebody uploaded it for him, right around his break from the show. Or as he was resting, he looked at his phone...and uploaded his tweet wickedly

[jo]

I saw this first via Periscope ( check out earlier post) but someone has generously uploaded the clip on YouTube!

Hugh is joined by Aussie radio personalites Andy Lee and Hamish Blake for that famous Bing-and-Frank number from HIGH SOCIETY called " Well...Did You Evah??".




If ever there is a remake, maybe Hugh could be Bing (Crosby) so that he could sing " True Love"

Actually, HIGH SOCIETY is supposed to be already a remake of an old classic THE PHILADELPHIA STORY. It starred Cary Grant ( played by Bing C in the remake), James Stewart (in the Frank S role) and Katharine Hepburn. It was not a musical...but it was, on the other hand, originally based on a play!


Jo