I hope I don't hog all the bandwidth with this
TheMan.TheMusic.The Show --
Where it all happened --
http://instagram.com/p/BzQspk6HAGy
There have already been so many social media reactions, blogs and the occasional official reviews ( except for the NYTimes review which received so much negative feedback from audiences who saw the show) all in profuse praise of the show and the Man…and hopefully I could share a more unique focus on the TheMan.TheMusic.TheShow and Hugh Jackman's performance, rather than simply paraphrasing the overall praises he receives from people who have seen the show.
I did see it all 3 times in a row at Madison Square Garden and I hoped I have come away with the personal feeling that the experience was a unique one for me!
We know that Hugh Jackman has stated categorically that the MSG show is his dream come true! Honed by many of his other live performances on the musical theatre stage, by hostings at the Oscars/Tonys, or even by portrayals in film musicals he has carefully chosen to show his musicality and performing gifts ( And what supreme choices they turned out to be - both LesMiserables and The Greatest Showman rewarding him with their great successes) -- somehow we got the feeling that the MSG shows will represent to him his true test as a triple threat and some!
He has already performed in the world's largest stages ( not everyone realizes that the Oscars were hosted for many hundreds of millions of people watching the telecast) and which hosting has often been cited as one of the awards's best hostings. And some 17 million hits on YouTube reassures us that it is still a current go-to clip come Oscars time. Certainly Hugh knows that ( he is aware of online viewings as he even knows how many times the Keala workshop has been viewed). He has also hosted the TONYs at Radio City Music Hall and those 4 hosting times had been watched worldwide!
He has received even rare midway standing ovations on Broadway for TBFO and profuse praise for the forerunner show BackOnBroadway -- so the feedback from his live audiences must be fresh on his mind.
He says that he is not really a true singer, just an actor who fell into singing...and yet his current show is mainly based on his ability to show how well he delivers musically ( and on his dancing feet). His Rockstar ambitions sounds self-deprecating to me ( including that first report of the soundtrack going platinum for The Greatest Showman) and his way of sharing with us how much of a dreamer ( and I do not mean it in the way people define that term as mere wishful thinking) he is - he is one person who makes sure his dreaming becomes true reality!
Why is MSG a true test of that long-borne dream?!! Because there is something innate and unique in him as a performer. And he wants to share that with as big a live audience as he can... and if possible in the mecca for many forms of entertainment (from concerts to sports events or fun sports shows like the Globetrotters or and even the first place to have hosted the Barnum circus historically-speaking). MSG is the place that people associate with audiences used only to the best form of personal performances and (athletic) accomplishments! What could Hugh Jackman show as distinctively his in that showplace?!! To me, it is his signature joy of performing! Have you seen a performer show off how joyful he feels about entertaining people by drawing on his best skills. He did this not just through his triple-threat talent but also his hosting skills, while generously sharing a slice of his private self? Pure entertainment!
So that was the pressure that some have noted that may have marked his MSG performances. I am in awe of that, rather than feeling that he could have been better … because it meant that he was sharing all that he was feeling. Not necessarily the negativity of potentially delivering a performance that might not pleasethe crowd...but like anyone's personal experience of a momentous occasion in one's life, there is the adrenalin rush from the pressure of wanting to do well, but also feeling that one can eventually deliver against odds! Have you never felt nervous or even dreadful in an exceptionally big moment in your life .. but then you feel that you can actually draw from yourself an even better result?
Hugh must have felt the tremendous pressure when he put on his shows at MSG as a true test for himself ( to me, it is his challenging himself and eventually delivering which stood out), given that the quality of his performance has already been previewed in shows in other places beforehand.
*For one, the show has been very well put together! The overall theme of sharing one's professional and personal moments, as told through the music from his career and the musical score from his mind, was very generous and told in almost a lighthearted way ( even if one could sometimes feel the dramatic underpinnings, such as how important the sharing of a song like "You Can Be Found" might have hidden a more emotionally-impactful moment in his young life). Had he not found the choices in his stage and film career ( solid enough to become a full enough show), he would likely have shied away from this type of one-man variety show -- but because he did make solid career choices and how well he links his private life to some of music's dramatic impacts, he came away with the foundation good enough to entertain massive audiences in most parts of the world ( albeit notably absent are people where probably language barriers may have prevented him from including them in his tour). So kudos for creating and putting together the running theme of the show. I can almost bet that journalism-trained and artistically-honed Jackman did a lot of the scriptwriting himself!
*What about the presentation format ? It wasn't enough to simply go and sing (out) for entertainer "Hugh/Louise"! He wants to show his musical wares, both singing and dancing, with the proper set of backup perfromers ( and what a great song&dance troupe) and the well-tuned orchestral accompaniment. And what about the stunning sets, through the magic of technology? All these were carefully chosen and tested to give us a very slick and excellently crafted backdrops to the main performer's performance!
*Hey, even Tom Ford's costume contributions contributed to the elegant but striking feel of the show, setting him apart from the usual rock-star costume garbs! On a side note, Tom Ford must have researched for the best material to suit up Hugh, or we might have seen his energetic movements resulting in some costume malfunctions
*Hugh himself looked so well and so happy! That transcended to the audience! Of course his looks and his overall physicality helped, to a great extent, to enjoy his performance for many of us, fans! Although simply focusing on that ( the looks factor) sounds not very complimentary to the vast reservoir of talent that he has shown, down to his toes and fingertips -LOL!
He seemed to have ignored that he was "singing" ( as far as technique or style is concerned) - he just seemed to be doing it so matter-of-factly that one was completely drawn in to a biopic told in musical terms. He was just conversing with us but in a musical language ( notes and all) - even if there were a few money notes thrown in
. His dancing had the same impact - he seemed to be just joyfully sharing his story through this artistic form that many people do not associate with Hugh Jackman ( via choreographed steps or himself simply enjoying testing his tap shoes and his drum-beating skills - he seemed to be just having fun). But then we forget that he is also very athletic and it is said that sports and dance are closely allied! The historical time associated with the musical numbers ( whether they belong to another era) or how applicable they were to the current audience tastes did not matter - he simply wanted to show that the art forms ( music and dance) are eternal!
*What impressed me the most -- was his ability to segue from the most musically-engaging numbers to the most dramatically-challenging moments and vice-versa!
Yes, I was applauding the dramatic and almost quieter moments of his performance the most -- and that includes :
** How dramatically-presented his Valjean's Soliloquy was -- those red-rimmed eyes ( which the NYTimes critic mistakenly assumed came from being tired in a tour) reflected his emotional involvement with the number ( it could be that it was the actor in him who was fully immersing himself in the role)...because I saw him wipe a tear away when the lights dimmed ( I had one of the best seats in the house for my second and third time with the show). His overall facial expression while singing it drew me back completely to what could have been his "Oscar moment" in the film adaptation of Les Miserables, had the AMPAS decided to give Hugh Jackman an even chance to win an Oscar - how sad that he did not belong to the old-boys club of the Hollywood kingmakers)!
**The other Soliloquy ( I like to call this and the other one as his "Twin Soliloquys") -- of Billy Bigelow singing/talking of the big moment in one's life, that of impending fatherhood, was such an acting-cum-singing tour-de-force that people must have realized that they were seeing a rare performance in a supposed concert of an iconic musical theater number, in the hands of someone who hopefully can someday boast of an EGOT stature! The acting was superb! What made it equally poignant to me and probably to others was that his tribute to his father must have been emotionally hard to bear for Hugh - knowing that Chris Jackman is now ill with Alzheimer's disease.
Those two moments are proof that, in the words of Hugh Jackman " #TMTMTS is, in essence, a theatre show", where the seamless singing and acting melding together was very much the attraction!
**Tenterfield Saddler was not just part of his TheBoyFromOz tour de force ( although technically it was not really a part of the Broadway show, even if it was made part of the OCR) but it was a way for the audience to, again, hear him emote through song. That song plus Somewhere Over the Rainbow were both tributes to his homeland.
**"You Will Be Found" found its way into the show because it may have represented the most traumatic time in his young age. After seeing DearEvanHansen on Broadway, I think there is much more to his singing the song other than just using it to tell us a cricket story, He shared that he has seen it three times, maybe because it must be very resonant, personally-speaking, with him. Knowing what happened to him in his growing years, makes us understand more why this song is evocative of something from that difficult time in his life. And he sang it simply... but with the depth of his emotions nakedly showing.
How many concert performers ever had the chance to present that side of artistic talent - not even greats like Sinatra, S Davis,Jr, or Streisand had those acting performances in their fabled shows! Maybe I am wrong, but I cannot remember anything of note.
*For me, the Les Miserables segment was a very memorable part! Les Miserables is my favorite film of his as well as being my favorite stage musical. To see it very dramatically-presented, albeit only with 3 iconic songs, was a gift! It was also such a dramatic turnaround from the more joyous aspects of the entire show. But that was dramatic actor/singer Hugh Jackman being presented - which is my favorite role for him in any arena ( behind the cameras or live)
*The Greatest Showman was another career high for Hugh Jackman! According to him ( said at another time), it was the great success of the movie and its musical score worldwide which made Patrick Whitesell ( longtime agent and friend and career-adviser) to go on the road now, practically worldwide, to show audiences around the world the totality of Jackman's performing talent!
The #TMTMTS show openers ( The Greatest Show/Come Alive) and effective closing number "From Now On" were just perfect as prolog and epilog of the show! Once Before Go representing his traditional fare-thee-well and see-you-soon signature number notwithstanding!
How elated the audiences were when the lights showed him for the first time! Thunderous applause that recognized that their favorite Showman-cum-Wolverine was there, all live, with his great-talent-and great-looks all combined! And how poignant it was when the time came to say Goodbye!
To me, the real anthemic number of The Greatest Showman ( because it was more universal in appeal than This Is Me) was "A Million Dreams", was a dream-like fantasy number artistically-speaking. The presentation even found a way to introduce Hugh Jackman just like in the movie, as the voice of the adult Phineas T Barnum, and which was such a change of pace! It is the song that appeals to the very young and even to the old ( As Bill Clinton says, one does not get old if one continues to dream...but it is when one only speaks of memories that age catches up) - it the song that also addresses young people as they go on their quest to build their lives, as it did for Phineas and Charity.
"This Is Me" is of course Keala's time to share her talent and her friendship ties with Hugh. She was a true crowd-pleaser, too!
*And how can I forget to mention the most enjoyable part of Hugh essaying his Gaston role from Beauty and the Beast once again! To think that he has not lost the charm and physicality when Australians first discovered him as a live performer ( as he has said, that was some 400 performances, circa 1985/86).
*Of course for many of us, the encore-once-again of some joyous and memorable moments from The Boy From Oz was a show highlight. This was my 4th iteration from the show -- the first one being the original Broadway show, then the arena tour in Oz, Back On Broadway years later...and now as part of his world tour. The costumes are back in full force and RED is the color of the day! It was nostalgic for some of us... but to many young people and those who are not Broadway fans, this must have been simply a very enjoyable look at his past live performances... but to many of us, we relived some very memorable moments from TBFO! Bicoastal, anyone
PS: Many of us made our Broadway debuts, at the Imperial, when Hugh asked quite a few of us to be a Bicoastal victim. I was one such "victim" once
The other parts of the show --
*The Movie Musicals is of course a throwback to BackOnBroadway although it seems a bit more lavish one, dance-wise, compared to the older version. Mishay is really a treasure ( good old albino lady from Greatest Showman).
*The tap dance- drum medley is Hugh's special gift to fans - and what a surprise and how enjoble it was! It connected him to all fan ages and to all music and dance lovers! And to some extent the epilog was his special nod to all Wolverine fans! They were there after all -- that huge round of applause which met the Wolvie moves were proof that not only theatre and musicals lovers were present at the shows! After all, Hugh was also theirs for 17 years!! How I wished Ryan had found the time to answer Hugh's talent dare. Btw, on the plane home, I watched part of LOGAN and it is still as poignant as ever -- one of Hugh's best dramatic performances!
*His interaction choices were varied - the Man with a load of Ferraris in his garage and his wife celebrating her birthday that day, the drama and English teacher ( to whom Hugh bowed) and the Betty White persona type old lady in red who danced as impishly and sensuously as she could with Hugh ( and Hugh laughed so hard afterwards because "You said Thank You doing the 'grind' with me"
).
*Of course the nod to Deb and his family was very sweet. All The Way was an old favorite of mine. And in the last show -- we were lucky to be on that side of the floor... and as I had an aisle seat, all I had to do was stand up and watch the sweet embrace. I also saw Deb close-up as she walked up by me to the front ( with 2 security with her ) as she left the show at the end before the hall gave the lights back).
*Other notes --
** I loved that his special guests for the New York shows at the MSG, were the very unassuming Pasek and Paul! They do share the success of The Greatest Showman and rightfully belong there with friend and colleagues Hugh and Keala. I saw Justin at the piano and Benj singing along when Keala sang her heart out for This Is Me. Justin also played the piano for "A Million Dreams" ( which was the very first song they wrote for TGS, which Michael Gracey and Hugh loved at first sing!). And the duo must have been touched that Hugh chose "You Will Be Found" for his personal trip down memory lane. Justin and Benj were in the 2 evening shows!
**Hugh must have been so flattered that 2 people representing organizations important to his career saw the show along with us -- the Chairman of the Shubert Organization which will host The Music Man (and BoyFromOz/SteadyRain/BackOnBroadway/TheRiver), Phil Smith, and the President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Ted Chapin, which organization allowed the revival of Oklahoma! and the Carousel Rodgers centenary (albeit I felt a little sad that Oklahoma! had no part in the MSG shows as it was a career-building opportunity for Hugh). And a few rows behind me sat Martha Stewart ( friend and/or neighbor at the building housing their residences?) -- I could not help myself and greeted her because I have been a fan for so long and I do have all her books, even the first edition of the book that launched her career. Hugh and Deb have both appeared on her show (Remember when she reminded Deb " Let's talk about the husband"
).
**When Hugh thanked everyone - including those who took a plane to see the show. I was grinning to that. But in my last show, a young Japanese fan who sat next to me also saw the MSG show three times and flew from Japan only for that! She could hardly speak English but language is no barrier among us fans. I told her that when Mack The Knife comes on - to be ready to go to the side stage - we were on Floor B - with only 4 seats in each row. She was a little hesitant when it came, so I gave her a not-so-literal push by saying " Go For It!!" and she rushed headlong to the side of the side to get a brief touch of Hugh's hand. LOL! She thanked me profusely after that - I already had my chance to do that in the matinee where I was seated right next to the runway portion of the stage- excellent 4th row and unobstructed view of Hugh during the entire show - he even sang on our side sitting down for "Tenterfield Saddler".
And there was the very young girl who sat at the front row of Floor B next to the stage - Hugh kept grinning at her and giving her the thumbs-up...after which she would turn gleefully turn to her Mom to share that thrilling moment! There was also the young boy carried on his Dad's arms who was given one of the sticks used by Hugh for the drum medley.
**Met quite a few Ozalots - Ellen, Annette, hughmanity, Cheryl, Teresa, Margie, even Pat P ( from TBFO days), and a few others my jetlagged mind cannot remember at the moment
I chose not to see the show thru the lens of my camera -- it was a rare moment -- and I wanted to have the unique experience of being part of the show as an audience member reacting to his performance and his joyous engagements with the audience! Hugh looked good ( somehow the show invigorated him and took away the years) and seemed so happy. He teased and became serious at the same time. He laughed and sort-of-grieved ( acting-wise) a little. He sang his heart out! He danced as if he was Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire combined ( and maybe a little bit of tall Tommy Tune, who sat close to me at Moulin Rouge). Hugh was in his element at best when being with... and interacting with... the crowd. I knew "Once Before I Go" was goodbye once more... but then again --
Who can resist seeing him again in a similar performer template --- as The Music Man ( health and wallets permitting
)
"Once Before I Go" became "I'll Be Seeing You" for me
PS I may add other remembrances after my jet lag has left me - LOL!
PPS: How could I have forgotten to mention the best lesson I have learned from the performance, from Hugh. I have never thought anything special about the nursery rhyme, but when Hugh delivered the lyrics, in a slow and very measured tone, right before he concluded with FROM NOW ON --
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily...merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!To me, he gently told us ( me) that there is more meaning to life if each moment is savored and understood for the role it plays - good or bad, memorable or unremarkable - to our whole existence!
Jo
