Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Posted: July 10, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Musical, Revival | Tags: broadway, hedwig, hedwigandtheangryinch, johncameronmitchell, lenahall, michaelmayer, neilpatrickharris, nph, review, yitzhak Leave a comment
Matt put it best as we exited the theatre: “What a marathon.” For anyone who takes on the role of Hedwig, that show is a beast. Thirteen songs, basically one ongoing monologue, quick on-your-feet improvisation, physically challenging and exhausting…the works. And as you might expect, Neil Patrick Harris pulls it off. He didn’t win a Tony for nothing. The guy is unstoppable. No matter what is thrown at him, he doesn’t bat an eye(lash). Audience members shout things, and he shouts right back, adlibbing right and left, so much that you don’t know what was already scripted. Although when someone yelled out, and he shot back, “Get outta here, Shia LaBeouf,” you know that’s Neil.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch premiered Off-Broadway in 1998 and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Last month, it won a Tony for Best Revival. They made a movie in 2001 starring book writer John Cameron Mitchell. And even if you think you don’t know Hedwig, you very well might know the chorus from Wig in a Box or Wicked Little Town. Sadly, due to the absurd Tony rules, since the show is considered well-known enough in the theatre repertoire, it landed in the revival category even though it’s never been on Broadway. This is mainly an issue because it means the creators cannot be nominated for Best Book, Best Score, and Best Musical.
Nonetheless, we can still celebrate Mitchell and Stephen Trask and what they created: this intensely funny, sexual, pushing-the-envelope, crazy rock musical about a transgender German rock and roll singer, Hedwig. It’s a one-night-only rock concert in which Hedwig tells her story, supported by her band, Tits of Clay, and Yitzhak, an ex-drag queen and Hedwig’s husband. The band is great. Lena Hall (who also won the Tony) made me wish Yitzhak had more to do (but that might be the point). She gives a subtle, striking performance, and you relish the moments she gets to sing. The costumes and wigs are fabulous, as is the set and Tony-winning lighting.
A couple disclaimers. If you don’t do well with loud shows, this might not be for you. It’s very much like a rock concert at times, and there is one song with extreme strobe lighting. Also, it might be good to study up on the lyrics in advance. Combined with the accents and volume, I had trouble understanding several parts (luckily there was open captioning that night).
But if you want to see NPH at his best, I’d see if there are still tickets before he leaves August 17th. Not to say the show is not worth seeing without Neil. I would certainly be curious to see another Hedwig; I imagine it would change the entire show. I am positive Andrew Rannells, who steps in next, will be wonderful. He’ll make it his own for sure. Any Hedwig would.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Book by John Cameron Mitchell, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask, Directed by Michael Mayer
Belasco Theatre, on sale through October 12th
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Neil Patrick Harris
The Cripple of Inishmaan
Posted: June 26, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Comedy, Drama, Play, Revival | Tags: broadway, cripplebilly, danielradcliffe, harrypotter, inishmaan, inishmore, ireland, irish, martinmcdonagh, michaelgrandage, review, sarahgreene, severussnape, thecrippleofinishmaan, voldemort Leave a comment
I must say, I enjoy seeing theatre at the end of the season because it tends to be one good production after another. I’m finally getting around to seeing the shows I’ve heard wonderful things about for months. The Cripple of Inishmaan is one of them.
After being a huge hit in London, the production has made its way over to Broadway, garnering several Tony Award nominations (Best Revival, Best Director, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role). You might already be familiar with Martin McDonagh’s work – plays like The Pillowman or films like In Bruges. This play is a wonderful mix of dark themes and biting comedy where you’ll laugh in spite of yourself. It takes place in Inishmaan off the coast of Ireland in the 1930s. A Hollywood director comes to the Aran Islands to cast a film, and the young people of the town dream of getting their chance – primarily Billy, a physically handicapped boy who is desperate to get away from the cruel jeers and rumors he’s been surrounded by all his life.
As my roomie and I approached the theatre, I began commenting on the poster artwork, how it has absolutely nothing to do with the play aside from advertising its star. It’s basically three model shots of Daniel Radcliffe looking damn good. The marketing campaign is selling fame, pure and simple. But you know what? If Harry Potter gets people in the seats to see one of the best playwrights out there, then so be it.
Mr. Radcliffe has turned into quite the actor. It’s his third time on the Broadway (although still no recognition from the Tony committee). Unfortunately I missed (all of) him in Equus, but I did get to see him sing and dance (impressively so) in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying a few years ago. And now he’s back in another physically challenging role as “Cripple” Billy. He’s very good, but even though this review and many others are dedicating extra time to talk about the boy wizard, I do want to stress that this is indeed an ensemble piece. The aunties (played brilliantly by Ingrid Craigie and Gillian Hanna) practically steal the show. They’re spot on. And Sarah Greene as Helen is absolutely wonderful. No wonder she got a Tony nod for her performance. It’s a difficult task to play such a mean-spirited girl and remain likeable. We have to like Helen if we’re rooting for Billy to win her over. We need to believe she would do kind things for someone even though for the majority of the two and a half hours she’s treating everyone like dirt, particularly her poor brother Bartley (played excellently by Conor MacNeill). That’s the case with many of the characters, in fact. These people are cruel to one another, but we still care about them because we know that they, deep down, care about each other.
Oh, and if you’ve avoided the play because you’re afraid of the accents, you’ll catch on quickly. There are some Irish terms that might pass you by, but your ear will adjust. The story is full of twist and turns, truths and lies, and kindness and cruelty, and you’ll eagerly await what each character says next. If you’re able to get to the Cort Theatre before July 20th, I do recommend checking out The Cripple of Inishmaan. And not just because Harry Potter is in it.
The Cripple of Inishmaan
Written by Martin McDonagh, Directed by Michael Grandage
Cort Theatre, Closing July 20th
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner
Pictured: Daniel Radcliffe and Sarah Greene
Tony Tony Tony: A Recap
Posted: June 13, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Musical, Play, Revival, Tony Awards, Videos | Tags: aladdin, alancumming, audra, audramcdonald, beautiful, bridges, broadway, cabaret, caroleking, gentlemansguide, hedwig, hughjackman, idinamenzel, if/then, jamesmonroeiglehart, jeffersonmays, jessiemueller, kelliohara, lenahall, neilpatrickharris, nph, rocky, stevenpasquale, suttonfoster, tony, tonyawards, winners, wolverine 1 Comment
So I know I’m beyond behind on my reviews, but I figure we should take a moment to discuss Sunday night’s Tony Awards. Did you watch? DVR it for later? I got comfortable in my pajamas and sat back to enjoy an evening of theatre. Here’s a brief look at my take on some of the highs and lows of the evening.
HIGHLIGHTS
Jessie Mueller! Carole King! A wonderful performance and a much-deserved win for Miss Mueller as Best Leading Actress in a Musical. I haven’t even seen the show, and I love her! I do admit that I was also deeply rooting for Kelli O’Hara as it was her fifth nomination and she certainly deserves it after all these years. Perhaps next year for The King and I? Nonetheless, Jessie has been taking the theatre community by storm ever since On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. I’m stoked for her and can’t wait to see Beautiful.
Three words: Idina. Effin. Menzel. Well, let me back up. First there was Jonathan Groff’s brilliant introduction, and then the house was subsequently brought down with her If/Then 11 o’clock number. And yet, people haven’t been talking about it! I did not see my Facebook or Twitter feed freaking out afterward. Weren’t you watching, theatre fans? Honestly, in my eyes, this may have been the performance of the evening.
Also, let’s rejoice for Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder – a fantastic performance and an even more hilarious introduction by Jefferson Mays. Let’s hear it for the underdog of the season actually getting its due with its multiple wins.
Cabaret and Alan Cumming? Solid of course.
James Monroe Iglehart’s praise shout.
Lena Hall’s heartfelt speech.
I also want to give a shout-out to Sutton for always being glorious.
And that Hedwig performance?? Yes! I’m so excited to see it in a few weeks!
And perhaps the ultimate highlight of the evening: Audra. Tears. Will Swenson. Tears. Standing ovation. More tears. Making history in two ways. For those of you who don’t know the momentousness of Audra’s win on Sunday for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, she is now the winner of the most Tony awards. She had five, tying with Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris, and now she has a whopping six, on top of the fact that she is now the only person who has won in all four performance categories! Audra McDonald = Queen of Broadway. Can she host next year?
LOWLIGHTS
Clint Eastwood and whatever that presenting was supposed to be.
The opening? I’m sorry, I just wasn’t into it. I do like how so many shows had cameos, and the awkward elevator ride with NPH was delightful, and I understand that they likely didn’t bother with a “traditional” opening number because it could never compete with last year’s. But seriously – Hugh Jackman just bouncing the whole time? Yes, I know it refers to something specific, but we’re really going to take an obscure reference and make it the centerpiece of a four-minute opening number? C’mon Tony writers, you can do better than that. You want more people to tune in? Don’t lose them in the first few minutes!
Sting, I’m bored.
Aladdin’s Friend Like Me was like watching a seizure on stage. And listen, if the funniest part of the song is when the Genie stops to sing from different Disney movies, then I think there’s an inherent problem with the show. People out there who want to spend money on Aladdin? I’m just saying – that’s the best you’re gonna get. They played their best hand on Sunday, so if you didn’t enjoy that number, you might want to reconsider your options.
Zach Braff’s hair.
I thought ROCKY was a musical. Also? Shortest fight ever.
This has been a common rant on Facebook and everywhere else so I won’t digress too long, but I will say I too am tired of the out-of-place Hollywood actors presenting. I love you Tina Fey, but why are you up there and not a Broadway vet? It’s all to improve ratings and get viewers, right? Well, ratings were lower this year. Maybe they should focus more on the theatre community and what we do best and feature more performances from the current season instead of a Music Man rap with LL Cool J and T.I.? Sure, The Bridges of Madison County closed, but couldn’t we get a song with Steven and Kelli? Anyway, more on that and the recent Tony Award Administration Committee ruling in a later post.
All in all, it was a relatively smooth evening without too many hitches, and we got to see some great numbers (go here to watch the rest of the performances). Here’s to another season of theatre!
Cabaret
Posted: May 2, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Musical, Revival | Tags: alancumming, cabaret, emcee, lifeisacabaret, michellewilliams, review, revival, roundabout, roundabouttheatrecompany, sallybowles, sammendes 2 Comments
Last Thursday, I was fortunate enough to attend the opening night of the revival of Cabaret. And when I say revival, I mean that in the most literal way possible. As you may already know, Roundabout Theatre Company has remounted the Sam Mendes production that opened in 1998 and ran until 2004 (starring the late Natasha Richardson). Sadly, I missed it the first time around. Originally I had questioned the choice of putting up the same show. In my book, the point of producing a revival is to revisit a classic in a new way, to find a different angle. But boy, am I glad they did so I could see it now. It’s rare to get that kind of opportunity. Cabaret is back and once again it’s starring Tony-winner Alan Cumming as the Emcee, and together they are tearing it up at Studio 54.
Cabaret itself isn’t a flawless show – it’s long and certainly drags on in parts. There are a few songs that don’t need to be there (the pineapple song anyone?). Although you could argue that every seemingly unnecessary number contributes to the story as a whole. Every piece has a place in the puzzle – pieces that slowly build (or more appropriately, collapse) the world around us. For example, the songs Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz share aren’t particularly strong, but we need them in order to grow close to these characters and care about their relationship, so we can be even more distraught when things come crashing down.
It’s remarkable to me that a musical I’m so familiar with (Oh! How nice of you to ask – I was in it my senior year of college) can still be so chilling. Like the first time a swastika is revealed, you can practically hear the silent gasp emanating from the audience. And even though I know it’s coming, it’s still a punch in the gut. The same goes for “If You Could See Her (The Gorilla Song),” and basically, let’s be honest, the entirety of Act Two. It’s a one-two punch, over and over again. The fun, crazy world that is initially created is shattered as reality sinks in. That’s the beauty of Cabaret. It’s enough to make you almost forget what’s coming. It’s all fun and games with the Emcee, but the moment the kick line kicks into a goose step, we know there’s no going back.
The majority of this seamless shifting in mood can be credited to the wondrous Alan Cumming who is still ridiculously sexy, sensual, and sleazy in the role. Plus he sounds fantastic. His Emcee is a performance everyone should be lucky enough to witness. He makes it feel like a private show just for you, full of seedy antics and entertaining songs, and at the same time, creates a dark, mysterious sense of foreboding of what’s to come.
All of the supporting characters are also excellent, particularly the Kit Kat Club dancers, Fraulein Kost (Gayle Rankin), and the newly Tony-nominated Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz (played by Linda Emond and Danny Burstein, respectively). And even though the critics can’t agree, I will vouch for Michelle Williams. She impressed me. I’m not sure how I feel about her take on the character (although this could very well be a director’s call). Sally Bowles is larger than life, especially in Act I, and Michelle’s Sally is much more reserved and fragile. I think that fragility should be bubbling under the surface but not necessarily for the entire story. That fear and heaviness seems to be there from the start, rather than the somewhat-oblivious, party-loving girl. Still, it was interesting to see something new. And her performance of “Cabaret” is extremely powerful. I bet her performance as a whole will only get stronger and stronger as she gets more comfortable on stage.
All in all, I give Cabaret two thumbs-up. You should definitely try to see it, especially if you missed the last revival. And even if you didn’t, why not get chills all over again?
Cabaret
Music and Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, Book by Joe Masteroff, Directed by Sam Mendes, Co-Directed by Rob Marshall
Studio 54, Closing January 4, 2015
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Alan Cumming and the Kit Kat Club Dancers
Violet
Posted: April 22, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Musical, Revival | Tags: colindonnell, jeaninetesori, joshuahenry, millie, review, roundabouttheatrecompany, suttonfoster, violet 2 Comments
I have to say that amongst a season full of typical Broadway spectacle, it is refreshing to have a simple, understated musical as one of the options. Violet is an ultimate bare bones production: minimal staging on a minimal set. Don’t go expecting big dance numbers (the closest thing to that is the gospel number near the end). And don’t go to see money all over the stage in the form of flying carpets or a moving boxing ring. This musical is, at its core, a character study.
Based on the short story “The Ugliest Pilgrim” by Doris Betts, Violet is the tale of a disfigured woman (Violet, played by Sutton Foster) and her path to self-love. Growing up in North Carolina, Violet was raised by her widowed father and fell victim to a freak accident when her father’s axe blade came loose and struck her across the face. Thirteen years later, she embarks on a long bus journey to Tulsa, Oklahoma with the hope of being spiritually healed. On the way, she meets and grows close to two soldiers, Monty and Flick, forming an unexpected love triangle.
Even though Violet is being categorized as a revival for Tony season, this is actually the first time it has been on Broadway. There was an Off-Broadway run in 1997 for which it won the Drama Critics’ Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical. After a successful concert performance at City Center Encores! this past summer, it has officially made the leap to Broadway thanks to Roundabout Theatre Company (check out some highlights here).
I decided to study the score in advance of seeing the show, listening to the cast recording countless times. There are some incredibly beautiful songs with lyrics by Brian Crawley and music by Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Shrek the Musical, Caroline, or Change). Since I became quite familiar with the music, I went to the theatre particularly curious about the book. Unfortunately it was not as fleshed out as I’d hoped (although this may be due to the fact that the musical has been cut down to one act). The love story is somewhat lacking; I never really got on board with the triangle. I think a large problem is that aside from Violet, we don’t get much development from the other characters. Flick sings in the end, “I’m not at all the man you first laid eyes on,” but I didn’t see a change. This is by no means a comment on Joshua Henry’s performance, which is smooth as silk. I think it’s more the script that leaves me wanting. Monty, the other male lead (played by the talented Colin Donnell), remains rather bland and two-dimensional throughout as well.
Here’s the real scoop though: Sutton Foster’s a star. Did you hear? There’s this actress who was the understudy and got bumped up to the lead role in Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002, and no one has looked back since. She deserves every Tony Award she will ever receive (two so far), every bit of praise and bit of attention she’s ever gotten. But truly, this isn’t news. Sutton shines in everything she touches, even as a character trying to hide herself from the world. From her hunched physicality, drawn-in shoulders, shielded eyes, wry humor, and using her hair as a barrier, you know who Violet is in an instant. Like in the Off-Broadway production, no make-up is used to create the scar. It is left entirely up to the imagination, and Sutton does all the work you need. This is the posture and behavior of a disfigured girl, ashamed to show her face because of how the world has treated her, and watching her transform over the course of the show is magnificent.
I hope to go back and see it again. I only saw the seventh preview or so, and I’m told it’s undergone several changes. Based on the glowing reviews the show received on Sunday night, I’m guessing things have only headed in the right direction. So even though the book felt thin to me and at times the stripped staging didn’t do much to help, I remain a huge fan of the score and this beautiful story of a girl finding herself. Oh, and of course – Sutton, Sutton, Sutton.
Violet
Music by Jeanine Tesori, Book and Lyrics by Brian Crawley, Directed by Leigh Silverman
American Airlines Theatre, Closing August 10th
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Joshua Henry, Colin Donnell, and Sutton Foster
Becca on Broadway 