Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts- Page 2
Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#25re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:48pmI actually relate to Man in Chair.
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
#26re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 1:52pm
"The show itself points out the social irresponsibility of the Styne and Gable Drowsy Chaperone, and therefore puts those issues in the minds of audience already."
Huh? Where does the show do this? In the remark that Roman Bartelli is the "man of a thousand accents, all of them insulting"? That's the only instance I can think of. And who could take offense at that?
The Man in Chair actually says that the show was "way ahead of its time" for casting a black actress as the Aviatrix. Remember? Oh, yes, there's a joke about Aviatrix as a synonym for lesbian - is that the kind of thing you're referring to?
I know you're an intelligent guy, Fenchurch, but for the life of me, I do not get your point here.
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
#27re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:06pmmallardo, where is your Amy Spanger pic?! You can't cheat on her.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
EdmundOG
Broadway Star Joined: 7/9/05
#28re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 2:25pm
Now, I only saw the show once, but if memory serves...
Direct references to Man in Chair's heterosexuality - His marriage.
Direct references to Man in Chair's homosexuality - Nil.
I took his calling out the audiece for assuming him to be gay as a tacit admission that he is straight.
#29re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 3:30pm
Yeah, he even asks the audience "Do you find it hard to believe I was married?" Or something to that effect, thus hitting on those who would jump to the conclusion that he is a gay man. He's just effeminate, there are no blatent references saying that he is gay.
It's a fun entertaining show, and I am glad it's still running, it should run just as long as Phantom.
"Love the Art in Yourself. Not Yourself in the Art." -- Stanislavski
#30re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 3:43pm<------- just for you, muscle23ftl
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#31re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 3:44pm
Edmund...the reference to his marraige is almost tacet admission of his homosexuality.
And notice how he looks more longily at the Groom than the bride, and then hugs him at the end of the show. Come on. You dont have to be Fellini to figure that out.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
Wild Roses
Understudy Joined: 10/23/06
#32re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 6:30pm
I do think a gay subtext could be read into Man in Chair's character. It is an intriguing one as well that I never thought of.
However, I think there is a stronger argument to made that he is just anti-social (and possibly suffering from agoraphobia). The Man in Chair refuses to answer his phone, is very suspicious of the electrician, not to mention is very weary of even having a housekeeper. Not to mention his complaints about the outside world (usually through the phone ringing) intruding on his space. Further evidence can be found in the ending---he prefers to be in the ficticious world of musicals rather than participate in real life. We know he suffers from a "non-specific sadness" which could also be read in that he suffers from undiagnosed medical depression as well. (Does he find the Chaperone sympathetic because he is an alcoholic as well?)
Straight and gay people can be anti-social for a variety of reasons. So, when he makes the marriage comments, it can be interpreted as he is a closeted gay (which might make sense for his age) or that he is so anti-social he drove his wife away.
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#33re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 6:47pmWild Roses, I understand your point, but I think it is fairly naive. No middle-american tourist audience is going to leave that theater weighing the merits of whether this guy was gay or not. The piece wants you to believe he is gay, and just about everyone in that theater with me knew it.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#34re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 8:12pmAMY!!!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Wild Roses
Understudy Joined: 10/23/06
#35re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 8:32pm
"Wild Roses, I understand your point, but I think it is fairly naive. No middle-american tourist audience is going to leave that theater weighing the merits of whether this guy was gay or not. The piece wants you to believe he is gay, and just about everyone in that theater with me knew it."
Everybody? Did you poll each and every person as they walked out?
By the way, I have a Women Studies minor, and in many classes we talk about GLBT issues so I am not as naive as you believe I am regarding GLBT representations and media. Not to mention I've done plenty of reading on my own regarding the subject. (In fact, because I have the WS minor, I believe I am more capable than the typical person to be able to pick out stereotypical gender representations in culture, whether it be on Broadway, tv, or in the movies.)
BDavis0092
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/06
#36re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/24/07 at 8:37pmOh my god this is ridiculous. When I saw the show, I walked out of the theatre and didn't think for a second about Main in Chair's sexuality. Why does it really matter. And did you really try and look at how differently he looked at the bride than the groom?
www.youtube.com/BwayNY225
fakemyway2thetop
Understudy Joined: 3/16/07
#37re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:27amFenchurch....just curious which performance you saw? Were you there Tuesday or Wednesday of this week?
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#38re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 3:07amI saw the Wednesday matinee
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
ShowtuneRick
Chorus Member Joined: 2/8/07
#39re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 9:20am
"JoAnne Worley was astounding, and it's always a pleasure to see Jeanine LaManna on stage"
Fen, I was at the matinee on Wednesday and Janine LaManna's understudy was on (Andrea Chamberlain). It's a little difficult to take your review seriously when you make a statement like this.
#40re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:07am
Not to mention that JoAnne Worley, of all of the performers in the show was completely underwhelming.
I can't believe she did the pearl swinging gag... talk about breaking character and the fourth wall. Pissed me off, especially after seeing the amazing Georgia Engel, who actually played the character and not herself.
BroadwayPhil
Understudy Joined: 11/6/03
#41re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:12am
I loved Drowsy.. perfect show to take Mom for Mom's day. Saw Grey gardens week before, not near as good for entertainment value.
Don't be the Bunny ....
#42re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:09am
"I loved Drowsy.. perfect show to take Mom for Mom's day. Saw Grey gardens week before, not near as good for entertainment value"
I don't agree.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#43re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:37am
Well, that's a shame, because I really enjoyed this woman's performance, even if she wasn't Jeanine LaManna.
And excuse me for not recognizing her. The other other time I saw here I was concentrating on her tail...in Seussical.
Geez, give me a break. My entire review is suspect because I didn't know about an understudy? My review is more about the piece than the actors anyway.
As for Worley playing her and the pearl gag. come on, it's not like the fourth wall isn't already broken. "Oh no! Someone did something silly in this ridiculous show!"
Come on! This show is NOT concerned with that, if there was anywhere that someone could get away with that, it's here.
As for the person who said Drowsy was better entertainment than GG, that's a fair statement, if all you're looking for is to be taken out of yourself for an hour and change, but like I said before in my post I don't really care for escapism, especially in wartime, it's socially irresponsible and shows a lack of character for some. At least some people see it that way. I just think it can get boring, and I would never compare a show with incredibly honest portrayals of the human condition to Drowsy, where none of the characters (including Man in Chair) are believeable.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#44re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:42am
You don't care much for escapism, especially during wartime?
What a full and happy life you must lead.
Do you even have the slightest grasp of comedy?
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#45re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:47am
I love comedy. Don't get me wrong, but there is witty, interesting, clever comedy and there is banal, escapist comedy that relies on bad stereotypes and cheap gags to illicit laughter. Yes, prat falls and overblown racial stereotypes are funny. Even I laughed at Adolfo's "WHAAAAATT?" but it's fairly easy to make someone laugh that way.
Really good comedy makes you think as well as laugh, and those laughs are always deeper and stay with you longer. It's the difference between a good meal and a snack.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
BDavis0092
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/06
#46re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:04pmSo now your saying that The Drowsy Chaperone made you laugh but it was still a bad show??? I'm pretty sure comedy is supposed to make you laugh. Therefore, if you laugh, it's good comedy right?
www.youtube.com/BwayNY225
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#47re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:10pm
yes, that is exactly what I'm saying/ There were a few good laughs in Drowsy, but overall I was disappointed with the show as a whole.
Comedy does it's job when it makes you laugh. Good Comedy is something else. Neil Simon writes good clever, well crafted comedies. I would not compare the cheap jokes that Drowsy makes with some of Simon's better works.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#48re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 2:03pmI did the lottery last night. It was my second time seeing the show and my second man in chair. While I'm sure John Glover is a wonderful dramatic actor, it was painful hearing his jokes fall flat because of his strained delivery. He's just too...great of a presence to be the pathetic man in chair. I love the show, but not the recent replacements. I felt that Worley was *not* a good Mrs. Tottendale. She completely changes the character.
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#49re: Drowsy Chaperone - Won the Lottery and thoughts
Posted: 5/25/07 at 2:09pm
That is so interesting. I felt exactly the opposite of how you felt about the show, but I had never seen it before.
This is why I love this board, two different people can react completely different about the same piece.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
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