Revivals that will be hard to beat- Page 2
Revivals that will be hard to beat
#25Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 1:54pm
Frankly my post is only marginally on topic. If it were not for excellent revivals, I probably would not be seeing musical theatre. I saw and disliked DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and LEGALLY BLONDE, one an adaptation of a very good movie. I would prefer to see a drama or comedy, either new or old, than to see a new musical that would probably have a score that for me would be second rate. With musical revivals, I know what I am getting into. I do not live close to NYC, only getting to the City twice a year, so I have to choose carefully.
This season I am looking forward to seeing FOLLIES and WAR HORSE in December, and PORGY & BESS, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, and for the first time an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical: EVITA. (It interests me that EVITA is far ahead of the other revivals that Rob is polling, with small interest in the two shows that this message board has elicited so very many responses for: PORGY & BESS and FOLLIES.) If the timing is right, I might see FUNNY GIRL as well, but I'm not sure when it is opening. I don't want to see ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, having seen the original production with the irreplaceable female lead Barbara Harris.
On topic, I think that the 1980 revival of MY FAIR LADY set a very high standard. I thoroughly enjoyed the two leads whose names escape me now, but George Rose, the superb character actor, played Alfred Doolittle. The production was suitably sumptuous, if not quite up to the exquisite production of the 1956 original. And I agree with what others have said about the 1992 GUYS & DOLLS-- it was wonderful. I failed to see two high profile revivals that seemed to be problematic according to many BWW posters: A CHORUS LINE and WEST SIDE STORY. I had been thrilled by the original productions, in the case of A CHORUS LINE liking each performance better the more I saw it.
"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"
peachesr
Stand-by Joined: 9/30/09
#26Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 1:58pmI have to agree with everyone about the LCT South Pacific and this might be an unpopular one but I loved Trevor Nunn's NT production of Oklahoma.
#27Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 1:58pm^ Christine Andreas and the late Sir Ian Richardson.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#28Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:03pmSouth Pacific was incredible... and I'd venture the current revival of Follies.
Musicaldudepeter
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/10
#29Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:03pm
That MY FAIR LADY was actually in 1976 - billed as the '20th anniversary production'
And I love the 1998 National Theatre's OKLAHOMA! - Don't know what the 2002 Broadway transfer was like - whether it changed anything or what - but the '98 Oklahoma is a gem in my mind, and Nunn made that show into a new masterpiece all over again. I was afraid to mention this Oklahoma because I know some people hated that production
#30Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:06pmI wasn't a huge fan of the 2002 OKLAHOMA...it didn't help that it was in a barn of a theatre like The Gershwin. The current DC production has gotten ecstatic reviews from most critics.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Wilmingtom
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/11
#31Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:07pmI thought OK! was much better at the NT with Hugh Jackman than at LC with Patrick Wilson. The recent revival of "The Normal Heart" will be hard to beat.
#32Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:10pmThe Oklahoma revival wasn't Lincoln Center.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Wilmingtom
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/11
#33Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:13pmOops...the Gershwin. Sorry AC, must've had Carousel in the back of my mind (another revival that may be hard to beat).
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#34Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:17pmI adored the London production of Oklahoma! but from everything I've read, it sounds like it REALLY suffered in its transfer.
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."
Musicaldudepeter
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/10
#35Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:18pmThe actress who is the next Carrie Pipperidge in the next revival of Carousel will have one hell of a job to erase the memory of Audra McDonald from New York audiences! I mean she won every award around her for this performance.
#36Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:22pmI personally find Patrick Wilson bland and boring. That was the chief reason why I didn't enjoy OKLAHOMA. And, let's face it...pretty much anyone is going to be a letdown when you're coming off of Hugh Jackman.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#37Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:22pm
What the revival of CHICAGO does best is teach how to do the show for a $1.80, but it works as a revival. However, the original was very different and IMO, more enjoyable.
But we're not comparing here right?
Mendes CABARET, to me was revelation, and a good standard to set the bar (very high).
Wilmingtom
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/11
#38Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 2:38pm^ I agree AC. Wilson doesn't connect with the audience the way I always hope he will. He does everything well but it never ignites. But as you say, after Jackman... I mean, who would want to or could follow that? Can you imagine if the S&A right were to be released for "The Boy from Oz" how many dreadful productions we'd be facing?
#39Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 3:13pm
AC, thanks for providing the names of the leads for the *1976* 20th Anniversary revival of MY FAIR LADY.
AC, again, I think you are correct that those who saw the 1959 Merman production of GYPSY would consider that definitive. Now for the 4 revivals, one of which featured a mis-cast Linda Lavin temporarily. I saw Angel Lansbury first in the London production and loved it. When I saw her in NYC at the Winter Garden, I merely liked it; Lansbury sang "Rose's Turn" with much more vitriol than she did in London, probably trying to placate director Arthur Laurents. I loved the Tyne Daly production because of her "Earth Mother" take on the role and despite her less than terrific singing. I did not like the Mendes production, despite its adherence to the official script, because I just did not have a good time, and with my beloved GYPSY I want to have a good time. I can't put my finger on it, and I liked Bernadette Peters OK, but there was too much darkness about it. Lastly, I liked Patti LuPone very much and the rest of the cast, too, but I did not like having the orchestra on stage and I did not like Arthur Laurents's change of the ending which causes this theatregoer to leave on a downbeat instead of an upbeat, with Rose and Louise being somewhat reconciled and walking into the wings arm in arm.
So what is the definitive revival of GYPSY? Since I can't have an amalgam of the three Laurents directed shows I guess I would go with the Tyne Daly production. In it Crista Moore was a superb Louise, and Tulsa was terrific, but I did not like Jonathan Hadary as Herbie. Well, the 1959 production was the yardstick by which I measure all GYPSY's and in my book no one can top Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman. And for the majority of the BWW posters, you missed a hilarious scene only in the original: Minsky's Salute to Christmas, some 16 showgirls with Christmas ornaments covering their boobs, all of them singing a sort of religioso aah, aah, aah, aah, aah, and then dragging out a giant Christmas box out of which popped Miss Gypsy Rose Lee. I'm sure the cost of this 2 minute scene prohibited it from being used in the 4 revivals.
"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"
#40Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 3:19pm
Revivals I have loved:
2 productions of ANYTHING GOES rank right up there: Patti's '85 show and Sutton's current hit.
Hal Prince's '94 SHOWBOAT was everything a revival should be.
I'm in the minority, I know, but I'd rank the 2003 NINE with Antonio Banderas a huge improvement over the static and unattractive original I saw in 1982.
The Roundabout's ASSASSINS in '04 made the best parts of that show truly sing (really still hate its book though).
I liked Mark Bramble's heartfelt '04 revival of 42ND STREET more than the sterile original from 1980.
I second the motion on the GUYS & DOLLS, CAROUSEL, and SOUTH PACIFIC revivals, all highlights of our theater going lives.
willep
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/08
#41Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 4:10pmI know a lot of people have problems with the show and we probably won't see another revival on Broadway, but if we did I think it would be hard to top the 2010 revival of La Bete with Mark Rylance.
Musicaldudepeter
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/10
#43Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 8:54pm^ Second that.
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
dreaming
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/09
#44Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 8:59pm
I think the revivals I've seen that would rank up there (both plays musicals) would be:
1. Cabaret-Mendes revival-sheer brilliance
2. Chicago-Incredibly well done
3. South Pacific-demonstrated it was not outdated and was brilliant in every way
4. Death of a Salesman-Brian Dennehy-Amazing production and an amazing cast led by Brian Dennehy and Elizabeth Franz
5. A Raisin in the Sun-Say what you like about Mr. Combs-the rest of the cast, including the brilliant Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan (and yes, Audra) was incredible
SondheimFan5
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/10
#46Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 9:14pm
In no particular order......
- '94 Carousel
- '09 South Pacific
- '09 Gypsy for performances/acting
- '10 La Cage
- '10 Ragtime for concept --- every regional production since then has borrowed the simplified idea of the set. And many argue that the '10 revival was a stronger production than the (brilliant) original
- '96 Chicago --- it put the show back on the map and now everyone does it that way (for better or for worse...) The original stars in '96 were superb (though some replacements, both 'big star' and 'Broadway star', have been quite good)
- '92 Guys & Dolls. The sets and costumes are still being used today.
- '95 Showboat
- '07 Company. Esparza gives the definitive performance of Robert. And, IMHO, 85% of that revival was absolutely brilliant; just add a little bit more humor and fix the orchestration/arrangement for Side by Side.
Updated On: 8/21/11 at 09:14 PM
#47Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 9:26pm
I'm not sure. I'd say South Pacific. That was a fine revival.
Based on the reviews from Toronto, I'd say the easiest revivals to beat will be the previous ones of Jesus Christ Superstar. No one seems too excited about it but it sounds promising.
#48Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 10:21pmI know it's a minority opinion but I gotta say I was none too fond of the '10 La Cage revival. Having spent many years of my life on the OBC production plus 3 national tours back in the 80's, I know I'm not the most objective observer BUT... I found the Hodge revival absolutely lacking in the one thing that any drag-queen swears by: absolutely SEXY genderbending Cagelles. Why oh why were the revival Cagelles so goddam BUTCH and hopelessly UNCONVINCING as females? What's the point except as a safe remove for most of straight America to NOT have to be confronted by their own attraction to guys who could be girls who could be guys. The OBC had a host of weaknesses but at least they WENT THERE when it came to exploring what's hot about guys who dress up like girls. For me the new show was safely ugly and therefore ugly in its safeness.
#49Revivals that will be hard to beat
Posted: 8/21/11 at 10:38pmNot only was I not fond of the last La Cage revival but I really enjoyed the 2004 version.
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
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