One of my teachers, who acted under the famous Alvina Krause, said at the end of one rehearsal Krause sat in silence and then said, "Oh, for just a moment of reality." I thought Nielsen provided that in what is almost always a pretty thankless role (other than the national exposure it gave her).
I thought Benanti was the wrong choice for the Baroness (too young, not quite jaded enough, not really envious of Maria--why would she need to be--she could outsing and outact her, and didn't seem markedly older), but she sure as hell brought skill, intelligence, and professionalism to a production I really did find on a level with lesser community theatre in general. I can't say I was impressed with the directing as such--though I am sure those with a better knowledge of the complexities of directing live television could educate me. In terms of working with actors, there was nothing I saw there.
I didn't expect Carrie Underwood to be as wooden an actress as she was (and, to be fair, she seemed sincere in her attempt) and I was underwhelmed by her singing--it was adequate but had neither the warmth of Maria Martin nor the brilliance of Julie Andrews. I expected Christian Borle to have more verve and playfulness, and Stephen Moyer just looked embarrassed most of the time. I thought McDonald sang the role well (though I didn't like some of her phrasing), but was surprised by how superficial her acting felt--and I have admired her and seen her in Carousel, Master Class, and 110 in the Shade, so I say this knowing what she can do. I think the production really revealed how shoddy the book is, how poorly written, really, and how much a successful production rests on a kind of charm the Maria must provide. Without that, there's no there there.
It made me long for Charles Busch's heavenly "The Divine Sister"--now THAT would have been a holiday treat for the whole family!
|