| An OK Bridges, a thrilling Rocky .... (long) | |
| Posted by: | jdm 10:37 am EDT 03/11/14 |
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| These are the two shows I saw last week, and they could not be more on opposite sides of an adrenaline rush. Bridges: some absolutely gorgeous songs by Brown sung thrillingly by the two leads. Most other songs seem to be there just to beef up the score. That second act opener hoe-down song …. really? When the leads were not singing, I found much of the show, well, dull. I get the folksy direction of having the townspeople move around the sets, but too many instances of people walking around swinging doorways onto the stage, and then just standing there waiting to twirl them out of the way. And scenes like this (might be a spoiler): Robert brings in his guitar from his car, placing it in Francesca’s kitchen . He admits that it is his ex-wife's and he himself does not know how to play it. Then the ex-wife enters the kitchen, grabs the guitar, goes to stage right to sit down and sing a song, then place the guitar back, and leaves through the kitchen door again. My friend and I refer to that as the “Joni Mitchell moment” (she resembles Mitchell singing a folk song) and just stops the show in its track. I'm sorry, nice song, pointless scene. The kids – who look like they are in their 20s but act like 5 year olds – are so annoying. I don't know if this is deliberate to make us sympathize with Francesca’s decision to stay, as her family needs so much help. For me, I just wanted to shout to her “run away!” And yes, O'Hara and Pasquale seem too young for these roles. Nice enough but somehow misses the mark. I cry easily, no tears here. On the flip side, Rocky is thrilling. First a confession: I was never a fan of the movie. I thought it was OK, but as a twenty year old college student, I never cared for boxing or love stories. And as a then movie snob, I was taken aback with Rocky’s Oscar win over the critics’ darlings of Taxi Driver, All the President’s Men and Network. Well I am now a fan of Rocky the musical! It is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Is the second act more thrilling than the first act as so many have posted? Of course it is, but that is the nature of the story. The first act moves along at a good pace, setting up the plot that most already know, and watching the leads fall in love. The second act is that roller coaster ride as it makes that final freefall. There is one exciting scene after another: the two Training Montages are stunning, and that last 20 minute segment is truly one of the most memorable final moments of any show I have seen. Ahrens and Flaherty have again written a very fine score with some outstanding songs: Rocky's My Nose Aint Broken, Fight From the Heart, Keep on Standing , and Adrian's show-stopping I'm Done, to name a few. I also liked the opening Ain’t Down Yet, however I wish is it was longer as it is in the German recording. Andy Karl was born to play this role: tough, tender, and in terrific voice, it is a performance not to be missed. And Margo Seibert, who wowed me in Prospect Theater's Tamar of the River, is a perfect Adrian. The rest of the cast is uniformly good. The sets are a technical marvel. And last but far from least, the director Alex Timbers is a genius. Usually when I see a show, I've already directed it in my head (having never directed anything in my life). I could not even begin to have the imagination that Timbers put into Rocky. Bravo. Could I nitpick? Of course I could. Apollo Creed does a number that ends up being the show’s only traditional dance number, and well, the dancing just seems out of place. Keep the song, lose the dancing – just my opinion. And yes, a standing ovation, but this one was thunderous. Well, to combine two of filmdom’s most memorable lines : “Yo Rocky, I’ll be back.” Wishing everyone positive thoughts for opening night. You all deserve a huge success. Jim | |
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