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LA: Harmony -- a reviewette (emphasis on "ette")

Posted by:	Pir8Jenny 05:32 pm EDT 03/13/14

I've been pretty slammed of late, preparing for the LADCC Awards (on Monday! Tickets still available!) but I took some time out last night to see "Harmony" and thought I'd make a really brief (for me) report back. Mixed. Decidedly mixed. The ending was emotionally effective and made most of the audience get weepy, but I felt like they tacked a very good ending on a show that hadn't quite earned it. Quite a few of the songs were routine -- nothing special, didn't move the plot along. I also had issues with the book in places -- at one point, an audience member booed a Nazi, as though the Nazis were some Panto villains. In another place, a character stood up to the Nazis in a way I felt was totally implausible, which again sort of undermined the real dangerousness of what was going on. Show had some good moments to it, though. Some of the songs were good; and there's no denying that the guys have talent and harmonize beautifully. The story itself -- not the book, but the true story of the Comedian Harmonists that lies beneath it -- is a winner, and something that definitely should work on a stage. I just don't think they quite have it right yet. I should note that the Ahmanson opening night audience lapped it up. Huge applause after nearly every number. Standing ovation for the guys at the end. I enjoyed it (and was definitely moved by the ending) but did not think it was stand-up-and-cheer material.

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