| New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| ...well, the orchestra sounds great. I still find this staging bizarre - isn't it odd for Chip to be so, you know, "into it" from the very beginning with this wild, over-the-top choreography that overshadows Hildy? Isn't the point of the song for Hildy to convince him to (or steamroll him into) sampling her wares? Shouldn't *she* be the one in control here? Perhaps she just doesn't register on screen, but I'm also still left puzzled by the raves for Umphress. I adore this song and would love to be bowled over by her, but all I see is a singer (as opposed to actress) dutifully performing some light choreography and pleasantly singing what should be a knockout. I see zero charisma, stage presence or character. Just a blank face. | |
| Link | ON THE TOWN VIDEO - "I can Cook Too" |
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| Another video | |
| Posted by: | NeoAdamite 05:53 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| This is from the New York Times 'In Performance' series. It's just her and a piano, but it gives a better idea of what Umphress brings to the song. That said: yes, the choreography is too busy for her to pitch the song as fully as she might. Yes, it's too bad that she doesn't find a way to make the song peak without the scatting. That last may be an acting issue. Although she gets her jokes to land (no easy thing), the big difference between her and some of her co-stars (Elizabeth Stanley and Tony Yazbek) is that her joy in performing--just being up there singing her heart out--seldom comes through as strongly as theirs. The scatting is one of the exceptions, which is perhaps why they allowed her to do it. For contrast, the Times series also has Rachel Tucker doing a number from THE LAST SHIP. Tucker just sits there, but her physical pleasure in this moment, singing this song, is palpable. | |
| Link | In Performance | Alysha Umphress |
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| okay, let me put this another way... | |
| Posted by: | DistantDrumming 04:21 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| ...I know this is just a clip of one song. I get that. But is what we see in this clip representative of her performance? Or, the many of you who enjoy her performance, is this clip in no way a representation of the performance you actually experience in the theatre? I mean, Chip is so full of manic energy and Hildy, to be honest, seems exhausted and out of steam by the end. | |
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| re: okay, let me put this another way... | |
| Posted by: | Chromolume 05:03 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | okay, let me put this another way... - DistantDrumming 04:21 pm EST 01/19/15 |
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| My impressions when I saw the show in November -- I liked Umphress MUCH more than I thought I was going to, given a rehearsal video I had seen of the number. (I don't know what culinary magic Hildy might have with crow, but I would eat it lol.) The night I saw the show, I didn't get any sense that she was out of steam at any point. Mr. Johnson as Chip - not so enthusiastic. Too much clowning around for me. Yes, he could do a lot of fun things physically, but it was, as a colleague of mine might put it, "too much energy for the task." In fact, I have to say that Ms. Umphress was upstaged TWICE in "Come Up To My Place" - not just by Chip's antics, but also by the video-game-like projections that showed us the trip the taxi was taking. On one hand, it was a fun idea. On the other hand, the song got lost in the shuffle. | |
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| re: okay, let me put this another way... | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 04:39 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | okay, let me put this another way... - DistantDrumming 04:21 pm EST 01/19/15 |
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| it isn't "a representation" of anything. it is what it is. a one minute youtube cilp. as someone explained to you the song is set up a specific way and you can't get the set up or the song or the performance (of anything other than the clip) off youtube. it gives you an idea of how she sings the song but if you want to determine whether her praise was justified or not you'll have to decide that for yourself and i don't see any way to do that by watching a one-minute clip youtube clip. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | MarcoBarco 02:30 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| I'm an Umphress fan - and for whatever it's worth, I think her acting is right up there with her singing. Her new CD is really good. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | Chromolume 11:44 am EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| I still find this staging bizarre - isn't it odd for Chip to be so, you know, "into it" from the very beginning with this wild, over-the-top choreography that overshadows Hildy? Isn't the point of the song for Hildy to convince him to (or steamroll him into) sampling her wares? Shouldn't *she* be the one in control here? While I do agree the song has to have a need, and a build, Hildy and Chip have already been trying to get at it during the scene before the song - but Lucy keeps interrupting them. So I don't think that Chip needs much convincing, now that they are actually alone. And as MarjorieMae points out, this clip is just the last portion of the song. I'm still not a fan of her musical rewrites. So much of the show is sung so well, just sticking to what Bernstein actually wrote, I don't really see why they needed to put the scatting in to this song, etc. At the same time, I guess I should be glad they essentially left the rest of the score alone, lol. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | Shutterbug 01:45 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - Chromolume 11:44 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| Although I'm not sure if the scatting was her rewrite of the material or a directorial choice. If memory serves, Lea Delaria also did quite a bit of scatting in the last revival. Lea gave a very bombastic and over-the-top performance. I really enjoyed Umphress and thought she did a fantastic job. | |
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| If only Umphress's acting was anywhere near her singing. | |
| Posted by: | footlight9 11:21 am EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| The raves perplexed me too. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | Singapore/Fling 11:02 am EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| That makes me want to see this production. I was a bit unexcited by the last Broadway production, but this looks like it's got the real pop-fizz that evokes the magic of the old-fashioned musical. I'm sold. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | MarjorieMae 10:19 am EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - DistantDrumming 05:31 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| This is just a section of the song highlighting the dance part. In its entirety, Alysha really shines and the voice is incredible enough to put over the number. She has plenty of presence and charisma. It's not fair to make an evaluation from a clip. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | tpdc 11:51 am EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - MarjorieMae 10:19 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| I thought Umphress was fine in the role and delivered as an actress and singer. I have found her to be a reliable stage performer. She was even great in Beaches which was not only the worst theater experience for me last year but one of the worst musicals I hve ever seen. | |
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| re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" | |
| Posted by: | sacpsych 01:10 pm EST 01/19/15 |
| In reply to: | re: New ON THE TOWN video - "I Can Cook Too" - tpdc 11:51 am EST 01/19/15 |
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| I agree - I was hesitant based on some of the reviews I had read here, but when we saw her, we felt she totally knocked the song out of the park. She makes it her own and shines. Plus, very sweet and friendly at the stage door. | |
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