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| The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Last Edit: PlazaBoy 01:48 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| Posted by: PlazaBoy 01:44 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| If you don't like reading about a work in progress or what to avoid spoilers, do not read any further. What a bewildering night in the theater. I'm not a fan of the jukebox genre, but I like Cher and thought this show would be fun. It does have some fun moments and good performances, but it is stuck with one of the most cliche-ridden books I have sat through in 30 years of theater going. Nothing but lame jokes, trite dialogue, and anachronistic language. The three women portraying Cher are all vocally strong, with Micaela Diamond (Babe) particularly wonderful. Wicks (Lady) doesn't ever quite nail Cher's cool as a cucumber, deadpan delivery. Block (Star) is always enjoyable, but somehow not terribly exciting here. It may be the ridiculous dialogue she's given. The three Cher's often appear in the same scene, commenting on the action or interacting with each other. I suspect this only happens so that they can unite in singing several numbers. It adds vocal power, but the songs are essentially undramatic and as hard as they try to make them sound like meaningful plot numbers they just don't. The show had a ridiculous framing device of Cher producing the story of her life as a variety show. It's unnecessary and bogs the action down. I think the show ran about 2 1/2 hours including intermission. They could easily cut five numbers and you'd barely notice. The show is bloated and visually tacky. Not inexpensive, but tacky. That may be intentional, as perhaps that is part of what Cher represents? It all looks very Vegas. Again, that may be the creator's goal. All of your favorite Mackie costumes appear. There is a Mackie costume parade, showstopping number that's pretty dazzling and quite fun. Lots of confusing things in the show including a singing Lucille Ball, two huge bodybuilder chorus boys that were completely anachronistic, a shirtless and very buff Sonny Bono, Cher songs given to other characters that made no dramatic sense at all, a version of The Beat Goes On that looked like a cross between Rich Man's Frug and Roxy. I could go on! No idea how this show will change or if it will be a hit, but right now it is messy. |
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| Your post reads like a review for the Donna Summer musical out of town!!! | |
| Posted by: BillyG 01:11 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - PlazaBoy 01:44 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| How interesting how two formulaic juke box musicals are opening within months of each other with the same construct. I wonder which will survive? Can you imagine Forbidden Broadway doing a number with Donna and Cher to the tune of "I Will Survive!!" W |
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| How many shows have used this "three-people at different stages of a star's life" device? ... | |
| Last Edit: flaguy 01:00 pm EDT 06/19/18 | |
| Posted by: flaguy (flaguy) 01:00 pm EDT 06/19/18 | |
| In reply to: Your post reads like a review for the Donna Summer musical out of town!!! - BillyG 01:11 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| In the summer of 1997 the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY, presented the world premiere of 'MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY,' about the lives of Betty Comden & Adolph Green, written by David Ives & Phyllis Newman (employing many old songs from Comden & Green musicals), with lyrics (some new) by Comden & Green, directed by Phyllis Newman, starring three women as Betty Comden and three men as Adolph Green at different stages of their lives. The women were Melissa Errico, Paula Newsome, Dee Hoty, and the men were Max, Perlman, Jim Bracchitta, Adam Grupper. And I remember liking it quite a lot. (Full disclosure: I was Company Manager at Bay Street at that time.) |
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| has anyone seen Matthew Bourne's Play Without Words? nm | |
| Posted by: jero 05:41 pm EDT 06/21/18 | |
| In reply to: How many shows have used this "three-people at different stages of a star's life" device? ... - flaguy 01:00 pm EDT 06/19/18 | |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: broadwaymyway 05:53 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - PlazaBoy 01:44 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| ...two huge bodybuilder chorus boys that were completely anachronistic, a shirtless and very buff Sonny Bono... I think that's called "knowing your audience". |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: PlazaBoy 10:15 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - broadwaymyway 05:53 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| True. I enjoy great male physiques as much as the next gay guy, but in this case, it somehow had a pandering quality. I was also struck that they made any character who might be gay (Mackie's Assistants) swishy in a stereotypical and inauthentic way. Borderline offensive. Perhaps the show was meant to be exaggerated in the 1970s variety show way? As I said, the show's choices often confused me. | |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: Zelgo 10:36 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - PlazaBoy 10:15 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| Is having three actresses play a singer at three points in her life the new standard for Bway? SUMMER uses that too. |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: PlazaBoy 10:42 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - Zelgo 10:36 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| In this case, it probably is necessary as Cher spans so many decades. I had no objection to three actresses, but it didn't make sense to me to have them interacting with each other. All it added was a lot of unnecessary narration. I wished they attempted to dramatize what was happening rather than tell us. | |
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| Albee and "Follies" got there first. | |
| Posted by: Delvino 01:51 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - PlazaBoy 10:42 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| "I had no objection to three actresses, but it didn't make sense to me to have them interacting with each other." Certainly this is not a fresh device, but it is compelling when employed to comment on age, eras, self-knowledge. Look no further than the second half of "Three Tall Women." But of course, we have seen this for decades. "Who's That Woman?" in "Follies," without dialogue, is the most poignant use of characters side by side with younger iterations. It's still a thrilling moment when the younger women appear to tap. |
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| re: Albee and "Follies" got there first. | |
| Posted by: PlazaBoy 05:36 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: Albee and "Follies" got there first. - Delvino 01:51 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| Unfortunately, the device is not used artfully in this case and adds no poignancy. | |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 11:23 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - PlazaBoy 10:42 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| I'm trying to imagine productions of Nine Tall Women, Three Times On This Island...or even 210 Girls, 210?? | |
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| re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) | |
| Posted by: richmurphy 11:28 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: re: The Cher Show- Chicago (SPOILERS) - Chromolume 11:23 am EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| I'm imagining Seven Brides for Twenty-One Brothers, but I probably shouldn't! | |
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