| re: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES | |
| Last Edit: Marlo*Manners 10:12 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
| Posted by: Marlo*Manners 10:10 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
| In reply to: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES - RobertC 09:47 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
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| I saw the London production of "Follies" at a matinee in 1988. By that time most of the original leads had gone or had taken the day off. Diana Rigg was replaced by Millicent Martin, one Roy Sone replaced Daniel Massey, Jill Martin was the understudy for Julia McKenzie but David Healy was still in the show. Eartha Kitt replaced Dolores Gray as a very mannered Carlotta, Hope Jackman was Hattie. The new songs: "Country House" - this was a bickering duet for Phyllis and Ben that sounded like a reject from "Company". Basically it was to flesh out Ben and Phyllis' relationship but it had a flat, cynical lyric and repetitive melody. It told us nothing we didn't already know about them. "Ah, but Underneath" - this actually is a good number and was put in because Diana Rigg was primarily a singer while Alexis Smith was a singer/dancer. "Lucy and Jessie" was a better representation of Phyllis' "folliy" and better depicted her complex character. "Lucy and Jessie" was seemingly modeled on "The Saga of Jenny" from "Lady in the Dark" while "Ah but Underneath" was modeled on "Zip' from "Pal Joey" with a mock striptease. I don't like the final line "Sometimes when the wrappings fall, there's nothing underneath at all". There is a lot underneath with Phyllis Stone as "Follies" shows us. She is not just a chameleon with no inner life or identity. "Make the Most of Your Music" - this was a replacement for Ben Stone's "Live, Laugh, Love" minus the nervous breakdown. Ben Stone is the major cipher and underwritten character at the center of "Follies". We need to know more about Ben to know why both women ruin their lives trying to be good enough for him. His backstory is nonexistent - we are just told he is this big success. But WHO IS HE? Was he born to wealth? Is he the son of a socially prominent family who fell on hard times during the Depression and did he make back his lost fortune (my pet theory)? Or is he a self-made man? How did he and Buddy become friends? They have nothing in common... "Make the Most of Your Music" is just a second tier revue number with an upbeat melody featuring Ben in a tux with girls on a "Stairway to Paradise" staircase. No irony and no fleshing out of the character - we learn nothing about Ben from this number. It has no ironic subtext or twist in the tail so it doesn't work as a "folly". "Loveland" - this is a rewriting of the original "Loveland" theme song sung by Roscoe - it has a killer melody and is thrilling. I love it but I also love the original. The original has a slightly better lyric but the rewrite has a superb musical build. I want both. Perhaps it is Sondheim who doesn't want the London songs licensed or performed. They can be heard on the London original cast album and also as bonus tracks on the Paper Mill Playhouse 2 cd set. Marlo Manners (Lady Barrington) |
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