Every minute sparkled in "Kiss Me Kate." Kelli O'Hara sings better than ever, not only soaring on the high notes, as you would expect, but also lighting up the low notes in "I Hate Men." Even in her rage, she remains so charming that you completely understand why Fred is in love with her.
The inevitable changes to tone down the sexism of the original plot and lyrics are done cleverly and tastefully, without obvious hot-button applause lines, and actually, to me, improve the show. With the equality of the lover-combatants more evident, and not merely subtext, we can root for a happy ending as truly happy rather than just a bow to conventionality.
The show kept moving with lots of dancing. Everyone is good, although the gangsters could enunciate a little better in "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." There were a few lyric flubs, which is understandable in a preview.
We sat in the orchestra second row center, which is ideal, as the stage is low. It looked to me as though the folks in the very front rows of house right might have their view blocked at times by cast members standing or sitting on the edge of the stage, but then Bartlett Sher always has to block someone's view. |
