High Spirits, August 1984, opposite Patricia Elliott (lovely, but not quite up to the vocals), Christine Andreas, John McMartin,
Two pianos. I set next to George Grizzard.
With that cast, one might think the show was re-minted. I missed an orchestra, or just small band. Those songs have a syncopation that lifts the show, and pianos felt, well, like rehearsal. Ballard was perfectly cast and having a ball, but rather out of sync with the others. It's actually a bit of a problem with the material in its musical form. Everyone was veddy veddy, Ballard was doing vaudeville, (good vaudeville) but in the spirit of Lillie.
But I was in my early 30s and that's a long time ago. Don't hold me to this as a review. |
