| The Steve and Eydie stuff -- see Rainbow, Golden -- seems odd so early in this year's run. It worked with the last mega-bucks revival, but Midler and Jackman are not the same kind of stars. Midler played both Dolly Levi and Bette-playing-Dolly-Levi in the same performance, and moved between the two takes almost effortlessly. She could back up to the proscenium, panting, and it was a meta comment on the title number's demands, and her own winking need to remind us that she's a consummate entertainer who lets us see her sweat. "Yes, it's me, I'm up here, folks!" Bette got away with. But Jackman's appeal is more about his triple-threat street cred, and the role he's given himself to unstintingly. If he's survived 19 months of shutdown and even his own Covid infection and is ready to step out of the character already? That's probably not what many are paying $700 to see. But hey, I could be very wrong. If so -- if these two stars succeed in these step-outs, and do what Midler did as successfully, I'll take back my post. |
