| re: Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall | |
| Last Edit: Phaedrusnyc 09:31 am EST 03/11/22 | |
| Posted by: Phaedrusnyc 09:27 am EST 03/11/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall - BroadwayTonyJ 08:51 am EST 03/11/22 | |
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| I think the chorus was great as always, but I think it's odd that Ted would pick a show that really only minimally utilizes the ensemble. Feels like the "MasterVoices" part of his productions are taking a backseat to the "here are the celebrities I know/can round up for the performance." As said elsewhere, Vanessa Williams was, at best, very under-rehearsed and, at worst, just doesn't have the notes. Considering these were songs originally performed by Angela Lansbury (not exactly a classically trained singer) it felt like she was having a great deal of trouble figuring out where the songs sat in her voice. She switched back and forth between chest and head at several odd moments, missed a few lyrics, and was having difficulty projecting. Elizabeth Stanley was also underwhelming in the first act (she kept scooping the notes of "There Won't Be Trumpets") but improved immensely in Act II. The male leads all were on top of their musical moments. In general, Act II was better than Act I. It felt like the stars were using the first act for their warm-up. It was done as two acts, as has become the norm, I guess. But it makes for a very lopsided show--the first act feels more like a prologue before the overstuffed second act. All the rising action happens AFTER Hapgood arrives, but he just shows up at the end of Act I. "Trumpets" and "There's Always a Woman" were both included (I love both songs but there's a reason that "Always a Woman" was cut, at least--it happens too late in the show to mean anything and breaks the narrative flow.) One very odd bit of trivia is that they cut half the racism section of "Simple": there's still the "you can't judge a book by its cover" element but gone was "the opposite of dark is bright..." Very odd--I understand the challenging nature of lyrics that say "anything that's dark is dumb" and referencing the NAACP--but how stupid do you have to expect the audience is that you don't think they would understand this was a commentary on racist thought, just as "the opposite of left is right" is a commentary on right-wingers in general and the "a woman's place is in the home" is a commentary on sexism? Just a thoughtless cut. Makes you wonder what they'd do to "Cabaret." Not trying to be overly negative--I really ultimately enjoyed the performance (although I enjoyed it at Encores more). I just resent it a bit when "stars" seem to think they can just walk on a stage, do a song, and be great. Just because you're a talented professional doesn't mean you shouldn't be working with a musical director or vocal coach until you "get" it. People are paying to see you. And after a while I begin to question the purity of the motives of Ted Sperling (whose biography is three times the size of any of the stars') with the ensemble. It doesn't really feel like it's "their" show--"Lady in the Dark" didn't, either, but it was still a lot more balanced than this. |
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