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| re: Is Mack & Mabel over? | |
| Last Edit: ShowGoer 10:03 am EDT 06/16/22 | |
| Posted by: ShowGoer 10:02 am EDT 06/16/22 | |
| In reply to: Is Mack & Mabel over? - Zelgo 08:31 am EDT 06/16/22 | |
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| "Is it over for Mack and Mabel? Will any producer take a chance with it now?" I can't imagine why they would; the Paper Mill production in the '80s, the West End production iand a Barrington Stage productio in the '90s, a Goodspeed production in the 2000s, etc., Chichester Festival in the 2010s, Encores in the 2020s, etc. - this show has had more than its run of solid chances, most with talented people at the helm. This is bound to be a minority opinion, but ever since first seeing them live, I've always felt that Herman's "The Grand Tour" and "Dear World", albeit far less-known and with slightly less stellar scores, are both far more workable as stage properties than Mack and Mabel. The two shows I cited have their issues, to be sure, and whether the properties they're based on needed to be musicalized is an open question.... but Mack and Mabel has inherent problems built into the two central characters that no one seems to be able to solve. |
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| re: Is Mack & Mabel over? | |
| Posted by: mrstephen 11:16 pm EDT 06/16/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Is Mack & Mabel over? - ShowGoer 10:02 am EDT 06/16/22 | |
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| I saw the West End production in 1995. I fell in love with Caroline O'Connor as Mabel, and warmed to Howard McGillin as Mack. ("Warmed" because his character seemed intentionally unlikable at times, until he was able to recognize he needed Mabel) After that I saw a few amateur productions in London, and the 2005 Watermill version. I loved every one of them. From those productions, I didn't understand the issues people had with the book. Dark musicals were fairly common by then. Then in 2020 I saw the Encores production. I couldn't wait to see what NYC could do with this fabulous show. But to me, that production bombed. Maybe my expectations were too high, or maybe I had seen so many other shows that my standards had changed. But with that production I didn't fall in love with Mabel. I didn't even like Mack. The actors were in fine form, but maybe the script or the direction just didn't land. I think this show may still be revived, but most likely in the UK where the score and show has been embraced multiple times. |
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| Dear World | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 02:52 pm EDT 06/16/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Is Mack & Mabel over? - ShowGoer 10:02 am EDT 06/16/22 | |
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| I have no idea why Dear World hasn't been more beloved in the musical actor and director world, why it hasn't had more "visionaries" try it, or just straight up productions. I know it can be hard to find an older musical theater actor who can REALLY do the Countess properly, who isn't a name actor, but I also think many Broadway supporting actors and understudies who don't make it to stardom would kill to do a solid production of this show, as would many broadway leading ladies... and the super talented women working in regional theater. It's a fun, quirky, exuberant, beautiful show... even with its substantial issues (like the title song), you could do far worse. And I agree it seems more workable than M&M. I don't know Grand Tour enough to comment. |
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