Jeff - I saw it, and all I can say is that it worked for me. Very very well. There were a few moments here and there that seemed odd (not because of the casting, but just how things were staged etc), but on the whole I loved the production.
Even though not one word of text is changed (one short cut that I'm aware of but that's it), even with the actors still referring to each other's characters as "men" etc, it didn't seem like a gimmick at all. I think, in this case, putting women in these historical and powerful roles just spoke to our own zeitgeist in a compelling way. But it didn't "get in the way" of the story. in the same way that I presume the colorful casting in Hamilton also didn't get in the way for most of us.
The new vocal arrangements and orchestrations are stellar. (Only one misfire, perhaps, with the overall tone of one arrangement, towards the and of the show, IMO.) The cast is quite strong. I think you should try to see it.
And an all-female Take Me Out might work in similar ways, to be honest. No joke.
(On the other hand, I'm not really sure that an all-female Most Happy Fella is really crying out to happen, and/or what that casting choice does for the material and how we experience it. But we shall see...) |
