Interesting; I don’t see Hudson. It’s a savvy ingenue-with-drive role the young Leslie Uggams might’ve played, who Hicks sometimes reminded me of. The one musical misfire - her eleven o’clock spot torch, “Ride Out the Storm” - doesn’t serve or land, despite a bravura vocal performance. But a quibble. She inherits a role that will forever be in the shadow of Monroe. Hicks mostly remints.
Funny, the way she's written in this musical, I don't see her as an ingenue at all, even if you tack on with-drive.
And yes it is frustratingly in the shadow of Monroe, and I don't think they succeeding in not making me miss or or understand how much that movie was built around her.
