The Drowsy Chaperone
Last night we saw a wonderful new musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. First off, it is great seeing something new. Second, everything about it was terrific.
The story is set and eventually comes alive in the apartment of an excitable theater queen, not unlike many I was sitting with. As he shares his favorite album with the audience, characters appear and you are suddenly taken inside his fantasy world. What is so great about this concept is that I never felt sorry for this man who lives in fantasy. In fact, I was a little jealous. And Bob Martin wrote and played the character with such fun.
The costumes by Gregg Barnes were beautiful. Some of the finest theatrical period costumes I've seen, with beautiful color and contrast. Graphic prints and unexpected splashes of color set against the boring apartment of the Man in the Chair. Fantastic.
Sutton Foster is a just a great big star. The song Show Off was a tour de force. This number was built for her.
The rest of the cast was beautifully cast too. Georgia Engel was a little weak, but heh, she's Georgia Engel.
Casey Nicholaw in his first big time directing gig. Great directing. He keeps it all moving.
Fantastic show. So glad to have seen it early in it's run.
posted by JerseyEd1 at 4:48 AM
1 Comments:
I agree completely. A wonderfully professional and loving spoof of old-fashioned musical comedy.
The entire cast was perfect. My particular favorites were Danny Burstein as Adolfo and Beth Leavel as the titular Drowsy (drunken) Chaperone.
It was all done like those over-the-top MGM musical spoof/tributes that The Carol Burnett Show did so well.
And, as Ed said after the show, the Man in the Chair playing the cast album which causes the show to come to life all around him in his apartment is me. And from the sounds of laughter in the theatre last night, there were lots of folks just like me in attendance.
The show sends up all the corny musical comedy conventions but also pays them great respect. It's aware of the inherent silliness of the genre and comments on it without being mean spirited or condescending.
It was pure escapist fun.
6:53 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home