Little Me @ Encores

[macnyc]

I loved loved loved this! So funny, with such wonderful performances. Our balcony seats were fine, but we missed seeing the projections. I could hear people below us laughing, but we couldn't see anything. Could someone post what the projections were? I'm kind of surprised the balcony didn't get our own view on the walls, as they did for A Bed and a Chair.

[indytallguy]

Murray's review actually was positive for the show with reservations expressed only about York and Borle and even then, it was pretty tame:

"Unfortunately, neither York nor Borle unlocks the full spectrum of possibilities that Simon's scenarios present."

[darquegk]

From what I have seen and heard, that's a valid assessment. Part of the joy of Caesar or Short is that they had a rich comic background to draw on, building some of their own work into the characters themselves- consider the moment in the last revival during "Goodbye" which Prince Czerny, overcome with the emotion of his living funeral, begins dancing like Ed Grimley, or the original production, in which Caesar would improvise gibberish in any number of languages, similar to what he did on his television program.

Borle is a fantastic comic actor and singer, but because he doesn't have any "tricks" to bring to the table, something may feel like it's missing.

[givesmevoice]

^ Borle actually acknowledged that in the talkback, basically just saying that he's been so grateful for all of his successes but that he's not a Caesar or a Short.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

The part was also tailored and written for Sid Caesar, from what I understand, so nearly anyone who succeeds him in the role is almost destined to pale in comparison. And on top of all of that, Encores! shows don't have anywhere near the same rehearsal time a full-fledged Broadway production would. For having a very short rehearsal period, I'd imagine Borle and York didn't have the time or leisure to explore as many possibilities as I'm sure they would have liked to.

[darquegk]

It's the same reason the show didn't work quite as well with Garber and Coco sharing the roles, even though both got beefed up stage time for their characters.

[Ed_Mottershead]

I won't be able to see the Encores! production, alas, but I can speak to the matter of a shtick comedian playing the loves of Belle's life. I've always loved the show, but can't help agreeing with Dorothy Kilgallen's comment that it was a fun show with a lot of good tunes and some good performances but that it was not a great musical. Considering the period in which she was writing, I regret that I agree. Fun show, in the right hands, absolutely. GREAT show (with a capital G), no. I repeat. I love the show and regret that I couldn't see this production. JMO.

[SweetLips]

From what I read here,there are 2 weeks rehersal.Does anyone know when the actors actually get their scripts and can start learning.I suppose they are expected to start those 2 weeks knowing the script and songs-yes?

[Luv2goToShows]

macnyc, I thought the same, why did they not do the projections on the walls as they did for A Bed and a Chair. Unless I missed some, the projections were quoting the lines that the older Belle and Reporter were speaking for the opening of a new scene. In the 2nd act they projected well known film titles during Poor Little Hollywood Star number that Belle starred in (not~lol). Other then that, if there were more projections I missed them.

I really enjoyed this one, I may have said this before and may say it again, it was probably one of the best encores. Well since I have not seen every one since they started I will revise and say it was probably one of the best. : )

[macnyc]

Thanks, Luv2go!

Another idle thought: At my performance Saturday afternoon, maybe about half the balcony was unsold. (I don't know how filled the orchestra and the mezzanine were.) I'm wondering why those tickets weren't released to Gold Club or one of the other seat-filling websites.

[Libby1209]

Saw the matinee of this yesterday as well...really enjoyed myself! Loved Christian Borle in this!

[Luv2goToShows]

I was told the orchestra was sold out, I sat in the mezzanine and it looked close to 90% full, with some empty seats in the rear mezzanine, mostly far sides. Doesn't City Center comp tickets to schools, senior centers or other non-profit groups? Unless it is done for only certain performances or rehearsals, just thinking that maybe that is their way of papering/filling seats.

[forgetmenotnyc]

RE: the missed projections? I can't quote you exactly what the wordings were, but during Belle's "Poor Little Rich Girl" song - there were a series of headlines & marquees representing her film career. Titles like: King Kong, Mata Hari, Ben Her, Gunga Din - that kinda thing. Otherwise, whenever book chapter headings were recited by Older Belle & Patrick - they were just repeated in projection text - so what you missed, while I'm sure it felt disconcerting, was NOT essential viewing. They will probably make sure to not do that anymore in the future.

Chairinmain - my mentioning what I did was questionable, (esp. w/the Prince who I later learned could not have been Jewish because Jews never have Princes). My wrong. An interesting subject though, don't you think? I mean, just because you're Jewish DOESN'T mean you can't express anti-semitic sentiments though, right? (Just like a gay writer can write homophobic thoughts, etc?)

[mamaleh]

At Saturday's matinee, it looked like a fairly sizable school group (likely comps) took up the last few rows of the upper balcony. I thought they might be noisy, but they behaved beautifully and did not seem restless, even though I'm sure many of the jokes flew over their heads.

I'd seen only the Garber-Coco revival before, which I remembered as OK, no more. I truly enjoyed this semi-staged production, especially Christian Borle's and Rachel York's performances and the brassy orchestrations.

[ohjustjake]

Was at the final show tonight and LOVED IT. I didn't know anything about the show going in, which I'm actually glad, because I just got to sit back and see everything unfold. I thought Christian was fantastic, and Rachel York was definitely on her game. I was a bit upset that Judy Kaye used her script so much because she was the only one the entire time, but there were number of lines from other actors that pointed it out and played it up, which worked well for me. Because I was in the upper balcony, I couldn't see any of the projections but I figured I wasn't missing much. I even moved during intermission to maybe the 4th row of the balcony and still couldn't see them for the second act, so I'm not quite sure they decided to place them where they did. Other than that, I had such an amazing time and left the theatre feeling so happy and loving musical theatre even more. Encores really brought their A game with this.

[jacobtsf]

Can someone who saw the Short/Prince revival explain what changes there were, especially how they combined the two Belles to be played by one actor?

Thanks!

[newintown]

I thought it was an OK evening, but was bothered by the amplification. I don't remember the Encores orchestra (or actors) ever being so heavily miked before. In fact, there were (for me) many times that the orchestration was ruined by the bad over-balancing from the sound board.

Maybe I've missed it, but I remember the orchestra having a much more acoustic sound up til now.

[Addison D.]

Newintown--I agree. It seemed to me that the voices of the principals were uniformly strong enough that the intrusive and distorting level of amplification was un-necessary.

[temms]

Newintown - you nailed my thoughts exactly about the sound. My heart really did sink a bit when they started the Overture and instead of a brassy Broadway orchestra time-transplanted from the early '60s, I got a stack of poorly EQ'd speakers stripping the life out of everything.

LITTLE ME is a show I fell in love with via a local community theatre production when I was 11, and thus holds a very special place in my heart. I thought it was a very good production of a beloved show, but as good as the principals were I didn't really feel any of them were quite ideal for their roles (except maybe Harriet Harris.) I did not care at all for the choreography. "Rich Kids Rag" and "Deep Down Inside" were acceptable, but I actually thought the staging of the title song nearly ruined it. It was so distracting to have David Garrison bopping along meaninglessly when it should have been those two women working off each other. I think the Prince Czerny section would not have felt nearly as long if that song had electrified the audience like I know it can.

I do think there's still a "definitive" revival of the show to be done. One that nails every laugh as broadly as possible but you still somehow genuinely care that Belle and Noble will eventually find each other. I believe from the bottom of my 11-year-old soul that it's possible.

[darquegk]

Changes to the 1998 version were minimal- script tweaks, dropping the reprise of "Be A Performer," and the doubling of Older and Younger Belle are the main changes. The lead actor still plays eight roles, but the part of Noble Junior is cut and replaced with the doubling of Benny Buchsbaum.

As to your question, the show was framed differently, allowing Belle to be one actress. Rather than a clueless, aged sexpot being interviewed by a celebrity biographer, Belle is a jaded, cynical older woman who has just published her memoirs, which she knows are gleefully trashy. The title song is performed by Belle and the male ensemble, who play guests and performers at her publication party. There are some great jazz harmonies written for this version of the song.

Plot changes are relatively few, but Simon wrote some new jokes and gags (I am assuming Martin Short contributed as well). Among them are a revised trial sequence in which the whole "criminal vaudeville performer" plot's similarity to later musical "Chicago" was spoofed, and a gag in which Short, playing Benny, goes to the bathroom just in time for his entrance as Schnitzler. The two characters then converse rapidly from in and out of the bathroom.

[darquegk]

Sorry to resurrect, but in his autobiography, Short confirms that he and the producers were the show doctors on the 1998 revival. The more you know...

 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Last night Chicago's Porchlight Theatre closed their concert of Little Me. They had two strong leads and an under-rehearsed ensemble. It was my first time seeing it live and two things surprised me. Young Belle is a better role than I realized if you cast a real clown and the leading man is a dull role if you stick to the script. The book sketches haven't aged well but when Matt Crowle engaged in shtick, slapstick, improv or a really long reaction the show was hilarious.

I tried a different art style for my comic this time, making Belle a bit of an Olive Oil figure instead of the typical va va voom vamp.



 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

SallyAdams, I love your website! The drawings are adorable and funny. I will be sure to visit it in the future.

On topic, Encores' Little Me was probably one of my favorite productions I've ever seen, on or off Broadway. The cast was brilliant, the music was fun, and it held my giggling interest from start to finish. I wish that had gotten a recording...I'd have snagged it in a heartbeat.

[newintown]

Terrific summary (and art), Mrs. Adams!

Interesting to be reminded of that Encores production, which was, to me, pretty much a total disappointment. I had completely forgotten that York played Younger Belle, that's how little an impression she made.

I didn't see the original production, but I did see the Garber-Coco and Short-Prince revivals. I enjoy the score enormously, but the only thing I really remember well from all three productions is how hilarious Martin Short was in his version - a true clown, the kind we rarely see today.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Thank you both!

Two questions for fans of the show:

Is Mrs. Egglesten a descent role? Last night she was a throwaway but I could see Harriet Harris making a meal of her.

What makes "I've Got Your Number" a showstopper? I've read Swen Swenson did some Fosse gyrating and that Michael Park did a striptease. Was the latter a Broadway Bares style affair or something simpler?

[newintown]

Mrs. Eggleston is a minuscule role, but an adept comic ham can always make something out of even the tiniest bit - look at Julie Halston in You Can't Take It With You, or Brooks Ashmanskas in Sunday In The Park With George.

I've never witnessed "I've Got Your Number" stop the show. It gets a good hand, but that's it. Rumor has it that Swenson was exceptionally sexy in the role, but you'll note that it didn't put him on the road to stardom.