My thoughts on WOMEN ON THE VERGE

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/16/10 at 12:09am

One must feel very bad for the team behind Lincoln Center Theatre's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. Not only do Bart Sher, David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane have to contend with opening their new, $5 million musical cold on Broadway, as the first show at the lovingly refurbished Belasco Theatre, but they have to contend with the hoards of internet commentators preaching how they're walking out and how the show just plain sucks.

Will WOMEN ON THE VERGE, based on the late-80's Spanish indie film by Pedro Almedovar, go down into the annals of theater history with GYPSY and WEST SIDE STORY? Probably not. But what Sher, Yazbek and Lane have crafted is an entertaining, well-intentioned, if flawed, work-in-progress. In fact, what we're seein gnow is akin to seeing Rodgers and Hammerstein's AWAY WE GO!

But what AWAY WE GO! had going for it is that it was a tryout. And of course, magical things happen during tryouts, like song additions, book rewrites, and title changes. Opening cold on Broadway puts the WOMEN ON THE VERGE team at a disadvantage, true. Should they have gone out of town? Probably, but they probably also didn't have that luxury.

So here are some suggestions and random musings.

What the production sorely lacks is spark. Yazbek's score has a handful of catchy, fun numbers. There's nothing instantly hummable, and a few of the tunes are colorless, but the recurring melody "My Crazy Heart," and the description of chasing that "lunatic moon" is haunting. But there are no show stoppers.

Lane's book favors some characters over others, and I wish there was more for Ivan (Brian Stokes Mitchell) and Marisa (Nikka Graff Lanzarone) to do. I also wish there was more time devoted to the budding romance between Candela (the luminous Laura Benanti) and Carlos (the effortlessly charming Justin Guarini). Yet overall, Lane dexterously weaves all of the stories together with finesse.

They're obviously experimenting with an ending, as the last two numbers listed in the program, a reprise of "Lie to Me" and "Shoes from Heaven" have been cut. The untied knots aren't satisfyingly tied yet, and the final moments are, as they stand now, a shoulder shrug.

Christopher Gatelli's choreography makes me yearn for someone like Sergio Trujillo to craft more exciting dance numbers. I'd also cut the second act opener, a colorless tune called "Madrid" (though well-sold by Danny Burstein as the Taxi Driver-come-sometimes-narrator, another aspect that should be dealt with), and replaced by the colorful, genius number "Tangled." Perhaps Ivan's fun number "Yesterday, Tomorrow and Today," should be moved to the first act.

Sherie Rene Scott is a boring lead, though she really does know how to sell a ballad. She generally fades into the background whenever she's next to Benanti. (For the record, Benanti has the show's best number, a tongue-twisting patter song titled "Model Behavior."

And what of Ms. LuPone? Well, she looks like she's having the time of her life. Her enthusiasm is infectious.


Updated On: 10/16/10 at 12:09 AM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/16/10 at 2:08pm

Thanks for your thoughts. Optimistic, but the character development issues seem to still stand. Can't wait to see it again though.

[once a month]

Posted: 10/16/10 at 11:16pm

Saw the second preview and thought it entertaining yet vastly confusing and over produced. I'd happily see it again if changes were made, because it was extremely interesting throughout. One thing for certain is that I was not bored and I'm glad I didn't leave early.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 12:23am

Just got back from the show tonight. Definitely not a disaster. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. Especially Benanti. And I've not been a fan of hers in years past, but she NAILED it tonight. I thought she was just fantastic.

It still needs tightening, clearing up, maybe some re-writes, but they do still have till November 4th. I think once some changes are made, this could be a pretty good show. I don't see why anyone would see it as a mess, but maybe they've already tightened a lot in a week.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 10/18/10 at 5:25pm

Especially Benanti. And I've not been a fan of hers in years past, but she NAILED it tonight.

THIS. She stole the show.


I saw the show last Wednesday and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I went in with almost no expectations, not really knowing anything about it, but I had a lot of fun. That's what it is - fun.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/18/10 at 5:27pm

I saw the show last Wednesday and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I went in with almost no expectations, not really knowing anything about it, but I had a lot of fun. That's what it is - fun.

That is exactly how I would describe my experience.