David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
Can't sing is an opinion. I didn't mean it literally. Of course he can carry a tune, but he's nothing special. I just don't see the appeal or why he was a Gabe u/s on Broadway. He looks like 35. And I don't think he'll be able to hold his own against Wolfe.
I'm not really familiar with Adam Kantor, but in the videos I think his Jamie comes across as how I always think of the character--cute and charming but also a douchebag. So I think he fits the role well, although of course it's hard to tell from clips of them recording songs.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
Have you ever met Adam? I think he's amazingly charismatic.
No one, but no one, can pull this one off like Norbert. His performance is so ALIVE on the cast recording, and his comic timing, physicality and musicianship were so effortless. In a way, it threw off the show...he certainly outshined Sherie (no small task) and the show titled heavily in Jamie's favor, because the performance was just outstanding.
That said, I couldn't for the life of me figure out who they were going to get for this revival who would come close. When I heard it was Adam, I thought "yeah, that makes sense." But his biggest challenge may be that he's far more handsome than Norbert, whose looks were appealing, but offbeat. I think he risks coming across as a frat-boy asshole and will have to overcome that.
And who knows--maybe time and distance, a happy marriage and a couple kids have given JRB a different perspective on that relationship, and he is willing to shift the audience's sympathies a little more in Cathy's direction. Ideally, the show should leave the audience seeing both sides of the argument, which I don't think it quite achieved in the original production.
And who knows--maybe time and distance, a happy marriage and a couple kids have given JRB a different perspective on that relationship, and he is willing to shift the audience's sympathies a little more in Cathy's direction. Ideally, the show should leave the audience seeing both sides of the argument, which I don't think it quite achieved in the original production.
I'm not sure that I agree with you there. The only people I know who side with Jamie and hate Cathy are the show's fangirls who love Norbert Leo Butz. Pretty much everyone I've seen on this board thinks that Jamie is a huge jerk. I agree that JRB probably tried to make Jamie more sympathetic, but I don't think that he succeeded.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
"And who knows--maybe time and distance, a happy marriage and a couple kids have given JRB a different perspective on that relationship, and he is willing to shift the audience's sympathies a little more in Cathy's direction. Ideally, the show should leave the audience seeing both sides of the argument, which I don't think it quite achieved in the original production."
This is why I think it's a mistake for JRB to direct the production. Very, very rarely are writers good at directing their own work, and this is a particularly thorny piece for him to have complete creative control over.
I love both of their voices. Besty, of course is amazing, but Adam has a unique sound that I like. Haven't seen or really researched the show, but can't wait to see it.
Meaning, sure, he can carry a tune but he doesn't do anything that's interesting. His voice is fine and passable, but it's nothing I need to listen to. Where as with Wolfe, I think she has such a great, strong voice.