TWO BY TWO revival?

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 7:22pm

I saw this show while it was in previews in Boston. I was a kid and a cousin of mine took me.

So now, 49 years later, I wonder if this show could work again? I encourage people to listen to the OBC Recording with Danny Kaye from 1971. I’m listening to it now. 
 

i wonder who could play Noah now? John Cullum would’ve been great a while back.
 

Madeline Kahn was great in this show, too.... 

Is anyone here in favor of a revival? Try to listen to the OBC Recording...

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 7:31pm

This was one of the first recordings that got me involved with my love  of theater. I would act  out all the parts.

I have no idea if this would work today, but I'd love for someone to try.

 

To be honest, Ive never actually seen the show.

Updated On: 1/13/20 at 07:31 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 7:53pm

The York did a revival/reading with Jason Alexander and Tovah Feldshuh a few years ago.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 8:06pm

I have the recording. TWO BY TWO should be left in the vault with I REMEMBER MAMA. Despite the disdain of Sondheim and Laurents, DO I HEAR A WALTZ? and at least the score of NO STRINGS (it badly needs a revised and wittier book) are the better choices for revivals from the Rodgers-post-Hammerstein period.

IMHO, obviously. If the OP and Dramamama like TWO BY TWO, I'll happily agree to disagree. But accounts from people who worked on the show on Broadway suggest audience response was so poor that Danny Kaye ended up doing two hours of extraneous schtick. Of course, that might be a chicken/egg thing.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 9:20am

Saw the show with Danny Kaye without his wheelchair. From what I recall I did like it .Not the greatest but far from the worst

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 9:32am

I had the pleasure of playing Noah in this show several years ago. It is an audience pleaser, if done right. Noah needs a true comedian performance to be pulled off correctly - in the same vein as Tevye and, especially, Pseudolus. Nathan Lane could probably do it justice. Maybe Harvey Fierstein. I'm sure there's others, but no one else comes to mind right now.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 10:20am

Not unless Robin Williams come back to life to play Noah.

Though it might be nice to see it at Encores.. has Encores ever done it?

[Mark Waltz]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 12:45pm

How could they do the title song without it coming off as a rip-off of "The Lion King" opening? I'm not sure if they had actors in animal costumes in the original, but if the theater aisles were all of a sudden besieged by elephants, dancers spinning around the birds and attempts to carry giant snakes, the audience would instantly think "Circle of Life" even though "Two By Two" was written long before,

On the other hand, I fantasize about whom they would cast in the Madeline Kahn role to sing "The Golden Ram" up there with "Babette" from "On the Twentieth Century" for one of the funniest solos ever simply because of how Madeline did it. 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 10:57pm

GavestonPS wrote: I have the recording. TWO BY TWO should be left in the vault with I REMEMBER MAMA. the recording. TWO BY TWO should be left in the vault with I REMEMBER MAMA.

Ha ha! I saw “I Remember Mama” twice on Broadway (once was more than enough). I think “Two by Two” is far superior...

With the right Noah, I still think this  could work today.

Updated On: 1/13/20 at 10:57 PM

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 1/14/20 at 8:47am

i remember 2nd-acting this show while on Broadway...and when my friend and i left the theatre we were very happy we did not have to pay for a ticket!...and we saw Danny Kaye and Madeline Kahn on stage and came away thinking that Kahn was terrific and Kaye mugged the whole second act...