"Luck Be A Lady Tonight" with the official GUYS & DOLLS revival love thread

[dramadude]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:39pm

I'll preface this by saying that the side orchestra seats were bad enough that we were able to move over four seats to the center right aisle.

The show itself was well worth the postponed two previews, with only one slight mishap being the revolving doors in act one took out a few chairs (and almost a chorus boy) as they were being tracked offstage.

The scenic design is pretty nice, combining realistic sets (not shadowed, or angled awkwardly to give depth like the '92 revival) and projections throughout most of the show. The eleven o'clock number being "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" was an all out riot. Titus Burgess was on fire and Mary Testa almost had me in tears... it was THAT GOOD.

Craig Bierko and Kate Jennings Grant probably had the best chemistry, but each couple did amazingly well for it being a first preview. There are not enough positive things that I can say about Lauren Graham, except...WOW.

In addition, Nick Adams shows his flesh as a boxer (in boxers) and as a policeman, for those of you who prefer their men in uniform.



Updated On: 2/9/09 at 11:39 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:43pm

How did Nick's Chippendale cop work?

And I am glad to hear positive things!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:44pm

Glad to hear it's good! I may rush it tomorrow...not sure. Thanks!

[willep]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:44pm

Ahhh!!! I have been waiting all day for these reviews!!! Thank you!!!

I am glad to hear it was worth it. How was Oliver??

[dramadude]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:48pm

Nick Adams was in full uniform as a policeman, sorry for the confusion. Oliver Platt did the role justice, but I think being a bit older out of his co-stars, he looked a little tired, both physically and mentally, but great acting and vocals nonetheless.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:48pm

Lauren Graham was PHENOMENAL, my personal favorite to ever play the part. The entire production was so much better than I could even have hoped for. Kate was radiant and Mary Testa's small part was enough to keep me laughing the entire night. I really hope this show does well. It deserves to be standing room only 8 shows a week for as long as it runs.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:49pm

How did the orchestra sound? How are the new orchestrations? And can someone count how many pieces there are from the Playbill?

[nlm]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:49pm

Don't have much more to add than what dramadude has said. Though I will say Oliver Platt (I'm a OP fan too) was the weakest out of the main four I thought. Craig was the most solid.

Also thought that Lauren started out probably with the most nerves at the beginning but once Adelaide's Lament came along those nerves had definitely disappeared and definitely overpowered Oliver in their pairing. The Sue Me scene with Adelaide eating the ice-cream for two cracked me up.

Mary was freaking hilarious.
Updated On: 2/5/09 at 11:49 PM

[willep]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:53pm

dramadude, thank you for the bit about Oliver! I am so glad to be hearing all this great stuff about the show!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:53pm

The orchestra sounded beautiful. And I counted, there were 17 pieces.

[willep]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:54pm

Yeah, I thought Oliver was....interesting casting. I still hope I get to see this cast. Maybe he'll get a bit better over time?

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:56pm

Nice to hear about the orchestra. Did the orchestrations sound much different at all from the 92 orchestrations?

[liotte]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:57pm

I liked it well enough, it was a little slow at times.

Agree about Oliver Platt, he seemed a bit tired, the other leads were great.

Mary Testa's 10 minutes on stage were great.

I loved Steve Rosen as Benny (ok, I may be biased).

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:57pm

Watching Oliver Platt in most of the show, I thought he was trying to do an impression of Jon Lovitz. It was quite odd at times.

[dramadude]

Posted: 2/5/09 at 11:59pm

On a side note, the inside of the Nederlander was gorgeous. In comparison to its predecessor, it could have been Carnegie Hall.

There were points in the production where the lighting was so intense between the stage and marquees surrounding the proscenium, I was glad to not be someone who is seizure-prone. The lighting, give or take a sensitive retina, was great nonetheless.

This afternoon when we bought our rush tickets, a good chunk of the outside of the Nederlander was still lime green and littered with graffiti, but when 7pm rolled around, it had all been crème-colored away.


Updated On: 2/6/09 at 11:59 PM

[DrVincento2]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:04am

Updated On: 2/6/09 at 12:04 AM

[liotte]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:06am

The dance in the sewer before Luck Be a Lady by the ensemble guys was fantastic.

Kearran Giovanni was also standout in the Havana scene as Carmen.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:06am

Well, I'd call the show 'uneven'. The orchestra is upstage, housed in a 3-tier structure, visible during the Hot Box numbers, but hidden behind a screen during the rest of the show. Projected on the screen are distracting and annoying CGI graphics (left over from WOMAN IN WHITE?) that do nothing but take away from the actors on stage.

Another gimmick by director Des McAnuff is to have actors arriving out of the orchestra pit like sea creatures in a bad 1950's Japanese 3-D horror movie.

You are correct about Craig Bierko and Kate Jennings Grant having the best chemistry, since Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham have none. As Nathan Detroit, Platt seems to be alternately channeling James Cagney and Fred Flintstone. As Miss Adelaide, Graham avoids any of Vivian Blain's iconic characterization, but fails to come up with a memorable one of her own. You never understand what attracts them to each other.

Yes, "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" just about blows the roof off the Nederlander (despite the idiotic clouds being projected on the screen), but neither of the Hot Box numbers really get off the ground. The Crapshooters Ballet is nothing short of thrilling, and the big, creamy Loesser ballad "I've Never Been in Love Before" simply soars. Perhaps as the cast gets more comfortable in their roles, they'll relax and simply enjoy the fact that they're in one of the best musicals ever written. If that happens, I think we'll relax and enjoy it more too.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:07am

Are they selling windowcards yet?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:09am

I agree with hushpuppy. It's their first preview. By March all will be good. I have no idea how Mary could top tonight, after what I've read, but all will be better.

[Actor 7]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:11am

Glad to hear so many good comments. Has the theatre itself finished with all the new renovations or are they still working on it? What does the "new" inside of the theatre look like? I saw some photos posted here last night but they looked like they might have been taken some time ago. Also glad the orchestra size is 17. Must have sounded good. These days it's good to hear they even have an orchestra with the economy in such a state.

[nlm]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:14am

iluvtheatertrash, I didn't see any today. They've got the merchandise going though.

The problem I had with the Oliver/Lauren pairing was more to do the way Oliver was playing the role. I don't know, they just need to change his interpretation on the role.

But I think they'd be happy they got through their first preview in front of an audience without any major hitches. After the previews, etc they'll have all the kinks eliminated by opening night.

Must also add the video screens were incorporated into the production really well and the Nederlander is absolutely gorgeous.

[dramadude]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:16am

No windowcards that I saw. They're selling magnets, t-shirts, mugs, keychains, and CDs of the Original Broadway Cast (1950's production).

[willep]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:19am

Ok, so this is going to get asked anyways, so I guess I will do it. Anybody go to the stage door? If so, what was it like/who came out?

[heo1128]

Posted: 2/6/09 at 12:21am

I should not be reading these reviews. You guys are making me want to sell my Billy Elliot ticket and get a G&D ticket....Glad to hear Lauren is a success!