GREY GARDENS at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 11:41am

I think I accidentally posted this on the OT Board:

PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY Produces GREY GARDENS

It's playing until June 28 and worth a trip from NYC to Philly.

First-rate, really. As someone who LOVED the Broadway production, I am not easily won-over, but win me over it did.

Hollis Resnick, Joy Franz and Kim Carson as the Edies are sensational. None of them "copies" the Broadway originator of her role (Christine Ebersole, Mary Louise Wilson and Erin Davie, respectively) but gives a superb performance with a unique perspective on her character.

The director, Lisa Peterson, has done an excellent job. I am very impressed. Some of the things in this production worked better for me than the Broadway version, and, again, that is high praise coming from someone who considers GREY GARDENS her favorite Broadway musical.

Go see it! (I plan to go back!)

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 12:00pm

Hollis Resnick as Little Edie:



From the recent Northlight Theatre production -- here's Hollis as Big Edie and Tempe Thomas as Little Edie:

[Pippin]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 12:22pm

I'm seeing it sometime this week. Can't wait. I never saw the broadway production, so I am thrilled to hear that you loved this one so much, Ms. P!

[fflagg]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 4:49pm

The production has an appallingly small orchestra, only about 7 pieces.

The Edies are very strong; although Big Edie in Act Two is a wee too robust-looking to exclaim "Edie, I'm starving!"

The male roles are not that well assayed; Joe-Jerry is better as Jerry; the Major is fine; Gould is weak. He is a tall, fey Daniel Hyde-Pierce without any sort of bite. He is just there and nothing more.

The mostly straight crowd did not get many of the comic visuals and other bits that worked so well on Bway. I hope it does well and reviews well.

But the main gripe is the small orchestra. The director has supposedly never directed musicals; that says something.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 8:05pm

Pippin, this is an excellent production to see if you haven't seen the Broadway show. The Studio Theatre in DC did GG a few months ago, and this production really makes clear what that one got wrong because it gets so much right! I'd really like to hear what you think about it.

[burntplains]

Posted: 5/25/09 at 9:13pm

I saw GG on B-way 6 times and am very familiar with the show. I was in D.C. to see N2N and decided to head over to The Studio Theatre to see GG and I absolutley hated Barbra Walsh. She doesn't have the vocals for Big/Little Edie.

I thought the entire show at The Studio Theatre was poorly done.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/26/09 at 3:37am

burntplains, you should see the production in Philly. I am fairly certain we feel exactly the same about the Studio production, but this one is revelatory by comparison.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/13/09 at 10:46pm

Saw the show again today and it is even better than it was on May 24. A thrilling production. Two weeks left for anyone thinking about making the trip to Philadelphia!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/13/09 at 11:49pm

"He is a tall, fey Daniel Hyde-Pierce"
How many things are wrong with that statement?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 6/13/09 at 11:56pm

The show in Philly is wonderful. I thought act 1 was more clearly directed then the Broadway version and really showed the genesis of the Edies we meet in the second act, something the Broadway version fell short on doing. My only complaint with act 1 was the projections. I am really not a fan of projections in general but the shifting floral patterns on the walls on the inside of the house was distracting. I think a black box would have worked better! When the projections work though (act 2) they worked well.
Big Edie in act 2, I thought missed some of the laughs in the dialogue due to a lack of comedic timing. A couple times I found myself thinking, "Wow, that fell flat!". Still though a strong show with new takes on the characters. Hollis is great and her Little Edie is very much one troubled with mental illness.