The show we went to see last night was "Soul Doctor," at the Circle In The Square Theatre, and, let me tell you, if you are a Musical Theater Queen, or studying Musical Theater, this is a show that should be seen. Not because it is great, but because it is a compendium of musical shows over the last 60 years. Let's see, in the course of the evening, I counted "The Sound Of Music," "Funny Girl," "Newsies," and "HAIR," among its influences.
This is a bio-musical, told in flashback (as was "Funny Girl") about the folksinging Rabbi, Shlomo Carlbach.. Eric Anderson plays him, and is very good, but he should be more than that. But he isn't. Something is lacking in his performance, primarily passion. No matter how much he gives of himself to the material, I never felt he gave enough. Or, frankly, that he had it in him to give.
But, he does not stand a chance, lambs. Because, once Amber Iman, as Nina Simone, walks onto that stage, she just steps over him, and walks off with the show! That is right, girls; she is so good, she pulls the focus from Anderson, to the point where I thought the show should have been rewritten and retitled "Nina!"
Even more troublesome than that is, once I did some investigating on my own, discovering that the creators, book writer Daniel S. Wise and lyricist David Schechter (the former actor, who appeared in Elizabeth Swados' "Runaways," back in 1978!!!!!!!!!) have basically made the whole thing up. I place the blame for this primarily on Wise, not Schechter!!!!!!!! There was no residency in Vienna, there was no attachment to Nina Simone, or estrangement from his father. The whole thing is a compendium of musical theater and dramatic cliches. You have GOT to see the student yeshiva dance number, darlings; it should have been called "Jewsies!!!!!!!!!!!!"
This show should have had the connection with its audience that something like "Rags" does, only neither material or star are that impassioned. I kept thinking, as I watched, if, had this been done in earlier times, with Mandy Patinkin or Theodore Bikel or Zero Mostel doing the lead, the show might have had the star it so desperately needs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It does, but like I said, that star is Amber Iman! I see a TONY Nomination in that lady's future!
I am sure theater artists have wanted to get their hands on Shlomo Carlbach's story for a long time! It is just too bad the wrong ones did. There may be a show here, (in the Sixties, it would have been called "Shlomo!") but this is not it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two on the aisle here is like a hand in the bush getting cut by thorns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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