The Word On The Street Is, Lauren Can't Cut It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               My favorite moment, in "Sweet Bird Of Youth," by Tennessee Williams, is when Miss Lucy walks into the gas station rest room and writes, on the mirror, in lipstick, "Boss Finley can't cut the mustard!"

                               I wish I had some lipstick, because I might sneak into the Beaumont rest room, and write the same about Lauren Ambrose in "My Fair Lady."   Not that I am surprised.

                              I have every intention of seeing this show, but, when the word I have heard from theater friends is mute, a showcasing video contains not a second of any of the actors singing a note, the ball gown looks as if it was leftovers from a production of "RAGS," and the general visual look of photos I have seen, suggests, not the elegant confection the show should be, but a dark version, as if "My Fair Lady" were morphing into "Sweeney Todd," things have gone from bad to worse!!!!!!!!!

                              What hell, hath Bartlett Sher, that great big old closet case, and one-time insurer of musical theater triumphs, wrought on  us now?

                                I don't get his obsession with Ambrose.  He tried to bring her to Broadway in "Funny Girl," but after her rendition of "My Man" went on YouTube, forget it!!!!!!!!!!  Now, no one gets to hear her sing till they pay for a ticket. Shrewd, Bartlett!  But then you ruin the audience, by holding them captive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Well, I have some news for you, girls!!!!!!!!!  Keep a careful eye on this production.  Because, I believe, history will repeat itself.  Forty years ago, Harold Prince's brilliant musical, "On The Twentieth Century," opened, at the St. James Theatre.  I saw it late in previews, so the show was pretty frozen.  Kevin Kline was guaranteed the stardom he earned, John Cullum was magnificent--he and Madeline Kahn singing "Our Private World" gave me chills!!!!--but Madeline, as the show went on, I could tell was not up to the vocal demands of the role.  She was straining already, so I knew she would not make it through the run.  And history was made for Judy Kaye.

                                  Kerstin Anderson is Ambrose's understudy in "My Fair Lady."  Keep an eye on her.  I think she will be playing the role more and more, until.....well, you  know the rest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Lauren and Bartlett will be banished to the Isle Of Whatever Became Of....?"

                                  I could be wrong.  I don't like eating humble pie, but, from an artistic viewpoint, I would love to be wrong.  But, somehow, I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   As Miss Lucy would say, Lauren Ambrose can't cut the mustard!!!!!!!!!!!!