Once upon a time, darling, critics reviewed the show they saw before them. As the reviews of "The Music Man" demonstrated, now they are reviewing shows not for what they are, but what they wish them to be.
I admit I am worried about Sutton Foster. I have not seen the show yet but having grown up with Barbara Cook's soaring voice on the Cast Album, and Shirley Jones' lyric soprano in the 1962 film, I have to wonder how Sutton's Marian songs will soar.
Never have I thought of Winthrop of being anything more than Marian's kid brother. I am a Winthrop, too; my sister and I are fourteen years apart; she is older. So, all this implicit talk about Marian being knocked up, and Winthrop actually her illegitimate son is the New York critical cognoscenti projecting "Hamilton-ian" standards onto a musical set in 1912 Iowa, where if a girl got knocked up, well, she was sent away, pronto. Give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, Robert Preston may own the role, but Hugh Jackman is the best thing there is today! I think his stardom is resented; all that is wanted onstage today is ethnicity, unknowns, and material verging on what used to be called Guerilla Theatre.
It has its place. But not in "The Music Man." Who knows; maybe I will have reservations about the production, when I eventually see it. But judge the show on its own merits, because it is what it is, and not what Millennials wish it was today.
And the Winter Garden happens to be my favorite theater. I have always wanted to play there, many classics have, so it is the perfect house for this show.
The trouble may not be on stage. It may rest with overly politicized critics. In which case they should not review, as they have no objectivity.
Read my post, once I see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not sure what reviews you've been reading, RQ, but the many I've seen form a consensus exactly the opposite of what you're picking up. All seem to agree the huge problem with this production is precisely its crippling fear of millennial woke Twitterdom tearing apart the now-"offensive" elements that originally made the show a durable hit.
ReplyDeleteThe issue isn't "millennials projecting and wanting the show to mirror their beliefs" but that this particular production does do exactly that, cutting itself off at the knees in the process. Jackman has been directed in no uncertain terms to dim his masculine sex appeal from blowtorch to refrigerator bulb, which stops the show (and the entire point of casting him in the first place) cold. Also seemingly DOA are Santo Loquasto's odd set designs and multiple subtle but crippling tweaks to the book (altering the relationship between Jackman and the townspeople, Jackman and Foster, and among the townspeople themselves) into something that makes no sense to the premise of the show (thus rendering it completely moot).
Apparently the only things to come out of this misguided boat anchor production unscathed are the lead performance by Sutton Foster (who struggles mightily to breathe life into "updated for the times" Marian), and to a lesser extent the expected shine of old pro supporting actors like Jayne Houdyshell. Otherwise, the reaction of first wave audiences has been grumbling about wasted money, wasted COVID exposure risk, and bitter disappointment with the bait-and-switch Hugh Jackman performance.
Essentially, this is the live Broadway theater version of the Spielberg "West Side Story" debacle. Since you seemed able to overlook a lot of what ticked audiences off in that "re-imagining" and appreciate the production for what it was, you might have a similar ability to pierce the fog of "reinvention" obscuring this Music Man to appreciate the good qualities it does have. For all your quicksilver razor-sharp wit, you are at heart a softie who gives more slack for re-interpretation than most typical audiences: since you were looking forward to this so much, I hope its a wonderful event for you.
What degree is required to become a theater critic?
ReplyDeleteJournalism or communications?
Cinematography??
Are there internships??
I assume it’s one of those careers where you have to Know the right people to get your foot in the door
Mon Cher,
ReplyDeleteAu contraire. I abhor reinventions and reimaginings.
You may note I never posted about Spielberg's "West Side
Story." That is because it did not stay with me. Well, the
vocals did, but not the dancing. The latter is still better
in the 1961 film, muted and poetic, befitting what is a dark
musical.
I had heard "Shoboopie" had been altered, but that is it.
I can't say this will be the definitive "Music Man," but should
I see it I will give an honest accounting.
Victoria,
ReplyDeleteIt was my ambition to be a theater critic.
I majored in journalism, took a lot of theater and
literature classes.
I always wrote, for the school papers and such, but
int he real world you have to have connections. It
used to bother me, but I am fine now with this venue.