Shows That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread

[scenicdesign71]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/07/theater/diana-musical-defense.html

While I still think Diana: The Musical is garbage, I enjoyed this good-humored and beautifully-written apologia in today's NYT.

[scenicdesign71]

In case anyone's interested: a few weeks ago someone texted me this slime tutorial about "a girl who falls in love and becomes an actor," led until recently here in NYC by a woman whose almost-too-perfect affinity for the material was finally rewarded, and duly applauded, last year after more than a decade of being sidelined for reasons about which I could never seem to work up any real curiosity.

But then, Funny Girl itself has always left me cold.  Even before this year's strike-related work stoppage, back when money wasn't so tight, I still couldn't bring myself to spend any on seeing this revival in person (it closed here last month, not long after recouping its investment, and is now out on tour with no one I've heard of).  Still, "free, in my PJs, and desperate for entertainment" fit the bill after my friend sent me the link last week – and, for what it's worth, watching this very-good capture did inspire my first-ever mild glimmer of appreciation for the story, and particularly for its two leads, who capably carry an otherwise only-okay production.  (In fairness to the creative team, even with stars as ideal as Michele and Karimloo -- plus Feldshue, indispensable as Rosie -- and book refurbishment by Harvey Fierstein, I'm still not sure there really is such a thing as a better-than-okay production of FG).

...Gee, still not sold?    This glossily pro-shot trailer might do the trick:

[scenicdesign71]

In spite of my well-known ambivalence toward Jellicle cats, this has kinda intrigued me ever since it was announced a few months ago.  Next week my friend Kis will be hosting an out-of-town guest who very much wants to see it, and for a while I considered going with them.  In the end, Kis and I both decided against (her guest will be seeing it with someone else), but it does still sound interesting enough to give me paws (see what I did?) about giving it a pass.  (On the other hand, if I manage to see Jamie Lloyd's Sunset Boulevard this fall, maybe that will be enough ALW for one year).

NYT (feature):  Cats Returns, Ditching the Junkyard for Queer Ballroom

NYT (review):  A 10th Life for Those Jellicle Cats, Now on the Runway

TimeOut NY (review):  Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Facebook:  Scenic Design for CATS: The Jellicle Ball



HAPPY * PRIDE !

[DiveMilw]

I am very interested in seeing this version of Cats.  I saw a short video and it looks very intriguing.  I wonder if the concept can remain fresh and interesting for the entire show.  Sadly, I doubt I will make it to NYC before it closes unless it extends indefinitely.  

[scenicdesign71]

Among the handful of reviews of Broadway's Smash that I've read so far, Adam Feldman's in Time Out reads to me as the one I might most readily agree with, were I to actually see the show (which isn't beyond the realm of possibility):

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/smash-broadway-musical-review-brooks-ashmanskas-robyn-hurder

I especially like his final summation:

"Behind every hit musical...is a hot mess," teases one of Smash's advertising taglines.  But what's behind a flop?  Maybe it's something like the warm mess we get here.  They throw spaghetti at the wall and, when nothing sticks, they shrug and serve the spaghetti.

Most of the less-good reviews (which notably do not include Jesse Green's NYT rave) seem to share Feldman's own good-natured shrug, noting (albeit sometimes mournfully) that Smash onstage, while not great, isn't the fiasco of mostly-unintentional camp that the original series swiftly became — and that, indeed, notwithstanding a few specific elements and moments, even intentional camp isn't really the stage version's brand of comedy.  Personally, I'd call pleasantly watchable mediocrity a significant step up from failure so frustrating it inspired the sorry concept of "hate-watching".

At the unreservedly positive end of the spectrum, along with Green, is David Cote's tickled-pink defense of the stage version, flaws notwithstanding, as sorely-needed, expertly-served escapist fluff.  HIs review also stands out for wasting fewer words than just about anyone else on comparisons, good or bad, with the original series.  If nothing else, it does sound as though taking a very free hand with the original story and characters was probably an excellent idea on the adaptors' part.