In fact I was surprised at what a wonderfully constructed show Chicago is. I really had no idea that it was going to be that good - just a vague awareness that the film-makers seemed to have been considered hard-pressed to match up to what worked in the theatre. Actually in the theatre the way the story plays out in a sort of metaphorical cabaret works on every level conceptually. There's only one thing the show lacks - and I don't mean this as a complaint, rather as requesting the almost impossible. The songs are very, very good, beautifully constructed, but they lack genius. Nothing in there is transcendent in the Sondheim/Richard Rogers sense. It's completely unfair to imply that the music should be that good, but it's a sign of the brilliance of everything else that I felt the lack (ever such a little) of that ultimate fulfilment.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Asking For More
Just a quick word about Chicago, which we watched last Sunday at The Esplanade. I can't do justice to the excellence of the production in a few words so I'll just say that the quote about the production being near flawless from an Aussie review was no exaggeration. Everything worked - simple as that.
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4 comments:
i more or less agree. i liked the fact that it was a very simple set that worked well. there was nothing complicated about it and i liked that. but i guess it is no different for other productions or for the movie even. i can only conclude that the whole concept and script of the musical is just brilliant because it is so simple but entertaining (and cynical perhaps?)
my only 'complaint' or rather, amusement with the production was with one of the chorus people who could not perform really well. but that was more amusing than upsetting for me.
Really? I can't honestly say I spotted the offending player. They all looked pretty good to me.
there was this one black performer with a mohawk. he was alright calefare. but there were some moments where he had to deliver some lines and they felt awkward. i dont know if they were using the same cast for all days though
Yes, I'm with you. The guy was on when we saw the show and he was a bit wooden in delivery - but a hell of a dancer. I think I took the awkwardness as adding to the charm of it all, the sense of theatricality in having a song and dance man do a bit of acting. (I hope that doesn't sound too patronising.)
I think you sometimes get that in musical theatre, similarly - and more obviously at times - in opera.
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