THE LITTLE MERMAID – Broadway 2009

Now that Disney gave us the live action remake of their animated classic THE LITTLE MERMIAD, it seems a good time to go back to my Broadway trip of 2009 when I saw their stage adaption of that movie. 

Yes, I saw it 14 years ago and, at the time, I wrote this little review, that now I share it with you, plus images of the Broadway show brochure:

"The most childish of Disney’s stage musicals, this corny musical is more suitable for a Disneyworld performance than for a Broadway stage. There are some good scenic ideas, the cast was convincing, the score sounds great, but that’s it. The choreography is appalling and the “Under the Sea” number resembles a Las Vegas show, the costumes are strikingly terrible and, after a while, the “roller tennis” gimmick stops working. The Ursula (a terrific Heidi Blickenstaff) numbers are the best thing about the show, but they don’t save it."

Cast: Sierra Boggess, Sean Palmer, Heidi Blickenstaff, Norm Lewis, Rogelio Douglas Jr., Eddie Korbich, Jonathan Freeman, Trevor Braun, Eric LaJuan Summer, Joe Abraham 

Creative Team: Music by Alan Menken • Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater • Book by Dough Wright • Choreography by Stephen Mear • Directed by Francesca Zambello

My Rate: 4 (from 1 to 10) / Photos: Joan Marcus

SOME LIKE IT HOT – London 1992

Cast: Tommy Steele, Billy Boyle, Mandy Perryment, Royce Mills, Veronica Clifford,  Edward Phillips, Steven Osborne, Les Want, Jonathan Owen, Douglas Anderson, David McEwan, Mason Taylor, Christopher Connah, Graham Hoadly, Natasha Haslam, Victoria Lynson, Sharon White, Susan Freebury, Moira Hartley, Kim Harwood, Cathryn Fort-Reynolds, Emma Taylor, Anna David, Stephanie Claire Hicks, Alexandra Moore, Samantha Murray, Stephen Mear

Creative Team: Music by Jule Styne • Lyrics by Bob Merrill • Book by Peter Stone • Based on the Screenplay by Billy Wilder & I. A. L. Diamond suggested by a story by Robert Thoeren • Choreography by Norman Maen • Directed by Tommy Steele 

My Rate: 4 (from 1 to 10)

The Plot: Two male musicians who witness a mob murder are forced to run for their lives and hide from their persecutors by disguising as women and became part of an all-female band. The problem is that one of them falls in love with the band singer and the other one becomes the love interest of a male millionaire.

The Show: The 1959 movie by Billy Wilder is my all-time favorite comedy and one of the best movies in the History of the Cinema with a cast made in heaven: Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe e Joe E. Brown. I guess Wilder probably never dreamt that one day his movie would become a stage musical, but it happened when SUGAR open on Broadway, in 1972. With an enjoyable score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill (the team responsible for FUNNY GIRL), the cast included Robert Morse, Tony Roberts, Elaine Joyce and Cyril Ritchard and the show run of 505 performances.

I guess many of you know that a new musical adaptation of the movie will open soon on Broadway. As for SUGAR, 20 years later after it’s Broadway opening, in March of 1992, a new version renamed SOME LIKE IT HOT opened at the West End and on a London trip in May of that year I managed to get tickets to see it.

For what I remember and according to what I wrote back then, the problem of this production was also it’s biggest selling point, Tommy Steele. In the role created by Tony Curtis, Steele became the main character of the show, and he didn’t convince me. All smiles, he never stopped being himself and gone was the sexual ambiguity of his character. The fact that he was also the director of the show didn’t help, being that he built it around himself, and was more interested in the musical numbers serving him and not the show. It’s a pity because it was a well-oiled production, with a talented company where Billy Boyle was funny in the Jack Lemmon role and Mandy Perryment had the Marilyn Monroe look.

But what I really enjoyed (and still do) is the score. It may not be the best work of Jule Styne, but there’s a lot of good songs and some new tunes that weren’t part of the SUGAR score. I confess I don’t know if they were written specially for this version, but there’s the funny “Dirty Old Men” and “I’m Naïve”, the delicious “Sugar Shell” and the exciting tittle song, “Some Like It Hot”. While other songs were changed, “What Do You Give to a Man Who Has Everything” for example, being turned into a big production number.

Curiously the thing I best remember is the scene where Steel tells Perryment that “being with a girl does nothing to me”, and both started laughing out of character. That’s live theatre and I love it! As for the show, it had its moments, with a contagious final number.

COMPANY – London 1995: A Theatre Review

Cast: Adrian Lester, Rebecca Front, Clive Rowe, Clare Burt, Gareth Snook, Liza Sadovy, Teddy Kempner, Sophie Thompso, Michael Simkis, Sheila Gish, Paul Bentley, Anna Francolini, Kiran Hocking, Hannah James

Creative Team: Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • Book by George Furth • Musical Staging by Jonathan Butterell • Directed by Sam Mendes

My Rate: 10 (from 1 to 10) / Photos: Mark Douet

Introduction Notes: Now that a new production of COMPANY opened in London, it’s time for me to revisit the 1995 Donmar Warehouse production. I was lucky to saw it twice; first at the Donmar and, a few months later, at the Albery Theatre for where it was transferred. I love it both times and I’m sharing here the “review” I wrote back in 1995. I was 31 years old at the time… how time flies!

This production won the Olivier Awards 1996 for Best Director, Best Actor in a Musical for Adrian Lester and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Sheila Gish; it also won the Critics Circle Award 1996 for Best Musical.

The Plot: Bobby is a lone bachelor and his married friends decide to give him a surprise party to celebrate his 35^thBirthday. Before blowing the candles, Bobby thinks about his life, specially his relationships.

The Show: This is a musical masterpiece! The book by George Furth is intelligent, with terrific lines, and lives in perfect harmony with Stephen Sondheim’s words. To tell the truth, it's impossible to know when the work of one end and the others began. Unforgettable and original, this is a modern classic, which revealed to the world one of Sondheim's best scores!

Sam Mendes took full advantage of the single set he had at Donmar Warehouse’s small stage. Paying equal attention to the small details as he did to the big ones, he transformed this production into an unforgettable experience. Being at ease with the hilarious sequences as well with the dramatic ones, he makes us care for the characters, involving us into their games. 

The cast couldn’t be better, and everyone lives their characters lively and emotionally. Of course, for obvious reasons, some of the roles shine more than others. In the leading role of Bobby, Adrian Lester plays it with heart and soul, giving a great realistic performance. His Bobby is real, and we really care for him!

But, besides Lester, the truth is that the show belongs to the ladies, specially to two of them.     As the alcoholic Joanne, Sheila Gish stopped the show with her powerful "The Ladies Who Launch". As the freaked bride, Sophie Thompson brought down the house with her touching and funny rendition of "Getting Marry Today". Both actresses were absolutely amazing, but the other females of the company were also very good.

The score has some of Sondheim’s best songs and the cast gave them a new life, making them, once again, unforgettable. There are only two dance numbers, and both were a joy to watch. “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” is brilliantly effective on its simplicity. “Side by Side by Side / What Would We Do?” is a true showstopper; full of originality and humour, was truly hilarious and one of the best dance numbers I saw on stage.

From the haunting opening number to the blew of the candles at the final, this revival is a unique event, of those that only happens once in a lifetime!

Jorge's Place presents

Table of contents in alphabetical order – just click on the titles.

- THE BOOK OF MORMON - London 2013- CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - London 2013- DREAMGIRLS - London 2017- FOLLIES - London 2017- 42ND STREET - London 2017- A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - London 1996- MATILDA - London 2013- ON THE TOWN - Broadway 1998- THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - London 2013- SIDE SHOW - Broadway 1997- THE VISIT - Chicago 2001- YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN - London 2017