My very, very, very belated review of the Music Man's most recent Broadway revival
I suppose it is long past time that I sat down and wrote out my thoughts about the 2021 Broadway revival of The Music Man. Especially as I saw it all the way back in August. As I get older, I'm finding that my capacity to recall the finer details of a book, movie, or show is beginning to elude me, so I better post this entry before all memory of ( Read more... )
I apparently still get LJ notifications, and I'm so glad 'cause it send me your review! We saw the revival in April - I'm glad you eventually got to see it, but what a pain with all the rescheduling! Totally agree 100% re: not paying that much money for an understudy.
I had a similar mixed review - I loved Hugh Jackman, and didn't really mind it being the Hugh show, or the singing since Harold's always been a weak singer. And I liked Sutton's acting as Marian (you're right on about the comedic timing - she definitely found the humor, and especially the physical comedy--and she is a great actress. I was watching her face really closely when Winthrop was singing his part during "Wells Fargo Wagon" and she made me cry...though to be fair that is one of my favorite parts and I always cry) but I hated her singing, especially on My White Knight. Well, hated is strong - I think I would have liked it if I hadn't heard/known/loved the original, if that makes sense?
I actually really liked the changes to Shipoopi - I definitely see where you're coming from, but I didn't mind the changes at all. The dancing was definitely awesome - I did love that. The only part of the dancing that I didn't love was at the end - the show has always ended a bit abruptly but here it really felt to me like "ok show's over let's show you more Hugh and Sutton dancing!!" which I didn't love.
However, I loathed the changes to the lyrics for Shipoopi. It felt like empty pandering more than anyone else. No one asked for this "update." Those who find the original lyrics offensive are likely to find the whole show problematic and probably not bother seeing it, anyway. And however old-fashioned this show might be in certain respects, it will never be as disgusting or offensive as Carousel!
Aw, cute that your daughter got to meet Hugh! (also I feel old now 'cause I remember commenting on your posts when she was super super little!) Also I feel you on the merch...we spent way too much, and they didn't even have a souvenir program with photos! Also, the odds of this one being filmed are probably better than most shows, since it's Hugh starring in it...but yea, I'm not holding my breath either.
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Hey, great to hear from you! Glad you got to see the show, too. :)
Regarding Sutton Foster's acting - I read an interview where she talked about Winthrop's transformation and the way it really touched her on a personal level and affected her acting choices, and how it was something she didn't entirely grasp before she became a parent. (Not that people without children wouldn't understand - this was just her personal experience. I myself fell in love with the Music Man because of Winthrop's transformation, and this was years before I had my daughter! I always thought, parent or not, that Winthrop's transformation was truly the emotional core of the show - if you can't buy that, and how that subsequently influenced Harold's transformation, the musical just doesn't work.)
I'm unfortunately not able to be as active in the fandom as I once was, due to working full time and getting back into community theater (today I've got a show where I'm playing Fred's wife in A Christmas Carol), but I've got an epic series planned that's going to knit two of my favorite fandom universes together - The Music Man and Sleepy Hollow (1999). Here's hoping 2023 will be a more fruitful year for writing!
Hope you are well! (◠‿◠✿)
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