Was there tonight, again. Was pleased to see Betsy Wolfe's confession, which she knocked out of the park. Jessie Mueller sounded a little sick, but still made a great impression.
Having seen the same lovers pairing (Puffer and Deputy), I wasn't as taken with it this time around. The dip, nasty_khakis, is part of the staging. The Deputy did a little dance during one of his lines that was cute, but everything else was exactly as it was last Saturday.
"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.
Yeah, I assumed it was staged since it would take a lot of trust to be spontaneous. I've seen the show three times now and am amazed how how the cast makes everything look new, fresh, and spontaneous. I know they're not so far into the run to get bored, but all the laughs and smiles during the voting and lovers song seem entirely genuine.
I agree Betsy Wolfe was brilliant during her confession. She was the right amount of crazy without getting too campy--she had me in stitches. I really want to see Neville and Helena picked as the lovers just to see how they play the awkwardness. Guess I'll have to see it again...and again. :)
I saw the show in it's 5th preview, by which time Helena was both Datchery and a candidate for Lover. Chita won the later vote by a landslide, leading Betsy and Jessie to perform Wayne's World-style genuflects as they backed away.
I've also noticed that the scripts for the lover's segments have been changed so Chita has the same line in all of them: "So, you want me to show you the way of the world? The Lay of the Land, eh?" Or at least this is true of the pairings I've seen: Puffer with Bazzard, Deputy and Crisparkle.
Datchary: Bazzard Murder: Rev. Mr. Crisparkle Lovers: Puffer and The Deputy
The Murderer was a surprising choice, but I found Gregg Edelman's confession song was just OK the small scene after was funny though. The song was just "eh"
Went to the matinee today knowing nothing about the show, I had purposefully avoided all spoilers.
Datchery: Bazzard (dead even with Helena - a man in the front row was asked to be the deciding vote) Murderer: Rosa Bud Lovers: Helena Landless and the Deputy
Had a great time. Betsy Wolfe's confession was wonderful (she beat Jasper by only seven votes) and Jessie Mueller was hilarious with the Deputy.
Question about the murderer: if Jasper is selected, does his confession simply stand and Durdles doesn't interrupt to say he can't let it go on?
And a question about the whole ending: how different are the various confessions? Safe to assume it's same music, different lyrics? I was really rooting for some more from Neville, but he didn't seem to be a real vote-getter
I started a blog! Cause I'm a nerd. http://100showsayear.blogspot.com/
Officially, yes, Jaspar's confession is supposed to stand if he is voted the murderer, but since the audience is dissuaded from voting for him, he is rarely selected the murderer. (Apparently he was never selected during the original run of the show.) I believetThere is a suggestion from Rupert Holmes in the licensed score that if Jaspar is selected, the race be "fixed" so that the first runner up is given the murderer's confession. No idea what the broadway production (which has a tally board) would do if he wins.
The confessions differ significantly, especially because Rupert Holmes has revised three of them since the original broadway run. All confessions begin with a verse of the same music (those awesome crashing chords) before moving on to music associated with the character. Puffer, for example, segues into "The Wages of Sin" and Durdles' confession is a reprise of "Off to the Races." Originally, the confessions of Rosa, Helena, Neville and Crisparkle were all the same music, though Helena's was in a different key. Just as Jaspar's does, they begin with "A Man can go quite mad" before moving into a section based on a cut song called "When shall we three meet again" (The section that goes "But the night was far from bright/thick with wet and thunder" etc.), then ending with "No Good can come from Bad". Bazzard's also begins with "A Man can go quite mad" but then transitions into "Never the Luck."
Holmes revised Helena, Neville and Crisparkle's confessions to be based on "A British Subject." I can't decide if this is an improvement or not.
Saw the show Wednesday night, as well, and had a blast! (Though, admittedly, some of this might've had to do with sitting in the front row so Rosa Bud bounced on my lap during There You Are and Chita talked to me during The Wages of Sin, but a good time is a good time!)
Awesome show tonight, GREAT audience....everyone sounded fantastic, and it was evident they were having a blast up there! So inspiring! Chita was particularly great vocally and in general tonight.
Datchery: Bazzard Murderer: Rosa Bud Lovers: Helena and Neville
Peter Benson has grown on me! So adorable!!! Glad to see Rosa's Confession, but I voted for Helena this time, because I saw Rosa's the last time. Oh well! Next time! (Wednesday)
"Someone tell the story...Someone sing the song...."
It's now officially my DREAM to see Helena and Neville as the Lovers. I know it's happened a bit so I hope I get to catch that delicious piece of awkward hilarity.
It was HILARIOUS!!! So I hope you see it eventually. By the way, Since no one saw the show Thursday night, I was able to see the results from the previous night when I picked up my tickets this afternoon.
Datchery: Bazzard Murderer: Helena Landless
Rosa won tonight with a whopping 250 votes, followed by Puffer with 150.
"Someone tell the story...Someone sing the song...."
Was there tonight as well, seeing the show for the 2nd time. Bummed that we got Rosa as the murderer, since, great as her song is, I saw her last time. But I was THRILLED to see Bazzard as Datchery (he may be the most common result, but when I saw it last he wasn't selected at all) and ESPECIALLY about Helena and Neville. They were absolutely hilarious. The best part, though, was the obnoxious audience member in my section who, during their song, as the audience laughed and squealed, decided to loudly and with zero irony chime in with: "They're just actors, they're not REALLY brother and sister!!".
I had something similar happen. I was sitting towards the front, and an elderly couple next to me seemed to think the performers were directly speaking to them every time they broke the fourth wall. Needless to say, there were quite a few yelled responses back that irked more than a few around us.
Datchery: Bazzard Killer: Helena Landless Lovers: Puffer and Neville Landless
It was hilarious: Andy Karl forgot his line in the beginning of his scene with Chita and said so, cracking Chita and the company up. Later on he joked about Puffer being able to handle his 'Pelvic Cobra', and pulled the pockets of his pants inside out and made some suggestive hip movements. The whole company on stage was laughing their heads off - and so was the audience.
That was the result the first night I saw the show, which also happened to be a Saturday night. Actually I love it when Helena is Datchery, and Rosa's Confession is my favorite! Looking forward to going back!
"Someone tell the story...Someone sing the song...."
I thought the audience was kind of dead (no pun intended) tonight.
There wasn't as much laughter at the stuff that has gotten laughs in the past. They seemed very appreciative of the sets (which are gorgeous) and the cow costume during "An English Music Hall" (WTF).
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Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:55pm