BWW Reviews: Day 5 – LA CAGE AUX FOLLES / THE DIVINE SISTER

Well, it's my last day here Dear Readers and I certainly sent it out with a bang.  Let's get right to it shall we?

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Based on the French film of the same name, this Jerry Herman tuner has been kicking its stiletto heels around for years.  In fact we just had a revival of it back in 2005.  So why another one now?  Well, probably due to the success of the London production the Menier Chocolate Factory put on.  And that was largely due to the brilliant new direction of it by Terry Johnson as well as its star Douglas Hodge in the role of Albin.  When something is that good in London you know they just have to bring it over to the states.  But more on that in a minute, let's talk story.

The basic premise is we have a gay couple Albin and Georges who own the hottest drag club in St. Tropez, La Cage Aux Folles and the hottest drag star at that club is Albin's alter ego, Zsa Zsa.  Life is good for this couple although since it's only the 80's they can't really show their affection to each other in public.  But they have a wonderful career and have raised a wonderful son, Jean-Michel.  But when Jean-Michel comes home and tells his parents that he is getting married, they are none too happy at the thought of losing their little boy (who's not so little at 24).  To make matters worse, the girl he is marrying, Anne, is the daughter of a conservative politician, Dindon, who has vowed when he is elected to close down all those perverted gay clubs.  So when the prospective in-laws come over to meet Jean-Michel and his parents, Jean-Michel convinces his father Georges that the evening would go smoother if his biological mother, Cybil, was there and Albin was not.  But when Cybil fails to show up, well you can guess what happens.

Now I saw the 2005 production when it had Gary Beach and the late Robert Goulet in it and it was lovely.  Beach was amazing and just a chance to see Goulet was worth the ticket.  But this production is, well ... if the 2005 production were hamburger, this production would be filet mignon.  The show is pared down so there's more of an intimate night club feel and the Cagelles are not such "pretty girls" (but they are pretty boys).  Oh and they all have their own characters.  And that's what this show has over any other production I've seen, character.  They dwell less on the drag aspect and so much more on the human one.  We get to know everyone and really see who they are and what they want and it makes the play so much more personal.

Hodge has come "across the pond" to reprise his role he did so well in London and apparently the Yanks like him too since he won the Tony for his performance.  And rightly so.  He brings so much warmth and heart to the role and still has the gut busting funny moments.  Kelsey Grammer is very nice as Georges and has his moments to shine as well but never quite got to the level Hodge did.  And I must also mention A.J. Shively as Jean-Michel.  Finally someone understands how to make this character likable.  In most productions he just comes across as a spoiled brat and then finally apologizes when things don't come out the way he planned.  But Shively actually showed that he knew what he was asking would hurt Albin and he was sorry for it but he did what he did for love. 

All in all a wonderful production and I'm so glad I saw it before Hodge left to go back to the West End.

Tickets for "La Cage Aux Folles" are on sale through Telecharge.com at 212-239-6200, online at www.telecharge.com/lacage and at the Longacre Theatre box office (220 West 48th Street).  For more information visit them online at www.LaCage.com.

Photos Credit: Joan Marcus

THE DIVINE SISTER

Charles Busch is back and this time he's got God on his side with "The Divine Sister"!  In his latest play we follow the Mother Superior (Busch) as she tries to raise the money to rebuild her dilapidated old convent and school.  But it's not such an easy task for her and Sister Acacius (Julie Halston) as there is a mysterious new German nun at the order stirring up trouble, Sister Walburga (Alison Fraser), a wealthy old atheist, MrS. Levinson (Jennifer Van Dyck) who won't part with any of her money, a daffy postulate, Agnes (played by Marcy McGuigan the night I saw it) who claims she sees images of the Saints everywhere and can heal the sick and an old flame of the Mother Superior, Jeremy (Jonathan Walker) who is trying to tempt the Mother Superior away from her vows while also trying to secure the rights to make a movie based on Agnes.  It's Busch's hilarious send up of the religion movies of the 50's and 60's like "The Song of Bernadette", "The Bells of St. Mary's" and of course, "The Sound of Music".  And Busch has never been funnier.  He does what only he can do, take the style of these classics and twist around the stories til they cry uncle (or maybe Mother). 

Busch is, of course, hysterical as the Mother Superior giving over blown glances and blanches in every scene.  And he's brought along his former partner in crime, Halston, and she's right up to the task to match him laugh for laugh.  The rest of this outrageous ensemble is brilliant as well but I have to make special note of Fraser.  Her dominatrix like Sister had the audience in stitches from the first moment she opened her mouth and that squeaky Fraulein popped out. 

The entire show is just classic Busch getting back to what he does best.  I loved his previous play, "The Third Story" as well but it was much more complex.  Here, he's just back to the silly and goofy send ups and I couldn't be more pleased.  Be sure to catch it before it's gone or you're sure to go to Hell!

"The Divine Sister" is currently playing at the SoHo Playhouse at 15 Vandam Street.  For more information visit them online at www.SoHoPlayhouse.com.

Photo credit: David Rodgers

And that brings us to a close of my fabu New York trip.  I will, of course have the long awaited Day 2 for you later this week and yes, I'll be back with more Seattle reviews as they come up.

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