I Wanna Be A Producer in Ooooooklahoma!
This time it's a double whammy; as I saw not one but two shows last week, I thought I should put them together in one review rather than bombard you with posts. They're completely different shows; one's a classic, the other was made more recently; one has dancing cowboys, the other has dancing Nazis...What do they have in common over than I saw them in the first week? Like Blood Brothers, I had never seen either of them, and I had no idea what to expect.
So, what on earth am I talking about? Well, I'm first going to go into the UK Tour of Oklahoma! which I saw at Salford's Lowry; and then the UK Tour of The Producers which I saw at Manchester's Palace Theatre. Told you they're completely different.
***
Oklahoma! was, of course, written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstien II, who wrote hits such as Carousel, South Pacific and The Sound of Music - what is interesting is that it is the first out of their many hits that they wrote together, originally premièring on Broadway in 1943.
Set in Oklahoma (where else) in 1906, the year before it became a US state, Oklahoma! is a simple story about one main couple - the guy who acts a big cocky but who has a big heart, and the girl who at first wants nothing to do with it, and who you just want to scream at them to get together already - (Curley and Laurey), with another couple (Will Parker and Ado Annie, who just can't say no when a guy kisses her), a weird farm hand (Jud Fry) and many other funny and colourful characters on the side. It's rather a simple story when you think about it, and so it's not Oklahoma!'s strong point by any means. That comes with the execution of it.
The cast included Belinda Lang as Laurey's hilarious Aunt Eller (I kind of felt sorry for her throughout the play as she expersses the same head-basing wish with Laurey and Curley as the audience does), Ashley Day as Curley, Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey and Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry; I have to say he definitely gave the performance of the night.
Jud at the end of the day is a pretty sad character. All he wants really is someone who'll love him the way he is, and he thinks that person's Laurey. It's just a shame that he creeps Laurey out, what with all the porn in his room and everything, so it's kind of no wonder she'd rather pick Curley. For any HP fans out there, think of James/Lily/Snape relationship.... While we're still on Jud, his song Lonely Room was wonderfully written and showed what exactly's in Jud's head perfectly. Nic Greenshields had an beautiful voice and when he took his bow. he was booed. HE WAS BOOED!!!!! Other than in pantomime, I have never seen that before..... And that's enough about Jud Fry
Another thing that I have to mention was the choreography. Now normally, I wouldn't notice dance, as I know nothing about it at all; and while I couldn't comment on it technically, I can tell you that the Dream Ballet sequence was incredible. And it was incredible because the story telling was incredible, and because of that, it moved the entire audience - it was Laurey dreaming about the big dance, and how scared she was going with Jud Fry - you felt it when she was happy, and you felt it when she was scared. I've not seen a big dance number like that since I saw Singin' in the Rain. There was a big ballet scene in the second half called The Broadway Melody and I really didn't like that as I felt it had nothing to do with the plot and was really out of place - like the Pink Elephants scene from Dumbo. The Dream Ballet however showed how to do a big number like that right - wonderfully danced and wonderfully moving. Big thumbs up to the choreographer - you did a great job.
With songs that everyone knows such as Oklahoma! and Oh What A Beautiful Mornin', I don't have anything else to say about Oklahoma! other than it was a good choice for my first Rodgers and Hammerstein experience (yep) on stage. Oh, and Ashley Day really looked like Richard Madden - now if Robb Stark can sing as well as Day does.... *fingers crossed*
Now, for my second review of the week, we're heading from Oklahoma to New York for the stage adaptation of Mel Brooks' The Producers. Adapted from his 1968 film of the same name, the musical first came to Broadway in 2001 with Timon and Simba... oops sorry, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom; and it won a whopping 12 Tonys, winning for every catorgary it was nominated for, including Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Lane. The London production in 2005 then went on to win 3 Oliviers: Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical for Lane, and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Lord Varys... ooops sorry Conleth Hill as Rodger De Bris.
So, if it wins that many awards, there's got to be something good about it right? Well yes, I think there is. At the heart of The Producers is Broadway producer Max Bialystock and shy accountant and producer-wannabe Leo Bloom. Together, they team up to produce Broadway's biggest flop:
Now I'm not that familiar with Mel Brooks' style, but if his scripts normally have jokes that come as thick and fast as this, I will have to check more of it out. I kid you not when I tell you there were about 10 gags a minute, and if you weren't laughing out loudly at some point, then your funny bone must be a bit rusty. I cannot possibly give you any examples, it just wouldn't be the same.
So, what on earth am I talking about? Well, I'm first going to go into the UK Tour of Oklahoma! which I saw at Salford's Lowry; and then the UK Tour of The Producers which I saw at Manchester's Palace Theatre. Told you they're completely different.
***
Oklahoma! was, of course, written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstien II, who wrote hits such as Carousel, South Pacific and The Sound of Music - what is interesting is that it is the first out of their many hits that they wrote together, originally premièring on Broadway in 1943.Set in Oklahoma (where else) in 1906, the year before it became a US state, Oklahoma! is a simple story about one main couple - the guy who acts a big cocky but who has a big heart, and the girl who at first wants nothing to do with it, and who you just want to scream at them to get together already - (Curley and Laurey), with another couple (Will Parker and Ado Annie, who just can't say no when a guy kisses her), a weird farm hand (Jud Fry) and many other funny and colourful characters on the side. It's rather a simple story when you think about it, and so it's not Oklahoma!'s strong point by any means. That comes with the execution of it.
The cast included Belinda Lang as Laurey's hilarious Aunt Eller (I kind of felt sorry for her throughout the play as she expersses the same head-basing wish with Laurey and Curley as the audience does), Ashley Day as Curley, Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey and Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry; I have to say he definitely gave the performance of the night.
Jud at the end of the day is a pretty sad character. All he wants really is someone who'll love him the way he is, and he thinks that person's Laurey. It's just a shame that he creeps Laurey out, what with all the porn in his room and everything, so it's kind of no wonder she'd rather pick Curley. For any HP fans out there, think of James/Lily/Snape relationship.... While we're still on Jud, his song Lonely Room was wonderfully written and showed what exactly's in Jud's head perfectly. Nic Greenshields had an beautiful voice and when he took his bow. he was booed. HE WAS BOOED!!!!! Other than in pantomime, I have never seen that before..... And that's enough about Jud Fry
Another thing that I have to mention was the choreography. Now normally, I wouldn't notice dance, as I know nothing about it at all; and while I couldn't comment on it technically, I can tell you that the Dream Ballet sequence was incredible. And it was incredible because the story telling was incredible, and because of that, it moved the entire audience - it was Laurey dreaming about the big dance, and how scared she was going with Jud Fry - you felt it when she was happy, and you felt it when she was scared. I've not seen a big dance number like that since I saw Singin' in the Rain. There was a big ballet scene in the second half called The Broadway Melody and I really didn't like that as I felt it had nothing to do with the plot and was really out of place - like the Pink Elephants scene from Dumbo. The Dream Ballet however showed how to do a big number like that right - wonderfully danced and wonderfully moving. Big thumbs up to the choreographer - you did a great job.
With songs that everyone knows such as Oklahoma! and Oh What A Beautiful Mornin', I don't have anything else to say about Oklahoma! other than it was a good choice for my first Rodgers and Hammerstein experience (yep) on stage. Oh, and Ashley Day really looked like Richard Madden - now if Robb Stark can sing as well as Day does.... *fingers crossed*
***
Now, for my second review of the week, we're heading from Oklahoma to New York for the stage adaptation of Mel Brooks' The Producers. Adapted from his 1968 film of the same name, the musical first came to Broadway in 2001 with Timon and Simba... oops sorry, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom; and it won a whopping 12 Tonys, winning for every catorgary it was nominated for, including Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Lane. The London production in 2005 then went on to win 3 Oliviers: Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical for Lane, and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Lord Varys... ooops sorry Conleth Hill as Rodger De Bris.So, if it wins that many awards, there's got to be something good about it right? Well yes, I think there is. At the heart of The Producers is Broadway producer Max Bialystock and shy accountant and producer-wannabe Leo Bloom. Together, they team up to produce Broadway's biggest flop:
Step one, we find the worst play ever written
Step two, we hire the worst director in town
Step three, raise two million dollars
Step two, we hire the worst director in town
Step three, raise two million dollars
Step four, we hire the worst actors in New York
And open on Broadway and before you can say, Step five
We close on Broadway, take our two million and go to Rio
And open on Broadway and before you can say, Step five
We close on Broadway, take our two million and go to Rio
..... And as you'd expect, hilarity ensues and things don't quite go according to plan.....
Now I'm not that familiar with Mel Brooks' style, but if his scripts normally have jokes that come as thick and fast as this, I will have to check more of it out. I kid you not when I tell you there were about 10 gags a minute, and if you weren't laughing out loudly at some point, then your funny bone must be a bit rusty. I cannot possibly give you any examples, it just wouldn't be the same.
The entire cast was hilarious: from Cory English's Bialystock (I thought I was watching Lane the whole way through - his charisma was that good!), to Phil Jupitus' Franz Libekind, to Tiffany Grave's (or it might have been her understudy, sorry, not sure) Ulla, and to David Bedella and Louie Spence's hilarious double act as director and assistant Rodger De Bris and Carmen Ghia.
The final person I have to mention, and the star of the show for me, was Jason Manford as Leo Bloom. Wow. He's a good comedian - I remember him being on Live At The Apollo - and I knew he could sing - have a look at him singing Stars from Les Mis, it's on YouTube somewhere. He was a fantastic choice for the part and fingers crossed he gets something else from this. Sometimes, you look at celebrity casting and think "What?! That's a stupid choice" - not this time =D
I don't really want to spoil this any further so go see it, or watch the 2005 film version (also including Lane and Broderick, as well as Will Ferrel and Uma Thurman).
***
In fact, I don't want to spoil either one any further than you, so go and them both. They're both finishing tonight in the Manchester area, but they're touring the country over the next few months so please catch them both when they come to a town near you =)
Comments
Post a Comment