| T April 27th, 2002 |
| yler's Revival Review....... |
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| Vanessa Williams |
| I enjoyed the revival more than words can describe! It was AWESOME! James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim should be extreamly pleased...and I thank them for having one of my 'wishes' come true. The Prologue was great. I enjoyed the new involvement of the Narrator...opening the character's books as he began. The whole book theme throughout the show was very nice. I found Pamela Myers to be a great Stepmother, along with the Stepdaughters (complete with awkward "fairy-tale shoes"). They were much more 'ditsy' in this show...exiting with their hands in the air over the thought of Cinderella attending the King's ball. Marylouise Burke as Jack's Mother - against what others have said - was perfect. |
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| She was quite different from the original actress...and I loved her old, almost horse, voice. And again, going off the usual trend of those who have seen the show, I thought Molly Ephraim's Little Red Ridinghood was terrific. She was young, more bratish and her timing was great. Milky-White (Chad Kimball) was hilarious...the inanimate one in the original worked, but now the cow as white as milk had a character to herself - adding more comedy to the show (Nobody can top this cow...the eyes close, the ear twiches; you name it...it can do it! I applaude Chad Kimball). I was amazed by the books themselves, and the lighting involved to outline certain structures. I'm not sure about John McMartin bringing out the birds to Cinderella...and then silently chirping for them. Vanessa Williams as The Witch was wonderful...for the first time, they used a pyrotechnic effect for her enterance (I just can't get enough of those effects). She used her large backside to keep the beat...and kept whping her drool on her great costume. For her spells, in this scene and throughout the show...a red flame is used, which does come from the Baker's groin in this particular scene. In the lines: "I could have turned him into a....", when she comes upon the trance saying; "or a snnnaaakkeee" - snakes come out from her wig and rapidly twirl about until she is finished (I absolutley loved this...Vanessa's Witch keeps a "snake" theme throughout the show: in her staff and you can also make out scale patterns in her beautiful Greek godess getup). They added seperate movements to each of the ingredients...coming accross as if they wanted the children of the audience to remember them for later. And then they all venture into Douglas W. Schmidt's spectacular set...the books are moved off and curtains of leaves slowly decend from the fly space. Here, after "there's something in the glade there..." where the Stepfamily riding off in a carraige was replaced by the Witch hurridly crossing the stage as gusts of fog rolled on. The dance part of the show is introduced in this scene. At the end of the song, the trees are moved on, fitting nicely with the leaves above. Cinderella at the grave (which was not even mentioned in the playbill) was nice. I didn't really like the Laura Benanti projection as Cinderella's Mother (mainly beacuse she is surrounded by shimering waves)...though her echoed voice was great. Her dress then comes down from the flyspace, escorted via birds. Then, as she begins to exit...the golden slippers also fall from above. "Hello, Little Girl" was nicely done and was quite funny. In the beginning the Narrator comes out and placed dart-like flowers on stage. I'm not sure weather or not the second Wolf was needed, but the three - very pink - pigs was a nice touch. The same "hand-to-elbow-pat-on-back" handshake done by the Wolves - in the joy of their new meals - is also done by the Princes...which was a perfect connection. The Baker and the Baker's Wife worked (without error) off one another perfectly, the comedy between husband and wife was great. Kerry O'Malley just comes accross as this really nice person (she has a really great smile which I will always remember). "I Guess this is Goodbye" between Jack and his cow was a riot. The song itself went as usual...Milky-White now placing her hove in Jack's hand. Then as Jack leaves...the cow follows after soon falling to the ground and outstreching it's front leg. "Our Little World" was very nice. Rapunzel's Tower as a book was good. The Witch danced and played with Rapunzel's hair...making it to the top of the tower by the end (a bit was added to the song, so as the Witch climbs the tower - she lists characteristics of the hair in beat...a good touch). A book was also used for the house of Granny (who was only in this one scene). When Little Red comes out of the Wolf's stomach, her cape is torn and slimy. "I Know Things Now" was good, Molly Ephraim did a wonderful job. The Baker's Wife and Cinderella did a nice, believeable job in "A Very Nice Prince"...followed by a usual "One Midnight Gone." Adam Wylie was a great Jack, "Giants in the Sky" was awesome. After a little bit of singing on stairs (just introduced before the song, that move in and off stage like a train on railroad tracks), he moves center - where the portion of stage he is at begins to rise...a very cool effect. When the Witch appears in the following scene, she appears (as in the original) from a theater balcony. And, as before, her 'red flame' spells shoot up in front of the Baker and his wife - hitting his groin and his wife's foot. Enter the Princes.... Continue the Review....... |