SITE GUIDE
SEARCH
REVIEWS
REVIEW ARCHIVES
ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP
FEATURES
NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings
LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway
NYC Restaurants
BOOKS and CDs
OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
DC
Philadelphia
Elsewhere
QUOTES
TKTS
PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FILM
LINKS
MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Godspell
|
Surprised I slipped into your playbill? —Julia Mattison, a replacement for the injured Morgan James at the performance reviewed
|
The Compay of Godspell
|
From what I understand, Hunter Parrish was an excellent replacement in the role of Melchior in Spring Awakening, and as he undoubtedly is in the role of Silas Botwin in the long-running Showtime series Weeds. But it his cloying, insistently unpersuasive, if not completely insincere performance as Jesus (discounting the energy he expends) that does a disservice to a production that, at its best, features some bright and winning young talent.
The current revival has been directed by Daniel Goldstein who is making his Broadway debut. It should have afforded Goldstein an opportunity to improve on the one he directed at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2006 (my review).
Recruiting back into service scenic designer David Korins and costume designer Miranda Hoffman, with whom Goldstein worked with on the Paper Mill production, may have been a mistake. As re-envisioned within the limitations of the Circle in the Square, Godspell looks more like a shoddy on-the-cheap jamboree of escaped inmates of a madhouse, unlike the Paper Mill's flashy production values that never quit.
Perhaps I am missing something, but I find nothing remotely amusing or endearing about a swarm of garishly costumed, incredulously motivated young people act out New Testament parables, no matter how many references there are to cell phones, ipads, Lindsay Lohan, L. Ron Hubbard or to Donald Trump’s towers. There’s a spot included for jumping on trampolines presumably enabling choreographer Christopher Gattelli to get his name on the program. Perhaps because the original concept is so deeply rooted in the simplistic conceit of flower-children philosophy and so permanently defined by its naïvely considered metaphysical insights that there is probably no way to make this show any better than what Goldstein and collaborators have wrought upon it.
Without a set to distract us, the scenic wonders include scattered pools that are revealed beneath the stage floor, a nice shower effect, a ladder of Babel, and a band that is scattered through the theater leaving only a beat-up piano and its player in view on the otherwise prop-deficient stage. This means that it is up to the company to give their all to the numbers that come and go somewhat numbingly. Enthusiastic is also the best way to describe the work of the personable and talented young cast, who occasionally elevate some of the skits and songs out of the ordinary.
Stephen Schwartz, the show’s composer, who seems to have found his place among the more commercially successful contemporary composers of American musical theater (Wicked, Pippin), is credited with providing some new lyrics. An attempt by cast members to provoke clapping-along is only lamely considered.
The basic structure remains true to a toddler’s Bible-school format, with a little satire and sex thrown in for G-rated titillation. Also included are all facile theatrics, vaudevillian-like shtick and youthful playfulness to fulfill the needs of the show and fulfill its nod to religiosity for the easily converted.
In all fairness, much of the puerile fun in this production was greeted with bursts of applause. The inherent irreverence at the core of the show may appeal to those unable or unwilling to consider the source, and that’s okay. Perhaps times have changed us just enough to resist what is basically childish humor. A soft shoe between Jesus (Hunter Parrish) and Judas (Wallace Smith) donning straw hats and canes is fun, as is the Baptism scene in which a water spout pours from the rafters allowing John the Baptist (also played by Smith) to perform the ensemble-inclusive ritual.
Some of the text performed as rap gets our rapt attention. Best surprise is how delightfully assured and funny Mattison was as the lead singer in the ensemble number that opens the second act “Turn Back O Man.” Among the many fine voices, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle puts over the show’s big hit tune “Day by Day.” Celise Henderson (“Learn Your Lessons Well”) and Lindsay Mendez (“Bless the Lord”) make the most of those two gospel-esque songs. Most impressive among the company is Nick Blaemire, who empowers “We Beseech Thee” to produce a high enough to sustain us through the drone of the last few minutes with the obligatory Crucifixion. Where’s the resurrection when we need one?
One thing that puzzles me is that the running time of the Paper Mill production was one hour and fifty minutes including intermission, but this production lasts two hours and twenty minutes including intermission. That means thirty extra minutes shot to hell — oops heaven.
Godspell originally opened at the Cherry Lane Theater on May 17, 1971. It transferred to the Promenade Theater and closed on June 13, 1976 playing a total of 2,124 performances. It transferred to the Broadhurst Theater June 22, 1976, then transferred to the Plymouth Theater on September 15, 1976 and then transferred to the Ambassador Theater January 12, 1977. It closed on September 4, 1977 after 527 performances on Broadway. The show re-appeared at the Lamb’s Theater from June 12, 1988 to December 31, 1988. Another production opened at the York Theater on August 2, 2000 and closed on Oct 7, 2000.
|
Godspell Conceived and originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak Music and New Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz Directed by Daniel Goldstein Cast: Hunter Parrish (Jesus), Wallace Smith (John and Judas), Uzo Aduba, Nick Blaemire, Celisse Henderson, Morgan James, Telly Leung, Lindsay Mendez, George Salazar, Anna Maria Perez De Tagle. Scenic Design: David Korins Costume Design: Miranda Hoffman Lighting Design: David Weiner Sound Design: Andrew Keister Choreographer: Christopher Gattelli Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes including intermission Circle in the Square, 1633 Broadway at 50th St., New York. (212) 239-6200 Tickets: $125.00; $135.00 on Saturday evenings Performances: Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7:30 p.m., matinees Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Opens Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. From Nov. 14: Tuesdays at 7 p.m., Wednesdays at 2 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. From: 10/13/11 Opening: 11/07/11 Closing 6/24/12 Closing: Open-ended run Review by Simon Saltzman based on performance 11/09/11 |
|
Musical Numbers
| |
Act One
|
Act Two
|
|
REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V): Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review. Visit Curtainup's Blog Annex For a feed to reviews and features as they are posted add http://curtainupnewlinks.blogspot.com to your reader Curtainup at Facebook . . . Curtainup at Twitter Subscribe to our FREE email updates: E-mail: esommer@curtainup.comesommer@curtainup.com put SUBSCRIBE CURTAINUP EMAIL UPDATE in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body of the message. If you can spare a minute, tell us how you came to CurtainUp and from what part of the country. |
Anything Goes Cast RecordingOur review of the show
Book of Mormon -CDOur review of the show
<
Slings & Arrows- view 1st episode free
Slings & Arrows- view 1st episode free
