Professor Harold Hill...

[fajrdrako]

I saw one of my favourite musicals today: The Music Man. I've always thought of it as unique among musicals: the only thing Meredith Wilson ever wrote (as far as I know), and so perfect a creation. One of my favourite themes: the tale in which a lie becomes a truth, a con man finds himself, and deception becomes romance.

And this production was beautiful. Perfect. Jonathan Goad and Leah Oster were exactly as they should be, and Christopher Van Hagen made a delightful Winthrop Paroo.

In the afternoon we saw The Taming of the Shrew - which was a mixed success: some of its more intriguing tricks just didn't work and the results were slightly confusing - at least, confusing to me. It was not quit funny enough, not quite dramatic enough - but I did like Evan Buliung as a sympathetic, sexy Petrucchio. I was less sure what to make of Kate. This play needs a viewpoint: it's a play with things to say about the battle of the sexes, and this time, I wasn't sure what the point was supposed to be.

Note to self: reviews for future reference here.

Comments

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's the whole ice cream social section. It's a little like a divertissement in ballet, where there's an "entertainment" and everyone takes a turn. It all makes sense, I just feel like it needs tightening up. Not even chopping out a section, just moving more efficiently through it. The movie does okay, though every time I've seen it in the theatre, it seems to drag badly, and I think the fact that "Til There Was You" is so slow doesn't help. It's a beautiful song, but the tempo... And "Shipoopi" is the only upbeat song in the last section. It's a problem. I had a friend who directed it, and we spent ages trying to fix it, and it's just about unfixable unless you make cuts, which you can't because of the plot.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's a little like a divertissement in ballet, where there's an "entertainment" and everyone takes a turn. It all makes sense, I just feel like it needs tightening up.

Yes; it's amusing, but doesn't add to the 'main plot' of the action. No, I can't think of any way to fix it either, just to zip it along as best you can.