La Cage Aux Folles at Woodstock Playhouse Reviews

Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman; Book by Harvey Fierstein
Directed by Terry Johnson

The Cagelles of La Cage Aux Folles. Photograph past Joan Marcus.

On February 15th, Harvey Fierstein (who wrote the volume for the musical) joined the bandage of La Cage aux Folles replacing Douglas Hodge in the role of Albin. Christopher Sieber shortly followed opposite Fierstein equally his lover Georges. It's ironic that these two Broadway bigwigs were brought in only later on La Muzzle producers reportedly had trouble replacing the two leads, because Fierstein and Sieber fit the show and each other as if it were written for them (...by one of them).

 Bated from very minor script alterations, what's new to this production is the ease and openness that Fierstein and Sieber bring. While the show is loftier camp, these two veteran gay actors play the roles without consciousness. Whether outrageous antics or an intimate tet-a-tet, each moment is piece of cake. The emotions and characters are never forced, instead this duo flips it and lets the characters be unconscious while the highjinks are cocky-aware and metatheatrical. Somehow Sieber and Fierstein bring both a genuineness to the narrative and an added vaudevillian flare to the comedy of La Cage.

 And while some worried that Fierstein wasn't up to the vocal challenge of the role, specifically the canticle "I Am What I Am," the power of Fierstein'due south performance and his awareness of and dexterity with his song instrument makes his rendition of Albin one to be reckoned with. While Fierstein is a huge star, this is no stunt casting. Fierstein has honed his arts and crafts and brings out the total comedic and evocative artillery of his decades of performing, dragging, and living.

 So while no i would take predicted it, this last minute pairing has made for an ideal headline team for the revamped, nonetheless camped, feathered and fearless revival of La Cage aux Folles. The highlight of the show for me, was an emotional insurrection that happened before my ticket was fifty-fifty torn. On the way into the Longacre, I noticed a timid, transgender teen in her sweet natural hair wig. Her mom had brought her to the show. And I was suddenly very glad for Broadway that there is a playing now that this hopeful girl can be excited to see. La Cage is not just for tourists; it'south also for those who have just now found themselves, and can encounter themselves reflected back from the phase. Los kudos for La Muzzle.

BOTTOM LINE: Equally Albin and Georges would say, "It'south rather gawdy, but it's besides rather grand."

It would be impossible not to savor yourself at the revival of La Cage aux Folles, now playing on Broadway afterward a run at London'due south Menier Chocolate Factory. I'chiliad not ordinarily one to brand broad, all-encompassing statements similar that, but seriously, I dare you to take a bad time. Singing, dancing, love stories, biceps, and boas — prove me wrong.

La Cage is charming from the go-go, with a story that is ultimately about love and loyalty. It'south besides a celebration of life and individuality in all their sparkly goodness. Perhaps the well-nigh important relationship in the room is the one between the audience and the performers in a consistent connectedness throughout this radiant production. There is a shared joy.

Kelsey Grammar stars in this gayest of draggy musicals equally Georges, the emcee and owner of a drag club in the south of French republic aptly called La Cage aux Folles. Georges and his partner Albin (Douglas Hodge, in a standout performance) have run the guild for years, with Albin as the headlining performer, Zaza. The men have a son, Jean-Michel (AJ Shivley), who is straight, much to their chagrin, and he announces that he's proposed to his girlfriend, Anne (Elena Shaddow). Anne'due south family unit is uberconservative, and as a dinner will be held for the families to meet one some other, Jean-Michel requests that his parents play it straight themselves.

If this plot sounds familiar, information technology might be because yous've seen Mike Nichols'southward 1996 movie The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Information technology's bang-up in its own correct and is based on La Cage, although it's not a musical.

The testify itself, by Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein (based on a play by Jean Poiret), does a lot of things right. It establishes two incredibly endearing characters whose lifestyle (though ostentatiously gay in every mode) is besides weirdly relatable and seemingly normal in the context of their nowadays situation: their only child is getting married and they are very different form their future in-laws.

The disharmonize provides ample opportunity for jokes and one-liners, and I can't even count the number of sight gags the production utilizes; the humor is lowbrow, but it'south totally sincere. Plotwise, La Cage is generally set-up. The in-laws don't even meet one another until halfway through the second human action. Then the denouement wraps up the drama in a groovy niggling parcel. Just equally far as musical theatre stories go, La Cage certainly has the ability to keep its audience engaged in the activity; it's hardly full of surprises, but the characters make you care about what's happening.

This production is brilliantly conceived, using a small Broadway theater to create a tinier bundle birthday. That's non to say the show isn't large — it's definitely every bit flashy and big budget as you'd await, but information technology'due south conceptually scaled downward. This makes for a more intimate experience. The theater offers cabaret table seating in the front row (for a mere $250 a pop), and there is a definite intention to bring the audition into the prowl-ship chic globe of La Cage.

The script itself encourages that convention, with Georges every bit the emcee and the audience essentially functioning as the audience at the guild. And the chorus of dancers at La Cage aux Folles, called the Cagelles, numbers only six. In previous incarnations, like the 2004 Broadway revival, there were several more Cagelles, including some men in drag along with female dancers, but in this production they're all men in drag. Sure, the illusion that they're women is present, only at that place's never any question as to their gender sans makeup and costumes. All of these conceits together add to the intimacy of the evening. The audience is able to truly invest as the drama unfolds, and the appeal of George and Albin is all the more than palpable.

The six Cagelles deserve a mention, equally they are all tremendous dancers (with tremendous muscles). They are the paradigm of classy drag: playful, talented performers who tease while looking smoking hot in their tiny outfits. Gay or directly, you find yourself fatigued into their act. If you lot enjoy the fine art of drag (i.e. you love RuPaul'due south Drag Race), you will be absolutely taken with The Cagelles.

Dougles Hodge revives his operation from the London production. He won several accolades overseas, and it's articulate this part was meant for him. He owns it, in virtually a Mama Rose (fromGypsy) sort of fashion, embodying a strong but wounded woman who only wants to exercise right. Grammer, equally his counterpart, is every bit qualified and has a great singing vocalization. He recalls a Frasier Crane sensibility and information technology fits perfectly, although he has a nicer coif and is a lilliputian less neurotic than the Idiot box character that made him famous.

Every bit far every bit Broadway experiences get, La Cage offers many attributes that brand audiences swoon. Information technology is theatrical, approachable, positive, and bawdy enough to entertain without going too far to plough sure audition members off. Sure, there are innuendos, and the drag is revealing, only all in all the show remains PG-13. And the ultimate message of love and family unit is about as G-rated every bit you can get. It is endearingly attainable and from the audience response, information technology'southward articulate that it's well received on several levels. It wasn't necessarily time for another revival of this testify since it was a mere six years ago that it played on Broadway, but this version stands apart and is welcomed nonetheless. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a musical theatre experience — it's worth the price with its charm, and its long run time (2 hours, 40 minutes) lets you sink your teeth into a sparkly, glitzy, magical time.

(La Cage Aux Folles plays at the Longacre Theatre, 220 West 48th Street. Performances are Tuesdays at 8pm, Wednesdays at 2:30pm and 8pm, Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm and 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $36.l - $140 and can be purchased at telecharge.com. Sit at a cabaret table in the forepart row for $251.50. Same-day educatee rush tickets are available at the box office for $36.50 (2 per ID). For more testify information visit lacage.com.)

georgewhingle.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.theasy.com/Reviews/lacageauxfolles.php

Share this post