Interesting WORKSHOP but NOT a finished show...
by TheatreDr on 2017-03-22Elgin Theatre - TorontoThere were some interesting moments, and some good performances (Clark is in superb voice throughout), but the show is a mess. Scenes in wrong order, characters introduced in bizarre ways (the girlfriend we meet on the phone for the first time!... and she invites herself over to her future boyfriend's house in a 2 minute scene-lette) They keep giving minor characters songs/too much stage time (Jenny, Mr Wyman - cut them both please), they have no idea what to do with Judy Kaye ("Let Go" should be her song that Victoria Clark joins at the end once she's LEARNED the lesson...) other than that she's there for no real reason - and needs one if you're going to keep her - her second act song... sung nicely but just a wast of time in a long show, cut it! Most of the songs are shockingly weak, and I'm a Maltby and Shire fan!("Rainbow Nation" - a generic anthem, "Inexpressible" a song that tells us over and over that somethings cannot be expressed?! "Mander's Salon" - cut it, and "All I Wanna Do (Is Go Dancin')" sigh, to start with in what nightclub is this set?) The main house has no consistency as a set... it has a staircase, it doesn't, there's projection, there isn't. Costumes are really good or bewilderingly ugly. Choreography often weak, And why is there a girl group/back-up singing trio in Naledi's house (Themba's mother's sister.) And finally the show "ends" for about 15 minutes with false ending after false ending. This show needs to focus on what it claims to be about (two women and the talented son/student they want control over and get rid of all the extra crap.) Back to the drawing board folks.