Fabulous, Broadway??

Hello folks!!  I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while, and as I’m at work not doing much I thought tonight would be a good night, especially given what’s happening on the other side of the Atlantic. . .

. . . As some of you may know, tonight is a very special night for something very special to me.  It is the opening night of Sister Act the Musical on Broadway.  If you’ve ever paid attention to my Twitter feed you may have heard me mention the show once or twice (or 3,000 times).  Those of you who have paid close attention may even be asking yourselves ‘huh?? What?!! But he saw it 2 weeks ago on Broadway??!??’ and you’d be right.  I did see the show on my twenty-*cough*th Birthday when I was in New York.  This was part of the Previews.  I have been meaning to write up my thoughts ever since, but haven’t found the time.  Well, now I’ve got time let’s go!!!

I first saw the show in July 2009 at the Palladium in London, and between then and it closing on the 30^th October 2010 I saw it 16.5 times (surprising that there’s not a word like twice or thrice for that).  From the moment I left the Theatre that first night I had fallen in love; With the cast, the plot, the songs, everything!  I bought the soundtrack in the Interval that night as I knew I had to get the songs on my iPod as soon as I got home!!  I went back time and time again to show it to different people, to see the Understudies (I saw at least two people play every role at least once), to see different cast member’s last nights etc.  If ever I felt down I knew I could go and see Sister Act and it would cheer me up, so when it closed I was so sad.  It took me nearly 5 months to go back to the Theatre to see another show as I was in mourning – even then it was only a Play, not a Musical.

When I decided to go to New York for my Birthday I was thrilled to discover that the show I love would be playing while I was there.  What better time to see it, than on my Birthday??!

Anyway, as the day approached I got more and more nervous, not only because of my fear of flying, but because of changes I’d heard were being made to the production.  Characters names were changed, songs were cut – would the show be anything like the one I fell in love with in London??

Cut to sitting down in the Theatre.  I was nervous, (I always am in the Theatre especially when I’m not on the aisle ‘Oh God, what if I need the toilet in the middle of the Act??!!’ etc.) and then the music started up.  The music I know and love.  Nerves still there in case they’ve changed the lyrics beyond recognition and cut my favourite songs ‘aaaargggh!!!’

Cut to the curtain coming down at the end.  ‘Phew what a relief.’  There were a lot of changes, but it was definitely still the show I loved.  I still left the Theatre with the same feeling of happiness it always managed to fill me with in London.  Happy d’James!!

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  Let’s go with the negatives about the Broadway version of the show first:

• They’ve cut the Prologue which I loved and the way it went into Take Me to Heaven was very exciting.  It’s still exciting, just starting with Take Me to Heaven, but doesn’t quite excite as much.  I’m not sure about having Deloris auditioning instead of performing the song adds anything, but it works either way.
• They’ve rewritten the words to my friend’s fave song (‘How I Got the Calling’) from the show – it’s now called ‘It’s Good to Be A Nun’ I know it sounds tacky doesn’t it.  It’s not that bad actually.  It was nice to hear new lyrics and laugh at them for the first time; I just don’t feel it establishes Mary Laz, Mary Pat and Mary Bob as well.
• They’ve cut two good songs, ‘Do the Sacred Mass’ and ‘Here Within These Walls (Reprise)’.  I will however admit, that they weren’t overly missed in the scheme of the plot and it still all made sense.
• The character of Sister Mary Patrick now seems completely underwritten.  I can’t put my finger on why as she features in all the scenes she used to but I don’t feel they’re using the obviously talented and funny actress as well or as much as they could. 
• I think that the majority of the changes are for the better, especially the dialogue.  It’s much quicker and wittier.  However I do feel that the new book Doctor has changed everything for the sake of it and lost some of the clarity it had in certain parts.  For example, some of the dialogue in the Fabulous, Baby (reprise) has been cut and not replaced and it stops us understanding what Deloris is thinking, I felt anyway.
• I don’t feel the passage of time in ‘Raise Your Voice’ is as clear, and I miss Mother Superior’s “by sizzle, I hope you mean…” line and also Deloris’s “Lay some pious on me.”
• The worst bit and the one bit which almost offended me was the line at the beginning of the Fabulous, Baby (Reprise).  In London she shouted “Lights! Glitter! Glamour!”  In Broadway she now shouts “Glamour! Glitter! Gayboys!” (or similar. Something ending with “Gayboys” anyway) – cue 4 men dressed in white leather coming forward and dancing camply.  Now gayboys and gaymen are the first ones to laugh at themselves (in a positive way) but it was just so blunt.  I can’t put it into words very well, but in Sister Act, the jokes have always been there but they’ve never tended to be of the cheap shot variety.  This just seemed so out of place in this show – it would fit in Priscilla or the Producers maybe but not Sister Act.  Even if it was changed to “Glitter! Glamour! Village People!” or something it would fit so much better, and the dancers could still do the camp dancing etc.

Now the positives:

• Patina (Miller)!!! Well I’ve always loved her style and stage presence.  Her voice is so amazing, and I am thrilled I got to see her give her Deloris van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence once more.  I will definitely be trying to get out there again to see her again
• Victoria Clark.  A GREAT choice for Mother Superior.  I was not aware of her before, but her comic timing and singing voice are lovely.
• Fred Applegate as Monsignor O’Hara – I loved Ian Lavender as Monsignor Howard in London, but again they’ve given him better costumes a microphone and all sorts and more dialogue for him to work with on Broadway.
• The new TJ.  I think the role of TJ is so much better now as an even more exaggerated dopey character.  It does sadden me that the UK Actors never got the same material to work with – I would’ve loved to see that.  One thing though, with TJ now being so immature/dim, his verse in Lady in the Long Black Dress no longer fits with him suddenly becoming so sexualised for it.
• Haven’t Got a Prayer.  Mother Superior’s new song.  Gives her a bit more comedy and also a chance to show off her voice.  Great.
• The rest of the cast.  All very well suited to their roles.  Mary Laz is almost unrecognisable in terms of her character.  They now have a different Nun being ‘the old one’ and it works.  I think it’s maybe because the Actress (Audrie Neenan) doesn’t look sound old enough (the same can be said when Allison Harding was Mary Laz in London – although her timing was perfect and she was always my fave ensemble member, the fact she didn’t look or sound that old, the jokes never quite got the same response as when played by Jacqueline Clarke and especially Julia Sutton (older looking and sounding actresses)). 
• The costumes for ‘Take Me to Heaven’ were new and interesting, as were the ones for the backups in ‘Fabulous, Baby (Reprise). Good changes I think.
• The costumes in ‘Sunday Morning Fever’ are better than in London, very lovely material, especially the blue stuff.
• Patina’s wigs are better overall I think.  Specifically the one right at the very end for her bow and ‘Raise Your Voice.’
• HERE COME SOME SPOILERS
• I liked the fact that the henchman who got killed was more noticeable from the start by being there with Shank, TJ, Pablo and Joey watching Deloris’s audition.
• I like the rewritten scene in the bar, with the goons mistaking a Drag Queen for Deloris.
• Having Mary Lazarus as the Choirmistress instead of Mother Superior works.  You don’t miss Mother Superior apart from the one bit I mentioned about.  Possibly another unnecessary change, but not a negative one.
• There is a very funny scene in the chase at the end between one of the Nuns translating Pablo when he is hunting for Deloris.
• Eddie singing the introduction to ‘Fabulous, Baby (Reprise).’ A very good touch (although I had already heard it on the German Soundtrack).
• Having men also singing as backups in the ‘Fabulous, Baby (Reprise)’ added an interesting new dimension.
• The new version of ‘Fabulous, Baby’ with less dialogue from the backing singers and more singing.  I like both versions equally.
• One of the cleverest bits was Shank and his henchmen not knowing where Deloris was until they were questioned by the police and saw her fur coat there which she left behind.
• There’s a new scene at the beginning of Act 2 in a Confessional between Deloris, Mother Superior and Monsignor O’Hara.  Very good and sets up well to go into ‘Sunday Morning Fever.’
• There’s a new bit at the end of ‘Here Within These Walls where Deloris sings (in counterpoint I think it’s called) with Mother Superior.  It’s a nice touch, I guess her bits would be called ‘Unfabulous, Baby.’
• The chase scene at the end starts well with Mary Robert getting cut off before her big final note of ‘The Life I Never Led (Reprise)’ with glass smashing.  The chase is probably better staged than London, but I did love the Black and Whiteness in London.
• . . . and finally, ‘Spread the Love Around’ is almost identical to London – Thank Goodness!!!  I don’t understand why Mary Laz, Mary Bob and Mary Pat come on later than before, unnecessary, but it still works.  Eddie leading the criminals on in Altar Boy outfits (instead of stripey chain-gang ones) was quite good, although I don’t think he should be doing quite the same steps as them.  Again, an unnecessary change, but it’s still all good.  I just love that song.

Overall, as you can see, the positives far outweigh the negatives. If you asked me if I preferred London or Broadway I couldn’t pick.  I would guess that Broadway is the slicker version of the show, but I will always have an enormous fondness for the London Cast and the show as it was with its faults which I admit it had.  I still miss it, and am jealous of everyone in the USA who will get to see it more often than me now.  The London show is gone but not forgotten.  I hope that the Broadway incarnation does well and gets the Musical better known.  The songs need to be heard.  I love this show, and so now you need to go see it.

I’m sure there’s a load more I could write down, but I’m going to stop there.  I’m sorry it was so long.  I had to get it all out.  I promise that most future blogs will be nowhere near as long.