Hey everyone:
I realize I am a couple of days late with this review and program from Vassar's TBWHM performances but I still wanted to share some extra info with anyone who was interested or who wanted to make their own comments and reviews of the 3 performances.
I scanned in a copy of the 8 page program that was handed out and I placed it here for viewing in case anyone wanted to see how the Acts were laid out or who the readers and musicians were. I think if you click on the picture you will be able to read it.
Everyone was quite talented.
I was at the Friday evening performance.
I know that Brian in NY gave a review on Pete's blog the next morning so I will not cover what he covered and I agreed with everything he observed although I did not get to meet Brian that night. I did , however see GeorgeL from CT and gave him a shout out. HI GEORGE!
So, let me just say that it was WONDERFUL to hear this STRONG music live again after having withdrawls since the Endless Wire tour ended in the U. S.
Everyone performed in a British accent. Some seemed forced and some seemed natural.
Josh and Leila had wonderful voices although Leila did struggle a bit in the beginning, she came around about 3 songs into it. Gabriel was well suited for the role (he reminded me of Michael Palin a bit in appearance) he was very happy to be there and it showed although I thought his voice was the weakest of all the performers. Nevertheless, I give them all a tremendous amount of RESPECT since it was said that they only had 8 days to prepare (which was surely the reason they were still reading their parts out of notebooks on music stands).
Many of the songs were extended from their album and tour versions and it was a pleasant surprise with some songs even having extra verses I had never heard before.
'She said, He said' was beautifully sung and was one of the top numbers in terms of cohesiveness.
'Mirror Door' was badly botched in a few places as sung by Ray High. He did try hard and the song did rock, but many lyrics were missed (and there was an extra verse)
'In The Ether' was expanded as well and featured a beautiful duet in the middle. I really enjoyed it as well as it's recurrance throughout segments of the performance, such a beautiful & thought provoking theme.
The 2 guitarists were phenomenal. Soloing away in several places. Pete would have been proud!
There is so much more that I am forgetting I am sure...
All I can say is that for me it really drove home & brought depth to the novella. You could really see more of their relationships, interactions and overall characters in a way that you could never glean from simply reading the novella on paper. They really brought each character to life in a special way. Josh had a little bit of rock star in him (as a performer) and he was the one who really let loose and jumped around and even came out to perform barefoot in the second Act. He was my favorite.
The performance was a special and touching foregleam into how truly AMAZING this play/novella/musical can and will be when it is adapted for a full Broadway or West End production with a proper Mirror Door with exploding fireworks and not three simple black steps leading to nowhere atop which Gabriel simply stands facing the curtain.
So, again, it is the power of Pete's music that really gives life to this story. Previously it was hard for me to read TBWHM and imagine how everyone and every song fit together, and now, with the help of this excellent first step, I am able to dive into TBWHM more deeply than ever.
I have deep respect for everyone who was involved and I would love to see their interpretation again after having about a month to get to know their characters and the music.
Anyone wishing to post their reviews or comments, please do.
Thanks again, Pete, for what is sure to be the next powerful Broadway musical backed by fantastic and meaningful Who tunes.
ROCK ON, Everyone...
& thanks to Patti for coming with me...
-Lin
