The Convert at the Young Vic: Help Me Baby Jesusby Randi / January 31, 2019
It’s Theatre Thursday! Today’s show is the musical Violet, playing at London’s Charing Cross Theatre until April 6.
Violet, the 1997 musical by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley, is pretty different as far as stories go: there kind of isn’t one. It’s more of a character study of our titular gal and two supporting men. The score is completely mixed, with some incredible songs and some that should have been cut, or at least cut in half, so the show depends entirely on a superstrong production in order to succeed. When I first saw Violet, it was the 2014 Broadway production with Sutton Foster and Joshua Henry, and it was so shiny and bright and impressive that I barely noticed that a compelling story was missing. With smaller productions, like the current one at the Charing Cross theatre, it’s harder to hide the show’s flaws. Although it’s a pretty nice production with some great talent, it’s clear that Violet is a rather mediocre show – decent and sweet, but mediocre – and there’s nothing anyone can do to hide it without the distraction of Broadway excess.
Violet, the 1997 musical by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley, is pretty different as far as stories go: there kind of isn’t one. It’s more of a character study of our titular gal and two supporting men. The score is completely mixed, with some incredible songs and some that should have been cut, or at least cut in half, so the show depends entirely on a superstrong production in order to succeed. When I first saw Violet, it was the 2014 Broadway production with Sutton Foster and Joshua Henry, and it was so shiny and bright and impressive that I barely noticed that a compelling story was missing. With smaller productions, like the current one at the Charing Cross theatre, it’s harder to hide the show’s flaws. Although it’s a pretty nice production with some great talent, it’s clear that Violet is a rather mediocre show – decent and sweet, but mediocre – and there’s nothing anyone can do to hide it without the distraction of Broadway excess.
Based on a short story called “The Ugliest Pilgrim” by Doris Betts, which is a terribly sad title for anything, especially when pilgrim was one of my nicknames growing up so like ahh don’t call me that and really don’t call anyone that, Violet tells the story of a woman named Violet who was horribly disfigured as a young girl in an ax accident. An ax-ident! Oh fun! I mean not fun that she or anyone was disfigured by an ax but I mean come on, ax-ident, wonderful. Violet has grown up with everyone staring and shuddering at her horrible face, and all she wants is to be beautiful or to at least get through a day without some stranger looking at her and convulsing in horror. The actress playing Violet never has any prosthetics or makeup or anything to show her injury; it’s just the actress unadorned, which I love. You have to use your imagination and also it’s probably saying something super deep about how all our problems are inside our minds although Violet’s really weren’t, she had like a cheek split in two. Violet decides to get help from the one man in America who can help her – the big television preacher man. Obviously he’s full of shit but Violet needs to believe that someone out there can help her, and just it’s a shame that she puts all her faith in a swindler megachurch pastor kind of guy.
So the plot is, Violet leaves her farm in North Carolina and gets on a long bus journey to Oklahoma to find the preacher at his next big television extravaganza where he will swindle more poor stupid people out of their hard-earned cash and give them false hope. She boards the bus with two army dudes, Flick and Monty, as well as a nosy old lady, lots of people who shudder at her face as per usual, and if they were going to Tulsa I’m guessing Chandler? As everyone boards the bus and begins their own journeys, they sing the first big ensemble number, “On My Way”, which is truly excellent in this production. All the voices swelled together and the movement was right on, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the better, catchier songs in the show. It’s the kind of big joyous full company song in a show that makes your heart swell. It’s right in the beginning, so I was like ‘oh wow this is going to be amazing’, but this was the best moment of the show. After they all board and eat their best snacks, I guess, they just like…sit on the bus and play cards and get to know each other and then they get to Oklahoma. We watch people suffer on a long bus journey where I bet they don’t get to pee very often and it was probably so stuffy and everyone smelled bad and you’re surviving on like gas station packaged snacks and all you want is a salad and for the love of god a bathroom. At certain points in the play the bus driver will be like ‘okay that’s five minutes for your rest stop!’ and SOME PEOPLE DON’T GO TO THE BATHROOM like I get that it wouldn’t be a great show to be realistic like that but thinking about long buses and NOT going to the bathroom when you need to made me super anxious.
So the plot is, Violet leaves her farm in North Carolina and gets on a long bus journey to Oklahoma to find the preacher at his next big television extravaganza where he will swindle more poor stupid people out of their hard-earned cash and give them false hope. She boards the bus with two army dudes, Flick and Monty, as well as a nosy old lady, lots of people who shudder at her face as per usual, and if they were going to Tulsa I’m guessing Chandler? As everyone boards the bus and begins their own journeys, they sing the first big ensemble number, “On My Way”, which is truly excellent in this production. All the voices swelled together and the movement was right on, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the better, catchier songs in the show. It’s the kind of big joyous full company song in a show that makes your heart swell. It’s right in the beginning, so I was like ‘oh wow this is going to be amazing’, but this was the best moment of the show. After they all board and eat their best snacks, I guess, they just like…sit on the bus and play cards and get to know each other and then they get to Oklahoma. We watch people suffer on a long bus journey where I bet they don’t get to pee very often and it was probably so stuffy and everyone smelled bad and you’re surviving on like gas station packaged snacks and all you want is a salad and for the love of god a bathroom. At certain points in the play the bus driver will be like ‘okay that’s five minutes for your rest stop!’ and SOME PEOPLE DON’T GO TO THE BATHROOM like I get that it wouldn’t be a great show to be realistic like that but thinking about long buses and NOT going to the bathroom when you need to made me super anxious.
While Violet (Kaisa Hammarlund) rides the bus and writes in her mama’s old bible, she thinks about how she’s gonna be beautiful and remembers her 14-year-old self, which is when the ax-ident happened. Violet and Young Violet (a maybe 11-year-old looking girl who did not look 14 and whose attempt at an American accent, I’m sorry, was literally this) sing and swirl around the stage (in the round for kind of no reason) together as Violet remembers her younger self, the poor girl she’s trying to save from a lifetime of misery. Meanwhile, both Monty (Matthew Harvey) and Flick (Jay Marsh) for some reason fall for Violet, Flick in what we’re to assume is a deeper, real love kind of way and Monty, because he’s more of a playboy, in a less real way. And here’s the problem. This horribly disfigured girl has two eligible men fall in love with her like immediately? Um. Our Violet, Hammarlund, was remarkable in the Young Vic’s production of Fun Home last summer, and she’s very talented and always enjoyable, but here she didn’t feel like a good fit. Her Violet is kind of/super annoying. And maybe Violet just is annoying always, but then why are these two random guys falling for her? It sort of worked when Violet was Sutton Foster because she is so gosh darn charming and disarming and adorable but I just didn’t feel any reason for the romances here. It doesn’t help that Hammarlund is tortured with a horrendous wig that like someone should be fired for so you’re extra curious why these men are obsessed with her.
Another big issue in that regard is, the audience is clearly supposed to want her to choose Flick, a solid, steady man who gets the biggest bestest song in the show, “Let it Sing”, and our Flick did a fine job with it. Monty is supposed to be this womanizer who only wants to sleep with her, so we are supposed to root for Violet to turn him down. But…Monty shows no signs of not being serious about her. He seems fine. Since he’s fine, there’s no drama at all in her choice. Maybe that makes more sense because that’s how real life is, with decisions that could easily go in either direction – you’d rarely have trouble deciding between two options where one is clearly great and one is clearly bad. But then to make this supposed drama of her love triangle one of the driving forces of the show means it all falls flat. The show is all ‘Monty’s a cad he’s going to desert you he just wants a piece of ass’ but then everything Monty does contradicts that. Sure Flick is probably the better choice overall but still, there’s no obvious reason for it, at least not in this production. You’re supposed to feel that theirs is real love, I guess, but there’s no evidence of it. And with the focus of the show being on the relationships between these characters, to find it not fully fleshed out enough to suffice as the only real story is disappointing.
Aside from the barely-there plot and the score that seemed unedited (why does the preacher’s big show rehearsal need to be so g-d long? He’s not important!), it’s still a sweet, good-natured show and a nice time. The three main characters are likable and relatively interesting, and there are enough great songs to keep this moving. Two ladies in the supporting cast, who get to show off as night club singers and actors in the preacher’s show, are incredible vocalists and it’s a real treat to hear them sing, even though the night club was repeated over and over to be a jazz club and none of the music was jazz. It’s a solid production, but I don’t think there’s any way to cover up the flaws.
INFORMATION
Violet is playing at the Charing Cross Theatre (under the arches by Embankment) until April 6. They said it was 90 minutes, one act, but it was an hour 50 minutes!!! Were they trying to make us feel like we were on the bus and couldn’t stop for a bathroom?! It says now that it’s 100 minutes but like still that is inaccurate.
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City of Angels at the Garrick: Nearly Superb Production of a Nearly Great Show
It’s Theatre Thursday! Today’s show is City of Angels, playing at London’s Garrick Theatre after a transfer from the Donmar Warehouse.
The 1989 musical City of Angels may feel just like a 1940s noir film, but the intrigue and twists are all in cheeky good fun. And the new production in London’s West End is definitely good fun. While the great Cy Coleman’s score is less than great, this well directed, inventive production betters even the less exciting parts. The cast seems to delight in Larry Gelbart’s funny, clever book, and it’s all around a great time – if you have the right seat, in a theatre where at least half the seats are garbage.
City of Angels tells the story of a LA writer named Stine (a fantastic Hadley Fraser my goodness) who is working on the film adaptation of his acclaimed novel. As he writes in real life and deals with a wife he cheats on but it’s NBD and a girl he has affairs with but it’s NBD and a Hollywood producer who’s an ass and it’s a BD, we also see the pages he’s writing come to life, with his characters acting out the plot as Stine works on it (with hilarious effect when he deletes and redoes something). Despite being in his imagination, the characters in his story feel real, and the barrier between real life and fiction break down when Stine interacts with his leading man, Stone (a great Theo James, yes that one, such stage presence, very wow), in the most fun parts of this show.
With this super clever, original premise comes tons of humor and creativity, and this production is probably the best we’ll see of this show. The direction is almost flawless (see below) and everything feels purposeful. I never really call out the lighting in a show, but the lighting design here is everything. Stine’s real Los Angeles life is lit in color, whereas the scenes from his script are mainly in black and white, an effect that was impressive as hell when both worlds would share the stage simultaneously, and extraordinary as Stone and Stine toy with the barrier between them. Those clashes between the two S men play out to pretty much the only big song in the show, “You’re Nothing Without Me”, overused a bit as it closes both acts but when it’s the main theme as well as the only strong song for our leading men – and lets Fraser do his main job in this show, which is belting and holding big final notes to impress you and distract you and it works because man alive he is some shit – you can’t fault that use too much.
And yes, while the clever book mostly delights, the score somewhat pales in comparison. There are some strong songs in addition to the aforementioned, like Stine’s wife’s “It Needs Work”, a clever almost patter sort of song that Rosalie Craig does brilliantly. (Craig only plays characters named Bobbi I guess now, and this underwritten one is as satisfying as the previous. (That sounds like a huge compliment since everyone and their mother loved the famous gender-flipped Company but recall that I did not.)) It shows off her acting ability fantastically, but like a lot of the score (save for Hadley’s big belted notes) it doesn’t allow for showing off vocal ability. The only real chance for that comes from Rebecca Trehearn’s “You Can Always Count on Me”. Accustomed to stealing shows, Trehearn’s performance is a highlight.
But there are also some duds that fail the ‘does-this-need-to-be-a-song-and-if-not-is-it-at-least-worth-it’ test. I don’t even recall the underused Vanessa Williams (yes, that Vanessa Williams) singing, which is odd for someone who famously can sing well, but I know she did. (She also gets a cringeworthy line about ‘saving the best for last’. I cannot imagine that was in the original script, so the addition is so corny. But if it original, I will eat my words – but if it WAS is that why they cast her??? Honestly that would make me love everything about this production even more, that’s some baller move for one stupid joke, and I respect that.) For a character as vibrant as Stine’s producer, Jimmy Powers (a good Jonathan Slinger in a JK Simmons role) really should have stronger songs. And Bobbie’s cabaret sections just seem awkward.
Some of the performances left me cold as well. Nicola Roberts, from the pop group Girls Aloud, is not well suited to her one big song, which sounded like when our Kim McAfee in high school started rehearsal without warming up. And the Angel City 4, the ensemble that kind of narrates sometimes, and acts as a Greek chorus sometimes, and serves as the producer Jimmy Powers’ backup singers sometimes, sounded insanely off key all the times. I was literally making Chrissy-Tiegen-at-the-Globes gif face whenever they sang, which is super rude, but I couldn’t help it because holy wow those were some wrong ass notes! Fortunately, they don’t ruin another strong number, Munoz’s (Marc Elliott’s) fun “All Ya Have to Do is Wait”, although I don’t think there was any Hispanic representation in this show which is bad when there are some real yikesy slurs used.
All my endless raving about how well designed and directed this show is does actually have an end, though, and it’s now: This show is staged for 40% of the audience. The Garrick has notoriously horrible sightlines from too many seats, and pillars blocking the view for many of the rest. Add in a narrower-seeming stalls and stage than most, a mezzanine overhang that seems to start at the stage, and a chaotic wackiness to the seating plan, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. That knowledge should make the director and crew more careful with what they are doing, but instead, here, they seemed to go ‘you know what, fuck it, let’s stage everything in that one top stage right corner even when it’s completely unnecessary, just to be dicks about it.’ There is so much happening at that spot that literally no one around us could see, and we had good seats. Given the overhang and sightlines, I am sure no one behind row M could see a good portion of the action, which is bullshit. If you’re lucky enough to be in that 40%, you’re going to have a phenomenal time. Otherwise, your resentment is going to color your experience, which is unfair both to you and this great production.
INFORMATION
For a 7:30 curtain, Act I ended at 9pm and the show ended at 10:28, which is about 15 minutes longer than it should be; there were issues at front of house before starting. Yes I really had to pee.
The Garrick Theatre is another stalls-in-the-basement one, so if you want to be at street level, sit in the circle. Also, the ladies bathrooms for the house left side of the stalls are upstairs anyway.
It is one of the smokiest shows in London right now, which is saying something since creators really love to keep those with respiratory problems and asthma away. Even for a 1940s noir show, smoking added nothing to the ambience they created with lights, performances, costumes, and sets. I am still waiting for someone to defend the use of smoking in the theatre to me.
The show is running until September 5, but the cast is changing several times (names this starry don’t do long runs anymore I guess).
STAGEDOOR
Everyone but Trehearn ran or snuck out a different entrance (as is their right yes but darn). The setup is nonexistent, so expect a mosh pit on the busiest sidewalk in London and a guard who doesn’t receive any information.
65th Primetime Emmy Award Predictions!
Are you going to win again, Alec?
Tomorrow night, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards will air and no doubt fill me with rage, incredulity, and of course awe (when watching host Neil Patrick Harris).
It’s no secret that I believe the Emmys to be the most ludicrously political and meaningless of the major awards. More than the Oscars, the Tonys, the Globes, and the SAGs, the Primetime Emmy award nominations are notoriously nonsensical. They usually correlate more to popular audience opinion (e.g., The Big Bang Theory over Community) and not critical thought. You might be one of the many who believe that popular opinion should drive such awards, but I’m an entertainment snob and I want the critical darlings to win (at least the ones that I like).
Despite the rage, I can’t not watch, I can’t not have opinions and keep fueling my anger about the nominations and, soon, the winners. Here are my thoughts about what should happen tomorrow, and what should have happened months ago.
It’s no secret that I believe the Emmys to be the most ludicrously political and meaningless of the major awards. More than the Oscars, the Tonys, the Globes, and the SAGs, the Primetime Emmy award nominations are notoriously nonsensical. They usually correlate more to popular audience opinion (e.g., The Big Bang Theory over Community) and not critical thought. You might be one of the many who believe that popular opinion should drive such awards, but I’m an entertainment snob and I want the critical darlings to win (at least the ones that I like).
Despite the rage, I can’t not watch, I can’t not have opinions and keep fueling my anger about the nominations and, soon, the winners. Here are my thoughts about what should happen tomorrow, and what should have happened months ago.
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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey Damian Lewis, Homeland Kevin Spacey, House of Cards Jon Hamm, Mad Men Jeff Daniels, Newsroom |
FIRST OF ALL, there should be 5 nominees in each category. These expanded acting categories are not doing anyone any favors. It should mean something to be nominated.
I’m usually not a fan of someone winning multiple times; I’m very socialist in my awards desires. But Bryan Cranston is deserving, in this last season of ‘Breaking Bad’. He has made Walter one of the most important characters in dramatic television, and should be rewarded. Possible spoiler: Spacey, because he’s Spacey, and this Netflix revolution in quality programming is something special that they may honor in some way here. |
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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey Claire Danes, Homeland Robin Wright, House of Cards Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men Connie Britton, Nashville Kerry Washington, Scandal |
First, note that there are SEVEN nominees. As stated above, when categories are expanded like this, it means less and less. A nomination should not be a consolation for great work – every employed actor should be doing great work. These slots should reflect more than that, pure excellence. Instead, it’s just a way to get in everyone who is good at their job. Or in the case of Connie Britton, someone who isn’t great in her current role, but whom the voters liked in her last role, and in real life. Obviously, I do not think she belongs here. Same for Michelle Dockery, who, while serviceable, is not deserving of a nod.
My vote is for Kerry Washington, in the most exciting show I’ve seen lately. There’s no season premiere I’m looking forward to more than ‘Scandal’. She carries a strong ensemble and I’m completely on board with her no matter how cray cray it gets. I mean, Olivia motherf-ing Pope, amiright. Spoiler definitely Danes, who is the least spoily spoiler ever and is probably most people’s first choice. Actual spoiler could be Moss, who is always deserving for a show that has never won an acting Emmy. |
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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory Matt LeBlanc, Episodes Don Cheadle, House of Lies Louis C.K., Louie Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock |
Really, as long as Jim Parsons doesn’t win, I’ll be happy. When he won the first time, it was magical. It was deserved. When he won the second time, over Steve Carell in his last season of ‘The Office’, it was pretty terrible. If he wins a third time?? Nope. Not ok. He is very funny as Sheldon, but not 3 Emmys funny. I would be happy for Alec to win again for the ‘30 Rock’ last season, but Louie will probably win, deservedly, because once the Emmy voters think they are doing something hip, they stick with it. (See, e.g., Parsons.) I’d be happy with Cheadler or Bateman as well.
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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Laura Dern, Enlightened Lena Dunham, Girls Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation Tina Fey, 30 Rock Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep |
She’s not going to win, but she should. Poehler’s Leslie Knope is one of the most lovable characters in television, leading an excellent ensemble and ensuring that each episode is funny, ridiculous, and heartwarming all at once. I’d be voting for her. Since the first three nominees should be in drama categories, watch for yet another win for Fey or Julia L-D, for their great work. |
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Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory Girls Louie Modern Family 30 Rock Veep |
Veep’s second season was even stronger than its first, and out of these nominees it should be honored. I would have loved for 30 Rock to win in its final season, but the past year was badly tarnished by the awful character of Hazel. It really ruined things. Modern Family and BBT are funny but stale and unexciting, and Girls is a drama.
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Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad Downton Abbey Game Of Thrones Homeland House Of Cards Mad Men |
Homeland is sick levels of awesome. It really is, and should be honored. But it’s Breaking Bad’s final season, and it’s also a sickly awesome show that will probably get the win. Aside from Downton, which is getting increasingly boring, and Mad Men, which had a very weak season, all of the other nominees would be quality winners.
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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad Jim Carter, Downton Abbey Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones Mandy Patinkin, Homeland |
Ohhh how I want Mandy to win! His Saul is fantastic, as is everything he does. But Paul will win again for his final season, not undeservedly. I love that my boy Bobby Cannavale is nominated, too. Dinklage won before and his accent is getting worse. Oh I want Mandy to win!
 Win, Mandy! |
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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Emilia Clarke, Game Of Thrones Christine Baranski, The Good Wife Morena Baccarin, Homeland Christina Hendricks, Mad Men |
How random is this category? Jessica Brody? Daenarys? The most hated character in cable TV, Anna Gunn? If I were voting, I’d actually vote for Emilia, but only because I feel bad that her Broadway debut was an utter failure and I want to make her happier. I think Anna Gunn would be the most deserving winner. If Maggie Smith wins, it would be the epitome of the Emmys – voting for someone they like with absolutely no thought given to the actual role. She has one line per episode! Yes, it’s usually the best part, but c’mon. C’MON!
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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Adam Driver, Girls Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family Ed O’Neill, Modern Family Ty Burrell, Modern Family Bill Hader, SNL Tony Hale, Veep |
Honestly, I’d be happy with anyone but the Modern Family guys. I’m so sick of this being the Modern Family category. I’m hoping they will cancel each other out and let the wildly deserving Hader sneak in. He won’t, I’m not saying that will happen, but I’d love it. I’d actually love if Hale or Driver won as well. Aside from the Modern Family monotony, this is actually a really fun bunch of nominations.
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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory Jane Lynch, Glee Anna Chlumsky, Veep Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie Sofia Vergara, Modern Family Julie Bowen, Modern Family |
Actually, if I could make one award happen tomorrow, it would be for Jane to win. As Jenna Maroney, she has concocted one of the most insane, amazing characters ever. It’s a crime that she has not won already. I’d be happy with Chlumsky, because she is the best (she’s ‘My Girl’!) and is great on Veep. But Jane must win!!
If Bowen, Lynch, or Vergara win, I mean…no, please. |
Lastly, I must say that it is a crime that Shaiman & Wittman didn’t win at the Creatives for their work writing the music on ‘Smash’. ‘Smash’ was vilified as a show, but the music was superb. SUPERB. It could have won a Tony for Best Score in any season, and it should have won here. Ironic that it lost to the opening number from the Tonys, which was funny but nowhere near as fantastic as the ‘Smash’ songs. The loss might have been guaranteed when the two songs nominated, ‘Hang the Moon’ and ‘I Heard Your Voice In A Dream’, were announced, because they weren’t the strongest. But still, I’m pissed that Shaiman & Wittman didn’t add an Emmy to their award collection. They are too good for the Emmys.
Who do you guys want to win?
Who do you guys want to win?
