I was willing to give it a shot with an open mind, which closed abruptly at Joanne and Harry's "fight" scene, which Doyle staged with them on opposite sides of the stage, with them miming the action. My jaw was literally agape (not in Christian love--little religious humor for those of you so inclined).
Well... That scene actually worked much better in the theatre when you could actually see both of them at once, rather than in isolation.
*And, I've said it before... But I actually liked John Doyle's
Sweeney Todd and
Company. Do I want to see all shows resort to "the actors are the orchestra too"? No. But the concept really worked for me with these two productions, and I was able to accept the "gimmick" of the actors playing instruments after the first couple of notes were played. -And I was also able to see when the playing of the instruments was used to heighten the drama in the scene. I guess having seen and played many productions of both shows, it was truly nice seeing them done in a totally new way. I also truly appreciated the actors/musicians being able to play their instruments very well
and memorizing all that music! -And Raul Esparza's "Being Alive" - live, in the theatre - was one of the most moving experiences I've had as an audience member. -It would be a virtual tie with his "Finishing the Hat".
