I really liked A TALE OF TWO CITIES in spite of its faults, which are mostly its lyrics. Since I think LES MIZ is a mess with maybe four good songs and a sloppy attempt at telling a story covering 20 years on a Lazy Susan set, I really liked how smoothly the plot ofTWO CITIES was laid out and how nicely it was staged. It's amazing how a wedding veil can show the passage of several years so easily.
While I don't think any of the songs in A TALE OF TWO CITIES is very good, and I think the too-often simplistic lyrics sometimes seem out of character for the singer, I liked the book, set design, and costumes very much. I also liked the cast quite a lot, especially James Barbour who's got a role anyone would kill for. The ingenue playing Lucie Manette redeems herself here after her god-awful turn as the Mermaid Siren on the idiotic soap opera PASSIONS. I liked her look, her bearing, and her lovely voice. Who woulda thought?
It's also got a great supporting cast, including my friend Michael Hayward-Jones, with whom I first worked in 1976 in dinner theatre, un 1998 in MIRETTE at Goodspeed, and this is the first time I've seen him since. It was was good to see Gregg Edelman as well, an old friend since around 1988 and the BABES IN ARMS recording. I think the book for the show is fine, but I'd asure like another set of music and lyrics.
