Review: `Grey Gardens’
Opened Aug. 23, 2008 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
Beth Glover (left) is Big Edie and Elisa Van Duyne is Little Edie as they perform “Peas in a Pod” in Act 1 of the TheatreWorks production of the musical Grey Gardens. Photos by Mark Kitaoka
`Gardens’ at TheatreWorks is solid production of crumbling musical
««
The TheatreWorks production of Grey Gardens, the musical version of the 1975 documentary of the same name, has been billed as the first since the show closed on Broadway, but that’s not exactly true.
A production opened earlier this month at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts on Long Island. Whether that was a professional production or not, I couldn’t tell.
The TheatreWorks production that opened Saturday at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts under the direction of Kent Nicholson is definitely professional. It’s solidly performed by an able cast and designed to look very much like the Broadway production.
In other words, it’s a first-rate production of a really lousy musical.
I didn’t like the show much on Broadway, but the performances by Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson as a deeply tormented mother and daughter trapped by finances, circumstances and, possibly, mental illness, in a crumbling East Hampton, N.Y., mansion, were dazzling.
The original Grey Gardens documentary by the Maysles brothers is fascinating, and Edith Bouvier Beale (”Big Edie”) and her daughter, Edie Bouvier Beale (”Little Edie”), are like a train wreck you can’t help watching.
But did their story really need to be a musical?
Composer Scott Frankel, lyricist Michael Korie and book writer Doug Wright saw the potential, but rather than re-create the Beales as we knew them in the movie, they attempted to give us the women’s back story and place their later, squalid years in context.
So, in Act 1, we see the gracious Beales. Big Edie (Beth Glover), is planning a party to announce her daughter’s (Elisa Van Duyne) engagement to Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. (Nicholas Galbraith), older brother of John F. Kennedy.
A singer who apparently never could resist the urge to mar an event with a recital, Big Edie plans a nine-song concert at the engagement party, much to Little Edie’s dismay.
We get hints about marital strife between Big Edie and her absent husband, Phelan, and we see the rift between Big Edie and her father, J.V. “Major” Bouvier (Paul Myrvold), caused by the daughter’s bohemian nature and her relationship with the fey piano player, George Gould Strong (Michael Winther).
The score of Act 1 is an uncomfortable mix of pastiche period songs (”The Girl Who Has Everything,” “Hominy Grits,” “Will You?”) and character-driven songs, the best of which is he simple, dramatic “Telegram Song” when Little Edie’s world comes crashing down on her.
Truth is, Act 1 should have been nothing more than …
To read the complete review, visit my Examiner.com theater page here.
Grey Gardens continues through Sept. 14 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. Tickets are $26-$64. Call 650-903-6000 or visit www.theatreworks.org.
Just to clarify, Smithtown is not professional… nor should they have been granted the rights as we were given the rights to the first production. I know because I negotiated the deal myself. For all I know, Smithtown is doing it illegally. Although, these kinds of mistakes are made at licensing houses all the time.
Sorry you didn’t like it. I personally think Jerry Likes My Corn is a brilliant song with tongue planted firmly in cheek… but if you take it all a bit too seriously, then I guess I see your point.
Kent
Comment by Kent Nicholson — August 24, 2008 @ 3:52 pm
Have to disagree with you, Chad! This tale of mis-opportunities devastated me once again at Saturday night’s opening, as on Broadway in November, 2006. Bravo, Kent Nicholoson and your inspired cast & crew!
Comment by Craig — August 25, 2008 @ 9:40 am
Yes I too must disagree. I found this a bold imaginative musical. I always thought the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens” was one of the best PBS ever presented and I was happy that Doug Wright, the playwright, Scott Frankel the composer and Michael Korie who wrote the brilliant lyrics did not muck it up. I found Beth Glover as Edith and Little “Edie”, Elisa Van Duyne as Edie in the first act and Dale Soules as Edith Bouvier Beale in the second act were superb.
It is interesting to note that Steve Winn in the Chronicle loved the song “Corn” sung by Ms. Soules. I loved the song also. I talked to Dale Soules who understudied Mary Louise Wilson on Broadway. The artist was able to go on for 10 days while Ms. Wilson went on vacation. She also introduced several Stephen Schwartz songs in “The Magic Show” on Broadway and she was the electrican on the original production of “Boys in the Band” on Broadway. Now there is a piece of trivia. By the way Jan Wahl will be interviewing here on KRON this coming Saturday morning.
Comment by Richard Connema — August 25, 2008 @ 1:55 pm
Dear Chad,
Sorry I did not have a chance to chat with you. Frank and I left as quickly as you did. Our reviews were in agreement (on most points)and can be viewed at http://www.forallevents.info/kedaradour.
See you next at the Aurora??
Comment by Kedar — August 26, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
[...] perform ???Peas in a Pod??? in Act 1 of the TheatreWorks production of the musical Grey Gardens. Phohttp://www.theaterdogs.net/2008/08/24/review-grey-gardens%e2%80%99/Northbridge High School announces fourth-quarter honor roll Worcester Telegram & GazetteNORTHBRIDGE [...]
Pingback by mary castro — September 16, 2008 @ 10:01 pm