Weak-willed, Unintersting, Ineffectual - But I LOVED the Book!

By Jonathan Jones
Friday, December 30, 2011

I am not familiar with the original musical or film and my only connection to the work was Barbra Streisand's rendering of the title song - but I am converted to a lover of this show, at least in its current incarnation at the St. James Theatre.


I LOVED the revised book wherein a psychiatrist (Harry Connick Jr.) hypnotizes a homosexual man (David Turner) and discovers that he was a woman in his past life (Jessie Mueller) - a woman he falls in love with through their sessions and the homosexual falls in love with him - a riveting story for sure. Unfortunately, as sexy as Mr. Connick is, his stiff and expressionless performance isn't strong enough to carry the show (think Madonna in her many film roles). Mr. Turner's David, weak-willed, unintersting, and ineffectual as his character is said to be, lacks the charisma to hold our interest. Most unfortunate, is these two men being paired against Ms. Mueller who is so INCREDIBLE that the balance of the show is completely off. But I LOVED the book (I have to keep saying it - because I was really impressed by how much I loved the story, even if the two leading men were less than spectacular). 


Like many musicals, I can sympathize with Director Michael Mayer's 2nd Act struggle, as the plot gets a little muddy as it moves to resolution, but as it is such a common problem in musicals, I can overlook it. The costumes are straight out of The Brady Bunch, but as the show is set in 1974, the rainbow parade reads more as 1960's rather than 1970's. The curtain call, with rainbow swirls and tye-die is a Dorothy in Oz moment and particularly bizarre given the tragic nature of the show. 


Alas, the lowest moment performance wise is Mr. Connick's white man who can't dance routine during "Born Again" - but damn, that man can sing!


Jessie Mueller is luminous, and as this is her Broadway debut, I expect many great things from her in the future. She is a STAR.

Tickets for On a Clear Day.. can be purchased here.

Tyler Perry Did It Better: In spite of a line in the show, this play does not "deserve to be seen"

By Jonathan Jones
Monday, December 19, 2011

Many theatre folk are critical of Tyler Perry's musical plays that criss cross the country year after year before being released on DVD and then adapted into film versions. Thanks to the unfortunate play, Stick Fly, it is now clear that the critics of Mr. Perry's work just don't get it and that he really has created something masterful.

Stick Fly is a bourgie melodrama that is so far outside of the experience of any living person, that one has to wonder if it's meant to be a farce. The audience laughs uncomfortably at scenes that are played with such sincerity, one has to wonder if the cast even understands just how dreadful the work is. Tyler Perry's plays tell similar tales, but the most wrenching of melodramatic moments are capped off in song, and whenever the play starts taking itself to seriously, in comes Tyler Perry in full Medea drag, to take the piss out of the situation, identify the ridiuculousness of the situation, and slap (sometimes literally) some sense into the hyper-realistic characters. Stick Fly has no music (aside from Ms. Keys' pleasing under-score) to punctuate the emotional insanity, and no Medea to make it clear that there is nothing serious about these inane situations. As a result, the show takes itself way too seriously and fails to connect with any sense of reality or emotional truth.

Stick Fly tickets can be purchased here.