Yet another revival of this Jerry Herman classic. It seems only yesterday I saw this one (twice even) at the Marriott Marquis. (For the record it was 2004). For a show that had its original run in 1983, this one has done quite well in both New York and London.
This time around, however, is different - less glitz, glamor, sequins and stardust - and more family, love, and character. This time around we have Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge as Georges and Albin. Les Cagelles, as they always are, put on a hot, dazzling performance - emphasis on HOT . Anyone sitting up close can see the bulging muscles these "ladies" clearly spend time working on (oh my!). An interesting choice this time around is for Jared De Jesus to play the role of the Jacob, the houseboy. He's certainly adorable, but I thought maybe he was a bit over the top - too much - trying to hard - more like a Saturday night live skit than a Broadway show. This, of course, is not his fault, and probably falls squarely on the director, Terry Johnson.
Overall, I think most people agree, the story is timeless - love and family take many forms and shapes - a message that still has a long journey ahead.
