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Wednesday, Dec 03, 2008
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A first-timer falls in love with Mame |
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| A first-timer falls in love with Mame | ||
| by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid -
SGN A&E Writer MAME DIRECTED BY DAVID ARMSTRONG STARRING DEE HOTY , CAROL SWARBRICK, KAT RAMSBURG NICK ROBINSON, BEN GONIO, SEAN G. GRIFFIN, MATT OWEN TIMOTHY MCCUEN PIGGEE, RICHARD WHITE (AND MANY MORE) 5TH AVENUE THEATRE THROUGH MARCH 2 I'll admit that the only time I'd ever seen Mame before last week was on the small screen, with Carol Channing playing Mame. That was the hardwired impression I had when attending the opening of this gem of a musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Well, honey, the "wetware" got a refreshing shakeup when the inimitable Dee Hoty (who plays the vivacious and free-thinking Mame) stepped onto the 5th Avenue stage, dressed in one of many to-die-for outfits. Seeing Mame live beat the hell out of seeing a much stripped-down version on the tube so long ago. And believe me, after the lineage of actresses who have played this eccentric, beloved character (including Lucille Ball), I was watching Ms. Hoty with eyes like a diamond cutter. Wonderfully, I can report that not only did Ms. Hoty live up to the enormity of this role, but she made it her own and wowed the audience with her sheer, energetic vivacity. And heck, the woman has the same powerful voice I loved in all of those '40s films with Gay fave Rosalind Russell. Set in the Depression era, Mame not only showcases lavish costumes by Gregg Barnes, but a much more innocent time, when "little" people - like a nanny and Mame's only living relative (her nephew, Patrick, played by Nick Robinson) - could move from obscurity to near fame just by being associated with the queen bee, Mame. The story also digs a little bit into some of the social mores and values of the time and wittily showcases the class differences of the early '50s. The nephew grows up and comes to like a high-society Connecticut airhead (Taryn Darr), but Mame is not about to have her darling nephew hook up with someone who will no doubt fence him in and deny him the sparkling beauty of life she has shown him. Of course, all ends well, and even the nanny (Kat Ramsburg), who is very pregnant - out of wedlock - finds a home with the colorful group Mame calls her friends. But, the most splendid production number, and the one I'd say go see this show for, is the one so similar to all of those Busby Berkely musicals I watched as a child. The "Moon Lady" piece is complete with a sparkling backdrop, dazzling costumes, and the kind of splendor one rarely sees on today's stages, or even in the films out of Hollywood. This one made me breathless with joy for about a minute, as did the title song and dance number, "Mame," featuring riding outfitted dancers and a realistic-looking Southern mansion in the background. In truth, there's nothing to not love about this show, and everything to make an audience feel good and leave singing. Go and fall in love with the whole experience before it goes away. Ah yes, and if you've read about the gown by designer Luly Yang that's featured in the show, it is all it's said to be and so much more. For information on tickets and showtimes, call 625-1900 or visit www.5thavenue.org. |
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