The Boy from Where? (part 1)

This is a two part post:

1. Review of The Boy From Brooklyn currently running at the Mercury Theater.
2. What this review means for the actor and as an actor.

Part one - The Boy From Brooklyn - review
I have one word - painful. Okay two words - utterly painful. I love Danny Kaye. I adore White Christmas. I was raised on this period and adore it for its campy-ness, warm-hearted-ness, and classic story telling. The show being performed at the Mercury Theater is none of these things.

I should have begun by saying my review of this production is completely null and void. I did not make it past intermission. It is only the second show in history that I have walked out of at intermission. Poor sound design, uninspired set design, and lack of directorial "concept" only begins to scratch the surface of this production. Because of the over mic-ed actors and musical direction of "belting the hell out of it" I could not understand a word that was said or sung. Danny Kaye was a dynamic actor, onstage and off. Dynamic is the word - not flamboyant. Was he gay, was he not. I don't care. But his movement (macho, feminine, or ridiculous) had meaning behind it. There was not a wrist twitch just for the sake of it. It was used to physically commit to what his heart/mind/lines was already doing. In this production, Danny Kaye is portrayed as a two dimensional jester with no sense whatsoever.

The supporting characters were performed as adequately as possible. The script gives them only time to make a quick quip and costume change. No relationship is developed, not even between Danny and his wife. I took 3 friends to the show. After we left at intermission, I bought them all ice cream to pay them back for the hour and ten minutes they would never have back.

As I write this, I am watching White Christmas to confirm for myself that I enjoy Danny Kaye as an actor. They just did Choreography. It is confirmed - Danny Kaye is brilliant. Boy From Brooklyn is not.

Part two of this post will explain the repercussions to both the actor on stage and the actor in the audience.