Set in the magical world of La Belle Epoque in turn-of-the-century Paris, GIGI is a timeless romantic comedy about a young woman groomed in the custom of her family to be a companion to a bored, wealthy playboy, until the two unexpectedly realize this is in fact true love.
This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the debut of Gigi on Broadway. Lerner and Loewe's Tony Award-winning score was first heard in the 9-time Academy Award-winning Best Picture of the same name, directed by Vincente Minnelli. The movie, which was the last of the classic MGM musicals, was based on the Broadway play by Anita Loos and the popular novella by Colette.
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved musical GIGI will return to Broadway in a production directed by Tony Award-nominee Eric D. Schaeffer (Follies), in a new adaptation by acclaimed British playwright and Emmy-nominated screenwriter Heidi Thomas ("Cranforde," "Upstairs Downstairs," "Call the Midwife".)
Director Eric Schaeffer...tries to distract us from the way political correctness has sanitized the story and made it soppier while lessening the stakes. The production's pacing is brisk, and the spirited choreography by Joshua Bergasse occasionally turns acrobatic. But a solution to 'Gigi' has not been found...Hudgens, a dark-haired waif with a pretty if not particularly distinctive singing voice, makes a winning first impression...Unfortunately, the longer Hudgens is on stage, the more superficial her Gigi seems. She can deliver an image of adolescent abandon, but her emotions are dictated entirely by the plot. Her acting is all romantic pabulum -- dull sweetness, exaggerated gaiety, trumped-up anxiety leading directly to amorous ecstasy. Thomas' update doesn't give Hudgens much to work with...Making matters more vanilla, Corey Cott's young-looking Gaston seems almost as innocent as Gigi...Cott's blandness goes away when he sings, but his Gaston is yawningly on the up and up...in an attempt to bring the story up to 21st century standards, the new 'Gigi' only seems more dated.
There is one performer who creates a small center of warmth and feeling, the wonderful Victoria Clark, as Gigi's loving grandmother. When she and Hoty join for a duet on 'Little Girls,' the two theater veterans give us a glimpse of the pleasure musical theater can provide. (The song belonged in the film to Honore, but having an elderly man sing a paean to pre-adolescent females obviously no longer seemed advisable.) Clark, who has a lovely voice, also created a special moment with her solo on 'Say A Prayer.' Otherwise, 'Gigi' is the night the Champagne went flat.
2015 | Washington, DC (Regional) |
Kennedy Center Production Washington, DC (Regional) |
2015 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Catherine Zuber |
2015 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Victoria Clark |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Victoria Clark |
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