Monty Python’s Spamalot is all about chasing the holy grail of producing a hit Broadway musical, and has itself made one out of a phenomenon with a cult following. But I am guessing that it could be a little lonely to watch if you are not part of the initiated already, and wondering at why those around you are hysterical with laughter before the joke even happens.
I felt something akin to that experience while watching a new and hugely acclaimed new off-Broadway musical called Grey Gardens, based on a 1975 documentary about a reclusive mother and daughter who were related to Jacqueline Kennedy, living in the squalor of an East Hampton mansion overrun with cats and racoons.
The documentary already has a following, but the musical (running to this weekend only at Playwrights’ Horizons) that it has inspired has already gained one thanks in large part to Christine Ebsersole, who plays the mother (in the first act) and daughter (in the second). In a review in which Ben Brantley anointed her performance as “one of the most gorgeous ever to grace a musical” (with a presumptiousness that suggests he’s seen every other performance ever to grace one to compare it with), he wrote, “Anyone who has seen the 1975 Maysles brothers documentary that inspired this show will know that Ms. Ebersole looks, sounds, moves and (most important, for much of this show’s audience) dresses with eerie exactitude like the real Edie Beale.”
But there on Sunday night, the problems began for me: not because I was unfamiliar with how accurate she was being, but with a small section of the audience who did, and thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. From the moment Ebsersole made her second act appearance, before she had even uttered a word, they were hooting and hollering, and it didn’t let up for the rest of the show. There were a couple of fans who literally applauded every single funny line she uttered. And with them underlining each joke, it became not only profoundly irritating but also increasingly unfunny as a result.
There’s a fine line between adding to the show – as the Rocky Horror cultists do, with their shout-out interventions to the script that have virtually become a part of it now – and nearly destroying it, with over-the-top self-involvement of this kind. Yes, they’re having a good time – but I just wish they had allowed me to share their pleasure by calming down on theirs.
Hi there. Alas I was there on Sunday night with my partner. It was our 6th time seeing the show. We will be back for our 7th this Sunday for the closing performance.
I think it appropriate to bring Christine Ebersole into the equation. In a TV interview a few years ago Christine Ebersole spoke about a performance of Oklahoma at which she was playing the role of Ado Annie. It was a matinee and not one person laughed the entire show. As you know as the comic relief she took this quite personally.
After the show a middle aged man from Texas approached her at the stage door. He said it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. In fact he had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing. She said why did you that. This is live theater. We need you to give us the feedback.
Like the original documentary...this crosses many borders...the fourth wall at times is gone (though not succintly and not permanently). I know for a fact that Christine appreciates this feedback from the audience.
The one thing you negated to mention in your commentary. When Christine gets to the emotional climax of the show as Little Edie...you could hear a pin drop. The audience was completely respectful that this portion of the show was not comedy.
So Mark "darling"...please loosen up.
Respectfully (and sans hooting and holering),
John