DC Theatre Scene: Almost 30 years ago, Bob Fosse collapsed after rehearsals for a revival of Sweet Charity not two blocks from the National Theater, where I saw a piece of his legacy last night: the most recent national tour of Chicago. Today and for this play, Fosse is no longer just the man, the brilliant light who passed away that late September night, now prominently credited as a book writer, original director and choreographer in the National’s program. Fosse is more than a man; Fosse is a style, a movement, an adjective, and a different sort of proper noun. And in this new rendition of what could be his masterwork, the ghost of Bob Fosse haunts the National Theater now.
3 comments:
This sounds like a really strong performance. You can't really go wrong with minimalism. That said, I have to agree with the author. Chicago is a show that is recognizable from the first horn burns, and any musical theatre aficionado worth a lick has performed at least one of these songs on stage, in cabarets, and even their shadows. There was a hugely popular movie, it is done in high schools and on tours and everywhere else in between.
And it's boring.
The great joy of theatre is the surprise, and in the discovery. I don't believe there is a purpose to theatre that has been done before. When a show is revived it should have something new to make it interesting and appropriate for the age and the time. If you want the same show that existed 10 years ago, make a movie. Theatre is supposed to grow and change with the times. Is there anything new or unseen about slinky black outfits and sequins?
I love the unique style that Fosse has and is known for. They include mostly big, over the top choreography and poses. I have done quite a few of Fosse’s shows and worked with a director that- no matter what show it was- would incorporate a great deal of Fosse’s techniques and styles into it. Bob Fosse has had such an amazing impact on the dance world and the theatrical world combined. I am really glad that this performance of Chicago took after Fosse’s original intentions and was able to mimic some of his original choreography. I would have love and learned a lot from seeing this theatre’s interpretation of Chicago. Not only is Chicago one of Fosse’s classics, but to have it literally recreated is amazing. I feel like it would make the supposed ghost of Bob Fosse that is haunting the theatre happy.
This is a really terrific review in that it faithfully portrays the precision and faithfulness of the performance, while also drawing attention to the fact that it is nothing new. This opens up the question of whether or not it is better to update a performance or retain what made the original so great at the risk of alienating current audiences. The author's final thought on Fosse and his pursuit of the innovative makes an interesting point to reflect on. What if maintaining and upholding an artist's vision for a piece means protecting the *kind* of piece it was instead of keeping the piece as it was? What if Fosse meant for Chicago to age over time, maintaining its place as a cutting edge performance rather than its fancy precision footwork? Indeed, this question can be applied to almost every classic. What is more critical when we pass on a production? The feeling and the perspective that it first inspired, or the exact visual image it first presented?
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