Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V5 #264

["Andrew P. Valenti" <avalent1@ix.netcom.com>]

Re: A Christmas Carol

I took my family to see the 2pm "A Christmas Carol" performance on Novmber
27th, which I believe was the premier.  Overall, we gave it a 2 1/2 out of 5
Stars.  Here's the scoop.

If you're a Who fan then you can't help be disappointed by the heavy makeup
and otherwise unrecognizable presence of Roger; if you were to attend a
performance and were not clued-in you'd be heard press to realize you've got
the lead singer of the Who in front of you.  Roger sang rather flat for the
majority of the show and the songs, which are VERY similar to "Beauty and
the Beast" are not exactly a Maximum R&B showcase.

That said, Roger does have a commanding stage presence and did convincingly
assume the Ebaneezer Scrooge personae.  The productions were overall very
high with excellent scenary and a strong supporting cast.

The story has been drained of much of it's dark, ironic humor and given a
90's sensibility.  In other words, it might as well have been called "A
Seasonal Fable" since there's hardly a Christmas or other Christian
reference in this adaption.  At  one point during the "Ghost of Christmas
Yet-to-Come" sequence, a bunch of Rockette-like dancers performed a
completely out of place (not to mention anachronistic) tap dance.

The Madison Square Garden Theater's (aka The Felt Forum) production is in
it's sixth year and judging by the sold out performance, looks like it will
continue for several more.  Roger joins a list of several well known
Broadway actor who have appeared in this production, such as Tony Randall,
Hal Linden, and Roddy McDowell.  You might say Roger's in good company.  I'd
say, it sure beats Wayne Newton and Perry Combo!

All in all,