The Sweet:
Nearly the entire cast has a voice to die for and they all know how to use it. The stand out numbers like "Dreamgirls", "I Am Changing", "One Night Only", and of course "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" are all executed with precision and soul. On Sunday, the understudy for Effie (Patrice Covington) was on for her first time and she was truly spectacular. She navigated her first performance with ease and confidence - it seemed as though she had been performing the role from the beginning. She had the perfect mix of grace and power, and her voice blew the roof off the Apollo!
The real stand out in the show is Chester Gregory as James "Thunder" Early (Jimmy). His performance demanded attention and any time he was on, he was the only person you could see. His show stopping "Jimmy's Got Soul" was a riot and his final scene with Lorrell was acted with heart-breaking clarity and depth - no other moment in the show was so affecting.
The design for the show featured more glitter and glitz than you can imagine, but never went too far. The set, lights and costumes all contributed to the show and moved seamlessly from scene to scene. The moments that the performers were video taped live and projected on the set worked especially well.
The Sour:
Probably the biggest problem with the show is the material. It's a show that has countless numbers, yet only 5 or 6 are worth remembering. The run-time felt a little long and the audience was getting a bit restless towards the end, which could have been helped by cutting some of the weaker numbers, or simply shortening them. "Steppin' to the Bad Side" especially stuck out as awkward with it's theme park choreography and extended dance break.
The ensemble is very strong in the show, and most, if not all of them have very difficult tracks to cover, it would have been nice to see some stronger dances though. The choreography was never flashy and looked a bit elementary and repetitive at times. It did seem to fit the time period, but could have used some stronger, flashier dances to spice up the weaker numbers.
The problem with a show coming out only a few years after such a well-received movie, is it has to top the film or change it in some way to justify the new production. This show doesn't quite accomplish that, it only reaches the same level. It's very good, but it doesn't have an emotional resonance that you can only have from a live show. It seems the director, Robert Longbottom, spent a lot of time making the show look and sound good, and not enough time making sure it had heart. This results in moments of dis-engagement. Just sitting back and listening to good singers and not feeling the heart of the story.
WEZ Sez:
Go see Dreamgirls at the Apollo or anywhere in the USA! It is exciting and well performed - you will be entertained. This production is especially good for fans of the show / film who would like to see it sung live. Just don't expect to see a show that makes you think anything other than "those performers blew the roof off!"
It's at the Apollo until Saturday night. Seven more chances to see it in NYC. You can get $25 rush tickets on the day of the show. Click HERE for the tour schedule.
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