Because
honestly, I enjoy the hosts’ gags and my favorites giving acceptance speeches
(Michael Cerveris!,) but seeing the performance numbers is about 80% of the
reason I watch the Tonys.
Something
Rotten
This
made-of-meta performance seems like a pretty good representation of its
show. I really enjoyed some of the
stranger aspects of musicals that are predicted and puzzled over by the
Elizabethan characters. Though I love
it, Les Mis is always ripe for a good
dig, and they have a great point – what is
it about a kick line that’s so fabulous?
The
King and I
Pretty
nice medley here, giving us two good looks at Kelli O’Hara’s Anna, a nice
feature for supporting actress victor Ruthie Ann Miles, and a glimpse of Ken
Watanabe’s king of Siam. Overall, it
looks to be what you’d expect from a King
and I revival, but it appears a well-rendered one, and the Rodgers and
Hammerstein tunes are of course classy/lovely.
On the
Town
One of
several performances with the same general setting and music style, but this
was my favorite of the bunch. With a
trio of likeable actors in great voice brimming with energy, this short medley
makes the most of its brief time, popping congenially.
Fun
Home
Bar
none, my favorite. The greedy part of me
would’ve liked to hear Michael Cerveris singing something, too, but really, the
performance is perfect just the way it is, with a bit of narration and dialogue
followed by a showcase for the young actress playing Alison. The song, in which Alison is bowled over by
the sudden sense of kinship that seizes her when she sees her first butch
woman, is beautifully written and performed.
The lyrics are so resonant, especially, “I thought it was supposed to be
wrong, / But you seem okay with being strong. / I want… / You’re so… / It’s
probably conceited to say, / But I think we’re alike in a certain way.” The sentiment here is just so true – it reminds
me a lot of my feelings the first time I lurked on an asexuality message
board. After a lot of production
numbers, this performance makes me feel like I’m actually seeing something happen.
Sydney Lucas’s bewildered, elated facial expressions are golden, and I
love the shot of the adult Alison standing in the background of the scene,
watching her younger self as she experiences this revelation. Just stunning.
The
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