Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Stage adaptations of films as microwavable comfort food: A BRONX TALE, THE BODYGUARD, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, and TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

• By drediman
• December 13, 2016
• No Comments

This fall in New York has seen a number of stage adaptations of popular movies hit the boards. Unfortunately, each of these endeavors has highlighted the unique differences between stage and screen and the difficulties of translating acclaimed films into equally successful theatrical experiences. The results have been akin to microwavable comfort food – unobjectionably edible, often going down easily, but hardly good for you.

Nick Cordero and Richard H. Blake in “A Bronx Tale” at the Longacre Theatre

One of the fall’s most anticipated Broadway shows is the musical adaptation of A Bronx Tale (SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED), which is based on the 1993 crime film by Chazz Palminteri (which in turn was based on Mr. Palminteri’s autobiographical play). Despite featuring a magnetic turn by Nick Cordero as the neighborhood mob boss Sonny, the rest of the Jerry Zaks’ production registers as nothing more than merely adequate and worse yet, forgettable. The score by Alan Menken (music) and Glenn Slater (lyrics) is pleasant and easy on the ears but seems all wrong for the gritty world of Mr. Palminteri’s childhood. The rest of the cast performs the material admirably, but no one rises to the inspired heights of Mr. Cordero’s performance (his rendition of Sinatra-esque “One of the Great Ones” is one of the high points of the Broadway season so far). That being said, a number of the key performances have markedly improved since the production’s pre-Broadway tryout at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse (particularly the central role of Calogero, now played by Bobby Conte Thornton).

Deborah Cox leads “The Bodyguard” at Paper Mill Playhouse

Speaking of the Paper Mill Playhouse, that’s where the North American premiere of the musical adaptation of the popular Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner flick The Bodyguard (SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED) took place last weekend. The musical version has been a hit across the pond, where it’s currently playing at Dominion Theatre in the West End. When I saw it there at the Adelphi, I felt it was bloated and largely laughable – I really just couldn’t take the plotting seriously – but undeniably entertaining. I still feel the same way. You see, the musical is essentially a Whitney Houston jukebox musical, incorporating most of the biggest hits of her career into the plot, in addition to existing songs from the film. To experience Ms. Houston’s catchy, feel good songbook infectiously performed live by a young, sexy cast is the main reason to make the trek to Millburn. Thankfully, the physical production has been downsized and streamlined from the bloated London production to accommodate touring after the New Jersey run (the production continues to be directed and designed by Thea Sharrock and Tim Hatley, respectively). The performances are solid, with Deborah Cox and Judson Mills submitting committed and perfectly respectable performances which I feel are more believable and thus an improvement over their counterparts in London (I missed Heather Headley in the role, unfortunately).

The company of “Dead Poets Society”
at Classic Stage Company

Off-Broadway saw the opening of the hot ticket stage adaptation of Dead Poets Society (SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED) at Classic Stage Company. Despite being perhaps the most artfully adapted of the bunch, director John Doyle’s production lacks the urgency and charisma of the film. The Classic Stage Company production also is also missing Robin Williams’ iconic performance as John Keating, which here is played by Saturday Night Live’s Jason Sudeikis. Mr. Sudeikis does well in the role and is certainly charming, but he has nowhere near the captivating qualities nor the gravitas of the late, great Mr. Williams’ performance. As a result, the boarding school drama falls a little flat, which is not helped by Mr. Doyle’s minimalist staging. The story requires specificity and atmosphere for it to sing, which is largely missing from Mr. Doyle’s existential approach to theater-making.

Molly Ringwald and Hannah Dunne in “Terms of Endearment” at 59E59 Theaters

If the stage version of Dead Poets Society suffers from trying too hard to create a theatrical experience on its own terms, Terms of Endearment (SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED), which closed last weekend at 59E59 Theaters, suffered from the opposite problem. The stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning film starring Shirley MacLaine, written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva, follows the film very closely. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the production felt episodic, lacking the organic qualities that make play-watching so enjoyable (read: The Humans). That being said, the cast, led by Molly Ringwald in Ms. MacLaine’s showy role (boy, am I getting old!), is solid and enjoyable, if unspectacular, to watch. Additionally, it’s a testament to the power of Larry McMurtry’s underlying story – the film is based on his novel – that the latter scenes in the play continue to move, albeit in a different genre.

A BRONX TALE
Broadway, Musical
Longacre Theatre
2 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run

THE BODYGUARD
Regional, Musical
Paper Mill Playhouse
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through January 1

DEAD POETS SOCIETY
Off-Broadway, Play
Classic Stage Company
1 hour, 40 minutes (with no intermission)
Through December 18

TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
Off-Broadway, Play
59E59 Theaters
2 hours (with one intermission)
Closed