Comments on Gratuitous Violins: The Drowsy Chaperone

Thanks for the comment MOF!Yeah, I loved Jonathan ...

2008-07-19T13:37:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the comment MOF!
Yeah, I loved Jonathan Crombie. I never saw Bob Martin in the role so I can't compare the two, but I just thought his portrayal made Man in Chair so sweet and endearing.

I adored this musical! I had used Chris' line too...

2008-07-19T12:27:00.000-04:00

I adored this musical! I had used Chris' line too that this musical is a love letter to musical theatre (great minds!). I wish I could have seen Sutton Foster, but Jonathan Crombie was great, wasn't he? Such good memories from this show!

Wow, Chris, you mean that even I can be a theatre ...

2008-04-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

Wow, Chris, you mean that even I can be a theatre queen?! ;-)

At first I was afraid that maybe Man in Chair was a bit of a stereotype, but I really do think that the writing, and Jonathan Crombie's performance, imbue him with a real sense of humanity. I think everyone can relate to him. We've all felt blue at one time or another, and we've all been infatuated with something.

And you're right, from beginning to end, the whole show is a total love letter to musical theatre. After watching "The Drowsy Chaperone" you get a great sense of why people love it so much. The saddest part for me was when Man in Chair tells the building superintendent quickly and adamantly that he's not a musical theatre fan. It's like he's afraid to admit it. It made the last lines, about how he loves the show anyway, despite its flaws, all the more poignant. Because we know, of course, that he does love musical theatre.

Esther, love.It baffles me that more theater queen...

2008-04-29T15:48:00.000-04:00

Esther, love.

It baffles me that more theater queens (a term I use in an ecumenical sense: women and straight men can be TQs too) don't adore this show. It's a virtual love letter to musical theater, and a very funny one to boot.

As you suspect, the songs are very indicative of the period style: think No No Nanette and Good News. Lots of frivolous fun and non-integrated ballads. The songs in DC are, to some extent, deliberately bad, because that's true to the period. Some folks didn't get the joke.

Hey Steve:Yeah, that's one of the things I found s...

2008-04-29T00:06:00.000-04:00

Hey Steve:
Yeah, that's one of the things I found so interesting about the show, it really is about the power of theatre to take us to another place and time. In Man in Chair's case, he's never actually seen "The Drowsy Chaperone," but the music and his imagination take him there. And especially in the beautifully restored 1920s Boston Opera House, you really do feel transported. I definitely agree, it's a fun show, very witty and imaginative, with some great performances. And I'm not embarrassed to admit that I laughed at every single one of the bad puns!

Hey Vance,You know, I'd heard many people say the ...

2008-04-28T23:54:00.000-04:00

Hey Vance,
You know, I'd heard many people say the same thing, about Bob Martin being the heart and soul of the show, so I was a little anxious going into this. But I thought Jonathan Crombie was great. He really inhabited the role, making Man in Chair such a warm and funny and likable person. More than anything else, his performance is what I'll remember about "The Drowsy Chaperone." I was totally captivated by him. And I really was a little choked up at the end. Maybe the key was getting a fellow Canadian. ;-)

Totally, I know it wasn't the best show but it was...

2008-04-28T23:39:00.000-04:00

Totally, I know it wasn't the best show but it was fun and enjoyable nonetheless!

Personally, Bob Martin was the heart and soul of the show so I couldn't imagine anyone else taking over so I'm glad that the show can go on with other excellent talent! (I was lucky enough to see Sutton Foster for the first time in this show too who proved why she's the Broadway star she is).

Esther, You hit the nail on the head, particularly...

2008-04-28T22:29:00.000-04:00

Esther, You hit the nail on the head, particularly in your last point. Theatre has the unusual ability to transport us to another place and time, right before our eyes, and I believe that's what makes The Drowsy Chaperone work so well. Sure, it's not the greatest musical of all time, but I dare anyone not to have fun.