The perfect response everywhere Broadway sucks these days The complaint about too many film-to-theatrical adaptations has arrived at long last, and it's a simple three-word response: Death becomes hers. An almost perfect big-budget, large-scale musical comedy that improves in every way on the 1992 film, and director-choreographer Christopher Gattelli's so entertaining vehicle for two of the best singing comedians we have on any stage today, it makes the film's source-sniping worthless.
Don't waste a minute thinking about which of the two – Megan Hilty or Jennifer Simard – will come first with this holiday gift delight (let Tony voters lose sleep over that gift next spring). The two work together like the ingredients of a serious magic potion, each delivering astonishingly precise and large-scale performance in quantities that, if exceeded by even a fraction, would completely nullify the magic.
Certainly, targeting Hilty and Simard does not mean disparaging their star Christopher Sieber, who keeps up the pace even in the less flashy role of the milquetoast husband. It's cool.
So, a refresher on '92. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan, and starred Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as old friends, with Streep playing the conceited Broadway actress Madeline Ashton and Hawn her friend, the simple writer Helen Sharp, the underdog from the play Broadway. The greedy Madeleine steals everything, even eventually her handsome fiancé, just because she can. A years-long feud leads the two women, individually, to search for a magic potion of eternal youth and beauty that each believes will provide the ultimate bidding advantage over her rival.
At the time of its release, the film was a box office hit, but for viewers, there's a bit of a forgettable here today — gone tomorrow, at least until years later when it's embraced as a cult favorite among the LGBTQ+ community.
It would not be an understatement to suggest that the gay community has pointed the way to Broadway success—now there's shock—with Death becomes hers A team including Gately, book writer Marco Bennett, music writers Julia Mathieson and Noel Carey, actors, and designers unleashes a bold imagination of a fantastical, transcendent world that Zemeckis could hardly have imagined. This is a musical that powerfully grabs its audience and never lets go. Hilty's Madeleine stars in the musical “Me! Me! Me!” Featuring a raucous opening number titled “For The Gaze,” any doubt about its double meaning is removed when this most hard-working woman in business quickly transforms into Lisa, Judy and Julie Andrews from Victor/Victoria.
Christopher Seeber
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The musical energy rarely stops from there. Even after Madeleine steals away Helen's lover, Ernest Menville (Cibre, who, unlike Bruce Willis in the film, is not a mortician but rather a sophisticated plastic surgeon, one of the musical's many improvements), Simard's resentment-obsessed writer is sent to a madhouse. , Only the Sound Levels Dim, Not the Laughs: Simard, very, very funny in the latest Broadway show a company (which starred Siber), performs a crazy Baby Jane-esque girlish ballad before descending to a sinister whisper with “Madeleine needs to die.”
This may not seem very funny, but in Simard's execution, it is deadly.
As the two rivals continue their hatred over the years, each plotting and scheming against the other, they separately happen upon the secret to a life of eternal youth: a potion created by the mysterious witch Viola Van Horn (Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny's Child), who lives in a massive cathedral-like bunker. (It's all done in purple and black, and is just one of the show's many gorgeous collaborations by scenic designer Derek McLean and lighting designer Justin Townsend.)
“Don't say I didn't warn you,” sings Viola (backed by the ever-present chorus of “Immortals” and dressed by costume designer Paul Tazewell in stunning flesh-colored body suits tattooed with bright purple swirls).
Michelle Williams
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Anyone who has seen the movie knows well what this warning entails: Eternal life means that the bodies of the undead will bear every wound, break, and gun-slot obtained through unwary living. For the always fighting Madeleine and Helene, this was a dangerous fear: Madeleine, pushed down Sunset StreetHelen style palace stairs ending in ExorcistThe head development is on the level of one of the amazing illusions designed by Tim Clothier; The less surprise, the better, but the slow-motion twisting staircase tumble is awe-inspiring, perhaps topped only by an even funnier moment when a swinging shovel sends a certain body part sailing offstage.
One glamorous gown after another, Hilti and Simar put on two of the funniest shows this side of the world Oh Mary!and their powerful vocals – combined or solo – take Death becomes hers To the rafters and back. Once again, good luck Tony voters.
The “Death Becomes Her” illusions were created by Tim Clothier
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
And what great musical material they have to work with. Matteson and Carey have written a collection of killer songs that send up a tradition of the show's tune while celebrating each individual with love and care. From the dazzling 'For The Gaze' and Viola's chilling 'If You Want Perfection' to the anthemic 'Alive Forever', the songs are ear candy, and the lyrics are smart and sharp. Sieber gets his big number with a bit of drunken, crumbling desperation called “The Plan,” while Williams, who's happy to sing meandering pop-R&B even without the proven belting ability of her co-stars, gets her best moment in the film. “Slinky.” Don't say I didn't (warn you).”
With too many other great notes to enumerate, some beg to be mentioned: Charles Lapointe's eye-catching hair and wig design, Joe Dulude II's makeup design, Cha Ramos' fight direction, Doug Besterman's orchestrations, and, not least, the recurring scene stealer. For Josh Lamon's performance as Stephane, Madeline's assistant, he's a sort of Thelma Ritter-in-the-making mix All about EveRobert Michael Morris Mickey Dean in Lisa Kudrow Return And which character is played by Dwight Frye?
After the divas give a beautiful ukulele performance, the gopher can't resist a little swagger. “First in my class at Juilliard,” Stefan says, followed by a slight silence, and then he says, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get the cat puke out of my Birkin bag.”
In this life-force of the musical, even the assistant shines like so many sequins on the prima donna's decorations.
address: Death becomes hers
place: Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Broadway
Director/Choreographer: Christopher Gately
book: Marco Bennett
music: Julia Matteson and Noel Carey
ejaculate: Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber and Michelle Williams, with Maria Abney, Lauren Celentano, Sarita Colon, Callie Cronin, Nathalie Charles-Ellice, Torian Everett, Michael Graciva, Neil Haskell, Colton Cross, Josh Lamon, Sarah Meehl, Zimon Rose, Sir Brooke Warren, Bud Weber, Ryan Wursing, and Warren Young
Operating time: 2 hours and 30 minutes (including break)
