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Sunday in the Park...
May. 30th, 2008 06:37 pmWell, it's been an interesting week. Not something I really want to go into here, but....
The other night I located Sunday in the Park with George on YouTube.
It's in 23 parts (all from TinyTimTon). Here's the first. The rest should be easy to find. It's still pretty good quality on fullscreen mode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxIwqPuNaJo
If you want to understand something about me, every time I hear this musical, I tear up like a big baby. I have ever since I watched a version of it live in London two years ago. I know some find it "so drab, so cold and so controlled" to quote the art critic's song "No Life". But I think Sondheim lets more of himself through here than in a lot of his other work. His point-of-view may not be shared by the audience, but I think it's more genuinely his outlook on life and art. (He still holds certain things back, but there's a hint of it in "Gossip".) I find it very emotional, and feel part way between George (particularly the George of the 2nd Act) and Dot.
The version I saw in London had new computer graphics that worked seamlessly with the show. But I was surprised just how well the original set conception works too. The fuller orchestra in the original is much appreciated though. As for performances, I feel Mandy Patinkin is a little off from the original cast recording. I'm torn about who is the better George -- Patinkin or Daniel Evans (Dr. Who fans will know him as the rocket scientist in The Christmas Invasion). I think Evans is better at distinguishing the Georges of the two acts. As for Dot, much as I have a fondness for the version I saw first (Jenna Russell in the West End run), I have to admit Bernadette Peters IS Dot/Marie.
Allen
The other night I located Sunday in the Park with George on YouTube.
It's in 23 parts (all from TinyTimTon). Here's the first. The rest should be easy to find. It's still pretty good quality on fullscreen mode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxIwqPuNaJo
If you want to understand something about me, every time I hear this musical, I tear up like a big baby. I have ever since I watched a version of it live in London two years ago. I know some find it "so drab, so cold and so controlled" to quote the art critic's song "No Life". But I think Sondheim lets more of himself through here than in a lot of his other work. His point-of-view may not be shared by the audience, but I think it's more genuinely his outlook on life and art. (He still holds certain things back, but there's a hint of it in "Gossip".) I find it very emotional, and feel part way between George (particularly the George of the 2nd Act) and Dot.
The version I saw in London had new computer graphics that worked seamlessly with the show. But I was surprised just how well the original set conception works too. The fuller orchestra in the original is much appreciated though. As for performances, I feel Mandy Patinkin is a little off from the original cast recording. I'm torn about who is the better George -- Patinkin or Daniel Evans (Dr. Who fans will know him as the rocket scientist in The Christmas Invasion). I think Evans is better at distinguishing the Georges of the two acts. As for Dot, much as I have a fondness for the version I saw first (Jenna Russell in the West End run), I have to admit Bernadette Peters IS Dot/Marie.
Allen
