Convoluted and messy retelling of 1954 celebrated film classic. This production, which has changed slightly for the better over the years, manages to take all the greatest moments in the film and not do them at all. Even the story line and motives of the characters have changed. At one point the, ill conceived, writing suggests that Bob Wallace and Phil Davis are property entrepreneurs looking to take over the blessed inn of their former General in the Army. Why the character Bette would even believe such nonsense is beyond this critics understanding. The original misunderstanding is much more credible. The dance scenes are good, but the terrific "Abraham" number has been cut as well as “Mandy”, “Choreography” and “Gee I wish I was back in the Army” for lesser Berlin songs that weren't even in the film. This reviewer understands that many of these songs were not written for White Christmas and were pulled from Berlin’s huge history of musical scores. We also understand the original producers chose these songs to complement the story line and that the new producers used the massive Berlin library to also to choose for themselves supporting music. The difference here is that the original producers didn’t choose the songs that the new producers chose and rightfully so and that is the important point to remember. The incomparable "Love you didn't do right by me" number is staged much as it is in the film, but the male supporting dancers are given practically nothing to do in the choreography to support the emotional lose the character is feeling. The intricate and powerfully effective film version is a top down winner thanks to legends Robert Alton & Bob Fosse. The dance number in the film ends with the men forming the shape of a heart with their hands, body and legs. In the stage play the character of Phil Davis is performed and interpreted as more of a boy with overactive pubescent yearnings as opposed to the Danny Kaye interpretation of a man who likes women, but voice crackles like a boy out of innocent shyness when he is around them. Bob Wallace's character is drawn equally out of character to the film by making him a bitter guy with failed romances as opposed to an entertainer who has devoted his life to performing only to find that it is a bit empty. The Academy Award nominee for best song "Count your blessings instead of sheep" was, in the film, an intimate expression between Bette and Bob for gratitude and also the secret and growing feelings Bette was developing for Bob. On stage this entry is muddled with secondary characters singing, losing all the original songs punch and effect. The orchestrations are good, but none of the original and truly effective arrangements from the original film score are here. They are more of an abbreviated simple approach. Songs that suffer the most are “Count your blessings” and “Love you didn’t do right by me”. The former without the crescendo of strings expressing the loneliness of late night insomnia and the latter lacking the truly jazz feeling of the mid fifties. The conductor could have phoned in the multi-track from the film and would have been more effective in Mono through the speakers. I don't think these writers or producers ever truly loved this film or identified with it. I think they were hired, not to take a good thing and make it better, but to take a marketing idea and form it in their own arrogant expression. The worst part of the production is when the inn keeper suggests and makes reference that the general and her never have sex. How creepy is that? Bone head writers going for a year 2016 laugh in a day and age, 1954, when people only thought such things if at all. This writing would have never sat well with Norman Krasna, Norman Panama & Melvin Frank. All in all this production is a twisted bust of embellishment and irreverence to those that worked so hard to make a holiday classic. Even though the original production somewhat missed the bulls eye in 1954, they at least had the decency to honor their original intentions. Instead of being an artful wave of the hand of achievement to the original film, this production is more of a slap in the face to those who unfortunately are all dead and unable to protest or for that matter turn the other cheek!
Cant wait to see this in Boston 12/21/19!!!!
Yay! Me too!! Same show, I'm bringing my parents as a surprise Christmas gift 🎄💕can't wait!!
woah i know this is random but you may have seen me as Susan! Boch center I believe hope you enjoyed:DD
I've always said they should of done white Christmas because there's just nothing like it around and it's my favourite film
Saw the tour in Vegas . Great show.
I went to go see this in Chicago with my mom
0:37-1:06 gives me LIFE
Yay Maria!!!
This is the national tour? I've seen community theater productions of this show that are just as good and they don't do this for a living.
Convoluted and messy retelling of 1954 celebrated film classic. This production, which has changed slightly for the better over the years, manages to take all the greatest moments in the film and not do them at all. Even the story line and motives of the characters have changed. At one point the, ill conceived, writing suggests that Bob Wallace and Phil Davis are property entrepreneurs looking to take over the blessed inn of their former General in the Army. Why the character Bette would even believe such nonsense is beyond this critics understanding. The original misunderstanding is much more credible.
The dance scenes are good, but the terrific "Abraham" number has been cut as well as “Mandy”, “Choreography” and “Gee I wish I was back in the Army” for lesser Berlin songs that weren't even in the film. This reviewer understands that many of these songs were not written for White Christmas and were pulled from Berlin’s huge history of musical scores. We also understand the original producers chose these songs to complement the story line and that the new producers used the massive Berlin library to also to choose for themselves supporting music. The difference here is that the original producers didn’t choose the songs that the new producers chose and rightfully so and that is the important point to remember. The incomparable "Love you didn't do right by me" number is staged much as it is in the film, but the male supporting dancers are given practically nothing to do in the choreography to support the emotional lose the character is feeling. The intricate and powerfully effective film version is a top down winner thanks to legends Robert Alton & Bob Fosse. The dance number in the film ends with the men forming the shape of a heart with their hands, body and legs.
In the stage play the character of Phil Davis is performed and interpreted as more of a boy with overactive pubescent yearnings as opposed to the Danny Kaye interpretation of a man who likes women, but voice crackles like a boy out of innocent shyness when he is around them. Bob Wallace's character is drawn equally out of character to the film by making him a bitter guy with failed romances as opposed to an entertainer who has devoted his life to performing only to find that it is a bit empty.
The Academy Award nominee for best song "Count your blessings instead of sheep" was, in the film, an intimate expression between Bette and Bob for gratitude and also the secret and growing feelings Bette was developing for Bob. On stage this entry is muddled with secondary characters singing, losing all the original songs punch and effect.
The orchestrations are good, but none of the original and truly effective arrangements from the original film score are here. They are more of an abbreviated simple approach. Songs that suffer the most are “Count your blessings” and “Love you didn’t do right by me”. The former without the crescendo of strings expressing the loneliness of late night insomnia and the latter lacking the truly jazz feeling of the mid fifties. The conductor could have phoned in the multi-track from the film and would have been more effective in Mono through the speakers.
I don't think these writers or producers ever truly loved this film or identified with it. I think they were hired, not to take a good thing and make it better, but to take a marketing idea and form it in their own arrogant expression. The worst part of the production is when the inn keeper suggests and makes reference that the general and her never have sex. How creepy is that? Bone head writers going for a year 2016 laugh in a day and age, 1954, when people only thought such things if at all. This writing would have never sat well with Norman Krasna, Norman Panama & Melvin Frank. All in all this production is a twisted bust of embellishment and irreverence to those that worked so hard to make a holiday classic. Even though the original production somewhat missed the bulls eye in 1954, they at least had the decency to honor their original intentions. Instead of being an artful wave of the hand of achievement to the original film, this production is more of a slap in the face to those who unfortunately are all dead and unable to protest or for that matter turn the other cheek!
MeAffordable - thank you for this. I am 1000% sure I will never see it now.