To quote Miss Vida Boheme –
“No one say anything frivolous for the next few moments. I am having a significant experience.” In my case: I should say, “had” a significant experience. Last night I saw Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens. Brilliant. She was brilliant.
~ Did you say anything frivolous??
I will admit. I feel like a bad gay man. Up until a few weeks ago I had never seen the fantastic documentary “Grey Gardens”. For those of you who have not seen this documentary – run…..go now – blockbuster! Watch it. It is amazing. It will change your life, I swear to god. Make sure you watch it with subtitles!!!! It is long – but well worth it. It captures an amazing symbiotic relationship – in its truest form…no holds barred.
A quick run-down of Grey Gardens from Wikipedia:
“Edith “Big Edie” Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale, were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. The two women lived together at Grey Gardens in squalor and almost total isolation.
In 1972, their living conditions were exposed as the result of an article in the National Enquirer and a series of raids by the Suffolk County Health Department.
Grey Gardens was purchased in 1924 by Phelan and Edith Bouvier Beale,
aunt and uncle of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The Beales occupied the house for over 50 years.
The house itself, a traditional shingled cottage of 14 rooms, was designed by Joseph Greenleaf Thorpe in 1897 and completed several years later. The grey color of the dunes, the hue of the cement garden walls, and the sea mist gave the garden its color and the house its name. Jackie Kennedy and her sister, Lee Radziwill, quietly provided funds to stabilize and repair the dilapidated house.”
The one qualm I have with the show is this: When you watch the film – you really want to know the back-story….What happened to these women prior to the film? The first half of the musical brings this to you. The first act takes place in 1941 and shows Grey Gardens, and the family, in all its glory. When you are watching this act – you can’t wait to see them transform the set into the gigantic cat-box the mansion becomes. Lucky for everyone the first act is short. Then the second act opens and you see Christine Ebersole become Little Edie before your very eyes. She is superb. Mary Louise Wilson is fantastic as Big Edie – but the show belongs to Ebersole.
The sets and costumes were amazing. But I couldn’t help thinking to myself “with the gargantuan budgets of Broadway – there are set pieces zooming around the stage…constantly!” I miss the days when it was avant-garde to not lower the curtain during set changes. I miss stage hands (in black) – coming onstage and moving shit. Oh well…maybe it is for the best – I dunno?
The music by Frankel and Korie was just fine…some songs were amazing…some were mediocre. Some could be cut. But I will say this for them…they knew how to translate the documentary’s dialogue into song. They did an extremely good job at translating the movie into the second act. The first act is fine…but the second act is sublime. Ugh – so good. If I had to categorize the two acts: Act 1 – Gershwinesque…..Act 2 – Sondheimesque.
To me – the most poignant moment in the film is with Little Eddie and the bird cage…it made me cry. There is a brilliant part in “Around the World” were they incorporate the bird cage. I cried. I cried a few times. One line that really got me, was in the first act. Big Edie’s father said to her – “You have become one of the most pathetic creatures on this earth…an actress without a stage.” I silently cried to myself…it hit home a little. Boohoo…I should start auditioning.
If you see the show:
1. Watch the documentary first…not essential – but you will appreciate everything sooo much more.
2. Don’t take your eyes off of Ebersole.
3. “Jerry just loves the way I do my corn.”
4. John McMartin is in this show too – he was Oscar in the Sweet Charity movie.
5. You should dress up in drapes, pantyhose, and scarves – be a revolutionary.
6. Make sure you see this before it closes – I fear it will after Ebersole takes the show to London.
7. I don’t know if my readers know this…but, I HATE PROJECTIONS. However – they were used all the time in this production and I thought they were perfect. Extremely well done!
8. Songs to listen to/for: The Revolutionary Costume for Today, Jerry Likes My Corn, Around the World (my favorite), Another Winter in a Summer Town. These were in the 2nd Act – in the first act I loved: Hominy Grits!
9. Watch Christine do the “Marching Dance” – I loved it – BANG ON!
Here is a clip from the Movie:
Here is a clip of Ebersole:
