Guys and Dolls

Just over a week ago, I invited Anna and John to join me to see the MIT Musical Theatre Guild's production of Guys and Dolls.

I first saw G&D (I was amused to notice that after typing "G&" my fingers automatically completed it with "S") on Friday 11 August 2006, at the Australian Defence Force Academy. I really enjoyed it: the production had quite a large chorus with enthusiasm and that really helped.

Unfortunately, MTG's show didn't quite live up to the standard set by that show. I enjoyed it, but less than most of the other shows I've seen at MIT.

Highlights:

Sarah Brown's very cute English accent. It probably isn't exactly right for the character's background, but it worked very well to establish personalities.

Miss Adelaide's acting.

The dancing leading up to Luck be a Lady.

Disappointments:

There was a general feeling through to much of it that things were happening simply because they had to. Songs were in the show, therefore they were going to be sung. I think in a great show, every moment feels like it belongs and people are celebrating being able to sing it.

The microphones: they can be used well, but here it just felt like they limited the singers' ability to use modulation in their tone of voice and volume to convey emotion.

The dancing in the Havana scene. There was a lot of whole cast dancing, and it wasn't done particularly well. I would have preferred to see one dance number cut (John later informed me that this is forbidden under the standard rights contract, though this doesn't change what I would have preferred to see, just what I would be likely to), so they could spend more time rehearsing the others. Also, for at least one scene they could have thinned out the crowd so that people actually had room on stage to dance. I think they were going for a 'crowded' effect, but sometimes one has to achieve effects by methods other than direct imitation.

I was actually very glad that I came to MIT last year instead of this year. Had I come this year, I probably would have auditioned for Guys and Dolls instead of Patience, and ended up in the wrong group!