Hi Friends,
When I heard a revival of Gigi was coming to Broadway, I was immediately interested in getting tickets. I had seen the 1958 film with Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, and Louis Jourdan and was curious to see a live performance of this rather odd story. I always found the movie to be flat and sort of creepy, so I did not run to the box office to get tickets. I heard awful things about the production, which dissuaded me further. When the company finally announced that their last performance would be on June 21st, I suddenly felt like I needed to see it for myself. How horrible could it be to close after only 86 performances?
On June 19th, I finally made my way to the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd Street. The show was aesthetically beautiful. The costumes were fun and the Parisian atmosphere was delightful. I thought Vanessa Hudgens was a delightful Gigi. A lot of the negative reviews I read kept referring to her as “the girl from High School Musical,” implying a negative connotation. After seeing her in Gimme Shelter (one of the most moving performances I have ever seen), I respect her as an actress outside of the Disney-sphere and really enjoyed seeing her play this role.
For me, Victoria Clark (Mamita) stole the show. She sang beautifully, was so witty, and felt deeply. I am not exaggerating when I say that “Say a Prayer” brought a tear to my eyes. I love that that song was reassigned to her. It added such depth to Mamita. I also enjoyed the rapport Mamita had with her sister Alicia (Dee Hoty). Giving the sisters “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” was a brilliant reassignment. I always hated that song, but this version was quite enjoyable.
The last highlight for me was Gaston (Corey Cott). In the film, I was not invested in Gaston. He has his women and that was it. He had no real hobbies or interests. In this production, Gaston had aspirations and great ideas. This side of Gaston made the bond between him and Gigi seem legitimate and the progression from friends to lovers more believable.
The show was not perfect. It was not the greatest thing I have ever seen. I thought it was a little long and thought that “The Contract” in Act II was a little too hammy. Gigi took a raw topic, tamed it, set to music, and romanticized an ending. Part of me wishes the unacceptable, perverted process of keeping a woman was condemned more harshly, but Gigi is written as a light-hearted musical, not a social commentary on this awful practice. In fact, giving Gigi a few lines about her limited options spoke volumes. She encouraged Gaston to pursue his interests because that is something she would never get to do. I like to think that in their married life, they pursued their interests together. Perhaps Gigi inspired other young women to resist being kept and opt for a more independent, less glamorous lifestyle.
I am sorry that the show was received so poorly and I am sad that it closed. I went to the theatre on June 19th and was entertained for the evening.
I laughed at some of the sillier bits and took pause during some of the more serious bits. I left the theatre smiling and singing “The Night They Invented Champaign.” I had a great night and still find myself thinking about the subject matter a week later. Isn’t that what theatre is all about?
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)