I saw “Xanadu” this past weekend with two of my friends. I have been avoiding seeing the show because, despite overall positive reviews I still didn’t really think it would be that good and that the show is just contributing to the slow and painful death of the art form known as musical theatre.
I have been told, and I agree that I am some what of a theatre snob….Is it really that big of a deal if I enjoy a good night of quality theater! Anyway, so I went into “Xanadu” with some doubts but I still was telling myself that I would not judge the show until the end.
So I must say that I did enjoy it. “Xanadu” is a sugary sweet, diabetic coma inducing good time. I mean you really can’t leave the show unhappy. The show knows its not Sondheim or even Schwartz and plays that to their advantage. It is campy, funny and the cast is really a lot a of fun (especially Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman).
Now the interesting thing is that, is it really any kind competition for Best Musical? This year’s nominees are strange. No show has really captured the audience and is completely selling out and all shows are kind of feel good shows (I have not seen “Cry Baby” and I actually believe that “Cry Baby” is a throw away nomination since no other musical this season aside from “In the Heights,” “Passing Strange” and “Xanadu” got good reviews).
I am interested to see what happens on Tony night. “Xanadu” is trying to pull an “Avenue Q” with their viral marketing campaign Cubby Bernstein but the three nominees for best musical all leave you with the same smile on your face.
I believe that “In the Heights” is favored to win Best Musical because but I can’t really discount “Passing Strange” or “Xanadu” just yet. I think “Xanadu” and “In the Heights” have the best touring possibilities (and that is important to the Tony voter) but “Passing Strange” is also a very new type of musical, and it started at the Public which is a great New York institution. All of the nominees have their flaws and they all still need to attract a wider audience and none of the nominees (again ignoring “Cry Baby”) have something kind of new and different to offer. I guess we shall see in a week.