Not So High Spirits at High Society

High Society - Stadttheater Hildesheim, 6th October, 2012

TfN's musical company 2012/2013 season started officially with the premiere of High Society last Saturday. 

Well, it was also the first show for me without the four people (Navina Heyne, Sebastian Strehler, Frank Brunet, Tanja Krauth) who left in July - and whom I adored seeing onstage so (too?) much every time I went to see a TfN show while they were members of the company. 

All pictures on this page © Andreas Hartmann
Theater für Niedersachsen

So with four new people, though Tim Müller being a guest already last season at every show and knowing the other new guy and one of the girls it was not all new. New though is the company manager Katja Buhl who also directed and choreographed this production of "High Society". 

So on a rather chilly October day I was off to Hildesheim to watch this show I had already seen before twice in London a few years ago. 

Tracy Samantha Lord - Caroline Zins
Margaret Lord - Michaela Linck
Dinah Lord - Magdalene Orzol
Seth Lord - Jens Krause
Onkel Willie - Tom Zahner
C. K. Dexter Haven - Jens Plewinski
Liz Imbrie - Annika Dickel
Mike Connor - Jonas Hein
George Kittredge - Tim Müller
Abigail - Karoline Goebel
Charles - Alexander Prosek

I do love Cole Porter. I adore his music. I adore several shows he wrote the lyrics and music for as "Anything Goes", "Kiss Me Kate", even "Silk Stockings". "High Society" is not one though.

The original (well also based on a play by Philip Barry) movie "The Philadelphia Story" with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart is a wonderful movie, fantastically cast, so smart with most witty dialogues, having the right balance of romance but also social criticsm.

The remake/the musical version of it, "High Society", starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, while entertaining lacked IMHO the sharpness, spirit and vigour of the original. Saying that the musical score by Cole Porter certainly is stunning though with the lyrics occasionally lacking the genius of other Cole Porter songs in other movies/shows.

The stage musical opened on Broadway in 1998 after a try-out in San Francisco in 1997 and closed four months later after just 144 performances - so much about a success TfN as you mention in your programme? Err maybe not (okay in fairness it ran a bit longer in London).
With a book by Arthur Kopit based on play and both movies and music and lyrics by Cole Porter, additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead with several songs, which were not featured in the movie were added to the stage show, some of them deservedly obscure as "I Love Paris", some weird German translations do not help either changing sometimes the basic idea of the song taking away the bit of social satire and the criticism there is, final product is an uninspired compilation musical of the worst kind. It's as if people without any creative ideas of their own sat around a table, opened a well-thumbed Cole Porter Songbook and decided to make a stage musical without giving it is own personality (I do not mind such musicals based on films but give it some identity) - one that while not is very long with a running time of this production of 2 hours and 15 minutes it feels reeeeeeeeeally long.

The show sets itself around the confused love life of spoilt socialite Tracy Lord. The audience is welcomed into the action the day before her second wedding to a dull employee of her father who is much to the distaste of her younger sister Dinah and ex husband CK Dexter Haven who both hope to stop the wedding somehow.

Additional intrusion comes in the face of the tabloid reporter Macauly "Mike" Connor who is an ostensibly wedding guest but in fact is to cover the event for the gossip magazine "Spy" whose owner is trying to blackmail the Lord family and who also finds himself falling for the charms of the bride to be. Saying that despite this storyline it is, even if you are not familiar with the movies, it seems inevitable from an early point that Tracy and her ex will get back together.

So much of plot or not plot. 

Well actually the show is especially in act 2 definitely more of a string of Cole Porter songs taking over the story (I really do not like what has happened to "Well, Did You Evah?" but I suppose as Dexter sings the song before and Mike the song after the urge was felt to change it and give it to other characters) and gives the show at least some life even if most do not feel native to the storyline. (Why not do a Cole Porter concert straight away?)

Act 1 largely just drags even with just 50 minutes running time feeling laborious and whimsical missing enthusiasm in getting the story established and proper character elaboration with the only satisfying number being "She's Got That Thing" even though that is also just for entertainment - in total it just lacks focus for the key story but turns the focus on another joke or funny moment to be a crowd pleaser (as much as I love "I Love Paris it is just a filler, not more, not less). And to finish act 1 with "True Love" is.. well, just not a song that should end act 1 as simply not a cliffhanger.  

Besides the flaws in the show itself plenty of directing ideas were just not adding anything to the show and were just dull from the opening scene with the title song of "High Society" followed by "Ridin' High" with Tracy just coming back from horse riding. Ouch. 
Why was the title of the song taken literal and an annoying costume change included in the show especially right at the beginning? Instead of developing the characters it was just filled with another "for laughs" idea after another too often being so indecisive and inconsistent what it wants to be looking fragmented and uninspired. And I repeat myself.

Same goes for the choreography which is for me too often the same old unimaginative stuff. Especially "Let's Misbehave" the big number rather at the beginning of act 2 just needs a much bigger show stopper choreography considering the title and the lyrics of the song and its position/meaning in the show  - think of the big Ziegfeld Follies shows, think of Crazy For You's "I Got Rhythm", think of Singin' In The Rain's title song but all I got to see was lame "Deutsches Fernsehballet" (Germany TV ballet company which often performs on some evening entertainment shows) totally missing the naughtiness of the moment. 

Well sometimes a great cast can help to overlook these flaws as it did partly when I saw the show e.g. in London in 2005 with an incredible Katherine Kingsley (currently starring in "Singin' In The Rain" as Lina) as Tracy and in the past when the TfN played weaker shows as "110 In The Shade" it worked and made the evening still an enjoyable one but for the first time since seeing this company doing "Crazy For You" in 2008 it cannot do that to a larger degree. 

Rather fresh from university just graduating this year Caroline Zins was Tracy Samantha Lord. Being the leading lady in this show she is the one holding the piece together but imho failed.
Whether this is due to directing considering the weaknesses mentioned above, the performer herself or a mix of these I cannot judge, I assume the latter it is most certainly a mix between the two. Still the way it was portrayed for me Tracy wasn't sniffy and holier-than-thou (with very little tolerance for frailties) enough, compelling and resistless enough, crestfallen and deluded enough giving some insight of hidden vulnerability for this ice queen who must discover her heart to find happiness but too affected and forced .
I know I cannot expect an owning performance as Katherine Hepburn in the original movie in this stage musical version but to get that little sentience I as got was not sufficient - most seems not to come naturally to her. Especially in act 1 her facial impressions come across as rather limited: a pout here, another pout there, as a spoilt child throwing a temper all looking rather affected unnatural with not enough edges as much as the character is natural.
What is also not enough are the differences between her sober Tracy and her drunk, no plastered Tracy (after all she has a black out as we learn the following morning). Katherine Kingsley had me in stitches being so comical and hilarious, this performance unfortunately is not. With this the fall when singing  "It's All Right With Me" from the glacial brass statue pedestal is no great distance.

In the lower ranges Caroline's singing sounded fine and clear though filled with some jumpiness I blame on opening night nerves, but in the higher ranges as in the opening of the show it was flawed and stretched and seriously killed my hypersensitive hearing (you may like that comment or not but that's how it was). I haven't had a chance to read the score (yet) but it sounded like that her mezzo's a bit out of range for some of the score. And sorry, I do not care whether she may be fresh from uni and inexperienced as I learnt that the paying customer apparently needs to keep that in mind - well I do not think so. That her Austrian accent (it seriously has become a pet hate for me in the last years, is there actually something like English RP in German??) came through constantly is besides all this just a small issue but drove me insane after a while as whilst I certainly do like that accent it is not something I want to hear in this production as it is not an elegant one.

What did not help either was the lacking chemistry with the three suitors all being rather reluctant.
Just Jonas Hein as the reporter Macauly "Mike" Connor felt real though more in act 1 as e.g. when Mike performs with Liz "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" attacking the high society filled with so much hatred but at the same time trying to cover his own frustration and self-hatred doing a job he disguises so much but kinda is stuck with to make a living. His "You're Sensational" was also just sensational being the only "lover song" with any real sparkling touch and his voice is just simply one to die for anyway (I am seriously wondering whether he really takes/took part in this TV show "The Voice of Germany" since I had various blog hits because of people searching for a Jonas Hein in combination with that TV show - well if he did/does I hope he blew/blows them away as much as he has me - with that voice full of power AND emotion, a rare combination, he deserves to go far - VERY far! 7pm update: I have just read that he will really take part in it - cannot wait to see him blow the jury away)

Anyone who has read posts about TfN shows in the past knows how much I adore Jens Plewinski. His portrayal of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors is still one of my favourite performances in any TfN show I have seen.
Unfortunately as C. K. Dexter Haven despite the right looks with a fancy haircut and the sartorial elegance, being sympathetic and vocally strong as he proved especially in act 2 he lacked the panache and was way too laid back to be convincingly caring about Tracy (why anyone would love her I do not understand anyway, fall in love with her looks etc. as Mike yes, but love her??). It was always a bit too much overplayed.

Tim Müller as George Kittredge was just perfect for the part of this dull person being totally without charm but with too much camp giving a flesh creeping cringe-worthy rendition of the "I Worship You".

Jens Krause as Seth is totally wasted. Too bad there is not a bigger role for him in this production having missed seeing him onstage since August. In the few decent stage moments his part is given (considering that  the part was expanded to add this father-daughter dilemma but without giving it full meaning) he though has he can impress as per usual being convincingly as the unfaithful husband of Margaret who wants to reconcile. Michaela Linck at his side as Margaret is wonderfully motherly to her daughters Tracy and Dinah but also a great grande dame and a rarity of this high society crowd with a true heart coming across unlike the rest being so rather shallow forgiving her unfaithful husband his affairs.

The secret star of the show is certainly Tom Zahner as the wonderful, ageing lecherous Uncle Willie who seems to be constantly inebriated with flashing teeth and whose main hobby is chasing women around the estate giving a most entertaining rendition of "She's Got That Thing" and for once the over-anxiousness in this production is gone. If there had only be more of these moments in the show. 

After not being too much a fan of her in "The Full Monty" Magdalene Orzol as Tracy's younger precocious sister Dinah is a pleasant surprise. They have not gone down the total mischievous route as I personally would have preferred (casting a proper teenager would have actually been my preferred choice but I understand why that was a no-no for this production) but she is loveable and delightful and not too irritating, it could have just been a bit more natural occasionally but that may come with routine.

Karoline Goebel and Alexander Prosek are playing the parts of the servants who as some kind of Greek chorus are given the leitmotif song which in general is a nice idea of the show filling in gaps for scene changes etc.. However, true to the over-anxious motto of the show to please, they appear so often and so repetitiously that they too tend to become tiresome. 

Having seen both in shows in past Karoline Goebel at least can vocally impress unlike in past and has the right charm and cheekiness but Alexander Prosek unfortunately seems to play the part not very different to the part he played in that Christmas Carol musical I have seen several times and lacking baritonal pert depth. With Sweeney Todd being another show done by the TfN musical company this season and him being the obvious choice I fear for that production especially after having seen the most stunning Michael Ball in the title role. Saying that others seemed to have enjoyed his performance. 

Well and then there was Annika Dickel as Liz. For various reasons I have decided I will not comment on her performance and will not in future as writing down will mean refreshing memory. Yes childish maybe but I feel that is the right decision for me. When you have seen Tracie Bennett in that part you actually do not want to remember any other performance of that part anyway. Enough said.

What was disappointing as well that this production opted for instead a full orchestra just for a seven piece band. While certainly having the drive and swing it lacked fullness and power not being able to bring texture and verity to the numbers, it often sounded all the same when I know they do not when done properly (pleased to see that the theatre replaced the front row fence style barrier with a wooden (bit unstable) barrier so that I did not have the feeling sitting next to an air hammer as at e.g. "Side Show" and not being able to actually hear the singing  clearly) Saying that the sound was anything but great that night with regular sound interferences etc. as if someone had a switched on mobile phone next to the sound desk . 

Costumes were acceptable to represent wealth in late1930s. Some matched the period (and yes if am not familiar with the period too well I do my research after a show what was fashion back then), some so didn't but what were they thinking with that most unflattering evening dress Tracy wears during the pre-wedding party?
Set in general looks nice with well balanced lighting lending depth and motion though these blue fabric constantly being opened and closed and the weird indication of the pool behind the cardboard walls was uninspired. I understand set needs to be kept as simple as possible to allow proper transport as they tour around Lower Saxony with the show but e.g. "Side Show" proved it could have been a bit more glamorous and less cartoon quality - just as I would expect from a high society.  

Well overall "High Society" is definitely a show not to be missed if you like your musicals as sparkling and heady as champagne that has gone flat. 
There are a few good moments and performances but these are overshadowed by ones not so. I will not return to see it a second time even if the performers may have a better day then. I am not going to waste another 70/80 EUR to even risk it.
Now where is my "The Philadelphia Story" dvd?