When I first saw Souvenir 3 years ago in Brentwood with its Broadway star Judy Kaye, I marveled at her Tony nominated performance, but did not like the play. I took a look at it again Friday at the Falcon Theatre, enjoyed the performances, but have not changed my mind. The production is first rate, but it leaves me cold and sorrowful about the true meaning of friendship.
Let me explain. Cosme McMoon (Brent Schindele in an engaging performance)was accompanist to Florence Foster Jenkins (Constance Hauman - no Judy Kaye, but she carries off the cockeyed - cockeared? - flair convincingly), who thought of herself as possessing perfect pitch as a singer. He became her endearing 'soul mate' over the course of 12 years from 1932-1944. Annually she gave recitals at the Ritz Carlton in New York for friends, but her popularity grew and grew and in 1944 she actually sang at Carnegie Hall in tribute to our returning troops. McMoon stayed with her all this time, and despite misgivings about lying to her, convinced her that she had a rich vocal instrument, when in fact, she could not sing a note. She was a joke. People in the audience would bolt to the exits laughing their heads off at her incompetence. When she first teamed with McMoon she begged him to be brutally honest with her...but he was not. He lied, misled her, deluded her, and even shen she heard the laughter at the Carnegie Hall performance, he convinced her it was not to her derision. Bad fellow, in my book!
I don't care if she had a style like no other, I don't care if she heard something different in her head from what she was capable of producing. She should have been told the truth. I cannot buy into this whole facade.
Audiences today are so into attacking/enshrining contestants on TV's American Idol and do not see how cruel they really are when they help to turn a no-talent into a hit star. They are not laughing with them, but at them. It's disgraceful! Maybe I'm too serious about music, but that's my choice.
Good comedic direction, fine performances! Today's audiences will eat it up.
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Souvenir, by Stephen Temperley, is directed by Gregg W. Brevoort and runs through February 28, 2010. For more information, visit www.falcontheatre.com.
