The First Wives Club
Commercial fluff. The husbands are self-centered, manipulative jerks (why did the women marry these oafs in the first place?); the wives, gravely wronged but otherwise impeccable human beings, save for a soupçon of low self-esteem. They bond and devise a tripartite comeuppance, not only duping the dopes but getting rich along the way. The Old Globe's world-premiere musical is "Broadway bound," says the pub. And since Broadway embraces shallow remakes of movies set to music, it may find an audience. The songs, by the legendary Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, who wrote some of the best music the Four Tops and Supremes ever sang, are always serviceable, and boffo when need be (and don't require the rabid overselling the production gives every note - every MOMENT, for that matter). The book, however, is a stumblethrough, nearly three hours long, with three conclusions before the conclusion, and some of the most narrowly drawn characters in memory. Peter J. Davison's fluid scenic designs, with Big Apple backdrops, are simple and stunning, while Lisa Stevens' bland choreography is been there, done that. Sam Harris and Sara Chase, in supporting roles, will be headliners soon. Leads Karen Ziemba, Barbara Walsh, and Sheryl Lee Ralph almost raise their characters to the level of sitcom. Almost.
When
Ongoing until Sunday, August 30, 2009
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm & 7pm |
| Tuesdays, 7pm |
| Wednesdays, 7pm |
| Thursdays, 8pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |
| Saturdays, 2pm & 8pm |