RMN Review of The Taffetas

Lisa Bornstein's review of The Taffetas came out on Friday morning.

In the spirit of full and fair disclosure, my wife is in the show. In addition, I have a distant relative that is friends with Lisa. So in addition to having an interest in the success of the show, I also have inside information about Lisa, which will further influence my opinion. Keep all this in mind as you read the following review of her review (don't you just love the blogosphere?):

"The Taffetas is a confection of '50s tunes so sugared you can skip the Equal in your coffee. Four girls straight out of Muncie, Ind., are making their TV debut, singing songs so gentle they should provide cots in the top tier." I wasn't alive in the 1950's but most of the songs I have heard from that era, are pretty sugary. I'm not sure I have heard anything from female vocalists of this era that really "rocked." If you want to stay in the period, your material will be pretty soft.

"This production shares a few elements with a 2002 rendition at the Aurora Fox, in performers Kristin Hathaway and Michelle Paul and musical director Mary Gottlieb.

But it stands alone in the stunning abbreviation. Two acts, with an intermission, amount to only 70 minutes of performance time. Directed and choreographed by Nicholas Sugar, the four women - rounded out with Anita Boland and Sarah Rex - are given decent staging, and all have fine voices. But the editing leaves them with indistinct characterizations and only the barest fragments of a story. The result is a concert with a soft-soap three-piece band, consisting of songs such as Mr. Sandman, I'm Sorry and, a personal favorite, You Belong to Me."

Actually, this production shares all elements of the 2002 Aurora Fox version. The script and score are exactly the same and none of the material has been edited. Maybe over the past few years, Lisa's memory of the 2002 version has faded. Maybe the tempo in the Pinnacle Dinner Theatre production is faster. Regardless, the statement that the show is an abbreviation is not accurate. In fact, the PDT version is actually longer, as the Fox's version actually cut one song and also cut some of the questions out of Taffeta Chatter. Just ask the 2 actresses that have done both productions.

"Things perk up in the second act, but with the cartoon-docile smiles frozen on their faces and harmonies without texture or depth, this nostalgia trip will appeal most to those who miss the days when TV didn't have all those confusing colors, politicians wearing military uniforms were actually in the military and a woman's place was anywhere her man told her to be."

First, nice veiled reference to Bush's aircraft carrier landing. I thought this was a theatre review, not a political commentary. Also, nice statement about male chauvenism in the 50's.

"Rex marks the evening's shining glory, singing with real passion and a voice of power and clarity - it's not particularly of the period, but its proficiency is welcome here." Earlier, Lisa complained about the tunes being too soft, now she criticizes a voice not being of a particular period. She's right, but she should make up her mind - fit the period or deliver songs with power and energy.

"The food was fabulous, but the music? Well, it had me humming The Ramones all the way home." Last time I checked, the Ramones weren't popular in the 50's. If it was a hard rocking musical you were looking for, this wasn't it. But then again, it was never billed this way. Let's face it, the people that go to dinner theatre were actually alive during the 50's. Is this a great work of musical theatre, probably not, but it fits the target demographic perfectly.

It's Lisa's job to be honest about the shows she reviews, but it is also my job to take her, and any other journalist, to task for inaccuracies or unfair statements.

I can't wait until John Moore reviews the show.