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Fosse | Year: 2002 Classification: Performing Arts - Theater Directed: - Matthew Diamond Actors/Actresses: - Broadway Cast And that's showbiz, baby! This happens to be one of PBS' Great Performances Dance in America series' greatest realizations of a Broadway show and, more importantly, I think one of the most significant documentations of Bob Fosse's choreographic cannon. Here you have the authority of Ben Vereen and Ann Reinking peforming in or recreating some of their original stage numbers. One of the reasons I wanted to see this show was to see Vereen recreate the "Glory" number from Pippin. Vereen sings "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" - a favorite song of Fosse's from Dancin' - imbuing an added level of relevance for anyone who knows Vereen's life and career. Vereen and Reinking bring to this performance a certain history and magic, a passing on of the tradition. It is moving to see them pass it on to a new generation of Broadway dancers. This is a great cast of dancer/singers. To name a few - Rachel Rak's powerhouse sexy performance of "I Gotcha", Brad Anderson's athletic grace and angelic voice, and Ken Allen's dead on precision stands out in every number. And the evolution of Fosse's choreographic language becomes striking seen in this context, from increasingly jazz-influenced style of "Shoeless Joe" and "Steam Heat" of the 50s to the vaudeville of the Chicago, Liza with a Z and "I Want to Be a Dancin' Man" numbers. And who can resist "Big Spender" and "Rich Man's Frug"? "Repetitive", one reviewer here claims. Yeah, and Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine were accused of being "repetitive" in their vocabulary. "Fosse" also includes interviews with Vereen and Reinking that give insight into how Bob Fosse and his choreography attained the relevance this show displays. Reinking states that Fosse took every member of the ensemble seriously, as a character and not just a background dancer. She describes a dancer who, after working on a number all day, muttered "again?" when asked by Fosse to rehearse further. That unfortunate dancer was soon looking for another job. This tells you something of Fosse's perfectionism. "That's what I would like anybody to feel [seeing this show]", Reinking states, "even just a breath of someone's dedication and passion". And all that jazz... It's an unfortunate rule of thumb that by the time an enterprising producer gets around to filming a Broadway play or musical, the show has neared the end of its run. Usually, that means performers who are tired, sometimes visibly bored, or perhaps suffering from vocal problems. Unfortunately, FOSSE is no exception to either the rule or the usual consequences thereof. Nor, in this instance, did the producers help matters by reshaping the show around Ben Vereen. Now in his mid-50s, Vereen has lost nearly all of the technical virtues--the strikingly fluid hips, high extension, and apparent weightlessness--that made him one of the quintessential male Fosse dancers. While still a charismatic stage presence and reasonably strong singer, Vereen's performance here is painful to anyone who has recently watched PIPPIN, ALL THAT JAZZ, or the recently released SWEET CHARITY. The rest of the cast, while reasonably energetic, often lacks both definition and expression. There are some elegant and technically assured performances scattered throughout, most notably from Ken Alan, Shirley Maclaine look-alike Meg Gillentine, Edwaard Liang, and Fosse veteran Dana Moore. The vocals, alas, are usually weak--most annoyingly so in "Crunchy Vanilla Suite," where the two male singers can barely be heard, let alone understood. (Gillentine is probably the evening's strongest singer.) As a general rule, the dancing appears at its best in small-scale numbers like "Steam Heat" or "Cool Hand Luke"; the big ensemble pieces are often weak, with dancers falling out of sync or "softening" the choreography. The most notable offender is probably "The Rich Man's Frug": most of the male dancers don't bother to "hinge" forward; dancers keep their knees straight when they should be in demi-plie; the isolations, well, aren't; and the arms are sloppy (especially in the punching train that concludes "The Heavyweight"). Rather better are the "Shoeless Joe Ballet" and "Sing! Sing! Sing!" The widescreen picture is crisp, although the director's choices are not necessarily what they should be. Despite its flaws, however, musical theater aficionados will no doubt want to add this DVD to their collection. ...But where is Ms. Reinking? Bob Fosse choreographed so many beautiful and clever dances. With a group of talented dancers, who are equally talented as singers and actors, the magic of Fosse comes to life. Ben Vereen is great. He gives a wonderful performance- he acts, sings and dances number after number. In "Bye Bye Blackbird" he sings and dances with joy and passion, and you can feel that Fosse is in his soul. In "Mr. Bojangles" he is very moving. Buy Fosse at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Fosse Search with the Priority Search Engine on Fosse This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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