Today I saw a matinee of Pal Joey with Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton. I really liked it a lot.
.
It got bad reviews because the original male star, Christen Hof, broke his foot right before the play opened and the back up only had 2 weeks to practice. But Matthew Risch has grown into the role. Funny enough, but Eddie and I saw Matthew Risch as Warner (he was the understudy) in Legally Blonde.
.
I get why he might have been tentative in the beginning. After all, he IS the show. You have got to totally buy that Stockard Channing, Marthe Plimpton and a bevy of other women would throw it all away for him. Anyway, he was darn good.
.
But Stockard Channing! She is mesmerizing on stage. She isn't a great singer, she hasn't really progressed from Rizo in Grease. But to hear her heartache in Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered is .... well magic
.