REVIEW:
IN FASHION
Review: In Fashion
In Fashion is a musical version of George Feydeau’s Tailleur Pour Dames. It was first presented at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where it ran from February 22 to March 18, 1973. Several months later, in July 1973, Theatre in America taped In Fashion at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York on July 8 and 9, 1973. Most of the original cast reprised their roles for the recording.
According to Louisville’s The Courier-Journal critic William Mootz, the score was re-orchestrated for the television production, and by comparing press clippings from the original and footage from the recording, it seems the costumes were also altered for the taping.
In Fashion aired on Theatre in America on March 10, 1974.
William Mootz, who had also enjoyed the original stage production, gave the television version a positive review, describing it as “a light-hearted, frothy show, surely one of most entertaining video bon-bons of the season.” He also noted that the lyrics were easier to understand on the small screen, and that the new orchestrations served the show well.
Watching the same production on DVD over 40 years later, In Fashion still holds up as a fluffy farce. While the humor and farcical elements are somewhat dated, Jerry Blatt’s jolly score proves that some music never goes out of style. The 19 predominantly bouncy up-tempo songs are a highlight of the show, and along with Lonnie Burstein’s lightweight lyrics and Peter Howard’s clever orchestrations, ensure the brisk 90 minute run-time never feels slow.
Peter Howard also served as the musical director, and it is a shame the band is never shown, or credited.
While the overall sound quality of In Fashion is excellent, the high-definition DVD transfer adds a greenish tinge to the actors’ faces and hands (which I at first mistook for 1970s style eyeshadow!).
The drawing room setting and small cast is perfectly suited for the television camera and plenty of close-ups. The Act III duet, “I’ll Never Go Away” sees some of the best camera work of the piece, with use of a moving camera providing a sweeping aerial shot of the two romantic leads. There are only 2 ensemble dance numbers, one being the finale, which finally pulls back for a wide shot of the stage.
The performances by the cast are earnest, though they never quite hit the mark. Daniel Davis, later famous as Niles on The Nanny, is a campy and effeminate Dr. Moulineaux. Susan Kaslow is wimpy as Moulineaux’s suffering wife, Yvonne. The script does not give her much to do, and her thin voice is not suited to the musical material. Charlotte Rae, who shortly after appeared in The Facts of Life, plays Moulineaux’s interfering mother-in-law with much pouting, but she is never formidable enough to be taken seriously.
Despite the presence of an actual audience, the cast, and camera, never acknowledges them. Even the asides purposefully directed at the audience are performed to camera, which has the unintended effect of taking the at-home audience out of the action, rather than including them in it.
We are aware of the live audience through the sound of their applause and genuine laughter, which helps to lift the performance on stage. One can only imagine how painful this filmed version would have been without the real-time laughs and reactions.
In Fashion was released on VHS in 1999, and Kultur released the recording on DVD in 2003. It’s fun to see now-established actors in their younger days, and interesting to see what a hit regional musical from 1974 looked like, but perhaps In Fashion is a musical best left on the shelf.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Theatre: Ed Sullivan Theatre, New York
Producer: Matthew N. Herman, Lindsay Law, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jac Venza
Book: Jon Jory
Lyrics: Lonnie Burstein
Music: Jerry Blatt
Director: Jon Jory Film: Bob Schwarz
Musical Director: Peter Howard
Orchestrations: Peter Howard
Choreography: Donald Saddler
Scenic Design: Tom John
Costume Design: Carrie Robbins
Lighting Design: Ralph Holmes
Cast: Max Wright (Etienne), Charlotte Rae (Madame Aigreville), Susan Kaslow (Yvonne), Daniel Davis (Moulineaux), Patrick Tovatt (Bassinet), Pamela Hall (Suzanne), Ken Jenkins (Aubin), Donna Curtis (Rosa)
According to Louisville’s The Courier-Journal critic William Mootz, the score was re-orchestrated for the television production, and by comparing press clippings from the original and footage from the recording, it seems the costumes were also altered for the taping.
In Fashion aired on Theatre in America on March 10, 1974.
William Mootz, who had also enjoyed the original stage production, gave the television version a positive review, describing it as “a light-hearted, frothy show, surely one of most entertaining video bon-bons of the season.” He also noted that the lyrics were easier to understand on the small screen, and that the new orchestrations served the show well.
Watching the same production on DVD over 40 years later, In Fashion still holds up as a fluffy farce. While the humor and farcical elements are somewhat dated, Jerry Blatt’s jolly score proves that some music never goes out of style. The 19 predominantly bouncy up-tempo songs are a highlight of the show, and along with Lonnie Burstein’s lightweight lyrics and Peter Howard’s clever orchestrations, ensure the brisk 90 minute run-time never feels slow.
Peter Howard also served as the musical director, and it is a shame the band is never shown, or credited.
While the overall sound quality of In Fashion is excellent, the high-definition DVD transfer adds a greenish tinge to the actors’ faces and hands (which I at first mistook for 1970s style eyeshadow!).
The drawing room setting and small cast is perfectly suited for the television camera and plenty of close-ups. The Act III duet, “I’ll Never Go Away” sees some of the best camera work of the piece, with use of a moving camera providing a sweeping aerial shot of the two romantic leads. There are only 2 ensemble dance numbers, one being the finale, which finally pulls back for a wide shot of the stage.
The performances by the cast are earnest, though they never quite hit the mark. Daniel Davis, later famous as Niles on The Nanny, is a campy and effeminate Dr. Moulineaux. Susan Kaslow is wimpy as Moulineaux’s suffering wife, Yvonne. The script does not give her much to do, and her thin voice is not suited to the musical material. Charlotte Rae, who shortly after appeared in The Facts of Life, plays Moulineaux’s interfering mother-in-law with much pouting, but she is never formidable enough to be taken seriously.
Despite the presence of an actual audience, the cast, and camera, never acknowledges them. Even the asides purposefully directed at the audience are performed to camera, which has the unintended effect of taking the at-home audience out of the action, rather than including them in it.
We are aware of the live audience through the sound of their applause and genuine laughter, which helps to lift the performance on stage. One can only imagine how painful this filmed version would have been without the real-time laughs and reactions.
In Fashion was released on VHS in 1999, and Kultur released the recording on DVD in 2003. It’s fun to see now-established actors in their younger days, and interesting to see what a hit regional musical from 1974 looked like, but perhaps In Fashion is a musical best left on the shelf.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Theatre: Ed Sullivan Theatre, New York
Producer: Matthew N. Herman, Lindsay Law, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jac Venza
Book: Jon Jory
Lyrics: Lonnie Burstein
Music: Jerry Blatt
Director: Jon Jory Film: Bob Schwarz
Musical Director: Peter Howard
Orchestrations: Peter Howard
Choreography: Donald Saddler
Scenic Design: Tom John
Costume Design: Carrie Robbins
Lighting Design: Ralph Holmes
Cast: Max Wright (Etienne), Charlotte Rae (Madame Aigreville), Susan Kaslow (Yvonne), Daniel Davis (Moulineaux), Patrick Tovatt (Bassinet), Pamela Hall (Suzanne), Ken Jenkins (Aubin), Donna Curtis (Rosa)