Flawless in Seattle - Lucy Rocks The 5th Avenue Theatre

Review by MaryD & CindyT

WOW - AWESOME - FANTASTIC - AMAZING - STUPENDOUS - ELECTRIFYING

F L A W L E S S!!!


15 May 2005 - Final Performance

ORGANIZED CHAOS MASQUERADING AS GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES

Well what a weekend. Our heads hurt from laughing so much at the antics of the cast of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Things started to heat up at the matinee when adlibs and major flubs abounded.

We hadn't laughed so much in ages and if we had another 5 performances, we would be there because each one of them was slightly different with various flubs and added antics by the cast. They were having a roaring good time and brought us along. Thank you to Lucy Lawless (naturally), the amazingly talented Faith Prince, the extraordinary Seattle Men's Choir and the rest of the cast and crew. It was AMAZING. Words cannot do justice to the entertainment we have just witnessed. To say that if you missed this show is only words because we can never truly convey what we saw.

Comedy Musical Theatre at it's finest. It just doesn't get any better than this folks.

Many non Xena fans were converted this weekend (our job is done <g> ) - They commented on Lucy's singing and dancing abilities which surprised them but we just grinned. WE knew Lucy's talent a long time ago but now she some new fans; non Xena fans which we will convert to the Xenaverse soon enough.

Some of the highlights (and there are way too many to list)

* Lucy sliding down on her knees from the deckchair when the boys ripped off their tracksuits to reveal tight blue swimming trunks during her solo of "I Love What I'm Doing" - had the audience in raptures with a lot of hoots and hollers.

* The close number 2 moment was when Dorothy (aka Lucy) kissed Henry in their first scene together after Henry sings his ballad. Normally Dorothy kisses him for a few moments and then looks slightly flustered. This time round Dorothy takes her time with the kiss and really lays one on him causing him to sway away and proceed to put his book over his privates. Meanwhile Lucy responds by taking the hem of her magenta top and wiping her mouth. We have to say Lucy is VERY flexible :)

* The second Xena reference occurred when Dorothy called Mr Bunny Gage, rabbit instead of Bunny and he responded:

"That's Bunny...Miss Xena"

The audience went nuts. Lucy kept it together but we didn't. Lucy was still in character and responded with "Who?"

Which got the audience laughing even more!


* In one scene Dorothy intercepts a telegram that Lorelei wants to throw away without reading. She begins to read it and Lorelei makes her stop. She then yanks the paper away and crumples it up before stomping it into the ground. Normally they each take a turn stomping on it and move on. But not this time. The telegram is crumpled and thrown on the floor and then Lorelei stomps on it. Lucy leapt into the air and stomped on the paper with both feet, prompting Faith to do the same before trying to pulverize it with one foot. Once they had got it out of their system and the crowd's hysterical laughter had died down, Faith looks at Lucy and says "Are you alright?"

In the matinee on Sunday that scene is playing out a little similar but with the added adlib from Faith and Lucy

Lucy: "I think you killed it"

Faith: "Are you sure?"

After the laughter died down which was quite some time, Faith says "Oooooohhhh I lost my place" which caused everyone to laugh again.

* Faith Prince totally losing it and having a bent tiara which became a running joke throughout the remainder of the show. Everyone who had a comment about the tiara made sure it was bent in their description.


* Everyone was flubbing their lines (mostly on purpose) but Lucy did it in style. For her entrance into Scene 3 were Lorelei and Gus have been just reunited, Gus whoops and hollers because Lorelei is going to marry him, and the Lucy and two other cast are supposed to come in to see what the problem is. Normally Lucy bounds in and life goes on. This time round, the cast come in and there's no Lucy. Suddenly we hear her screaming from the wings and she comes flying in and skids to a stop and stomps around madly for a few seconds. (Basically throwing a hissy fit - Lucy style). Suddenly a stage hand appeared with her book. Faith, who was losing it all during the first act, to high five Lucy and say "It's okay Lucy". Lucy had the most sheepish of grins and the crowd was just laughing so hard. After a few moments to compose herself, Lucy got back in the swing.

* The French Lawyers - Robert and Louis lived up to their silliness from the previous performances but this time went further. You just had to be there. Slapstick comedy at it's best and beards that didn't want to stay on. Allot of spitting occurred which caused Lucy to wipe down Robert and hand the scarf to a member of the chorus :)

If the show wasn't enough we were treated to an amazing after party at the Seattle Space Needle. Lucy showed the kind of trouper she is by staying till almost midnight signing autographs, taking photos and chatting with fans. She was tired from the two performances that day but she still made time for her fans.

Lucy you are a class act.

In closing we would like to say that we are still SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and tomorrow (which is today since it's 2 am) is recovery day...alas without another performance.

Thank you Lucy, Thank you Faith and thank you to the Seattle Men's Choir and the 5th Avenue Theatre. Lordy what a trip :)



14 May 2005 - Second Performance

Today's matinee performance was a little more subdued than last night but Lucy helped pick things up in the second act. Bloopers abounded and public with a certain letter missing became a funny flub by the French lawyers :)

Lucy channeled Katherine Hepburn - PHILADELPHIA takes on a whole new meaning when Lucy utters the word :)

Lucille Ball also made an appearance which was very funny - she wasn't a redhead but a very dark short haired tall woman with the most unbelievable expressions you would ever want to see - Our Lucille lived up to her namesake.

And can we PLEASE get that bloody song "I'm Just a Little Girl From Little Rock" out of our heads because it's going to drive everyone nuts including those that didn't go to the show - everyone is singing it in the lobby. <g>

And it's only the second show and hours away from the 3rd :) Woohoo!



13 May 2005 - Opening Night

The theatre is a gorgeous Chinese design which was the perfect setting for Lucy's West Coast theatre debut in a role that was tailor made for her.

Lucy was first on the stage getting wheeled in on a luggage cart making a lot of Xena fans suffer deja vu to her role in Stranger in a Strange Land on Hercules - black short wig, glittering magenta eyeshadow which her FABULOUS blue eyes still seemed to overpower, magenta top and black bell bottom pants (kindly donated by Macys - plug over)

The twinkle in Lucy's eye (and we could see it from the front row) told us she was there to have a good time and she was taking us along for the ride. Any doubts about Lucy's ability to sing (not from her fans but those who haven't experienced the Flawless One and no we are not two eyed and haven't been for a while...) was put to rest completely the minute she opened her mouth and jiggled her hips.

Start to finish Lucy proved without a shadow of a doubt that she can handle herself with the best of them and Faith Prince is one of the best of them.

Her constant animation and obvious dedication to her character even when she was not the primary player in a scene proved she was the consummate professional Xena fans have always known. The rest of the world now knows her talent and frankly it's about bloody time.

Lucy sang two solos: "It's High Time" and "I Love What I'm Doing" - These songs were custom made because it was high time we saw Lucy in a role like this and we sure loved what she was doing. Lucy had the fans begging for more.

There was a very funny bit where Lucy had to run around behind the stage to come out the other end and was a little late. Faith covered by asking the chorus if they knew any jokes and then when Lucy turned up, mouthed "Xena" to the audience and pointed at Lucy. That got quite a few laughs.

Lucy wowed, amazed and made people laugh with her comic timing. It was the perfect role for this amazing actress and the woman we have loved for the last 10 years. Needless to say the standing ovation they received was very well earned.

Rating: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

If you are in Seattle, there are tickets still available - DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!!!

Note from MaryD: This was worth every minute of the 17 hours of flying to reach Seattle and watch Lucy perform. I would do it again in an absolute heartbeat. Thank you Lucy, you made this Xenite VERY VERY VERY happy.

Note from CindyT: Reference the flying time, sorry Mary it only took me five. As for Lucy, "what she said" :)







From us both at midnight waiting for a pizza, giddy with delight and glowing in a Lucy Haze...your AUSXIP reviewers are SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE :)

PS. You knew I was going to put that in somewhere <g>