Sarah on theater

This show is so funny. I went back for a second go with Megan Hilty’s departure imminent and felt pretty lucky to get all six original principals in. (And accidentally booked a matinee on a work day. Whoops.) I just die watching Megan’s body language - the way she puts on airs, flourishes her wrists up high, elegantly-but-inappropriately twirls - and hearing the faux-pretentious old-Hollywood voice she’s doing. Jennifer Simard and Christopher Sieber are terrific, too, but reinventing themselves a bit less, importing their existing (and very funny) dynamic from half a dozen other shows. It would be hard to assemble a trio of current stars with better comedic timing, and it’s only been honed over time.

I think the material itself is more good than great, losing a little momentum in the back half. It descends very thoroughly into slapstick that 1.) doesn’t feel quite as satisfying as the fourth-wall-tapping cleverness of Act 1 (and the change has a pretty significant adverse effect on rewatchability, I think, but that may just be a function of taste), and 2.) it belies the fact that probably only about a fourth of the story beats are left after intermission. When the novelty of the fight sequence has worn off, things grind a tiny bit.

I don’t think this is a creative fault, exactly - they certainly aren’t writing Broadway shows with first consideration for the wannabe dramaturg in need of a hit, or, more specifically, for Sarah, and the Act 1/Act 2 split definitely happens in the right place - the literal split. 🤭 To borrow the reviewer’s crutch, Death Becomes Her “accomplishes what it sets out to do,” but I’m just not vibrating on the exact right frequency for it. What can ya do?