Theater Hugh Jackman Razzle Dazzles Broadway In New Show

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ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE Michael Giltz Freelance writerGET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ Follow New York , Theater , Video , Broadway Theater , Hugh Jackman , Broadway , Hugh Jackman Back On Broadway , Musicals , Entertainment News 27 26 7 14React Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Hugh Jackman Razzle Dazzles Broadway in New Show HUGH JACKMAN: BACK ON BROADWAY *** out of **** BROADHURST THEATRE Liza Minnelli. Sammy Davis Jr. Hugh Jackman. Really? Really! Jackman isn't gifted with the remarkable voices of those two entertainers. But when you're trying to describe Jackman's new evening at the Broadhurst, you keepcoming back to old school pros like Liza and Sammy.You want razzle? You get razzle. You want dazzle? You get dazzle. You get a swinging orchestra, backup singers and dancers, costume changes, stories from Hollywood and the Outback, sequins, sass and if you think showbiz schmaltz isn't your thing, well I'm sorry. Resistance is futile. Almost everyone who saw Jackman's Tony-winning Broadway debut in the musical The Boy From Oz had the same reaction: it's a pity they couldn't just forget the show and let Jackman keep on singing and talking away. Every time he played with the audience (in the guise of gayer-than-gay Aussie songwritinglegend Peter Allen), the electricity surged. Purely on his magnetism and joy of being onstage, Jackmanturned a paper-thin production into a triumph. Well, they get their wish with Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway . The moment Jackman appears, the EDITION: U.S. November 24, 2011 PHOTOS: Reunited And It Feels So Good! More In Entertainment: Angelina's New Look... Yoda's Bizarre Commercial... Celeb Recipes... PHOTOS: Celebs Entertain In TheThanksgiving Day Parade In NYC! Like 63 Posted: 11/10/11 11:21 PM ET SHARE THIS STORY Submit this storyGet Entertainment Alerts Sign UpCONNECT FRONT PAGE POLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT TECH MEDIA LIFE & STYLE CULTURE COMEDY HEALTHY LIVING WOMEN LOCAL MORELike 51KMovies Rihanna Television The Oscars Game Changers 2011 More Log inaudience relaxes -- this is gonna be fun. It was clear when Jackman strolled onstage in the UK production of Oklahoma (his professional breakthrough) that a star was born; you couldn't keep your eyes off of him. Here Jackman begins the show by singing the first lines of "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" from the wings and the audience coos with pleasure. Then he walks out, not as the unassuming Curly but as a star and they roar with applause. It's a love fest from start to finish. We're all friends so Jackman confesses his Hollywood producers are worried because he needs to bulk up to play Wolverine and the pounds melt off when you do a Broadwayshow. So he can't dance. He won't dance. Don't ask him. Does he do a medley of songs about dancing? Of course. Does his body refuse his commands and start to dance? You betcha. Throughout, Jackman makes the Broadhurst feel like a small cabaret. In the matinee performance I attended, he got a lot of mileage out of a sweet little lady in the front row with a sparkly jacket. She started chatting away with him five minutes into the show and Jackman kneeled down to talk with her.Then with perfect aplomb, he said, gee, do you think maybe we should save the rest of this for later? In aPeter Allen medley that opened the second act, he goofily lapdances with a man in the balcony. At another point he pulls a reluctant audience member on stage and teaches the guy how to swivel his hips. Jackman intros the band, drags a bulky crew member from offstage just for fun, gives the chorus girlsmaking their Broadway debut a special bow and gets everyone to sing "Happy Birthday" for one of the gals. It's that kind of show. As entertainment, it's a pleasure from start to finish. Jackman has an interesting voice. He's not a belter with the best vocals in the world. It has a certain tension in the higher registers that is striking. You sense somehow that Jackman has trained and worked and built up his decent voice with diligence and hard work. Every high note, every big crescendo is earned by sweat and labor and love. It's a change from theeasy wow of someone like Liza but it has a charm all its own. Jackman can perform the classic tunes he assays. And when he's allowed to stretch out and do so, he can deliver. His performance of "Soliloquy" from Carousel ends Act One on a strong note and that's no mean feat. Jackman hits similar pay dirt when he delivers "Tenterfield Saddler" in Act Two. It ranks somewhere just below "Waltzing Matilda" as an unofficial Aussie anthem and Jackman makes the most of it without overdoing it. (He's an ideal choice among movie stars to play the lead in the new film version of Les Miserables .) But the numerous medleys are far less effective. While Jackman is a triple threat, his voice is the least ofit (despite that hard work). When it's a snippet of one tune after another, Jackman can't leave a mark.When he can act a song, actually get into the heart of it, he can deliver. But medleys about dancing or his favorite movie musicals or even Allen's pop tunes simply slip by. They're pleasant enough but not memorable the way Liza or Sammy would make them. Jackman needs a story to be at his best. But you don't complain because he has one other essential ingredient in common with the best entertainers of the past: sincerity. When Jackman brings aboriginal performers onstage to collaborate on a medley of an original tune and "Over The Rainbow" ( done in the style of Iz Kamakawiwo'ole's brilliant take) you never doubt for a moment the gesture comes from the heart. (He and singer Olive Knight of Australia discussed their support for the charity work of Nomad Two Worlds .) MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2 Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Watch No News: Study Loyal Dog Refuses To Leave Owner's Grave, Goes Week Without Food Charlie Angus What if They Declared an Emergency and No One Came? Kris Humphries: Husband From Hell? Kirstie Alley Looking Good FOLLOW US'Titanic' Trailer! Celebs On Parade Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Catwalk to the...'DWTS' ReunionPHOTO GALLERIES Like 313K Like 41K Like 43K Recommend 783 Like 216It took eight years for Jackman to come back to Broadway after his year-long stint in The Boy From Oz , even though every producer in town was trying to convince him to return and a revival of Pal Joey had his name on it until scheduling or desire just didn't work out. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long for him to get back on the boards in a proper musical. Meanwhile, it's clear Jackman can come back anytimehe wants for ten weeks or ten months and deliver the goods in a manner that will keep the customer satisfied. Liza. Sammy. Hugh. Really. 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Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and alsoavailable for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews. Note : Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to this show with the understanding that he would be writing a review. Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz Buy a link here Sponsored Links New Trick in TENNESSEE If you drive 25 mi/day or less you better read this... 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Theater Hugh Jackman Razzle Dazzles Broadway In New Show

📄 Theater Hugh Jackman Razzle Dazzles Broadway In New Show

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