"End of The Rainbow" on Broadway

Yesterday, Andrew and I went to the closing performance of “End Of The Rainbow” starring Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland. The story takes place in December of 1968 when Judy signed on for a five week engagement at London’s “Talk Of The Town” (which just as a side-note was released as “Judy’s Final Concert” by Mickey Deans. This isn’t true as her last concert was actually in Copenhagen, but it’s a great recording nonetheless).  She’s at the Ritz Hotel with her fiancée (and final husband), Mickey Deans, and her pianist, Anthony  (a fictional character).

The show  basically focuses on Judy’s addiction to pills and alcohol and what they’ve done to her/her career and her relationships with people. It portrays everything in a funny, and sympathetic, if a bit heightened way. 

Okay, so here’s my take on the show.  I’ve read reviews and talked to some Judy fans and other people who have seen it.  The critics love Tracie Bennett, as do I! This woman has one of the most powerful voices I’ve ever heard in the theater and is a truly great actress!  However, a lot of people are upset about how much it focuses on the pills and the booze, and I’m inclined to agree, but honestly, it seemed to work in the context of this production. 

I must admit, I went into this show  knowing full well that it wasn’t an accurate portrayal of Judy.  A lot of the events were fictitious and a lot of things were just far from reality.  The show was not meant to be a biographical representation of her but an entertaining show and that’s EXACTLY what it was.  I personally loved it.  Once I took the Judy factor out of it, I just appreciated and enjoyed the CHARACTER.  It seemed this character was the Judy that a lot of people see, and that was her purpose.  It was not the Judy that was, but the myth.  The legend. 

Anthony represents Judy’s gay fans and the love they have for her.  He’s the only voice of reason in the entire show who actually cares about Judy and her well-being.  Mickey, on the other hand is more an enabler who (and this is true in reality) is no match for Judy and her cunning ways.  Tracie plays Judy as the tragic, flamboyant, and insanely funny woman that so many sensational stories have been written (and largely fabricated and exaggerated) about and she does it brilliantly.  Judy often did things that were completely absurd to “give the people what they want”.  She knew what they wrote and said about her and she took it for what it was and actually at times had a bit of fun with it.  She always knew what she was doing.  Anthony sees past all that and knows that somewhere buried in all that hype is the vulnerable, intelligent woman  he loves and respects.  I think a lot of people missed that point.  This is definitely a play of subtext that makes you think.  In that way, it actually is a good portrait of Judy or at least the circumstances of her life at that time. 

There were many things that simply would never have happened, and I don’t mean this critically, because it worked really well on stage.  For one thing, there’s a lot of talk of the hotel bill that Judy refuses (and c an’t) pay.  Mickey at one point is under the impression that she has paid it or was going to pay it herself.  This would NEVER have happened in a million years.  Judy never handled her own money, which is why she had so many people around her who did.  It’s also the reason she had none by 1968.  She knew nothing about finances and would never have been entrusted with a thing like that. 

Another completely unrealistic thing was the way Mickey handled and talked to Judy.  In life (and in the show), Mickey comes off as kind of a weakling.  He wouldn’t have talked to Judy like that in reality for fear he would lose his meal ticket.  I’ve always had a rather low opinion of Mickey Deans.  I hated his character in the show (which was the point) so I guess Tom Pelphrey did an okay job in that respect. 

There’s another scene in which Judy is carried in by the porter after a wild night of drinking after the show.  She’s bloody and has ripped stockings, and is completely belligerent.  Judy wouldn’t have just left without Mickey or someone.  She just didn’t go out alone like that.  But again, for the Judy in the play, it was pretty typical and just as funny as it was sad. 

You catch a lot of glimpses of the real Judy throughout the show, especially in the last scene where she’s talking about her audiences and people wanting her to sing.  One of the last lines in the play is “When they don’t want to hear me sing then THAT will be the end”.  By that time, you could hear a pin drop in the theater and everyone was crying.   My favorite line in the show was Judy’s last line, “Immortality might just make up for everything”.

So, here are some of my favorite things about the show.  First of all, Tracie Bennett.  She walked out to one of the longest ovations I’ve ever witnessed.  It was at least two minutes long.  And she deserved it!  She handled the material SO well and her timing is spot-on.  She made some lines and bits, which done the wrong way could have easily tanked, into hilarious one-liners and digs!  My favorite musical moment, by far was “The Man That Got Away”.  I had chills the entire time she sang and it was a perfect ending to the first act.  It was just haunting and brilliant in a way I can’t even describe in words.  I also adored her encore of “By Myself”, in the middle of which, she made her thank-yous to everyone involved with the show and held some of the longest most powerful notes, I’ve ever heard! 

I think I had the strongest emotional connection with the Anthony character.  Michael Cumpsty, who’s a brilliant actor anyway, did a fantastic job of portraying Judy’s fans and the people who know and love her and the reasons why.  He understands her in a way that Mickey never could and sees her as a person rather than an icon.  It was an incredibly moving performance, and I really do think he deserved the Tony for it. 

After the show, we went to the stage door to stalk out the cast and I’m SO glad we did!  I got to chat with Tracie Bennett and Michael Cumpsty for a few minutes.  Tracie was one of the most grateful and gracious performers I’ve ever met in my life.  She took the time to talk, take pictures, sign things…whatever you wanted.  She thanked me a million times for what I said about her performance and we talked briefly about the respect she had for Judy, which I actually saw on stage.  The thing I have to say that makes her the most like Judy is her gratitude and love for the audience.  At the end of the show, she literally kissed everything on the stage.  It was amazing! 

Michael Cumpsty (he’s so cute) chatted with me for a couple of minutes on his way back into the theater.  He was also really grateful for the comments people were making and he told me about the upcoming tour and just how he felt about everything.  He was really friendly.  They all were. 

I have to say, I’m not overly critical of shows like this in the same way I’m not overly critical about movies that are based on books.  The book and the movie are two completely different things.  Just like real people and dramatic representations of an aspect of them are two different things.  This was simply one view of the Judy Garland legend and I think it really achieved it’s goal, which was to make you think before you pass a judgment and above all, to entertain.  That was Judy’s objective in the long run anyway. 

All in all, it was a hell of a show and I only wish I could have seen it more than once.  Andrew wanted me to have a good time and I had one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.  The whole day was perfect and carefree and I’m incredibly grateful to him for making it happen for me.