Date Seen: October 14, 1997 (two days before it's Thursday opening) & November 15

Understudies Seen: None (it was critics week and all)

Characters:

Daisy Hilton (Emily Skinner) - the outgoing sister that dreams of fame and life under the lights.

Violet Hilton (Alice Ripley)- the more coy sister, who dreams of being a housewife.

Jake (Norm Lewis) - formorly the "Canable King, in the Side Show" he watches out for the sisters and holds a deep love for Violet.

The Boss (Ken Jennings((more notably, the original Tobias)) - boss of the freak show

Buddy Foster (Hugh Panaro) - small-time vaudville producer, falls for Violet

Terry Conner (Jeff McCarthy) - talent scout of sorts for the Orphium Circuit, falls for Daisy.

Brief Plot Synopsis:

Based on the true story of the Hilton sisters that took place in the 20's during the depression. The Hilton Sisters are no ordinary sisters though...they're Siamese Twins.

Basically the show consists of their pursuit of their respective dreams, and the roadblocks that are in their way..maybe the fact that they are connected at the hip...

It also focuses on the doors that open for them, they fall in love, become the rage of vaudville, and get a movie contract.

Review

I went into this show with no expectations at all, it was a free ticket to see a Broadway Show. I was pleasently enthrawled with the story for the entire time.

The show begins a little strangly, with football bleachers like you would have at you local high school on the stage. But once they are filled with freaks, you are brought into their world.

The world of the Freak.

Haven't we all been there at one time or another, we'd lie to say that we have not. That is why the show gets inside you, we all may not have major physical deformities but in some way we are a little different.

The duets are (like you should expect with the musical about a pair of Siamese twins that there would be duets) powerful, and moving. One inparticular the Twins sing "Leave me Alone." This tune is ironic because the obvious is that they can't leave each other alone but the music is striking.

Jake gives a phenomonal performance all around, and Terry Conner is strong. All the parts were well sung to say the least. The only one that I personally didn't care for was the role of Buddy. Not that he was bad but his character was weak and turned me off.

The thing that I enjoyed the most about the show (aside from the part about being free) was some very good theatrical moments. These moments I describe as "Theatrical" aren't involving theatre at all. I mean when every thought of a character isn't handed to you on a silver platter (a la A.L. Webber) This mucial made you think to find all the connections, I found this to be very refreshing.

The second act is very dark, much like Jekyll & Hyde. In hindsight, moments were brilliant, in the theatre, I found it leaving me hanging...you choose. <<<<<<>>>>>>> Hold Everything!!!! And now, my review of the second time that I saw Side Show.

It was so much better than the first time, if the first time was a rating of 4, this one was 5 1/2. I have never had such a rewarding theatre experience in my life. I laughed, I cried (I'll admit it) and I absolutely loved it. Not much changed with the show since the last time that I saw it but there was something new there...love. I felt like the performers enjoyed themselves, I think that they actually did.

That's what I loved, the passion. Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner are phenomonal and so is Jeff McCarthy. I must now change my rating of the show to reflect this. By the way, the album is supposed to be released on Dec. 9th. I'll be waiting. I highly reccomend this new musical to you.

Review: 8 (1/2) out of 10

Back to Main Page

Broadway and Beyond Main Page
The Life
Titanic
Jekyll & Hyde