|
|
 |
    
THE TIMELESS FOSSE
By Gia Kourlas
As a choreographer who dramatically revolutionized dance on Broadway, Bob Fosse is worthy of both praise and reproach. From his early, dazzling "Steam Heat" number from "The Pajama Game," Fosse injected the presentational musical-theater style with more sensuality than it had previously known, but it was hardly tame; Fosse preferred his theater to be of the down-and-dirty, burlesque variety. His movements were infused with a fresh, cool jazz sensibility. The splayed fingers, the bowler hat tipped provocatively to one side, and the endless legs swathed in fishnets are all tools of Fosse's remarkable trade.
While he was an original, his imitators -- choreographers who would rather copy a Fosse gesture than invent an original step -- are plentiful. You see the shadow of Fosse's style on Broadway just as you see it (albeit outfitted differently) in music videos. Occasionally, the carefully chosen dancers -- even in his own revivals -- slip into the habit of simulating the Fosse look instead of really living it. But just as his style is about pushing the limits, it's also about sophisticated containment; you can tell when it's phony. And, of course, Fosse is no longer around to keep an eye on things.
For preservation purposes, at the very least, the 1999 revue, "Fosse" is a piece of precious art. A bit of a greatest-hits showcase, the program is a collection of Fosse's most famous song-and-dance numbers from his most celebrated productions. The dance-oriented musical originally graced New York's Broadhurst Theatre on January 14, 1999, but closed after more than 1,000 performances on August 25, 2001. It's a shame; "Fosse" is a much more interesting and diverse representation of the late choreographer's style than the story-based and somewhat dated "Chicago."
Directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. and co-conceived by him, Ann Reinking (one of Fosse's most important muses), and Chet Walter, "Fosse" also boasted the integral eye of artistic advisor Gwen Verdon (the choreographer's third wife and the late, beloved star of "Sweet Charity"). The fierce, go-for-broke trait of Fosse's dance language -- when it's correctly interpreted -- mirrors the man himself. In this beautifully filmed installment of GREAT PERFORMANCES, directed by Matthew Diamond and produced by Judy Kinberg, "Fosse" sizzles. And lest you think the show is little more than a best-of musical, it's not. "Fosse" is dance history come to life.
The show features timeless numbers like "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo"; the invigorating baseball ballet from "Damn Yankees"; the raunchy "Big Spender" number from "Sweet Charity," featuring the larger-than-life Ann Reinking; and from "Dancin'," the sweet homage to Fred Astaire, "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man" as well as the haunting "Mr. Bojangles" performed by the veteran Ben Vereen and former New York City Ballet soloist Edwaard Liang. In this piece, a highlight of "Fosse," Vereen is superb, but Liang, however technically on the mark, is too tidy. He seems to be so wedded to his ballet training that he never lets the jazziness of the music overtake his body (though other ballet dancers, Desmond Richardson and Julio Bocca, have been stunning in the part).
Top banner photos: "I Gotcha" from the TV special LIZA WITH A 'Z' (Byron Easley, Rachelle Rak, and Ken Alan); Meg Gillentine in "Steam Heat" from "The Pajama Game"; "Razzle Dazzle" from "Chicago" (Rachelle Rak, Ben Vereen, and Susan Lamontagne). |
|
 |
 |
A close-up of dancer and singer Rachelle Rak. |
 |
 |
|
"Rich Man's Frug" from the 1966 musical
"Sweet Charity." |
|
 |
|
