I just saw La Cage on Broadway. For those who don't know the film Birdcage was based on this musical spectacular. The best thing about seeing the musical though is that it focuses more on the gay burlesque show, so it feels like you are getting two shows for the price of one.Playing the Robin Williams role is Daniel Davis, who was Niles the butler in TV's The Nanny. He did a great job and sang wonderfully. I admit I was pretty excited to see him, since I always liked him on The Nanny.
As the other leading man or lady, is Gary Breach who's performance could rival Nathan Lane's. When he was sing La Cage in his French accent I kept thinking of Lumiere the candle stick in Beauty in the Beast singing Be My Guest. Good thing I whispered that to my family otherwise they wouldn't have believed me later that I had guessed right, because during intermission we read in the PlayBill that Gary had created the role of Lumiere and is the voice of the Disney cartoon.
The outrageous costumes and dance numbers were amazing. People actually gasped and crossed their legs when the men would bend in ways a man so shouldn't, especially in this one ballet scene. I have to admit the men in drag looked really good and I was jealous of their amazing legs, some could rival Tina Turner's.
I was not too impressed with the father in law character, I guess because I kept thinking of the great job Gene Hackman did in the movie.
One of the songs featured in the Musial was the fun song that Ru Paul had remade, "I am what I am." I knew his version so I was not aware that it was in La Cage first back when it first debuted in the mid 80s. I'm now playing his version because it's been in my head ever since I left the Marquis Theater.
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