Song And Dance And Voice

Tonight is the finale of Fosse/Verdon, a miniseries about two of the biggest names ever on Broadway.  They were married (though often separated) and regularly collaborated as choreographer and star--on Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity and Chicago, to name the biggest hits.  Fosse became a success as a film director as well, scoring an Oscar for Cabaret (a show he didn't do on Broadway).  Verdon also worked in movies and TV, starring in the film version of Damn Yankees and years later in Cocoon.

The show, starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, is based on Sam Wasson's Fosse biography (or so it's claimed--the book is a start, but I assume they use a number of other sources).  It's weird seeing a show devoted to a Broadway couple from decades ago, since most Americans don't know anything about them, or much care.

And it's not just Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon being portrayed.  A whole panoply of show biz names, most of whom mean little to the public, are on display: Hal Prince, Neil Simon, Cy Feuer, Chita Rivera, Joel Grey, George Abbott, Michael Kidd and, above all, Paddy Chayefsky (Fosse's closest friend) and Ann Reinking (the dancer who became Fosse's new muse when he moved on from Verdon).

I'd recommend the show, though I suppose it's a bit too late now with the last of eight episodes airing tonight. (Though with binge watching these days, nothing is ever too late).

While the show is a bit melodramatic--though it's fair to say Fosse and Verdon's lives were melodramatic--what impressed me most is how well the two leads captured their characters.  Okay, maybe they can't quite dance or sing as well (though Williams is pretty good, and Rockwell is at least a better dancer and singer than Roy Scheider), but they really capture the feel.  The hair and makeup help transform them, even if we can see the original actors underneath, but they've truly got the voices down.  Both Fosse and Verdon were public people, so fans know what they sound like--bravo to Rockwell and Williams who are not doing simple imitations, but drawing you in so that you believe these characters.