iTunes Exclusive Episode A Gentlemans Guide To Love And Murder

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Number 230, another nice round number for us.
Welcome.
My name is Rob.
I am the executive producer of the Clubhouse podcast.
Not only am I a gentleman listening to this podcast, that's probably the neighbor
they think to do.
But I'm not alone in this room, joining me across the desk at this time, is my co-host
and a man who's probably only one of 15 people on the planet that understand the reference
I just made.
He is Chad.
Let's not go down that red pole.
People can figure it out, I don't know.
Also joining us is the official fact checker of this show.
The man who likes to say the word like this, Mood.
You may know him as Fondongo, but his mom and even Don Ford, I'm going to call him
Don Ford Wilkinsor.
Close.
Is he Quinn Turner or is he the valet from heart to heart, because when name met, it was
my dad.
Whatever we do one of these things, it is to review something and this is no exception.
In this particular episode, we are reviewing a stage production.
It is called a gentleman's guide to love and Mood.
It is currently being featured as part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center series at the
Wind Spear Opera House in downtown Dallas.
But this is a touring company.
So if you're not in the Dallas Fort Worth area, don't bail on us, stay with us because
you want to hear about this.
Before we start this whole thing, speaking of the AT, the Wind Spear and all those great
people, ATT.
We love them.
We got things to do, haven't for the invite to this thing.
She's always so good at us.
Such a sweet lady.
We all love her.
She's a great lady.
Here's what you need to know.
Kevin Massey plays Monti Navarro, a young man who in the beginning of it is burying
his sainted mother, but in doing so, finds out from a former housekeeper of theirs that
he didn't recognize.
Single that he is actually in the bloodline of a very powerful, very wealthy, very well
connected family, the dice quits, because untight.
So he realizes, you know what, I'm in line for this thing, I should be a part of this
thing.
The family rejects him because basically what happened is his mother married for love
and not for money or stature.
So she was disinherited.
So he decides he's going to kind of work his way up the ladder, kind of sort of the honest
way.
Kind of.
Yeah.
Tempt to anyway.
Think of it as American psycho meets the secret of my success, that's pretty much what
this is.
Kind of.
Set and turn of the century, 20th century.
So let's get into it.
Oh, again, I wasn't sure what to expect.
Like I'd read up on it, so I knew what the deal was.
But walking in and seeing that there's a stage within the stage was a little different.
Because there was actually a stage set on the stage proper that had its own curtain.
At one point, Charlotte, who was sitting next to me, said she'd be really excited if the
curtain went up and in sync was there dressed like Mary and that.
Bye, bye.
Because it looks kind of like that.
Look at that.
And like the video.
Get started.
You have the chorus, basically saying if you have a weak constitution, you must
leave now.
Yeah, that's the lead off of this thing.
I really, really enjoyed this.
Well, I was intrigued from the get go because it just crushed at the Tony's.
Yes, it did.
I mean, it won for best, best musical.
And when you do a little homework on this thing, and when you dig into the source material,
knowing that this is based on a novel that was written and published around the time
that this musical actually takes place, I mean, this novel came out in the early early
1900s, dealing with the social economic issues, I'm like, how they're going to make a
comedy at it?
It was kind of like the bonfire of the vanities.
What's time?
I mean, you know, it drew some lines in the sand and ruffled some feathers.
It was a very controversial novel when it was released.
And then many years later, they, I mean, what's making a comedy?
This making a comedy of a theatrical release, under a body, let's make an comedy, under
a different title, kind of hearts and core nets to keep it in film, that people may
or may not be familiar with it came out in 49.
And so then we fast forward another 60 years.
I think you should be very proud of me right now.
How's that?
That you mentioned it came out in 49 and I didn't make an age joke.
I know, I'm sure.
I want you to just take a moment, but that's the thing.
I know.
Drink it in, man.
What's wrong with you, Rob?
Sometimes you gotta let the brother.
Okay.
I think he does have kind of had a rough day.
Yeah.
We all know that.
Yeah.
But still for you.
They couldn't use that title, so they went with what they went with.
I like, I kind of like this title too.
It fits the musical theme kind of story.
Yep.
Kind of like that whole, who was killing the great shifts of Europe kind of thing.
How does succeed in business without really trying it?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It kind of lends itself to, okay.
You kind of know what you're getting into because it's over the top.
It's almost like an absurd title.
So you know, you're not going to really have to take it all that seriously.
I will say this.
Don't plan a family outing.
No.
Because there's quite, there's quite a few what the kids like to call adult situations.
There's one entire musical number built around a very adult situation that I'm going
to leave alone.
Is it on the level of cabaret or pipin?
No.
Probably not.
No.
But it's, and it's not so much that it's naughty.
It's just that it's going to be over.
It's going to be over a kid's head.
They're not going to get any of this.
It's a little cheeky.
Yeah.
The humor is going to be totally lost on them.
You know, it's, it's, it's not that it's questionable material.
It's just that it's just a little too adult for their tastes.
But there was a lot of great humor.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You don't get it twisted.
You know, it's, you know, if you're a buff, you know, a teenager or a buff, you're going to get it.
You know, this is, this is geared toward that audience anyway.
But there's plenty of scenes with the comedy where they're running back behind the scene.
Like the, I'm going to say is bees.
Yeah.
Anyway, where you see that so many times.
The ice skating pond almost killed.
Yeah.
I don't know what was funnier.
The ice skating pond or the bee scene.
Yeah.
That was a steric.
That's a toss up for me as well.
That was so cart, you know what I kept thinking of the whole time I'm watching this?
The dover boys cartoon from Looney to.
Oh, wow.
That's all I kept thinking about.
It was the dover boys.
And the technology is used so well here.
Man, where there's a piece of the stage, it actually comes forward to expand this.
Because most of the action takes place on the stage within the stage.
And even it takes place on the stage.
Proper is very ancillary.
Right.
They keep it within the.
They keep it within the proscenium arch.
So to speak exactly.
Ancillary to the side.
Okay.
Okay.
Thank you.
Well, off that stage within a stage.
It kind of doesn't exist or five dollar college worth.
Yeah.
Or basically it exists within the world of him telling the story in his hand.
Right.
For the most part.
And the fact that it didn't hit me until later about him.
When he was writing it.
I thought he was just writing it.
I didn't it didn't hit me until later on.
What where he was writing it and what he was doing.
Which I thought was kind of you.
Oh, you didn't?
I mean, I had a clue.
But I was like, they really haven't discussed this.
So I don't know.
Maybe I'm just going to ride this thing out and see where it goes.
No.
They established it very early.
Yeah.
They established it very early on.
Where he was.
Yeah.
Why he was there.
But they didn't go into explicit detail.
So basically this whole story is told in flashback.
And really the success or failure of this particular show.
All ride done one person.
And it's not the main character.
Well, it depends on how you look at it.
The success or I'm talking about from from an audience perspective.
The success or I'm pretty sure this is the way this show was designed.
Because it makes sense to design it this way.
You mean how it's traditionally played?
Correct.
Yes.
It is.
So that's why quite did where it's.
So really the success or failure of this show rides on the person that plays all of the
airs that are between Monti and quote unquote success.
When when you look at your play.
You're, well, you really can't call it a play.
But you know, your, your program so to speak.
And it says one actor's name nine times.
And then, no, and parentheses.
And it says the dice with family in your life.
Hi.
Is this a misprint?
No.
It is not.
And in this case, we are referring to John Rhapson.
Is it is there any doubt in this room that he's going to get everybody shout out for.
Yeah.
If you go to my written review at www.theclubask.com.
That is our website.
I put it.
There's say he was amazing.
It's an understatement.
Good.
This guy is next level.
Yeah.
This whole cast in general.
I'm huge fans of.
And I even said in my written review, which is also at www.theclubask.com.
Which is our website.
Get used to these names.
Because the people that are on this program.
You're going to see their names and bigger and better things.
As Adam goes on because these people are that good.
Sorry.
And all of his hinges on Rhapson.
And he absolutely crushes it.
My question was quick on this on like Broadway.
One person always gets it.
You're just not quite quite.
It's not quite quite.
He's not quite quite.
But much like how.
Father Darling and Captain Hook is played by the same after.
Much like the schoolmaster in Matilda is always portrayed as a woman.
He wants that same person.
Yeah, he absolutely kills this thing and plays male and female characters and to be able to equal enthusiasm and each one of them really has a unique personality
Surprisingly so you would think okay, it's just going to be a can't performance since they're all a family name
They're all going to be the just reset version of the same character. No, one of them their own unique personality not only from an acting standpoint
But from a singing standpoint
I mean, this is the same guy who does multiple div he has different songs where he's featured
And you know in one song he's super macho bravo guy and the next one
But he does it in a way that there were moments where I had forgotten it was the same guy you do you I'm like like
He absolutely destroyed it. I didn't realize until like the third or fourth character. I'm like my gosh
And again, you read it in the program and you're like it doesn't really click. It doesn't really sink in
It's the same
They just hire a bunch of people with the same name because that's kind of weird as far as his character portrayals though
I got to say the one that almost put me on the floor was Reverend Lord is equal thanks
You know what I can't wait for you to say what a creepy guy. No, I was waiting for huh. Oh, but I don't want to marry
I want to sing that's all I kept thinking in my head
The whole thing out
But but I'll tell you what part really as far as his portrayals with the cast absolutely destroyed me
Act to the dinner table him and I got to get this right
Hold on lady hi instant. No, no, that's him. No, lady. You genius played by Kristen Mengelkoch
Their interaction it was I love how you said it in your written
How it's it's a it's royal team meets
Pid and pick button pick and Album pick and Album pick and Album pick and I don't need somebody. I don't know Ted bun. He's like a zero
But that's what it was like
But I love you. I hate you, but I hate you more than I love you. What was that the whole part is like I said to death to us part
She says that's what I'm coming up
She would hissing like a so glad I went to the bathroom at the intermission because I might have peed on myself
I was laughing so like you and I were like six or seven seats apart. Yeah, you're done the end
I was close with the eye I heard you cry and laughing. Like repeatedly even all the way through
Yeah, but more so in the second act
But I mean
I mean you look at look at mass he's performance as the main character and what I really dug about his performance was he's the main character
And I wouldn't think I noticed he's in this thing about 90% of the
He's hardly ever off stage. Yeah, but he's the main character, but even as the main character
He knows when it's not his scene
Which I really dug about his performance. He knew there were there were going to be a lot more scenes that were owned by Rapson and rightfully so
And he knew that given take which I really dug now that being said I
Loved the ladies in this thing
Mm-hmm when you're looking at
Kristen Beth Williams playing Cebela Halloward
Hallward Paul where there should be hearing in a production coming soon of Kimlock as well. Oh really yes
That's all that in the program and also a Adrian L. Or who I am a huge fan of with her portrayal as a Phoebe dicho with
The more understated
Yes, the two women in his life. Yeah, as it goes through that are pretty much opposite ends of the spectrum personality wise, but personally
So I's performance wise
Their voices were gorgeous together. That scene
Where he's trying to keep them separated in different rooms. That would be the during their performance of I've decided to marry you in act two that is
Some of the most brilliant
I don't know what you would call it
I'm gonna be weird to call it. I mean, it's it's almost like watching a plate spinning act and I mean you never saw a plate hit the floor
When they'll die or
So on I mean if the timing is a little bit off in that scene, it don't work at as much as it works in that number
Their voices worked for me even better in that horrible woman
Which close to the right before yeah, yeah
That
But they're just tearing each other down
I'm blind closed door. I was like this is amazing and you really don't expect it because you really think it's just gonna coast on
It's on its comedy laurels and not rest and now this thing and over a lot
No, no, I don't know I want to know which I put in my review again is that
There was a good mix where it's not just all singing and who cares about the plot. There was a good
There's a little singing the plot in the comedy
There was a great balance between all three because we've seen some production all this singing singing singing singing
Oh, here's a five-minute plot. Exactly. No, but but this really does tell the story well. Yeah, it's a lot of fun
It's it hits all the right notes at the right times and I don't I'm not not trying to make a pun there
Unlike our last episode where I
Just go listen to the last live episode
But I really there wasn't anything I didn't think about this it was a lot of fun
I love musicals like this that are our kind of shining a spot lot on the
Absurdity of it all
And it knows what it's doing. Yeah, it does that thing. It's completely self-aware and
You know, there is there is you know more than just a little bit of fourth wall breaking
And it's and it's all done at the right time. Oh, my favorite for fourth wall breaking has got to be in as I'm going to make sure I get this right and I don't understand the poor
That was my favorite breaking
What I was in the whole thing. That's kind of what I was referring to without referring to it right for the pregnant pause
That's all I'm telling you wait for the hand over the eyes looking off in the distance moment
Hey, and you know for really if I've got to find a downside to this musical
You know what it is
That it's not getting a longer run here. This is only in town for a week and a half
That's a shame and it's one of the better ones. I've seen this year. Yeah, I mean, we've seen I mean
I went through today. You guys have seen more than me. So you guys are up to almost 15 musicals this year
And this I mean
This is getting actually one of the longer runs on the tour believe it or not really. Yeah, like I'm looking further down the schedule
Like who else is on the on the on the on the on the docket it when it's what's it leaves here goes the St. Louis
Then Greenville South Carolina Detroit
Boston's only going to be there five days boss and you better get on the ball
Heartford Connecticut five days hard for Connecticut get on the ball Hershey pencil then you know
November 1st through the six five days again Hershey you heard me. So I know Wilmington, Delaware 15th through the 20th five days again wearing Delaware
Yeah
Providence December 6 to the 11th five days again
Well, that's where lucky gee it graphically though you could hit some of those and it wouldn't be too bad
Yeah, but yeah, I wish it was getting a longer run because I had so much fun with this one thing
I want to I really loved was the props though that they had some really I'm glad you mentioned that
God way the use of apology that video wall yeah, but they use in the background. Oh my god
That video wall was a character. Yeah, that video wall was literally a character
That's what that wall enhanced everything so well. You you know they pull down the curtain for a second
They put a couple props in and that wall and you felt like you were at a different location
You didn't have to imagine it you looked it's like oh or at this place now or at this place
Now you went from location to location the location location and the timing involved to use that stuff. Oh, yeah, the be the becing alone
The first death scene. Yeah. I mean there's so much timing involved with that stuff
That you and they and they hit it every mark every time
Yeah, you got to give it to the stage hands and the problem masters on this thing have fall from the tower just every time
I think about that it is that the whole tower scene when they're climbing the tower
Oh, and they're tilting it left and right and left. I was getting a little I'm like, okay
They need to quit doing that. This is a top notch production top to bottom cast crew
Story the whole nine. I cannot say enough good things about it
Are we ready to put a final analysis on this thing? I do think it's kind of interesting though that you know
Yes Kevin Massey is the lead character in the story because the story is about him
But the first name mentioned the first picture in the program and the guy that gets the last bow at the curtain call is
Mr. Rhapson and he will be the guy that you
He earned it and a nice little moment in the final curtain call, too, and that's all I'm saying
Oh, that's I mean that's part of the story. I know I'm not saying but the very the very last thing you see on stage
Pay attention all the way through don't leave early. Yeah, I'm saying. Yeah, all right
So we get to final analysis let's doer
The way you do the final analysis on this show we're not gonna give you a thumbs-up thumbs down
We're not gonna give you stars letters numbers symbols got none of that for you
Here's what we're gonna do our audience the empire. We love them. They want us to go deeper. That's how we roll
Two questions question number one. Would we see this production again if the answer is no
We're done here if the answer is yes
Then the follow-up question since this is a stage production
I want to know if they want to go again how much money they're willing to spend on seeds because that's gonna tell you how much we enjoyed it
I'm gonna start with you
Would you see this again? Yeah, of course. How much of on the pay?
This is kind of different because I would like to see this center of the second level
Okay, but fair enough get it take it all right get it take it anywhere get it take it fair enough
Chad absolutely where you're sitting
I'd want to sit center maybe
8 to 10 rows back because I'd really like to get the I'd really like to see the expressions on their faces whenever they they're
Get into some of these
Conversations the way they kind of mug toward the audience a little bit to get their reaction
Especially the dinner scene not really like to see the looks on their faces during some of that dialogue exchange for me
I definitely would love to see this again. I don't care where you sit in the roof. I don't care see this thing
There's nothing about this musical that you will not enjoy except the fact that you have to leave when it's over
Speak of that we have to thank again Cindy Evans and everybody at ATT pack and also the Winspir Opera
Such wonderful people there much better to us and they ever have to be
Another great season of musicals coming up go to ATT pack dot org
Look at everything they've got because there's not just a windspir. They've got other venues as well
And the windspir just isn't hosting musicals about a month ago weird. I can fix it was there
You know who's gonna be there at the end of this month
Kenny G
You know what and then later this year
If there's some great acts coming through and the wildly got some great stuff going on as well and the Myers said well, you know
Have you got coming at the end of the year
Yeah, I know Delbert McClinton's coming
Well, you remember the production that we left at when we had to go falling tail across town to see a certain sequel to a certain movie
We were waiting on since we were kids what production we were leaving was that no
No
Jersey boys. Okay. We're leaving. Yeah, we got the December like Christmas week either the week of or the week after
Frankie Valley in four seasons. Oh, yeah, that's what I didn't see that
Want to make sure we plug that for them as well. Absolutely. I
Go see a gentleman's guide to love and
It's just it's a lot of fun go do the thing
Let's do the plugs. All right
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For Don for Chad for the empire. I'm Rob clubhouse is closed for any Palmer
Put her so many stresses that the girls are wearing I'm just saying
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