“Lone Star Love”: A Review
My friend Starla Smith was in the audience last night in Seattle for the opening of the musical “Lone Star Love” — starring Randy Quaid (pictured here). The show runs there through Sept. 30 before beginning performances at Broadway’s Belasco on Nov. 1. Here’s Smith’s review:
“After the official opening night of ‘Lone Star Love,’ the Bard must be aiming his six-shooter at this corny musical clone of his comedy, ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor.’ Don’t blame the talented performers. They give a hundred percent. But before ‘Lone Star Love’ hits Broadway, it needs a faster pace, a diverse score—Jack Herrick’s country tunes all sound the same — a shorter first act, and more costume changes for the ladies. And director Randy Skinner’s cowboy choreography is rather unimaginative and lackluster until the show’s finale.
“Randy Quaid’s star turn as Colonel John Falstaff still needs polish, but his over-the-top screen persona seems perfect for the Bard’s larger-than-life rascal. Quaid sings fairly well; he even yodels. Though he’s no Fred Astaire, the Texas-born actor shakes his portly tush during his hilarious number, ‘Fat Man’s Jump,’ as he swaggers across the stage in red long-johns and fitted blue jeans. You keep wondering if he’s wearing a cod piece. Or maybe it’s true: everything just grows bigger in the Lone Star State.
“Unfortunately, the musical’s book suffers from overused cliches that are meant to be funny. They’re not. Maybe the producers should hire Dan Rather to dream up some original Texas twangers.
“Still, there a few one-liners that bode well for ‘Lone Star Love’’s future. Like the sound byte delivered by Dee Hoty as Mrs. Page. When her stage husband declares his intention to run for governor, Hoty gets the biggest laugh of the evening when she chides, ‘Having a ranch in Texas in no way qualifies you to be a politician, George.'”
On Monday, September 24, the producers of this show announced that the Broadway run of “Lone Star Love” had been cancelled. I hope it wasn’t this lemonwade review that did it!
