It was Gollum doing his recital at his kindergarten graduation. My sleep paralysis demon arrived to show me he’s learned a TikTok dance. Dobby had been resurrected and forced to wear a party hat in his new life as a cocktail waiter.
In actuality, it was Eddie Redmayne, awkwardly contorting his arms as he delivered, in a labored German accent, the opening lines to the number “Willkommen” from hisThe nine-time nominated revival was the rare musical performance to welcome back viewers from the commercial break with no introduction.
The revival itself got mixed reviews in the U.S., following absolute raves for its London production. Yet all it took was a few minutes of Eddie Redmayne in a party hat for it to become the biggest water cooler sensation of the summer so far. People debating it—good; bad; you missed the point; the context of the show; Nazis—have dominated my social presence all week. Was the performance good? You decide:is, unequivocally, the worst thing I’ve seen in my entire life.
But here’s to having an open mind, because the production that just premiered in New York City may actually be the most thrilling, creative, and, I can’t believe I’m saying this adjacent to anything-style ballroom competition. Instead of sashaying across the stage, they’re vogueing down the runway. The choreography is ferocious. The costuming is to die for. The energy of the crowd is almostat Carnegie Hall featuring just about every musical theater star you could imagine.