The Harvey Fierstein song and dance show about a camp gay couple first appeared on Broadway in 1983, and was revived in 2004, opening to rave reviews.
Hodge originally played the role of drag queen Albin on the London stage in 2008, winning a Laurence Olivier award for his performance – and he impressed theatre critics once again when the show opened in New York on Sunday (18Apr10).
A critic from the New York Times called Hodge’s performance “a bravura Broadway debut”, adding that he and Grammer were “equally disarming” on stage.
However, Grammer’s performance as nightclub owner Georges, Albin’s partner of 20 years, was met with mixed reactions.
A reviewer from the New York Post writes, “Olivier-winning star Douglas Hodge in action, we’ll take it. Kelsey Grammer may be the draw for local audiences, but the show is Hodge’s alone… (Grammer) looks more stiff than necessary.”
Overall, the actors and their “uniformly excellent” supporting cast – including Fred Applegate, Veanne Cox, Chris Hoch, Elena Shaddow, A. J. Shively, Christine Andreas and Robin de Jesus – proved to be a hit with reviewers.
A critic from industry trade publication Daily Variety praised the cast and crew, calling director Terry Johnson’s production “tenderly affecting”.
