Birdcage (PART 2 OF 3)
La Cage aux Folles
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It is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman.
Based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, it focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction, and the farcical adventures that ensue when Georges's son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents to meet them.
The original 1983 Broadway production received nine nominations for Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.
The success of the musical spawned a West End production and several international runs.
The 2004 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival, the 2008 London revival garnered the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.
The 2010 Broadway revival was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
La Cage aux Folles is the only musical which has won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical twice and the only show that has won a Best Production Tony Award (Best Musical or Best Revival of a Musical) for each of its Broadway productions.
A National Tour, based on the 2010 revival, will begin in October 2011 with George Hamilton as Georges and Christopher Sieber as Albin.
Synopsis
Georges, the master of ceremonies, welcomes the audience to his St. Tropez drag nightclub, "La Cage aux Folles".
The chorus line known as Les Cagelles appear and introduce themselves to the audience.
Georges and his "wife", Albin, have lived happily together for many years in an apartment above La Cage with their black "maid" Jacob.
Albin is a drag queen and the star performer of La Cage aux Folles under the alias of "Zaza".
As Albin prepares to perform, Georges' 24-year-old son Jean-Michel (the offspring of a confused, youthful liaison with a woman named Sybil) arrives home with the news that he is engaged to Anne Dindon.
Georges is reluctant to approve of Jean-Michel's engagement, but Jean-Michel assures his father that he is in love with Anne.
Unfortunately, her father is head of the "Tradition, Family and Morality Party", whose stated goal is to close the local drag clubs.
Anne's parents want to meet their daughter's future in-laws.
Jean-Michel has lied to his fiancée, describing Georges as a retired diplomat, and he pleads with Georges to tell Albin to absent himself (and his flamboyantly gay behaviors) for the visit.
Before Georges can break the news to him, Albin suggests that they hurry back to La Cage to make it in time for the next show.
They arrive in time and Albin takes the stage once more as Zaza.
While Albin is performing, Georges and Jean-Michel quickly redecorate the house.
Georges finally tells Albin of Jean-Michel's plan and expects Albin to explode with fury, but he remains silent.
Albin then re-joins Les Cagelles onstage and tells them to leave.
He then begins to sing alone in defiance of Jean-Michel, stating that he is proud of who he is and refuses to change for anyone.
He angrily throws his wig at Georges and departs in a huff.
The next morning, Georges finds Albin after his abrupt departure and apologizes.
He then suggests to Albin that he dress up for dinner as macho "Uncle Al".
Albin is still upset, but reluctantly agrees to act like a heterosexual for Jean-Michel.
Back at the chastely redesigned apartment, Georges shows "Uncle Al" to Jean-Michel.
Jean-Michel doesn't like the idea and expresses his dislike for Albin's lifestyle.
Georges angrily reminds Jean-Michel of how good of a "mother" Albin has been to him.
They then receive a telegram that Jean-Michel's mother Sybil is not coming and Anne's parents arrive.
Hoping to save the day, Albin appears as Jean-Michel's buxom, forty-year-old mother, in pearls and sensible shoes.
The nervous Jacob burns the dinner, so a trip to a local restaurant, "Chez Jacqueline", belonging to an old friend of Albin and Georges, is quickly arranged.
No one has told Jacqueline of the situation, and she asks Albin (as Zaza) for a song, to which he hesitantly agrees.
Everyone in the restaurant begins to take part in the song, causing Albin to yield to the frenzy of performance and tear off his wig at the song's climax, revealing his true identity.
Back at the apartment, the Dindons plead with their daughter to abandon her fiancé, for they are appalled by his homosexual parents, but she is in love with Jean-Michel and refuses to leave him.
Jean-Michel, deeply ashamed of the way he has treated Albin, asks his forgiveness, which is lovingly granted.
The Dindons prepare to depart, but their way is blocked by Jacqueline, who has arrived with the press, ready to photograph these notorious anti-homosexual activists with Zaza.
Georges and Albin have a proposal: If Anne and Jean-Michel may marry, Georges will help the Dindons escape through La Cage aux Folles next door.
The Dindons do so, dressed in drag as members of the nightclub's revue, and all ends well.
Audition for
"La Cage aux Folles"
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SOURCE: "La Cage aux Folles"
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Was the playhouse packed?
Oh, yes, it was with a lot of people. We really enjoyed the play. How about you, Kato?
I didn't see the play, but the "Birdcage" is quite an amusing movie. Nathan Lane, who played as Albert, is a funny guy---actually, the funniest homosexual I've ever seen in my life.
Funniest? In what way?
Well..., he was eating at the table with Robin Williams. He picked up some slimy stuff with a fork, but couldn't manage to hold it, and dropped it. In doing so, he overreacted in such a hilarious way that I laughted to death. He was really a drag queen in the true sense.
I cannot recall such a funny scene.
Anyway, if someone with homophobia see the movie, he or she might change his way of thinking about homosexuality.
Kato, are you a homosexual?
Diane, are you trying to insult me?
Oh, no, I'm quite serious and curious.
Do I look like a drag queen?
Oh, no, you don't. But I've noticed that a wildest-looking man sometimes turns out to be a homosexual.
I'm not against homosexuality, but acting like a drag queen is the last thing I want to do.
You know, Kato, there are quite a few anti-gay activists in Vancouver.
I know that. So the Vancouver School Board is taking a anti-homophobia policy, using film and video to engage youth and educators on issues related to homophobia.
How do you know?
I saw the sign board the other day.
Where did you find it?
Of course, in Vancouver. Look at the map in the background. Don't ask me such a foolish question.
So the school board is providing anti-homophobia programs, isn't it?
I suppose so. If I was one of the school trustees, I would propose that each student should see "The Birdcage" so that all the students would laugh off homophobia. What would you say, Diane?
Maybe a good idea. I agree with you.
(To be continued)