So my reviews of the shows are kind of out of order now, and I want to clarify something.
I had made some very harsh statements about the first four of Emily Skinner’s performances that I saw.
I stand by those statements.
However, the last two shows she did, Sunday Matinee and Evening, were a wonderful difference. I saw the kind of Mrs. W. we all expect, with much improved timing and better interaction with the other performers.
Also, one of my friends pointed out that Emily is coming from the Oriental Theatre, which is over twice as big as the Imperial, so she had to have a big voice to fill it.
And I found myself really liking many aspects of her performance, especially in the “Goodbye” scene with Billy. I never really got how angry and hurt Mrs. W. was about Billy not coming to her sooner until I saw Emily do it.
There are some things she needs to work on. I do not like when she starts to sing the “And…” line of the Letter. And sometimes in the Letter she is saying the lines without reading the letter. Kinda weird.
But, let me be clear, I think that once she gets a few more shows under her belt, gets to know how to work with these strangers and in this smaller house, she is going to be the dynamite actress that she has always been.