“Grey Gardens” The Musical!?
Why are great pieces of camp/cult cinema becoming Broadway musicals? We now have Evil Dead the musical, Hairspray is a hit and Edward Scissorhands is out now. Just recently some Broadway producers made the announcement to adapt the cult groundbreaking documentary Grey Gardens into a stage song and dance spectacle.
If you have not seen the innovative and landmark 1975 documentary about Edie and Little Edie Bouvier than you must rent it A.S.A.P. It has elements of camp, true human vulnerability and genuine humor. There is no point or obvious story, you just become a passenger on this surreal trip through two delusional aging socialites lives.
I first saw this documentary when I was very young. At the time I was intrigued by the reclusive oddball mother and daughter team. Edie Bouvier is first cousin to Jackie Kennedy and when this movie was released there was drama over the depiction of the family. The Bouvier ladies live in a fantasy with no contact with the outside world. A friendly neighbor, an old friend, dozens of cats and a grocery delivery person are the only people in these ladies lives. It is obvious that both ladies suffer from mental illness, but seem to be content and happy with their eccentric lives. You cannot look away as Little Edie rambles on or her mother sings. They relish the old times as they share pictures and stories from their past. They both have such great personalities, you don’t mind the wacky behavior it’s endearing.
Little Edie has since become some sort of fashion icon and philosophical guru, her nuggets of wisdom and rationalization are shrewd and crazy at the same time. Check out the music medley mix from You Tube below, it will give you an idea about these strangely appealing and sympathetic ladies.
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