Since so many people have been reviewing the show as the tour progresses, I'm going to just give a Todd-centric review, with a few overall impressions of the show in general first.
I had seen the show on opening night in Lake Placid, and think it's a much better show than in recent past years. The version in Chicago last night has definitely improved since opening night. The skaters all seem more comfortable in the group numbers and the transitions flow better.
That being said, I thought the show last night was pretty low energy and bit sluggish. I've seen most of these numbers live at other events, which is how I could tell everyone seemed a bit tired. Still, it was a good show and I enjoyed most of it a great deal.
Jump problems were minimal last night...Alexei stepped out of his triple toe on the opening, and took a hard fall in Overcome. But he still landed a triple toe/triple toe/double loop in that number, and a triple toe/triple toe in Racing. Todd doubled a few jumps, but I'll get to that in each number.
Kurt's Tony Bennett number (which I love!) didn't have the emotional oomph I've seen in the past, but it was still wonderful.
On to Todd....
Todd doubled his axel in the opening. However, it seems they reworked the opening a bit, and Todd has more solo highlight time at the end. Along with starting the show, he comes out near the end of the opening and does double axels with Kurt, then gets some solo time for another jump and a scratch spin at the end before the rest of the cast comes out at the end of the Ozzy number. I'm sure this is new since Lake Placid. I had heard they had worked Scott Hamilton into the opening, so I'm wondering if this isn't Scott's bit, which Todd takes over when Scott is not guest starring.
Channel 1 Suite....
Todd has added/changed the jumps a bit. In the past this number has only had 3 jumps. Now there are 4 jumping passes. He hit his opening triple axel, and it was huge! He also did a triple Sal, a triple loop (we think, I missed the take-off, but Fran was pretty sure it was an edge jump) then he singled his toe, so he tried to turn it into a combination which ended up being a single toe/double toe, LOL. Spins were fast as always, but he seemed a bit tired and low energy...the barrel rolls seemed shorter than I remember, and at times he seemed like he was racing to keep up with the music. A good performance, but not as on as I've seen him be with this piece in the past.
Sing Sing Sing.....Todd got a huge reaction, with whistles and catcalls for his line "standing naked in the spotlight". Pretty funny. I"ve always thought this program was strange...I don't like the narration (the written text) and don't think the program works as a whole. That being said, they have re-recorded the narration since Lake Placid, and it sounds better now. Todd almost tripped skating backwards at one point. It was just one of those silly things were he was gliding along and got to close to the edge of the ice. But he caught himself.
Miserere...
Todd had more energy in this program, and seemed more into it than Channel 1 Suite. He doubled his axel, then went on to hit a triple loop, throw in a triple axel (where there is normally a double) and a beautiful triple lutz. He had a lovely spiral in this program, and covered the whole space. His spins were fast and centered and it was a good performance.
My one quibble with the finale is that it is too short. I wish it were designed more like the finales of old, where each skater got some solo time, or small groups, before the whole cast skates together. With everyone on the ice together the whole time, it's really hard to watch the action. But the finale was well skated. And while I would never say Todd can dance, he has gotten better in this number since the opening.
In general, the energy of the show picked up in the second act. I do think the whole cast looked tired, but they gave it there all, and it was a fun show. The Chicago crowd was very loud and vocal, but there were no standing ovations until the end of the finale.
