Hugh Jackman - Back on Broadway

"The impossibly talented, impossibly energetic Mr. Jackman is a glorious dinosaur among live entertainers of the 21st century: an honest-to-gosh old-fashioned matinee idol who connects to his audiences without a hint of contempt for them or for himself." 

I am sometimes conflicted with Mr. Brantley's theatrical reviews but he got it right in this one.  Hugh Jackman's one-man show on Broadway is a joyous celebration of musical theatre. Mr. Jackman admits that he is happier on stage singing and dancing than he is making movies, and you can see that its true. Impossibly good-natured and always positive, you can't help but love every moment of the show - at least I couldn't.

I had the pleasure of seeing this show in Toronto during the summer and not much has changed. A few more show girls but the feel of the show was consistent, thank goodness, because I loved it then too!

So now I have a confession. 

My husband worked with Mr. Jackman on A Boy From Oz and A Steady Rain. They have developed a great friendship and they stay connected. We attended opening night, last night, and were seated in the house left box. My husband was immediately concerned, and it turned out with good reason. 

Mr. Jackman starts the second act from the house left/stage right box as the persona of pan-sexual Peter Allen (A Boy Form Oz ), dressed in gold lamé from head to toe. When he entered the box he immediately sat on my husband's - Rodney - lap, flirting and pulling him into the act. Poor Rodney was mortified but played along, silently grinning.  I, however, thoroughly enjoyed the good-natured spectacle being created!  If my husband thought the experience was over when Mr. Jackman left the box, he learned quickly how wrong he was. Throughout the second act he folded Rodney into his monologue and even his end of show "thank you's." 

As it turns out, all of Rodney's colleagues knew Mr. Jackman and his team were plotting this encounter days in advance. 

What are friends for, if not to get good mileage out of embarrassing you from a Broadway stage...!!?!