Search - Robbie Fox, Steve Fox, Burke Moses :: The Gift - Live from the Tiffany (2000 Hollywood Cast)

An interesting Idea...

D. Howard | Moscow, Idaho USA | 03/05/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Well, the concept behind The Gift, was to mix acoustic pop music with musical theatre, and create a big success. In my opinion it didn't work... This show makes a better CD to listen to out of context. The music is good, but I could in no way put the story together if it weren't for the synopsis in the liner notes. I'm assuming there is a lot of dialogue in the show that is not recorded. The story as I understood it, was very much like the movie Very Bad Things, but a little more complex and less grotesque content. Five friends go through college together. Everyone has a dirty secret, but no one is telling. Life goes on they all get together again later in life, there's a hooker (played by Alicia Witt(Gertrude Lang from Mr. Holland's Opus))she dies, they panic... they eventually tell their dirty secrets and realize their friendship is still there, and the "Gift" is the unending friendship they all have together."

Coulda, woulda, shoulda

D. Howard | 01/28/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this show when it played the Tiffany Theatre (LA). Though it needed some work, I felt it had more pluses than minuses. I was certain that when they released the CD they would replace the weak voices, rework a song or two, and leave the rest. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The 'big' voices are here (though not always miked right), but the 'strugglers' were included as well. Also, while several songs are strong, others beg to be tweaked a bit to release their potential. I can't believe the producers just dropped it 'as-is' on a soundtrack and walked away from the project. Someday, someone is going to revive this...casting powerful voices in all the roles and coaxing some almost-numbers into their full potential."