From our London correspondent Norm Seli:

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REVIEW: The Philadelphia Story

Kevin Spacey is the artistic director for the Old Vic and it has not been a great season. He's rehearsing for Richard II right now and The Philadelphia Story will be done in a month or so. Too Bad. It's a fun show and it's been a considerable hit, much to the relief of the Old Vic.

We sat 8 rows in, just to the left. The set is exactly right. The costumes are great. Jennifer Ehle is Tracy Lord. Jennifer won a Tony Award (in 2000) for Stoppard's The Real Thing. I'm guessing that she was better in New York.

In fairness, she was fine -- but the first act felt very "read" -- quite a contrast to the previous As You Like It that felt completely spontaneous. I think that she was trying too hard not to be Kate Hepburn. She was good, but she just didn't blow me away.

The actor playing journalist Mike Connors was also fine, but he made me appreciate how great Jimmy Stewart was and actually how natural Frank Sinatra was playing the same role. The woman playing Liz Imbrie was channeling Celeste Holm from High Society as was the actor playing Tracy's young sister. Kevin Spacey takes his C.K. Dexter Haven from Bing Crosby more than Cary Grant. A choice that I applaud, because as much as I like The Philadelphia Story, I actually like High Society better (I know, I'm a heathen -- but come on: Louis Armstrong; Frank and Bing singing together; 9 Cole Porter songs; Celeste Holm and Grace Kelly as hot as she ever was; better pacing...)

Anyway, Spacey picks up Crosby's Dexter simply because of age I think. In the play, Dexter should be early 30s at best. Well, that was kind of out of reach for Bing in 1956 and it's kind of out of reach for Spacey in 2005 (witness By The Sea). So he's playing it smart alecky and cool, and once he hits the stage the whole production seems to relax and improve. It was a good show, a fun show, but I still miss the music.

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