Highlights from I'LL SAY SHE IS: The Lost Marx Brothers Musical (Off Broadway 2016)

Highlights from I'LL SAY SHE IS, the Lost Marx Brothers Musical, from its acclaimed run at the Connelly Theater, NYC, 2016. For more information, please visit illsaysheis.com.

[@tjohnstonejr]

Very cool. My great grandpa, Thomas A Johnstone Sr., wrote this.

[@marxfest100]

Hi! I'd love to talk with you sometime, about the show and Tom Johnstone's music.

[@VicMartino]

What a wonderful time my friends and I had attending this wonderful show with a truly excellent cast! I highly recommend seeing this show even if your not a Marx Brother's fan and if by chance your not! You will be one after seeing this show!

[@jvblhc]

I saw this twice - first at the Fringe Festival in 2014 and then this production. It's a great feeling to know that I saw "I'll Say She Is"!

[@LNER4771]

Looks like a very honorable tribute to three of the funniest men to ever live...and the one smart enough to leave while the going wasn't good enough yet.

[@benoitpellet1657]

They were actually five at the beginning. Gummo left very early and Zeppo after Duck Soup. Both were successful businessmen afterwards and Zeppo a creative inventor too.

[@Lukecash2]

Benoit Pellet And Zeppo was actually the funniest of the group in person. In fact Groucho once got sick, so Zeppo took his place in the play. From all reports, he did Groucho better than Groucho did. Groucho considered letting Zeppo take over, as long as he could still draw his sallary. The rest did not agree. Zeppo's character was a parody of the a WASP, all American boy that was popular in the stage and screen. If you look at the films, Zeppo was the only straight man that knew how to react properly to the Marxs' absurdity humor. The rest over reacted or laughed. Unfortunately, Zeppo was undervalued as a performer then and now. He got frustrated and left, realizing his time could be better spent as an inventor, business man and a movie industry mover and shaker.

[@gabrielmcconnor4493]

@@Lukecash2 I disagree. Looking at the majority of the films Zeppo was in, he hardly acted like a straight man. In fact, I’d hazard to say that he hardly acted at all. I’d hardly call Jamison a straight man, nor would I call Bob Roland, secretary to Firefly, a straight man. He’s an accessory, a hanger on. In my estimation, a straight man exists to be a comic foil to a zany, wacky character. Keyword there is comic. While the straight man isn’t as far out there as the wacky character, he still gets laughs through his realistic reactions to the antics taking place. Zeppo hardly gets any laughs whatsoever. Take the chamber of deputies scene in Duck Soup. Zeppo is there, yes, but he has absolutely zero lines. That’s just about how it goes for a lot of Zeppo scenes. He’s just there. I’ll give it to you that he acts sort of like a straight man in Monkey Business (and to a lesser extent, Horse Feathers), but even then I’d hardly call him comic. He has more to do, for sure, but very few (if any) jokes. I have a sneaking suspicion that if you were to show someone with no familiarity a Paramount Marx brothers movie without the opening credits, they’d have no idea Zeppo was a Marx Brother.

[@meryldanziger4870]

Brilliant achievement, wonderful video. Bravissimo and Kudos to Noah and all!

[@steelers6titles]

Although this show was the brothers' Broadway debut, they were already seasoned showbiz veterans. The earlier review "Home Again", which displayed their frantic humor, had been a success.

[@steelers6titles]

The female lead, "Beauty", was Lotta (Carlotta) Miles. Lotta Miles was the generic name for the girl who advertised Kelly-Springfield tires. Several women appeared as Lotta over the years, including (later on) Norma Shearer. Florence Reutti was the Lotta Miles who appeared on Broadway with the Marxes. She died in 1937.

[@ericsalles1424]

Well I thought my razor was dull until I saw this video. (THANKS for posting man this is awesome)

[@steelers6titles]

The brother's next stage hit, "The Cocoanuts", by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, which was filmed as their first movie, is very similar to the Johnstones' "I'll Say She Is".

[@njdevilku1340]

Well now i've seen a portion of what i missed due to a broken foot. It was nice to meet you (and seth) on sunday.

[@steelers6titles]

When Richard J. Anobile asked Groucho about the origins of the greasepaint mustache in "The Marx Bros. Scrapbook", the elderly Groucho couldn't recall the details. It definitely predated the Paramount films, as he wore it onstage in "I'll Say She Is".

[@laura20022004]

Oh I would love to see this!!!!

[@conderwittich]

I hope it will be on DVD someday...

[@steelers6titles]

My name is what do you care. My home is anywhere. People say I'm awful dumb. So I thought to you I'd come.

[@robertkeuscher2298]

Is there anywhere I can purchase a dvd copy of this show.

[@steelers6titles]

@@robertkeuscher2298 idk

[@robertkeuscher2298]

Is this musical available on dvd. Ill buy a copy. Please say yes.

[@steelers6titles]

@@robertkeuscher2298 idk, unfortunately.

[@robertkeuscher2298]

@@steelers6titles If it never does, please let me know. thanks

[@tonydavis6482]

I read Grouchos book.....he said out of the 30 chorus girls on that tour..Chico had knobbed at least 15 of them...quite a bloke he was..

[@Lukecash2]

Tony Davis They said he was incredibly charming and attractive to the ladies. If Chico drove next to a woman, at the first stoplight, he'd get her attention. At the second, they'd be flirting. By the third stoplight they would be looking for a motel. Strangely enough, Chico was rarely the love interest. Groucho had very bad luck with love. A huge part was that his persona was never off, always worried about money, emotionally detached and ultimately never enjoyed show business. As a result, he made bad choices for relationships. Groucho wanted to be a person of letters, doctor or lawyer, but his over bearing mother was determined to have them successful in show business. He was married a few times. Strangely enough, he was portrayed as the Casanova (Though this role was sometimes by Zeppo) Harpo was the only Marx brother who was happily married man and a good father. Strangely enough, he was portrayed as a skirt chaser.

[@robertkeuscher2298]

Would love to see a good copy of this show. I have a fan made copy and the book. They must have filmed the entire show because of what I see on youtube. Thanks Bob K.@@Lukecash2

[@njdevilku1340]

​@@robertkeuscher2298Fan made copy? I'd love to see it! I had tickets to the closing night but Harpo broke his foot the night before and they canceled the performance.

[@tbastdgagitw]

This is great. Its hard to get the marx bros timing right.

[@KJTV67]

Jolson? NO Chevalier!

[@MFPhoto1]

The original did Gallagher and Sheen, a salute to the Marx' uncle Al Sheen, who aided them early in their career.

[@KJTV67]

@@MFPhoto1 I would have loved to see them imitate Gallagher and Sheen!

[@MFPhoto1]

@@KJTV67 I would have loved to have seen Gallagher and Shean! The closest we can get to seeing, not just listening to old recordings, is this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIrTnnaAorp2pbs That is the real Al Shean, but Jack Kenny playing Gallagher. I misspelled Shean in my original post.

[@KJTV67]

@@MFPhoto1 I wondered if they were related to Martin and Charlie LOL I've never seen the brothers imitate Al Jolson-but they made Chevalier famous!

[@stevelawlor5456]

Wish I could have seen it "live". Thanks for posting this online. :-)

[@steelers6titles]

My name is Sammy Brown. I just got into town.

[@spasticpug5209]

I wish this show was still happening and I could see it

[@ruebensfilms]

So awesome.

[@travishiltz4750]

Really enjoyed Noah's book and keep hoping I'll get to see the show some day.

[@Hansthatjudicious]

Wonderful! When is it next on?

[@marxfest100]

We don't know just yet, but stay tuned...

[@SigToyArts]

Awesome!

[@jolinkarlsson8569]

I wanna see it and if my grandpa who grew up with them say its good take it i kinda want him to see it too

[@steelers6titles]

Zeppo left the act after the Paramount films, tired of being the "juvenile", as he put it. He became a successful show-business agent. All three living brothers, Zeppo, Gummo, and Groucho, were interviewed for the unpleasant "Marx Bros. Scrapbook" in the 1970s (over which an elderly Groucho sued). Zeppo's frosty interview indicates that he was not sorry to leave the act. He died in 1979.

[@spasticpug5209]

Is there any copies of this available for watching?

[@fearlessjoebanzai]

The kid doing Harpo is great.

[@BadfingerBoogieBarb]

I'd love to see this before I kick the bucket.

[@jolinkarlsson8569]

Same

[@retromaven2159]

the stolen silverware bit at 11:57 was used in the last scene of Animal Crackers!!

[@evenflow5491]

Chico did a fake Italian accent and it still sounded like a better Italian accent than him

[@k2506091]

Real…

[@haileyshannon7548]

5:42 he found Nemo!

[@froboythestud]

Groucho’s mustache was too wide! Other than that, looks like a pretty good tribute!

[@AaronMorrisTheSteamFox]

That's likely intentional. As this is a stage play, features are often exaggerated for visibility.

[@bigred8432]

Because it’s a stage play 🙄

[@ericgoldfarb4870]

The writers thought the audience wouldn't know who Maurice chevalier was. Used jolson instead. Should stick to original script.

[@marxfest100]

The "original script" (as performed in vaudeville since 1921 and in I'll Say She Is since 1923) had the Brothers impersonating Gallagher and Shean, and later Joe Frisco, and others. Chevalier was not yet a star in the U.S., and "You've Brought a New Kind of Love To Me" not released until 1930. What you're calling the "original script" is a rewrite done ten years later at Paramount.

[@ericgoldfarb4870]

@@marxfest100 thanks for the information. I just assumed. Shouldn't assume.

[@haileyshannon7548]

I like how Chico has his headset Scotch taped to his face