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aceofspades-sml · 1 year

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My extensive thoughts on the main characters in Newsies uk

Last post about the show I promise but I have too much to say about those guys

(Again I was sat in Manhattan and everything you guys know the drill at this point )

Starting off with Jack !

He has so many emotions ??? Like Michael is so good at portraying Jack's feelings here, and I think the one that comes back the most throughout the show is anger. He is angry at the world, he is angry because the newsies' life is literally so unfair, and don't get me started on his disgust toward Katherine in act 2. Like he doesn't even want to be near her he is staying as far away from her as possible and that's very striking

And that's the thing about Jack's anger, he is never just angry he is also incredibly sad and bitter ?? You can see exactly how broken this boy is and I love it

Also his version of Santa fe is legit so sad. Because first of all, he really makes you notice that Jack just got out of a fight. He is soaked and tired, stuggles to walk and has to hold on to everything he can find to keep his balance. And the way he sings is kind of a mix of angry and hopeless and his voice breaks and it hurts so much

And the final note ?? One of the best I've heard, it's not only the tone it's the emotion in his voice it's the way he is reaching desperately for something he knows he can't get and you can really feel that in this one note

I have so much stuff to say about hopeless Jack and I need to talk about his attitude in the watch what happens reprise because he is literally tired of this, he is desperate and genuinely scared for all his guys because he just wants to protect them and he can't. And that's why he gives up later on in Pulitzer's office, because the mention of Crutchie is enough to literally break him so don't even try telling him about Davey and other newsies going to the refuge

His speech at the rally is so heartbreaking istg I can't deal with this. The way his voice just breaks on every sentence because he understands exactly what's at stake here. And his "how long can you go without making money" line ? I'm like 99% sure he was speaking directly to Tommy boy. Tommy boy who had been a scab, and the last of them to join the strike. It's so specific and so cruel but at the same time devastating because Jack knows his newsies so well. He knows Tommy boy will be vulnerable to this I-

Also after the rally the newsies all pass by Jack shooting him darks looks and he just. Doesn't want to look them in the eyes. Excuse me while I scream in my pillow

His relationship with Katherine was very interesting too. Their dynamic was actually quite different from anything I've seen, overall much more genuine and less superficial than in some productions

+ during I never planned on you, his physical comedy is literally adorable ?? Like he makes Kath pose for him to sketch her and at some point he even tilts her chin up

One more thing I have to talk about, because getting a poc Jack is absolutely amazing and it changes so much stuff in the show ??? Like not explicitely, but the undertones are really different in the context of Jack being black. E.g. his entire Seize the day monologue feels so much more emotional, and Michael really speaks slowly to insist on every single line and make sure we know what he is talking about

Another striking scene about this is Something to believe in. I think that's part of why I said the Jack x Kath dynamic hit different, because this context really changes everything in this song, with the turning point being "I know girls like you don't wind up with guys like me". And it's not just about Jack being poor it's about him knowing very well what having a different skin color means in this world and he is scared to hell about it

The point I'm trying to make is that having a poc Jack gives a whole new dimension to the show and I absolutely adore the way Michael chooses to show this

Also I want to talk about Javey because why not but uh let me tell you Jack does not like Davey at the beginning. He is actually mean and when he talks about needing Les to sell newspapers he is clearly implying "but I don't need you." This changes later on, I really liked the scene before they run from Snyder when Jack thinks Davey need a place to sleep because it feels like okay I don't like your vibe but you're one of my guys now so I want to protect you

Anyway they become closer after that but yeah the way this dynamic starts off is very different

But then they become so intimate ?? I'll come back to this with Davey but they actually get close physically and emotionally, not only with the strike but also because they genuinely start liking each other. I think you need the context of the fandom's vision of Javey to appreciate this relationship development to it's fullest but when you have it boy oh boy

Davey < 333

This may not all be coherent because the most constructive thing I can say about him atm is very close to "alekkkajja" so deal with me here

He is autistic. And gay. Ryan kopel I owe you my soul for this

The first time he comes on stage it already looks pretty clear that he is extremely anxious socially, and as the show goes on it's literally obvious that this guy is autistic as hell

He is stimming for the entire show ??? Always fidgeting and doing something with his hands, little nervous gestures all the time, stuttering when he has to speak in front of people...

When I say stuttering, I mean it. At the beginning it's clearly because he is extremely anxious and doesn't want to speak up on front of the others, he is refraining himself from saying what he really thinks. But then it changes ! Character development !!! He starts stuttering because he is rephrasing what he wants to say so he can make it clear, not because he is afraid to speak up !

Also his character development as a whole is just so amazing. It's not just the way he gets more self-assured throughout the show, it's the way he is clearly becoming more comfortable with all the other newsies ! It's the way at the beginning he is standing very far from the other (literally the other end of the stage) because he doesn't want to be a part of the strike, and then he goes toward them, he comforts them. It's the way he goes from the scared guy who stutters all the way through the "you gave me nineteen" line, to the guy who has to speak up at the rally in front of all the others ! And it's so clear he does not want to do this, he would rather be anywhere else, but he still has the courage to do it ! I could go on for hours about this but the way he gains self-assurance is just. So interesting.

Obv I can't talk about this without talking about the watch what happens reprise. For me it was the moments where I could really see how much he had changed (and how autistic he was) because he is just so excited ! He is talking fast and loudly, he goes toward Jack, tries to establish physical contact with him ! He just got so comfortable around him, he feels free to behave like this with Jack ! Also plotwise this is really the best interpretation of this scene imo, because his excitement is SO contrasting with Jack's hopelessness and it makes the whole dialogue 100% more moving

Also the way his voice goes from "is that a real place ?" = excited bc Jack you're so talented - to "ohhh is that Santa Fe ?" = okay this is bad

Also "we. Are. Inevitable." *Ninja pose*

+ "tell me how quitting does Crutchie any good ?" "Exactly" in the most I-told-you-so singsong voice ever

Did I ever mention this boy is gay

The scene after Jacobi's ? That's gay flirting if I have ever seen it. "Why don't you come over ?- TO MEET MY FOLKS" yeah sure we believe that

"It's- it's good to have you back again" he is so bright and happy and it's just adorable to watch pls

Idk who cares about this but um. When they all get in the triangle to say their names during Seize the day. He says Davey. He doesn't say David. He calls himself Davey. I'm gonna need a moment to recover from this

Coming back to the "being comfortable around Jack" thing but !! The reaction to meeting the governor !!!! When Roosevelt's shakes Jack's hand Davey runs toward him excitedly and they both fangirl so hard like "bro did you see what just happened ???"

Okay one last thing and i'll stop but he is incredibly protective of Les. During Seize the day he is the one to drag him away from the fight instead of Jack and during the rally he is pulling Les behind him to prevent Jack from getting to him and that's honestly so heartbreaking because it also shows how deeply disgusted he is with Jack at this moment

Yes I'll stop now sorry but I love this Davey so much you don't even know

Katherine

I'm gonna be honest here, I never really liked Katherine. But Bronté's Kath ? I can and will die for her

She seems to be more aware of the situation. Like in Watch what happens and at Jacobi's she seems to actually understand what is at stake, maybe even more so than some of the boys

Also she is very responsible, during WWK she is on the aisles (right-hand side looking at the stage), taking notes about what the boys are doing ; and when she meets them at Jacobi's, instead of giving in to them turning her down and to Jack's flirting later on, she always tries to come back to the topic at hand= the strike. Imo this was very nice because it establishes her as an actual and serious reporter

Due to this it actually feels like she is very present in the show, because I think part of why I didn't like Katherine before was bc I felt as if she was established more as a plot device for Jack's love story than as an actual character (that's only my opinion tho). But here she really appears as a reporter who is essential to the strike, like a mix of Broadway!Kath and 92!Denton, which makes her whole arc so much more interesting imo

Sidenote but this essential role is also shown when she is the only one we see on stage looking at the banner at the end of Once and for all which is really cool

And she is so sassy ??? Like at Jacobi's she replies to the boy's insults in a very sarcastic tone, and during watch what happens she goes "a girl ? It's a girl ! Is that even legal ?" and mimics/mocks the attitude of the editors . Okay queen

"the guy painting places he has never seen is calling us crazy ?" is said to Davey instead of Jack

Also yeah "now would be a good time to shut up" I think a guy behind me gasped so yeah thanks queen

After the rally the emotion in her voice felt SO real and genuine. The way she proposes her plan to Jack feels like she is trying real hard to make up for not telling him everything, because she knows she has no excuse for it so now she can only try to do her best to make him forgive her. Also if I'm being honest, I never really liked Something to believe in as a song, but again, Michael and Bronté actually made me fall in love with it. Their voice were really intense - tho it was last sunday's show so I can't tell if this level of emotion with their voices almost breaking is and everytime thing or if Bronté was really losing it. Which, fair.

Moving on to Crutchie !

YES ??? This interpretation of Crutchie is just so different (in a really positive way)

Just to make it clear, I love AKB and I have nothing against his Crutchie. But after years of watching Crutchie be this little soft ball of sunshine who sometimes talks to Jack, this one really felt like he was finally allowed to express his full potential on stage

Because boy this Crutchie is loud. He is center stage. You can't miss him, he is always whistling, talking loudly, being noticed, you don't have a choice but to see him, you can't just not aknowledge him because he is right here and he makes you notice him

Also he is like. Essential to the narrative. Because he has a clear leadership role toward the other boys (telling them to run after Seize the day...). And his relationship with Jack is incredibly important here, from the beginning to the end it's them, Crutchie and Jack. That's established very clearly in the Prologue, but to me the most important scene to show this was the WWH reprise. Because Jack is so heartbroken and hopeless because of Crutchie. He is almost giving up because he's so genuinely scared for him. And don't even get me started on Jack's attitude when Pulitzer talks about Crutchie in the refuge bc my boy is this close to a breakdown

Also due to this Letter from the refuge hurts so much ?? He misses Jack and all the boys, and he clearly put the accent on telling Jack to take care of all the others ! To protect them !! He is in the refuge and all he wants his to know his friends are safe !

And his whole arc his so much darker in this ?? He is very aware of their situation, willing to buy the papers before the World will know and when Henry asks "at those prices ?" his answer is a very definitive "like we got a choice ?". And when he gets beat up after Seize the day he is actually pleading very loudly for the boys to come back for him and for Wiesel not to hit him. In Letter from the Refuge he actually seems to be in physical pain, and at the end when he gets back from the Refuge it's not just "yeah I got back that's nice" it's literally yes I went through hell and I came back. And oh boy his "may I ?" before cuffing Snyder and hitting him ? He's not joking around, he actually wants to make him pay for what he did

This is the Crutchie this fandom deserved and I would die for him thank you very much

And finally (yes I'm almost done I promise), Race !!!

Okay this is definitely my favorite Race

He has nothing to do with Ben's Race. If you ask me, he is much more like 92sies Race, though obviously not the same

He isn't just a goofy idiot joking around, he is really mature. He is one of the oldest and most mature newsies, and it shows, through the way he dresses and his attitude as a whole

Yes he still likes messing around, like in King of New York, but he is also very responsible toward the other newsies and is really shown as Jack's right-hand man, with many scenes where it's really obvious that he has a leadership role. E.g. at the beginning with his "Henry get down here", and during once and for all when he seems to be giving instructions to the newsies around the stage. Also he clearly cares a lot about them and wants to protect them so yeah overall a much more mature Race than what we got with Broadway

From what I saw he is still very close to Albert, and also to Specs ? Which makes sense because they are all among the oldest newsies. Finch also hangs out with them sometimes but less frequently

Also he is literally rough around the edges. He is actually ready to pick up a fight with the Delanceys at the beginning and oh boy don't get him stressed because then he is ready to lose it

Okay I really want to talk about his relationship with Davey because um. Race actively dislikes him for a solid half of the show (let's just assume no one likes Davey at the beginning okay). His "aren't we the hoi poloi ?" is actually mean. Maybe my take is entirely wrong, but imo the way Race sees it, Davey is just that priviledged guy who suddenly came in and has no idea what's at stake for most of the newsies, and he very strongly despises him for it. And at the beginning he is clearly not happy with Davey putting his guys in danger with the strike, which comes back to the idea of him being a leader and having to care for the younger newsies. Overprotective Race we stan

This changes after Seize the day tho, during Kony they actually seem to get closer and establish an intimate bond during the song

Also at some point (I think Seize the day ?) he gives Les a piggyback which is pretty cute

Okay I promise now I'm done ranting but this version of the show is actually amazing because the actors have an entirely different take from the Brodway show so it really feels like you're rediscovering it all over again

#also a few days ago i messaged ryan about autistic davey bc i had questions and um. he did not answer. i still have hope okay #anyway yeah i'll keep you guys updated on this #+ i also messaged josh barnett to say i loved his race and let me tell you he is the sweetest person i ever talked to #newsies #newsies uk #jack kelly #michael ahomka lindsay #david javobs #ryan kopel #katherine plumber #bronté barbé #crutchie morris #matthew duckett #racetrack higgings #josh barnett #leo's newsies analysis

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piedoesnotequalpi · 5 months

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“For to love is to burn” for the title?

Hello hello sorry this took approximately ten years. I was surprisingly busy/tired post-finishing finals! But! We are here for angsty fic titles! And Sprace!

Okay I had an idea and then had another, hopefully better idea so I scrapped the first idea and now here we are. TW for unhealthy/abusive relationships and my first ever attempt at canon era speech patterns

Before he left his parents, Race watched them have a terrible relationship. They fought, and Race's dad was always far too prepared to go out and fight other people because of his mom - they looked at her wrong, or they (in his opinion) mistreated her, so he'd go out and lose a fight in an attempt to "defend her honor" regardless of what his mom said. Basically, Race's father did not express love in particularly productive ways, and so he fled to the lodging house by the time he turned eight.

This was Race's only example of a romantic relationship, so he thinks that's what love is supposed to be: angry and violent and miserable (his parents were always miserable). It doesn't really matter when you're eight, but he decides he doesn't want to get married ever, or even be in a relationship. He keeps himself a little distant from the other newsies, too - he's part of the group, but he deflects anything that could reveal his past or his actual feelings about anything with a joke. And as he gets older, he starts to realize he likes boys a lot more than he should, so he decides his promise to himself (and the wall he decided to put up) was a pretty good idea.

The problem is, Race starts selling at Sheepshead as a teenager, where he meets Spot Conlon. Spot is very intimidating, and tries to get him to stop, but Race is stubborn and argues his way into staying. Spot sometimes stops by to check in, and Race gradually starts to realize two things: one, that he is far more honest with her than he is with any of the Manhattan newsies; and two, he likes girls a little more than he thought. He definitely has a preference for men, but somehow this tall girl who keeps the Brooklyn newsies more organized than the Manhattan newsies ever will be has managed to be the exception to the rule.

The other problem is, now that Race and Spot are something approaching friends, Race notices people talking about her more than he used to, and what he hears is not positive. And even though he's been with the newsies for years, and seen the more mundane, nonviolent ways they show that they care about each other, he's also seen them (physically) fight for each other. Whenever he hears someone talking trash about Spot, he fights them, but of course word gets back to Spot about this pretty quickly, and when she shows up to Sheepshead after she finds out, she's not happy, to put it mildly.

"What the hell, Race?!" Spot screams. "I can fight for myself! Now folks are gonna think I can't, and if they're thinkin' that way then that puts my girls in danger!"

"Y'ain't there!" Race says, knowing full well that he messed up in several ways. "And you - we's s'posed to - "

From there, the story of how he grew up comes out, how he thought part of showing you cared about people was fighting on their behalf. Spot punches him for being an idiot (he never quite picked up the nuances of why what his father did made his mother upset vs. why the newsies were okay with fighting for each other, which is what got him into this in the first place), but they stay on speaking terms, and Race stops fighting her battles when she's not around.

Of course, when Spot hears the Delanceys saying rude things about Race during the strike, she full-on decks them (she was going to anyway, but the insults were the final straw) and Race nearly proposes marriage on the spot.

#sprace #is this good? probably not. i'm having a hard time explaining the different types of getting into fistfights for the people you care about #asks #ask game #isabel.tex #claire!#sorry for the delay #pidge if you see this i will get to yours soon i just have work at early o'clock tomorrow #but i finally know roughly what i'm going to write for it so that's exciting

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