"Playing second fiddle" is an expression that means to have a subordinate or less prominent role. In an orchestra, the person or section that plays the second violin part is usually not as celebrated as the concert master or first violins. He or they literally play a supporting role so that those first violins can soar on the highest or most prominent parts that most everyone can hear and follow. The second violins are not second rate. They are very important. They usually just play a harmonic role that audience members don't or can't follow.
The same thing happens in the theater world. There are the lead characters whose plights the plot is built around. Then there are secondary characters who may or may not play a crucial role in moving the plot along, but do many other important things. For a stage production, a scene or song for one of these secondary characters might provide time for a needed costume change for other characters, or a set change, or most often the comic relief. Some stories that have lead characters who get themselves into terrible trouble or bad things just happen to, well it's good to have comic relief to cut the tension.
The same thing happens in the theater world. There are the lead characters whose plights the plot is built around. Then there are secondary characters who may or may not play a crucial role in moving the plot along, but do many other important things. For a stage production, a scene or song for one of these secondary characters might provide time for a needed costume change for other characters, or a set change, or most often the comic relief. Some stories that have lead characters who get themselves into terrible trouble or bad things just happen to, well it's good to have comic relief to cut the tension.
While I was in High School, our choral teacher loved Lerner and Lowe musicals. We did "My Fair Lady" and "Brigadoon" in the early 1970s. Both shows have gorgeous music and clever scripts. "My Fair Lady" was more difficult to pull off because the few lead characters had so much to do, and everyone else got to spend most of their time playing cards backstage while waiting between their very few scenes. "Brigadoon" was a little different. It had more for the ensemble and secondary characters to do.
I was cast as Meg Brockie, definitely a second fiddle character, and a sort of floozy charmer that had no redeeming features. However, she gets to sing two very funny songs. She was indeed the comic relief. "Brigadoon" is a fantasy fairy tale that if played too seriously can be very hard to swallow indeed. Meg's character helps keep the show lighthearted and funny.
The 1954 movie "Brigadoon" starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, and Van Johnson in some respects is quite depressing. Van Johnson's character is rather jaded and cynical and Gene Kelly's character is trying to run away from his intense New York City life. Cyd Charisse' character is bemoaning the fact that her younger sister is getting married, but she is not. And there are other characters that are dangerously angry. Pretty grim when you think about it.
As one would expect, the dancing plays a supremely important role in this movie version of the storytelling. And being a movie, there was no need for certain songs and scenes to cover for set changes or costume changes. But they really could have used Meg's songs for comic relief. Because the story-line of the movie is quite sad, I really missed "The Real Love of My Life" and "My Mother's Weddin' Day" (Meg's songs that were not included in the movie).
This is an example of how a "second fiddle" character was nearly completely removed so that the lead characters would get more time to expand their dancing roles. However, in my opinion, the storytelling in the movie "Brigadoon" suffered for it.
Let's hear it for the second fiddles who really play a first rate part and should be celebrated NOT CUT!
I was cast as Meg Brockie, definitely a second fiddle character, and a sort of floozy charmer that had no redeeming features. However, she gets to sing two very funny songs. She was indeed the comic relief. "Brigadoon" is a fantasy fairy tale that if played too seriously can be very hard to swallow indeed. Meg's character helps keep the show lighthearted and funny.
The 1954 movie "Brigadoon" starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, and Van Johnson in some respects is quite depressing. Van Johnson's character is rather jaded and cynical and Gene Kelly's character is trying to run away from his intense New York City life. Cyd Charisse' character is bemoaning the fact that her younger sister is getting married, but she is not. And there are other characters that are dangerously angry. Pretty grim when you think about it.
As one would expect, the dancing plays a supremely important role in this movie version of the storytelling. And being a movie, there was no need for certain songs and scenes to cover for set changes or costume changes. But they really could have used Meg's songs for comic relief. Because the story-line of the movie is quite sad, I really missed "The Real Love of My Life" and "My Mother's Weddin' Day" (Meg's songs that were not included in the movie).
This is an example of how a "second fiddle" character was nearly completely removed so that the lead characters would get more time to expand their dancing roles. However, in my opinion, the storytelling in the movie "Brigadoon" suffered for it.
Let's hear it for the second fiddles who really play a first rate part and should be celebrated NOT CUT!
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