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The Play's the Thing: Theater Thread

Kepler

Kepler

Cornell Big Red
So, I'm watching the 1980 BBC version of The Taming of the Shrew, with John Cleese as Petruccio. He's great, of course, but the Katherine steals the show: Sarah Badel.

I've never seen the pathos of that character played half as well. She is a thoroughly entertaining shrew, but also manages to make us feel her real anguish. The play is so problematic to modern tastes, but her performance is fitting and ironically more modern that anything I've seen in the 40 years since.
 
TIL, in the original Royal Shakespeare Company production of Les Liaisons dangereuses, the male lead (Malkovich in the movie) was played by Alan Rickman!
 
I went to see My Fair Lady on Friday night. I love musical theater and will always jump at the chance to go. Wondering if this was a preview before it heads to Broadway. Or just a traveling show (not sure if it's on Broadway now or not). If it's a preview, I hate to say this but they need to recast the role of Eliza Dolittle with either a British actress or an actress that can do a better British accent. The woman in the role was not very good. The show itself was delightful and the rest of the cast was solid but she just could not do the cockney version of the accent.
 
In the last few months, saw Mama Mia 3 times on the Allure of the Seas, and just saw Grease for the 4th time in two weeks on the Harmony of the Seas.

Before that was We Will Rock You on the Anthem of the Seas.
 
mookie scheduled hisself a layover in london next month on a trip to the US. got a ticket to see hamilton that evening
 
Saw the touring production of Moulin Rouge this past weekend. Of the 50+ shows we've seen since becoming season ticket holders for the broadway series in Des Moines 10+ years ago, this was easily the 2nd worst show in that span (The worst was Jekyll and Hyde however many years back when tours would highlight using American Idol personas as leads). Which is too bad, because the sets, costumes, and choreography were brilliant. The cast was good, too, though the female lead seemed to be under the weather (and not just for acting purposes - her big solo number was off).

But as one review we found during intermission put it, it was the "jukebox musical from hell." Or as we later described it, it was the "Tesla Cybertruck of musicals." No original songs at all, and most pop hits that were used were only in snippets short enough to (likely) not have to pay royalties. It was like the Axis of Awesome's 4-chord song lengthened to a full-length musical but without the comedic or informative purpose behind it.

When we dug into it afterward, we learned it only won all the Tonys because it was literally one of only four musicals eligible that year due to the pandemic, and apparently one of the other three was so bad it didn't receive any nominations. So Moulin Rouge won a lot by default when in any other year it would've garnered set design/costume/etc. but nothing more.
 
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unofan said:
Saw the touring production of Moulin Rouge this past weekend. Of the 50+ shows we've seen since becoming season ticket holders for the broadway series in Des Moines 10+ years ago, this was easily the 2nd worst show in that span (The worst was Jekyll and Hyde however many years back when tours would highlight using American Idol personas as leads). Which is too bad, because the sets, costumes, and choreography were brilliant. The cast was good, too, though the female lead seemed to be under the weather (and not just for acting purposes - her big solo number was off).

But as one review we found during intermission put it, it was the "jukebox musical from hell." Or as we later described it, it was the "Tesla Cybertruck of musicals." No original songs at all, and most pop hits that were used were only in snippets short enough to (likely) not have to pay royalties. It was like the Axis of Awesome's 4-chord song lengthened to a full-length musical but without the comedic or informative purpose behind it.

When we dug into it afterward, we learned it only won all the Tonys because it was literally one of only four musicals eligible that year due to the pandemic, and apparently one of the other three was so bad it didn't receive any nominations. So Moulin Rouge won a lot by default when in any other year it would've garnered set design/costume/etc. but nothing more.
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This is a great review. MR is a "Set Show." It's beautiful but empty. Those shows typically make a sh-t ton of money, because a large portion of popular audiences is impressed by the style and has no ear for content...

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unofan said:
Saw the touring production of Moulin Rouge this past weekend. Of the 50+ shows we've seen since becoming season ticket holders for the broadway series in Des Moines 10+ years ago, this was easily the 2nd worst show in that span (The worst was Jekyll and Hyde however many years back when tours would highlight using American Idol personas as leads). Which is too bad, because the sets, costumes, and choreography were brilliant. The cast was good, too, though the female lead seemed to be under the weather (and not just for acting purposes - her big solo number was off).

But as one review we found during intermission put it, it was the "jukebox musical from hell." Or as we later described it, it was the "Tesla Cybertruck of musicals." No original songs at all, and most pop hits that were used were only in snippets short enough to (likely) not have to pay royalties. It was like the Axis of Awesome's 4-chord song lengthened to a full-length musical but without the comedic or informative purpose behind it.

When we dug into it afterward, we learned it only won all the Tonys because it was literally one of only four musicals eligible that year due to the pandemic, and apparently one of the other three was so bad it didn't receive any nominations. So Moulin Rouge won a lot by default when in any other year it would've garnered set design/costume/etc. but nothing more.
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Yeah we have them in Minneapolis and MR was terrible. Only thing worse was the updated Oklahoma which we left at the break it was so terrible.
 
Two recent trips to community theaters

Olney (MD) Theater: Beautiful: Carol King
Not bad. I'm an old fart so most of the songs were familiar. Singing was well done, the off stage orchestra and singers were in synch. Acting parts were good. It may not be Broadway quality, but it was fine for Olney and suburban DC.

Arts Center of Coastal Carolina (Hilton Head): Chicago. Local production with out of town actors. Songs were good. Roxy stole the show.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
Handyman said:
Yeah we have them in Minneapolis and MR was terrible. Only thing worse was the updated Oklahoma which we left at the break it was so terrible.
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We almost left at intermission, were a little jealous of the people behind us who did. Only one we've done that for was the aforementioned Jekyll and Hyde.

In terms of best ones we've seen, Les Mis is always good and probably my favorite of the long-running ones. Come from Away is probably my favorite of the newer ones, though Hadestown was amazing too (and of course, Hamilton). Warhorse was probably my favorite of the plays that have come through, after about 5 minutes you honestly forgot the horses were wooden puppets. To Kill a Mockingbird was good, but Sorkin's shortfalls prevented it from being great.
 
Yeah I have seen Hamilton twice...first time was better but both are great! Seeing Les Mis for the second time in November...takes getting used to but I loved it. Lion King was fantastic because it was nothing like the live action crap Di$ney puts out. I had to work so I missed Come From Away and To Kill a Mockingbird which sucked I wanted to see both of them. There was some play that took place in Duluth that used Dylan Music which was up and down but mostly decent. And I don't care Phantom of the Opera was awesome and I am glad I got to see it finally. (it is why we got tickets in the first place)

For the most part I enjoy going even to bad plays...but oh lord Oklahoma made me angry on a visceral level. Some I just will never watch again like Wicked which I think is just overrated fanfiction that ruins The Wizard of Oz. There is an interesting story in there but it fails to find it.
 
Handyman said:
Some I just will never watch again like Wicked which I think is just overrated fanfiction that ruins The Wizard of Oz. There is an interesting story in there but it fails to find it.
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Setting aside the story, it also has one of the more forgettable musical scores of the last 25 years, IMO.
 
Handyman said:
For the most part I enjoy going even to bad plays...but oh lord Oklahoma made me angry on a visceral level..
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Oklahoma is a great show. It's a musical for grown-ups. Did you mean a poor production made you mad?

The American Songbook show that makes me viscerally angry is Carousel. I hate, hate, hate that show.

Madama Butterfly is the opera that makes me want to throw things.
 
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Handyman said:
Some I just will never watch again like Wicked which I think is just overrated fanfiction that ruins The Wizard of Oz. There is an interesting story in there but it fails to find it.
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Wicked is catnip for little girls and childless cat ladies. It's the Paul Anka of musicals.
 
Kepler said:
Oklahoma is a great show. It's a musical for grown-ups. Did you mean a poor production made you mad?

The American Songbook show that makes me viscerally angry is Carousel. I hate, hate, hate that show.

Madama Butterfly is the opera that makes me want to throw things.
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It was a terrible reimagining...
 
Handyman said:
It was a terrible reimagining...
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Is there a new version of Oklahoma??? We saw it once in rural OK and it was great. One of my top historic shows. What of the update ruined it? If it helps, West Side Story is one of my all time favorites, the Spanish update- meh, the Spielberg movie was only saved by the brilliant music that he had nothing to do with. So I can see updates sucking.
 
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