My "Brooklyn" Review- 9/24- AKA "It Aint No "Rent"!!!- Page 2

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:01pm

Hmmm, note to 10 commandments, get rid of the intermission.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:04pm

Dear Christ, can you imagine?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:07pm

I'm still recovering from the evening at the Kodak theater, don't remind me. Allow me to heal, please.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:36pm

If this show steals the Tony's like many of you might think. I will piss myself.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:37pm

Do you promise?

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:43pm

I have posted about this show for awhile. I saw it twice here in Denver. Have tried not to say too much about it until the previews started in NY. Now that they have....

I think this show will have a long life on B'way. Great songs and great voices. (We only had Ramona, Karen and Eden here in Denver). I don't understand tthe whole push to make Eden the star other than she is the title character. As I have mentioned before, I really enjoyed Karen Olivo more. And Ramona Keller, What a treat after seeing her twice here in Denver and then realizing she was in Caroline when I saw it!! Great voice! Anyway..... I loved the set and I was impressed with the sound design. The costumes were some of the most inventive things I have ever laid my eyes on and hope that there is a Tony nom. for them. It would be well deserved. As far as using a child to play Brooklyn as a child, remember we are supposed to be watching a "street performance" so the adults play all of the characters. Bringing a child in would not make sense. And if the show is close to what I saw in Denver, and it sounds like it is, during the show you hear money being thrown in a case or whatever they used onstage to remind you that they are performing on the street for money. I do agree with the "showdown" sequence. I don't know why, but it does seem to be the weakest part of the show. And whoever said it, was right on target when they said it played into the reality show craze. That was the first thing that entered my head when I saw the show. Having not seen it in NY, I would hope that maybe they used some sort of lighting to give a better effect. But I think what didn't work is that they are doing the sing-off in a boxing ring. That just didn't make sense to me. I felt that maybe they could have pulled some kind of curtain down at the rear of the stage, used some creative lighting and made it look like a stage in Madison Square Garden instead of a boxing ring. Just my opinion! But all in all, I really loved this show. Not having an intermission was not a problem for me. (Although we have fairly comfortable seats at the Denver Civic Theatre) I do remember thinking that one or two songs could be cut, but you really don't care by show's end! The key to this show is just to remember that you are supposed to be passerbys watching 5 street performers put on a show for some change. In Denver, there was an audience participation segment near the end of the show. It really didn't work for me or most of the people I know who saw it here. My understanding is that it has been removed from the B'way production. I think this was a good move. I got to know people associated with the show here in Denver and they were pretty excited about the show, as well they should be. I have been chatting with them lately and they are still excited about it. And, I hope they don't kill me for this, they have been checking these boards to see what people are saying. But only checking. They are not posting or shilling. They don't even know what shilling is! They were actually not even aware of these boards until I told them.

As for the critics when this show officially opens....Hard to say. Critics have been really weird lately. It just seems to me that they are just out to rip almost everthing apart. I don't see them absolutly raving about the show. But I think it will be very hard for them not to agree that this show has something about it that people are gonna love. It's a great night at the theatre. You get to use your imagination, you get great music and you come out with a smile on your face and a good feeling. Also, I really don't see it stealing the Tony's. There will be too much competition. (Scoundrels, Spamalot, etc.) But of course we don't know how they will be received. I do, however, bet it will get the Tony for costumes.

They worked hard here in Denver and I wish this show all the best on Broadway. And I do plan to fly in and see it a few times in New York. Yep, I liked it that much!

Just my opinion! My ramble for the day!

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:55pm

Thank you uncageg for your review!

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 3:32pm

Thanks, Testing.

I still don't see the "Brooklyn is the new Rent" thing. Brooklyn is about a child and Rent is not aimed at twelve year olds.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 3:41pm

"Rent is not aimed at twelve year olds"

ahmmmm..

HHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

[Marquise]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 3:48pm

i like the whole "street singers/performers" aspect of BKLYN. i'm a bohemian at heart so that's one of the things that is attracting me to the show. i like shows that take risks and are unconventional..but a part of me can't help but think that BKLYN is just a slick production trying too hard to be "hip". just my two cents.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 3:52pm

"It has the same unpolished "street" feel as rent but in this case I think it has much more heart. What rent has is a songg that gets stuck in your head for days and days."

Um.........WHAT? RENT does have heart. If it didn't I doubt it would have fanatic fans like myself, and it would have died out and been gone A LONG TIME AGO. But, because it has heart it has lived a long life and has changed many lives, like myself. Can you please explain why you think RENT doesn't have heart!!!

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 3:59pm

RENT has a lot of heart!!! I am tempted to say that anyone who thinks that, must not have a heart themselves!!! (oops...I just said it didn't I?!) No offense meant.

Updated On: 9/25/04 at 03:59 PM

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:03pm

I have a hard time believing that a "heartless" show could have such a rabid fanbase and nine years on broadway.

I agree, Marquise. BKLYN sounds pretty cooperate.

Why do you laugh, Tiny-Toon?

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:06pm

RENT is not aimed at 12 year olds. Recent casting has. Big difference.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:09pm

Oh, I didn't even attack that quote.......thanks insomniak

If you think that RENT is aimed at 12 year olds something is wrong. I believe BRKLYN is DEF. aimed at 12 year old, American Idol fanatics. I mean, I have never seen it so I can't make an honest opinion, but what I have heard and the music I have listened to I think I am pretty accurate in my assumption. I don't know. BRKLN might have lots of heart but RENT is for the adults (theme, language, setting, music).

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:11pm

I wouldn't call Brookln corporate. See it before you make that judgement.

[Marquise]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:14pm

"It has the same unpolished "street" feel as rent but in this case I think it has much more heart. What rent has is a songg that gets stuck in your head for days and days."

ooh i missed that post, who wrote that (i'm going to have to go back and re-read to find out)

NOTHING could be further than the truth and whoever wrote that doesn't know what they're talking about. as a native new yorker and someone who spent a great deal of time in the east village and actually lived there for over a year i have to say that RENT captured the vibe of the people, situations, struggles, fears and hopes of an entire generation much like HAIR did in the sixties.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:19pm

"yes.. ohh.. im really sad you didn't like it, and i hope i will."

tiny, i've been under the impression from all your posts that you've already seen this show... now, your opinions up to this point mean nothing at all to me... Updated On: 9/25/04 at 04:19 PM

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:30pm

joeyjoe, i DID see the show in it's pre-broadway run in denver

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:32pm

oh... sorry... (taking back my comment)... btw, i think i said this before... i like your signature lines... they should be bigger, and more easily read...

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:34pm

thanks.. but people on this board told me to get my lines smaller because it takes alot of the page

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:38pm

ok

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:49pm

Just got back from the matinee.

Self proclaimed theatre slut. Loved it. Yes, it's a little corny, and very cheeky. The book needs work, and the show desparately needs and intermission. (after The Truth). But today's VERY mixed crowd was on its feet even before the lights came back up. Eden, Ramona, Karen, Kevin and Cleavant are HUGE with so much to work with. Singable, memorable songs that flow and rock all at once.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:50pm

yay!! Another positive!
Was the theater full?

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 5:08pm

Please before you bash me and say I have no heart go back and read what I actually wrote. I NEVER SAID RENT HAS NO HEART! I said I thought Brooklyn has more heart! I think rent has a big heart and when it first opened it had even more heart! I think with recent casting it has lost some of it's heart. I just think that brooklyn today has more of a heart then rent today.

Updated On: 9/25/04 at 05:08 PM