Who liked Dracula?- Page 2

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 12:25am

true, Dracs isn't the greatest thing ever made, it wasn't as bad as the critics say.

When i saw the show, in previews, there were 2 critics behind me. Who said the normal complaints but overall it was a good show.

but yes, the critics def hurt the show more than the book, etc...

[Justice]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 1:27am

First of all, there is not one catchy, memorable number in the show. Second, the 11 o'clock Number was one of the worst songs I had ever heard. Third, Dracula was not the sex symbol onstage that he is supposed to be described in the book. And the acting? What acting? It was as unchallenging as those poor actors in the Star Wars saga, with no character growth or development.
The only thing worth seeing it for is the direction and special effects (in which I was sitting all the way right orchestra, and could see all the tricks to the so-called magic)

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 1:32am

Honestly...it was an entertaining night in the theatre. I liked it and hope they come out with a OBCR. It wasn't the best thing I've seen...and the book did drag a bit...but there were some great performances on that stage and a nice set and effects to boot. Definitely not as bad as the critics said it was.

[Corine2]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 12:39pm

I'm sorry kids. I thought that Dracula was terrible.
The cast did the best they could with the terrible material.
I feel bad for the beautiful Tom Hewitt. As Gerard Alessandrini says "IT SUCKS TO BE HIM"
He is a wonderful actor in a bad show. I look forward to seeing him in a better show very soon.
The two worst shows I have seen this year were Dracula and Brooklyn oh and Modern Orthodox.
OY
TOM HEWITT
Craig Bierko and Ramona Keller are still stars even though it sucks to be them. Updated On: 12/25/04 at 12:39 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:33pm

Rather then jumping to label something terrible, garbage, etc., it would be more interesting to talk about where Dracula's perceived failings actually are. People have talked about the show's terrible lyrics, but apart from the "pillow/peccadillo" rhyme, I never found them to be actively awful. The show's failing, I believe is that it talks about the characters' emotional states without conveying them the way great musical theatre is able to do. (You want to say, "Show me, don't tell me.") It races from event to event without plumbing the depths of the characters, rendering the show distant and uninvolving. That failure doesn't strike me as Frank Wildhorn's failure, and there are actually some complex, ambitious melodies in his score. The designers also did very intriguing work. To me, it's more an interesting, instructive failure than the laughingstock it has been made out to be.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:35pm

i agree magruder...

esp. the pillow/pecadillo rhyme - and the fact that the line "a mere pecadillo" is off from the rest of the song because it is missing a syllable

[TGIF]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:39pm

"I agree the book was the problem, but I don't think the issue was that they stayed true to the novel. I think the problem was that they kept through to the novel, and then only did every third scene. Made it a bit confusing."


maybe it was its *attempt* to stay true to the novel and its failing to do so?

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:40pm

It wasn't a total bust. There's a lot to be learned from awful theatre. In an ideal case, you get CARRIE or DotV, something both entertainingly bad and informative- a "Glitter" or "Showgirls" if you will. DRACULA falls into that unfortunate group that's just too bland to be entertaining, so you still learn about what not to do in creating theatre, but aren't entertained at any point in the process. "Gigli" comes to mind.

[Corine2]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:43pm

My biggest problem was with the book.
Also Tom Hewitt (who is a drop dead gorgeous, sexy and incredibly talented seemed bored with his ladies)
I went a long time ago the person who took me was begging to leave. I wanted to stay. Hoping the mess would get better.
I was very disappointed.
I did love the costumes and Tom's flying. But I don't remember one song from the show.
When I saw Tom in Rocky Horror he blew me away.
Hope Tom is cast in a better show soon.

[magruder]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:48pm

Again, I point you to my post above.

Saying it's "the book" doesn't say anything. People ALWAYS blame the book when they don't know what else to blame. But Dracula has very little book in Act One, and only a few book sections in Act Two, so I've wondered what people are blaming when they say "the book". It's more what the show's narrative fails to do that is the issue.

[Corine2]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 2:57pm

I would have to agree with Macgruder.
He is a genius.

[magruder]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 3:01pm

Oh, pshaw.

Posted: 12/25/04 at 3:08pm

Well put, Mag. I think there's a distinction somewhere in there though. It's one thing to say that the problem is the book. That would mean that every moment that they're not singing, the show beging to die. What I think I'm actually saying is that there are "book problems".

Which I've found actually doesn't mean that just the book is to blame. It's usually the collaboration itself that's the problem, the problems in cohesiveness between lyricist/composer/director/bookwriter. The plot not moving along, perhaps, and both the songs and the book being to blame.