Why the supporting roles in BLONDE aren't supporting Ms. Bundy.- Page 2

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 2:01am

What if someone is arguing that them not toning down is actually hurting the source material? Not that I agree that it's happening in this case, but sometimes spotlight stealing can be distracting and ruin the flow of the story. That said, I do see how it would be ridiculous to make an actor tone down just to make the lead look better if the lead just isn't capable of being better in the role.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 2:09am

What musical number involves Elle going to a bathroom?!

Legally Blonde is a marginally entertaining night of theater. In my opinion, the supporting cast is the only reason why it succeeds. 'Cause I sure as hell don't think Bundy can carry it.

Yankee- I thought that when you first saw it you were raving about how fun it was and how it is the best movie-musical since Hairspray. It seems like now you don't like it as much. Have your thoughts on it changed?

[scooter38432]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 8:19am

It sounds like this all boils down to a few things...

The book of LB is poorly constructed, leaving the leading role and those supporting her to flounder to make up for bad writing.

Orfeh did nothing for me either. She was loud, but not funny. She wasn't bad, so don't jump down my throat. She was perfectly serviceable, but nothing special in my eyes. I never really looked forward to her return to the stage after she'd been off a while. She is plagued with an abosolutey atrocious number (Irish-something-or-other), an inappropriate accent, and bad costumes. I'd really like to see her in a show that focuses on her talents, and that is written accordingly.

Kate Shindle was the only supporting player who even kept my attention throughout the whirlwind, non-stop blast in the face that was LB, but I don't think she deserves a Tony nom either.

Maybe it's just me, but Richard H. Blake and Andy Karl look like twins! I had (and still have) trouble distinguishing them from each other. I wish the casting director would have gone with a different "type" for one of those roles. They're both kind of bland and generic and neither one seems like they stand out from the crowd.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 8:48am

I love this show and happen to think its one of the funniest pieces of fluff ive seen since Hairspray.

as for getting a bad rap ,YEAH ON HERE(ala wicked) but the show got some pretty good reviews as well as a lot of mixed??

The one thing i will say is that the energy in the cast has been toned down since SF(yes really) and Orfeh also seems to be one of them who have been told to pull back(as well as the 3 sorority girls) and you cant really do that in LB.

As for the book being poor, its the same as the film and the book what did very well, its easy to follow and straight to the point.

I do wish the director would tell them to have more fun with it though like in SF

[FosterChild]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:00am

Scooter, it's "just you", nuff' said.

[RentHead2]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:16am

I saw this show as well, in the last day of previews and to be honest the problem was not Laura Bell Bundy or her acting abilities. I don't necessarily think that it's the actors/actresses that are responsible for the "fluff and stuff" that people are referring to on this board although I did not think Borle was a right fit for the Luke Wilson role. I believe the problem falls in many of the songs. You can't blame the actors for forgettable material.

The problem with the show was more depth-wise/songs than anything. I don't think knocking Laura Bell Bundy is appropriate or earned in this matter. I happened to believe she is an excellent fit, but do we expect to find a Reese Witherspoon on stage??

[ruprecht]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:18am

Geez, I go to spend time with the family for one night and all this happens. Are we going to do this every week now that Orfeh is getting all the raves and attention she very much so deserves? Are 3 or 4 really disgruntled posters going to come on, talk about how "it doesn't matter that she got great reviews, has a terrible accent and I don't get the big deal about Orfeh" every single time another great review comes out, or perhaps because the Tony nominations are being announced tomorrow? Is it the ineveitable backlash stemming from obvious jealousy, or is it LBB's "people" polluting the boards? I don't know but it's all so laughable to me. Orfeh has and will always continue to be a stand out in whatever production she chooses and that's good for those of us who appreciate that and DON'T appreciate all the mediocrity being passed off as "amazing" nowadays. LB is NOT great, LBB is NOT great in it and Orfeh and Andy are, it's really simple and btw, her accent is perfect. Good Will Hunting was on late last night and listening to Matt Damon was like listening to Paulette, so enough with the "hatin" already. It's not going to make her great reviews, her accolades, or her fans go away.

Yes, everyone IS entitled to their own opinion but to suddenly get on this whole "it's Orfeh's fault LBB stinks and Borle is the ONLY one she's good with" sounds pretty desperate and strange.

[scooter38432]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:36am

Geezh, ruprecht...

I have posted a couple of items that were strictly my opinion of LB and Orfeh's performance, and you have jumped down my throat (with misguided arguments) each time. AS I'VE STATED BEFORE, I don't think she's untalented. Just miscast and stuck with bad material.


Regarding the accent thing: I'm from Boston. Matt Damon is too. His accent is definitely "South Boston" no question. Annoying? Perhaps. But accurate. Believe me, Orfeh's accent was one of things I was worried the least about after having sat through that mess of a show.

I have no desire to make her reviews, accolades or her fans go away. Why would I want to do that? As much as I thought she was miscast and was stuck with bad material, I am not a bitchy immature theater queen. I do not wish anything bad about anyone. (Well, with the possible exception of two Orfeh drag queen wannabees from this board...)

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 09:36 AM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:36am

The always-smart Michael Feingold had this to say about Ms. Bundy in the Village Voice:

"Laura Bell Bundy's performance as the heroine, Elle Woods, has been unjustly slated for lacking charisma; what she actually lacks is a peaceful moment onstage with a good song in which to get charismatic, something she's done capably in less overblown contexts. Here she's kept so busy changing costumes, rattling off lines, and going through ceaseless routines with everybody else that she becomes no more than a petite blonde cog in this vast, plot-serving machine—no position from which to exercise charisma."

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 10:39am

i think I might have communicated something incorrectly in my last message.
i don't think any of the supporting characters need to "tone down" their "amazing" performances to let LBB shine. This is not my point.
I think another poster hit it on the head earlier. I think that if the other characters don't do their job, as in having an arc for their character, then elle can't help them in their journey to become "better" people. And as such there is no reason for elle to be in their lives, and the show doesn't work at that level (believe me, i think the show barely works on any level).

This is just an observation. I don't think LBB has that "it" thing that makes a star, I was just thinking about this observation when I last saw the show. I thought that Orfeh never had those insecure moments at the beginning (that cooidge had so BRILLIANTLY in the movie). So why would she need the "bend and snap" to get a man? She wouldn't cause she is more SAD that she doesn't have a man than unable to get/hold onto one. So if she doesn't need the Bend and snap, no point for the song, no point for elle to help her to get her dog back, no point for elle to be there. this is my point.

same goes for Vivienne, and Warner and Emmett (though again, her scenes with emmett are the best cause they play off each other so well).

and I am making an educated guess on the op costs. I think its common knowledge that SA's are 400,000, and I know that Wicked's are 700,000. so I am guessing that LB's is in the vein of 625-675? maybe I said a diff number before, but this is my educated guess.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:29am

>> The sucess of Bundy's performance should have nothing to do with the supporting performers.

Spoken like someone who doesnt understand ensemble acting.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:30am

thank you seanmartin. exactly my point.

[scooter38432]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:31am

"Scooter, it's "just you", nuff' said."


So nice. Isn't it just a joy to be here?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:53am

Geez folks! These are OPINIONS!

Why are you are taking this so personally?



Maas, I thought you were perfectly clear on your thoughts.

Sean, you are correct in posting, "Spoken like someone who doesnt understand ensemble acting." If you are workingon stage with performers who seem to be doing their own thing, the show doesn't work, period.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:18pm

Neddy - in terms of quality, it is the best movie-to-musical adaptation since Hairspray. It stays true to the film, without wavering, unlike so many of the other adaptations: Dirty Rotten, Spamalot, et al. It's a fun show, but it's not a GREAT show, like Hairspray was.
***

But the cast isn't doing they're own thing. The show works just fine with them, Bundy is getting all the back-up support in the world....it's just that she should be doing the "supporting."

If she gave as big a performance as they are....
Updated On: 5/14/07 at 12:18 PM

[jimnysf]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:21pm

Richard is far from bland. I've seen him in many different roles and he makes the most of the material he is given. He is still the best Tony Manero, and I've seen all of them (including the tours). For those who may not know, Andy Karl was his understudy during the first National Tour of "Fever".

I enjoyed "Legally Blonde". The ensemble goes unmentioned in these posts but they were all excellent. Manuel Herrera is the reason why "There! Right There" ("Gay or European") is as funny as it is.

[scooter38432]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:37pm

"Richard is far from bland. I've seen him in many different roles and he makes the most of the material he is given. ... Andy Karl was his understudy during the first National Tour of "Fever"."

Richard may very well not be bland. It just must be the material. Plus, Werner isn't really that great a role. Funny that Andy was Richard's u/s in SNF! I guess that proves my point, though. They're definitely the same type. (A type I happen to find uninteresting, I guess.) I just prefer my sexy featured men to have more of a distinct characteristic. It could also be because I was in the mezz when I sat throught LB, so it was especially hard to tell them apart from a distance. Luckily, Andy had on his UPS uniform, so that did help. When looking at the headshots in the Playbill, I had to go back twice to see which actor was playing which of those two roles.

I'm sure they're both wildly talented, so before I'm pounced upon again, let me make sure that's clear. Wildly talented, perhaps, but from the mezzanine, they appear to look the same.

[Chardonnay]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:31am

Fixed it... thanks theaterdude87. I'm really not that dumb... I swear! hahaha
Updated On: 5/17/07 at 01:31 AM