John Doyle to Do the Instrument Thing AGAIN--This Time to MERRILY!- Page 2

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 3:30pm

The problem is that people keep acting like he's so innovative and brilliant when he keeps doing the same thing over.

And I don't like Sondheim with a reduced orchestra, to be honest.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 3:43pm

MERRILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MERRILY MERRILY MERRILYYYYYYYYYYY

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:25pm

I'd like to see Mr. Doyle re-stage "CATS" with actors playing instruments. How fascinating that would be! Actors who must be able to dance AND play instruments, too...

Rum Tum Tugger on electric guitar, Grizabella on piano, Old Deuteronomy on percussion, Jemima on flute, Coricopat & Tantomile on Violin 1 & 2 (respectively, of course), and maybe Munkustrap on Electric Synth 1. Then of course, there's always Bustopher Jones on tuba, Macavity on drums....oh, the possibilities are ENDLESS!

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:28pm

Seriously!
And while we are at it somebody tell the Michael Bennett guy to stop making the dancers sing, and the singers act, and the actors sing and dance. I mean, seriously!

kmc

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:34pm

If he has them walk around in MERRILY in robotic patterns, will he have them walk backwards?

lol. Sometimes the funniest mockery is that of the things we love the most, so even though we disagree, PJ, props to you.

I would love to be able to see this, but would assume it won't dare come to Broadway. I think Doyle understands something very special about how to tell a story, and that his directing skill runs far deeper than this surface "uuugh they're playing instruments!" People are too focused on that, and it's a superficial concern, in a way. He's done brilliant things, and he gets killer work out of his actors. I'd follow him anywhere.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:35pm

"Yawn! Can't he do anything but Sondheim? Borrrinnnnggggg!"

He directed Mack and Mabel last season at Watermill using the same concept.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:38pm

And dont forget that, at one time, he wanted to do the SAME DAMN THING to "Night Music". The man isnt "brilliant", sorry. He has one style he uses over and over and over -- at this rate, his work at the LA Opera will be a blip on the radar.

Someone should take away this man's director card until he learns something new.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:39pm

He's doing Harvey Fierstein's new show, no instruments.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:45pm

He also directed the LA Opera's "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny". Actors didn't play instruments, and it wasn't as stylized as what we saw in Sweeney Todd and Company. And, guess what? Brilliant production (yes, I saw it), which got mostly rave reviews.

Not to mention the fact that the man has been directing shows for YEARS in the UK.

But he does 2 shows using the actor/musician technique, and he's labelled as a one trick pony. Give me a f*cking break.

[James2]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 4:51pm

If he does this in New York, I will no doubt see it because I enjoy Doyle's work, I love Sondheim, and I think Merrily has some excellent songs. However, I would like to say that if Doyle (or anyone) should use this style again, he ought to try it on Man of La Mancha. The prisoners perform the story anyway, so why not have them play instruments as well?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:17pm

>> But he does 2 shows using the actor/musician technique, and he's labelled as a one trick pony. Give me a f*cking break.

Because he did it two seasons in a row, with two Sondheim shows, on sets that are pretty much mirrors of each other in terms of form. If he had waited a season or two and *then* done COMPANY, maybe the reaction wouldnt have been qute so virulent. But as it stands, all Doyle has done has positioned himself as a one-trick pony. His work elsewhere DOES NOT MATTER because it's his Broadway portfolio that people will look at the next time he shows up. They will remember SWEENEY, followed by COMPANY, followed by his (thank God) aborted production of BARNUM. It was too much of the same thing too soon, and I'm honesty amazed that Doyle himself couldnt see that.

[misschung]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:19pm

wow, I'm surprised you think Sondheim is boring.

He's also doing making his Met debut with Peter Grimes in the fall
*jumps for joy*

I understand why audiences might be distracted by the actors-playing-instruments technique, but I mean how many times are we subjected to painfully unoriginal dance numbers and staging on Broadway? Not that there's anything wrong with being traditional, but I'm happy to see something new.

[elmore3003]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:22pm

It's a ridiculous concept that will make him a living for a while until everyone wises up to see the emperor is naked.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:29pm

What's the emperor is naked?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:32pm

A figure of speech.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:34pm

I love the comment about "another chromolune John Doyle"

Absolutely hysterical and brilliant. Thank you.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:39pm

How bout Song and Dance done with John Doyle instrument thing.

The actress in act one can sing her songs as well as play 14 instruments at once.
(There's is just one actor in act one)

In act two the dancers can play their instruments and pirouette and jete.

Ah John Doyle, John Doyle.

Another chromolune John Doyle?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:41pm

Don't you people know how to Google? From wikipedia:

===

Many years ago, there lived an emperor who was quite an average fairy tale ruler, with one exception: he cared much about his clothes. One day he heard from two swindlers named Guido and Luigi Farabutto that they could make the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth. This cloth, they said, also had the special capability that it was invisible to anyone who was either stupid or not fit for his position.

Being a bit nervous about whether he himself would be able to see the cloth, the emperor first sent two of his trusted men to see it. Of course, neither would admit that they could not see the cloth and so praised it. All the townspeople had also heard of the cloth and were interested to learn how stupid their neighbors were.

The emperor then allowed himself to be dressed in the clothes for a procession through town, never admitting that he was too unfit and stupid to see what he was wearing. He was afraid that the other people would think that he was stupid.

Of course, all the townspeople wildly praised the magnificent clothes of the emperor, afraid to admit that they could not see them, until a small child said:

"But he has nothing on!"

This was whispered from person to person until everyone in the crowd was shouting that the emperor had nothing on. The emperor heard it and felt that they were correct, but held his head high and finished the procession.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 5:46pm

Loved Sweeney, but he's just getting annoying.

[gymman]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 6:05pm

Loved them both BUT clearly some of the performers in Company were chosen because they play instruments, not because they can act (a number of performances were barely adequate). That's the drawback here.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 6:27pm

I think Merrily DESERVES a revival. But I'm not sure I want this method again.

[colored by esteem]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 6:36pm

Keeping with the Sunday theme... "Art isn't easy."

John Doyle's a super, creative and inspiring director. Can't wait to see this production!

[misschung]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 6:44pm

Merrily definitely deserves a revival. I LOVE that show and havent seen it performed live yet.

[wonderland]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 6:49pm

Artistically, John Doyle should probably stop (I loved Company, but I can't imagine this same formula work ad infinitum). Selfishly, bring it on. Requiring actors to be instrumentalists brings down the talent pool and ups my chances to get cast.

Leaves to practice vocals and piano for "Our Time"

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 8:30pm

I'm probably in the minority, but I actually like John Doyle's style of directing and I'm excited to see how his version of Merrily turns out.