Happy 20th Passion!!- Page 3

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 9:50pm

It is scary to think it was 20 years back. Sadly the DVD is out of print, and new copies are going for quite the price on Amazon--it's probably telling that Sunday and Into the Woods have stayed in print...

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 10:15pm

By the time I saw PASSION 20 years ago, the audience was at least respectful. Most people I know hated it, but I was elated by the sheer audacity of its refusal to be "attractive" or otherwise condescend to audience expectations.

Since then, it has become one of my favorite Sondheim scores.

And very nearly caused a divorce in my house. I have to find times to listen to it when my husband isn't home.

That Eric appreciated the show at 13 (I was 40) probably tells us everything we need to know about him! Updated On: 5/12/14 at 10:15 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 10:46pm

The score isn't hummable.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 11:29pm

"but I was elated by the sheer audacity of its refusal to be "attractive" or otherwise condescend to audience expectations. "

That speaks volumes about you.

"That Eric appreciated the show at 13 (I was 40) probably tells us everything we need to know about him!"

Everything and then some.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/13/14 at 3:52pm

Oh my gosh, I had never seen that "bringing Fosca to the masses" clip before, but it's hilarious!

I was pretty unaffected by the score the first few times, but I'm just starting to warm up to it as I listen to it more.

[inception]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 4:24am

I enjoyed this thread. All I knew of Passion before was that it was a supposedly lesser Sondheim.

What I find most amusing about this thread is that if you dig through the archives you can find some pretty amazing posts from After Eight about seeing the original production of Dear World - a musical that similarly in its time received a lot of criticism and also had a very short run.

According to wikipedia:
Passion was generally admired by critics for its ambition but savaged by theatregoers when it first opened. In particular, audiences were repulsed by the characterization of Fosca. During previews, people would applaud whenever Fosca had a meltdown. In one performance, someone from the balcony yelled "Die, Fosca! Die!"

I kind of wish that some local company would do a production of this just so I could yell that out. Unfortunately, the only people here who might attempt it pretty much lost their shirts a couple months ago putting on a big gorgeous production of Floyd Collins to nearly empty houses.

I guess I'll have to make do with yelling from my couch at the TV screen when I watch the used DVD, which arrived in the mail today, that I found for $35 online after first reading through this thread last week.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 7:05am

"In particular, audiences were repulsed by the characterization of Fosca. "

Glad you cited that. Of course, that little fact is conveniently omitted in all discussions of this show by the Sondheim brigade. In fact, there's such a disconnect between the way they depict her and the way she is, you wonder if they are talking about a different show entirely. According to them, this repellent persona is both martyr and saint. Perhaps their cascades of tears blurred their vision. Would that the explanation were so innocent.

I'm glad to hear about the empty houses at Floyd Collins, yet ANOTHER critics'/eliists' darling with deadly music foisted upon the hapless public. Happily, the public wasn't buying. Bravo, the public!

And thank heavens for audiences who refuse to be stong-armed or hoodwinked by the self-proclaimed elites who hold them in contempt. We owe them all a debt of thanks.




Updated On: 5/24/14 at 07:05 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 8:27am

"refuse to be strong-armed or hoodwinked by the self-proclaimed elites"

You ;left out "jack-booted." Didn't you mean to say "refuse to be strong-armed or hoodwinked by the jack-booted self-proclaimed elites"?

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 8:48am

PJ,

What I meant to say was exactly what I said.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 9:00am

"B) I actually have a life to live."

I love how some people use the above sentence as an insult. It makes no sense. I, and I trust, most others here, have a life to live and a fruitful one at that. It may come as a shock to you, Mr. 8, that it is possible to have a life AND post here too.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 9:14am

^

I am aware of that, Jane, inasmuch as I have a life to live and I post here too.

As I stated to the OP, I try not to waste it and other people's time by starting pointless, irrelevant threads.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 9:37am

For a pointless, irrelevant thread you seem to have done a lot of posting in it.

Inception, I hope you enjoy the DVD of Passion of you purchased and you get to check out the OBCR and stunning new recording from the CSC production.

Fosca is a very complex character, but she's one of my favorites and I feel nothing but great sympathy, sorrow and yes love for her. Don't listen to After Eight on this one.

I also hope you got to see your local Floyd Collins production. Some real good stuff there, especially the big duet, "The Riddle." It's about time someone revived that off-Broadway. I'm sorry to hear that production didn't sell well, but you have to admire the theater company for putting on something other than the millionth production of Dolly or Birdie.

[inception]

Posted: 5/24/14 at 3:28pm

^
Yes, I went to both the Vancouver production of Floyd Collins and the concert that Adam Guettel gave here in February to help promote it. He did songs from the show Millions he has been working on with Drowsy Chaperone's Bob Martin which he suggested might have a workshop in Toronto this summer, possibly backed by Mirvish.
Floyd Collins also had a completely different production given in Seattle last fall by another company. So, the show gets down way out here in the boonies.