IN MY LIFE review (Thurs. 10/6/05 8pm)- Page 3

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 11:24am

For whom is John Simon writing these days? His review of IN MY LIFE will probably be worthy of framing.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:39pm

IN MY LIFE was an interesting show. I caught it a week or so ago and wasn't really sure what to make of it at first. Half of it was pure trash while the other half was actually a very sweet and touching love story. The "heaven" aspect was ridiculous and at times even offensive. If you want to have his family looking down and watching over him, fine. I think that's a lovely idea. But you could completely cut out the the Opera storyline and "Al" and, yes, those songs about Dr. Pepper (is this the Forrest Gump musical?) and cars and focus more on the two main characters.

When you get down to it, it's a story about love and accepting differences in people and making the most of the time you have here on earth. It's a simple story yes, but like I said, when it stuck to that I found it very good.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:59pm

Did you notice the Product Placement in this show? Geeze, there were Diet Coke cans, named cereal boxes, Dr Pepper, Volkswagon, Slurpees all scattered about either physically or verbally on that stage.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:02pm

I don't mind seeing products used on stage. They were in a kitchen in their apartment so I don't know why that would be a problem. It was the SONGS about them, sung by God himself that bothered me.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:05pm

I'm sure there was a tie-in with the products that were so conspicuously shown--and sung about--on stage. You don't show off cans of soda like that without a reason.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:11pm

To tell you the truth, I really didn't even notice that kind of product placement. Again, these are everday normal items being used in a kitchen. If they were driving in a car and someone pulls out a can and says "Geez, I'm so glad I brought along this refreshing can of ice cold Dr. Pepper. It's the only beverage that can quench my thirst on such a hot day", THAN I might have had some problems with it. But as it was, I didn't mind.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:16pm

Movies use product placement, so why not Broadway?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:18pm

For me at least, in a scene where someone is unpacking groceries and pulls out a few every day items, I don't consider that "product placement".

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 2:14pm

There once was a time when the brand names were removed from the packages or the conspicuous name brands would be turned away from the audience.

A character would say, "Would you like a soda?". Here jenny said, "Would you like a Diet Coke?"

That's definitely plugging the product.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 3:48pm

And Slurpees

Updated On: 10/9/05 at 03:48 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 3:52pm

Slurpees were a quick mention...but the Diet Coke and Frosted Cheerios stuck out too much.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 4:09pm

Yes, the Slurpees was a quick mention, but Vera and her mother were killed because of a Slurpee.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 4:10pm

Well, now you are stretching it a bit.

They were killed because Nick crashed into them...Vera was there because her friend (annie was it?) went around a corner to buy a slurpee...Vera thought her friend left..and her mother came to pick her up.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 4:16pm

Hence, she was killed because of a Slurpee.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 5:56pm

So you're saying that the show clearly favored one company over another? She asked would someone like a diet coke. That obviously is a product of the Coca-Cola company, whereas Dr. Pepper, which was given an entire song singing it's praises, is a product of Pepsi-Cola. This is why I don't see it as being "product placement".

Posted: 10/9/05 at 6:16pm

This reminds me of a soap opera. I mean come on we see this kind of thing on Passions every day!??!! And it finds a HUGE audience (okay well pretty good for a soap opera in daytime -- something like 2 mill a day!)

It is fun to read the information on this show. i do hope they will make it into a cast recording. I saw his LUNCH musical in Sacramento and quite liked it.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 6:18pm

Did anyone die because of a Slurpee in LUNCH?

Posted: 10/10/05 at 12:26pm

SLURPEES KILL.

Finally, a broadway musical willing to tell the TRUTH!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/10/05 at 3:31pm

Sorry to threadjack, but Dr. Pepper is NOT a Pepsi product. Saying that in Dallas could get you shot. Mountain Dew, Slice, Sierra Mist, Mug and Miranda are Pepsi products. Dr. Pepper owns 7-Up and is its own company. You can still order the original Dr. Pepper sweetened with Imperial Pure Cane Sugar instead of corn syrup at the website of the oldest Dr. Pepper plant in Dublin, Tx.
Dublin Dr. Pepper

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/10/05 at 3:34pm

Maybe they could take all that material Mister Matt gave us and use it as an encore in IN MY LIFE Hey, everything else is up on that stage!