Why didn't Caroline, or Change work?- Page 3

[joshy]

Posted: 11/22/06 at 7:36am

Happily, here in London it got great reviews and right now is playing to packed audience. Each time I've seen it there has been an amazing response and standing ovations, which are still pretty rare here.

The allegation that the music isn't 'hummable' or whatever is just ridiculous. The music is so melodic and clever. I think it's just that the themes aren't repeated 100 times ALW-esque style for the moronic masses to be able to retain their basic chord structures for later humming. Sigh! Who could listen to the end of act 1 or 1943 or I Hate the Bus or Lot's Wife etc etc and not remember the song or be moved by it?

"And any writer who pens the lyric, "And hell's where Jews go when they die" probably knows that the show is not meant for mass wide spread appeal. "

Slightly off topic but re: that line...did New York audiences laugh at it? It really disturbs me that people find it funny - all I can think of at that moment is Noah thinking that his mom is in hell and that really freaks me out. The first time I saw it here, people just kind of chuckled darkly...maybe I'm reading too much into it because one of my Orthodox Jewish friends said he thought that was "hilarious." But the next time I saw the show, there was a noisy school group up in the balcony and they actually applauded that line and laughed for about a minute. The little boy playing Noah was evidently freaked out and forgot his American accent for his next line. :/

[Heybeenfood]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 11:08pm

I know would rather live in London than New York now. It seems like theatergoing is taken much more seriously. Here in New York every show needs to be like a amusement park ride to succeed.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 11:54pm

I think there were a few chuckles, but I'm not sure how clear my memory was because I was SHOCKED when I heard it.

I thought it was funny in a totally wrong way, but I couldn't make any sound because my heart stopped.