The Pirate Queen Reviews- Page 6

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 1:18am

John Simon is Mixed:

"No showbiz term is more abused than ``true story,' but if there is story enough, who cares about true? ``The Pirate Queen,' concocted by the duo that gave us ``Les Miserables' and ``Miss Saigon' and presented by the married team behind the ``Riverdance' juggernaut, has some virtues, without exactly teeming with them.

We do get production values by the bucketful .......

What of the music? If you liked Boublil and Schonberg's previous shows -- or even if you didn't -- you'll find them unabashedly recycled here. Close your eyes and forget the lyrics (lots of luck!), and you can set sail for Saigon or Paris with ease. It is music from the team of meat grinder and cookie cutter, vaguely operatic and only barely operational.

The cast of 42, under Frank Galati's shrewd direction, does enough foot-stamping to decimate a nest of cockroaches. This is Irish dancing by Carol Leavy Joyce, neatly Americanized by Graciela Daniele, no less choreographic than all that rope- and ladder-climbing to make the show swing.

Stephanie J. Block is a doughty Grace, deservedly given plenty of swagger time. Staunch support is provided by Hadley Fraser as her somewhat doughy but well-sung lover, Jeff McCarthy as her loving pirate father, Marcus Chait as her scurvy husband, William Youmans as her English adversary and Linda Balgord as a lofty and crafty Elizabeth. There is even a duet for the two women, ``She Who Has All,' that achieves fugitive grandeur.

If you crave another musical, you may, as Hamlet almost said, take into your arms this sea of troubles. If not, you may, by opposing, end them."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=apArAq90WCU4&refer=muse

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 1:22am

Clive Barnes gives it One-and-a-Half-Stars:

"Although Schonberg's score contains a few Irish folksy melodies, I still came out humming "Les Miserables," and that is Schonberg's main problem.

Apart from the repetitive and self-congratulatory music, the only major flaws in the show are the basically banal lyrics and sung-through book.
________________________________________________________________

Before long, though, "The Pirate Queen" capsizes and sinks.

There are some gallant attempts at bailing out by the crew of actors and dancers, shakily captained by director Frank Galati and Graciela Daniele, who's credited with the musical staging.

The dancing, in its combination of Irish step-dancing and Broadway Dance 101, proves terrific, and Daniele, working with Carol Leavy Joyce (billed as "Irish Dance Choreographer"), lift downcast spirits with every jig.

Block gives a grand rambunctious performance of which even Errol Flynn might have been proud, Fraser proves a delight as the spirited Tiernan, while Chait convinces as the rascally traitorous Donal.

Lovely comic support comes from Youmans as Bingham, while Balgord steals scenes nicely as an Elizabeth with more of Bette Davis' joyous malice than Helen Mirren's circumspect dignity.

But in musical theater, as on those seven seas, when the ship's going down, you're going down with it."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04062007/entertainment/theater/abandon_ship_before_encountering_pirate_theater_clive_barnes.htm

[WordedGrace]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 1:36am

This isn't looking good....

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 1:44am

Maybe Bundy does have a chance at a Tony nom?

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 2:09am

I dunno. Bundy may have a shot -- so may Block. All the major reviews left her unscathed. In fact, all the big ones mentioned her in good light. So, who knows...perhaps Block can get a Tony nod this time -- I always found it annoying that she was overlooked for Boy From Oz.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 2:15am

I think Block is quite talented, but IMO she needed to get rave reviews to earn a Tony nod. for this particular show in this particular season. The show got pretty much terrible reviews and while some critics did say she did a good job, I'd say people gave good notices and recognized her work but didn't seem to be raving about her. Just a personal analysis on the reviews and the Tony nominations. I believe Ebersole, Monk, Murphy, Chenoweth, and McDonald have nothing to worry about just yet... we'll see what happens when the LEGALLY BLONDE reviews come out.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 2:54am

Journal News is Negative:

"The story has potential, but the "Les Miz" folks - Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg - merely recycle sounds, word patterns and even groupings of people in rags from their earlier show.

The score sounds like "Les Miz" Lite. The script is like a comic book for 5-year-olds.

Stephanie J. Block brings all the charm of a prison guard to her portrayal of Grace.

As her royal nemesis, Linda Balgord (who lives in Bronxville) is a stubby version of Elizabeth I, who wears ever larger costumes, which are designed by Martin Pakledinaz. Eventually you're not sure whether she's wearing the costumes or they're wearing her. You can barely find her as she is strapped into what look like bulky pieces of furniture.
________________________________________________________________

There's no question that "The Pirate Queen" is mired in a 1980s style of London-based musicals -bloated, "sung-through" spectacles with little humanity, epitomized by the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Except that this show didn't originate in London. It's home-grown, heaven help us.

Being dated wouldn't necessarily sink "The Pirate Queen," if the show had some integrity. It could, after all, be a retro-style guilty pleasure. But the storytelling here (with added contributions from Richard Maltby Jr.) is so lame, you wonder - as the show trundles along with absolutely no subtlety - if the creators really take the audience for absolute idiots.
________________________________________________________________

The great Eugene Lee, who designed the original "Sweeney Todd," and who works far too rarely on Broadway, tried mightily to turn the Hilton theater into a ship in full sail. Unfortunately, this ship sinks without a trace."



http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070406/ENTERTAINMENT/704060330

Updated On: 4/6/07 at 02:54 AM

[courtnyj]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 3:02am

Ouch! I think that wins worst review of the night!
Updated On: 4/6/07 at 03:02 AM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 3:35am

The Hartford Courant is Negative:

"Irish dancers bounce and kick; pirates cross swords with English soldiers at sea; pipes lilt; love blossoms, withers and reblooms; cries for freedom resound; and a splendorously attired Queen Elizabeth I warbles in an operatic soprano, her red hair laced with pearls.

But all this and more cannot save "The Pirate Queen" from foundering on the stage of the Hilton Theatre.

The new musical from Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, which opened Thursday night, is the misbegotten brainchild of Moya Doherty and John McColgan, and their Riverdream productions.
________________________________________________________________

Except for the songs of the English queen, with their harpsichord underscoring, "The Pirate Queen" becomes a reprise of "Les Miz," more or less.

With Lee providing seascapes and rugged stone walls of castles and dungeons, as well as the ornate Tudor architecture and hangings of Elizabeth's court, "The Pirate Queen" looks almost Shakespearean at times. But there is little high drama in this saga. The direction by Galati, Daniele and the uncredited Maltby attempts to replicate the clustered movement patterns of Trevor Nunn and John Caird in "Les Miz," and J. Steven White has staged some bristling duels. But overall, "The Pirate Queen" earns the label coined by the Broadway musical chronicler, Ethan Morden. Doherty and McColgan have invested their millions in a "floperetta."

http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-piratequeenrev.artapr06,0,6211480.story?coll=hc-headlines-life

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 3:42am

I wonder if the show would have been given a better reception in London? (genuine question)

[Popular]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 5:05am

This one from the Toronto Star at least started well *sigh*

"Apr 06, 2007 04:30 AM
Richard Ouzounian
Theatre Critic

New York–The good news first.

The Pirate Queen, which opened last night on Broadway at the Hilton Theatre may very well be the most beautiful musical I have ever seen.

Eugene Lee's spare, but magnificently structural set designs provide the perfect scaffolding for Kenneth Posner's endlessly inventive lighting. Add the costumes of Martin Pakledinaz – which embrace royalty and poverty with equal skill – and you have a magical visual team.

There are also some bravura performances taking place in all of that visual splendor. Linda Balgord is a magnificently assured Queen Elizabeth, Hadley Fraser the most charismatic of leading men, Marcus Chait and William Youmans a dastardly pair of villains and Jeff McCarthy is richly empathetic as the ultimate father figure.

Anchoring the whole thing is Stephanie J. Block as the Pirate Queen of the title.

The galvanic Block sings with passion, acts with commitment and radiates an innate warmth that takes the chill off the mega-musical format.

That all sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"


The rest...

[WordedGrace]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 5:23am

Flopperetta Love that!

[tazber]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 6:03am

"Stephanie J. Block is a doughty Grace, deservedly given plenty of swagger time. Staunch support is provided by Hadley Fraser as her somewhat doughy but well-sung lover,"


What the heel does "doughty" mean?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 6:05am

"But the storytelling here (with added contributions from Richard Maltby Jr.) is so lame, you wonder - as the show trundles along with absolutely no subtlety - if the creators really take the audience for absolute idiots."

Well that does explain a lot about the PIRATE QUEEN obsessors.

[kec]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 6:07am

Doughty: steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 8:19am

thanks

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 8:31am

(sigh)

Well, we kinda' knew this would be how it turned out, didn't we? I mean, after reading all the opinions on the show and the news of what changes were being made on this board, how could we have expected much more?

Didn't expect Stephanie to get bad reviews, though. That really sucks.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 8:47am

goodbye pirate queen

i think its safe to say that Blocks tony nomination has just vanished

Go Laura Bell Bundy

[justafan2]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 8:55am

Well, my tickets are for July----I don't think I have to worry about not enjoying this show---don't think it'll be around. (unless the masses still love it).
Does anyone remember if the original Les Miz got good reviews when it first opened?

[kelzama]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 8:56am

Song&danceman, we get it. You want the show to close, and 150+ employed theatre professionals' jobs to end.

Enough already.
Updated On: 4/6/07 at 08:56 AM

[D2]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 9:05am

I don't think anybody here really wants to see the show close and put its hard working cast and crew out of work. The reasons for the bitchiness have been discussed earlier in this thread and don't need repeating. But take heart, PQ fans - MISS SAIGON got a few dreadful reviews when it opened in New York and it ran for 10 years. LES MISERABLES got panned by the London critics, and it's still running 22 years later.

[kelzama]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 9:06am

Hal Prince had Evita's terrible reviews posted in the back of the theatre for the length of it's run.

[D2]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 9:14am

BUT, and this is a biggie, NONE of the shows mentioned above cost as much as THE PIRATE QUEEN to produce, and that may be a mitigating factor for the show to overcome in addition to the reviews. We'll see.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 9:18am

They already have their pull quotes in the NY Times theater section.

[NS]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 9:21am

First off I should say ive not seen Pirate Queen or heard any music, when I first heard the title I thought it sounded cheesy and wasnt sure if this type of musical would sell in the current climate. But im sad to see it get such bad reviews. Unfortunately for B&S and ALW as it goes, the sung through meladrama just isnt in fashion anymore, and these shows will be a hard sell.

songanddanceman2 doesnt like this type of musical anyway so im not surprised he isnt the most supportive of people for it (he likes shows like the work of arts that are 'Fame' and 'Footloose' lol). Plus has he actually seen the show (as in sat in a theatre and watched it) and the same can be said for Legally Blonde which he seems to support and to be looks like blandness personified just based on the clips/songs ive seen and heard.

I am surprised the show went to broadway instead of London, as its more expensive to launch a show in NYC than in London.

With such a large theatre to fill, and such bad reviews im not sure it will last which is a shame as the large barns of a theatre need big epic shows to fill them, smaller shows always look too lost.