Drood Overrated?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 9:44pm

I was wondering how Drood originally won Best Musical in 1986. I looked it up & found out it had an incredibly week field of nominees to contend against.

I never saw the original but did see it Sunday. The production is polished & looks as if it has been up & running for awhile. The sets were amazing & should be remembered at Tony time. The costumes were first rate . The cast was wonderful including Rivera and Edelman & Norton. The score was OK but nothing really memorable.

To me the show was overrated. It is pleasant but nothing spectacular.The whole premise is OK but falls apart at the end. I am not talking about the multiple suspects. I refer to the ending involving the show title. It builds to a climax and you scratch your head wondering why . I gave it an 8 out of ten. It is a polished but unltimately confusing show

Anyone else feel the same way?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 10:13pm

Eight out of ten is a pretty high mark, so you yourself seem to be over-rating it after your review.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 10:56pm

I was confused by the number rating, too. I know some people have said that part of the reason it was embraced at the time, was precisely that it wasn't the type of (British) megamusical some in the community had started to resent by the mid 80s. I find the show charming on CD, but I can see why someone might find it slight (but I've never seen it--and I'm not sure it really aspires to be more than a fun night out).

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:03pm

It really doesn't try to be more than it is, Eric. It's a silly bit of fluff that doesn't aspire to higher. The actors are clearly having a blast, and it's infectious. Will it go down as one of the best musicals ever? No. Is it a great way to while away an evening? Hell yes!

[Nick Murphy]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:10pm

It is hugely overrated

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:15pm

I agree with you, Mr. Roxy.

I'd rate it more like a 5 or 6.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:30pm

I saw the show tonight and thought it was ok. I didn't know this show AT ALL so went in completely excited to see it. I thought Act one was incredibly confusing at times and really dragged in some parts. Act two was much much better but that has a lot to do with the audience getting involved. Overall, I certainly won't be running back to see it again anytime soon. I'm glad I went and heard a couple nice tunes but I honestly don't get the enormous amount of love it's being shown.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:48pm

I didn't find act one confusing, but I did see the original so I knew the show a bit. I agree that it dragged a bit and act two was much better. I think the love that's being lavished is part nostalgia/part love of the current cast. Doesn't hurt that it is visually quite beautiful and well put together.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:57pm

I definitely agree that it's hugely overrated. I don't know why people are raving about it on the boards. Act One was sooooo boring and you couldn't follow along because there wasn't anything to follow along with.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 12:14am

The only confusion this shows begs is why anyone would do it in the first place.

Costumes - 8, book and score - snore

and I'm still on unemployment

[macnyc]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 12:21am

I saw the show on Sunday and it was my first encounter with Drood. I knew the basic outline, that it was a show within a show and that the audience would choose the murderer at the end. I found a lot to like in this production. It is a silly, light, frothy confection that is very entertaining. First off, the singing was wonderful. Costumes, the sets, the staging, are all first-rate. There wasn't much dancing, but the scene in the opium den was choreographed beautifully, very dreamlike. I didn't find Act 1 confusing or hard to follow at all. The only thing I would say is subpar in Drood is the actual music. The songs are just not that memorable, sad to say. Overall I would recommend seeing this if you're looking for some fun and harmless escapism.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 4:53am

Was this thread started by someone who works at FOX News? Parading an opinion as a question is a favorite trick of the "news" shows on FOX, the shows that supposedly just report facts without any opinion. Those "fact" based "news" reports with lead in like "Barack Obama the worst president ever?"

Sorry this post is totally off topic and not meant to start a conversation but I find the thread title so amusing I wanted to point it out.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 5:44am

Overrated by whom? It wasn't a mega-success, it did 'well'. Yes, it won in a year that was lacking in great shows. I never saw people upset that it closed or mourning its absence.

Were some folks excited it was coming back? Yes, but likely because its been so long since anyone's seen it. I remember seeing the original and enjoying (but not loving) it. I'm still looking forward to seeing it, not because I've been yearning for it, just because it would me nice to re-visit.

I always thought overrated would refer to scads of people thinking it was undeservedly better than sliced bread. I've never seen that attitude about Drood.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 6:06am

I was going to post the same general thing, dramamama. It has its fans and it has its detractors....to each his own.

But I don't see any breathless testimonials about how it THE BEST SHOWN EVER or even any Wicked/Spring Awakening level of obsession.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 7:47am

The whole premise is OK but falls apart at the end.

Roxy! That's the whole point of the entire evening!

Dickens DIED and left the novel unfinished.

[carousel94]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 8:32am

Count me in the minority, I actually really enjoy the score...

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 8:49am

This show is, was and always will be one of my (sentimental) favorites. I would LOVE a chance to play Drood on a stage and not only in my living room LOL

It is fun and one of the few shows ever that involves the audience.

Does it have flaws? Yes. Are there better (overall) musicals? Of course.

But is it "overrated" (by those who love it?) No.

Updated On: 10/24/12 at 08:49 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 9:05am

The original production was a delight - hilarious, great score, great performances. I'm seeing the revival next week, and, although dubious about some casting (Block and Norton in particular), I'm looking forward to it.

It's a similar situation to The Drowsy Chaperone, I think - comedy is a hard thing to evaluate, particularly in our current somewhat humor-impaired culture, where farts and incredibly bad behavior seem to be the most popular representations of the comic.

But to me and mine, Drood was a real gift back in that day, that gave us a lot of laughs. And how many songwriters can not only write such a terrific score, but also orchestrate it so expertly? That achievement alone deserves wild applause.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 9:09am

I agree with the last couple of posters. I don't think it's overrated because people aren't calling it the best musical ever, just a very enjoyable, fun time that is flawed, but endearing.

carousel94- You are not alone in your love for the score. It may not always greatly advance plot and character, but it is so insanely and damnably catchy that it truly could drive a man mad trying to drive the tunes from one's brain.

Good luck if you start humming A Man Could Go Quite Mad, Two Kinsmen, Perfect Strangers, Don't Quit While You're Ahead, Never the Luck, No Good Can Come From Bad, Ceylon or Wages of Sin in the morning, because you won't be able to stop all day!

Part of the thrill for me personally was finally getting to see a production live onstage. After loving a cast recording it was fun to see how it all fit with the action, and since this production is so expertly sung it was hard to find complaints. It fulfilled what I was looking for in Drood- but we all come to shows with different stories and desires.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 10:47am

Seeing the revival next week and looking forward to it. I did love the original, even though I didnt see it until Swit took over as Puffer, Murhy as Drood and Alison Fraser as Helena.

I also love the score. Moonfall is gorgeous, who could think it's boring? Two Kinsman and Perfect Strangers are favorites of mine as well, but the best song is Garden Path to Hell, especially when performed by the great Cleo Laine. Looking very forward to Chita's interpretation.

'85 and '86 were a dry time for original musicals, and this was the biggest new musical of the year, it's success was similar to "Big River" the year before. It got good reviews and had regular comercials on television and was the best musical of the season, by far.