Prince of Broadway in Japan!- Page 6

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 10/31/15 at 1:16am

Here ya go, something from the front page I guess we all missed. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Review-PRINCE-OF-BROADWAY-Conquers-Audiences-in-Tokyo-and-Beyond-20151030

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 11/10/15 at 11:41pm

I'm mostly posting this one for you Eric (since you and I seem like the only ones interested in this show)

A proper digest video was just uploaded to Umeda's Youtube channel. 

[Brick]

Posted: 11/11/15 at 11:21am

I know many have been saying this, but the more we see the more I fail to understand what this show is trying to be. And this latest video shows what truly suffers from such a cheap looking show is the physical production and staging. Prince isn't a choreographer like Fosse, which allowed FOSSE to take away most of the physical productions from the staging, focusing on bodies in space. So, I'm not sure what this is trying to highlight. It looks like a cruise ship show of Broadway hits.

And where is the talking Prince hologram?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 7:41pm

Thanks Kamiko!  Interesting that they decided to just let her sing Kiss of the Spiderwoman in Japanese (which seems to work best.)

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 8:14pm

EricMontreal22 said: "Thanks Kamiko!  Interesting that they decided to just let her sing Kiss of the Spiderwoman in Japanese (which seems to work best.)

 

"

You're welcome.

I think the decision to have Reon sing Spider Woman in Japanese was to make a portion of the show more accessible to the audiences in Japan. There has been a lot of positive feedback from the audience on social media, but, a lot of the fans have said the same thing, they loved the show but they had trouble understanding some parts. By having Reon sing that song in her native Japanese means the audience gets a chance to just sit back and enjoy the show for a little bit without having to rely on subtitles to know what's going on. (Consider how much a pain it is to watch a subtitled movie, with the subtitles right there in  your face front and center. Most people have to watch a subtitled movie more than once to see and get everything, or rewind a lot if it's a DVD. Now consider watching a play or musical with subtitles off to the side, so you have to keep looking back and forth while trying to follow what's going on on stage).

That's why they also have 2 master recordings of the narration for the show, one with in Japanese with Ichimura for the Japan shows and one in English with Hal for the (planed but not confirmed) Broadway run.

Updated On: 11/15/15 at 08:14 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 8:35pm

I grew up obsessively watching subtitled stuff (mainly a lot of anime as a teen,) so it comes as second nature to me--I only find it annoying with movies and TV when I already know the language (like with French programming.)  That said, I do find it annoying with theatre--and your comments make a lot of sense, especially considering some of the numbers wouldn't be immediately familiar to a Japanese (or even American) audience so you have two hurdles there.

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 9:04pm

Yes, definitely hurdles. I recall an audience member (English speaking audience member) mentioning on Tumbler that quite a few of the jokes (which they thought were really funny) fell flat during the show they were at. They felt strange being one of the few people in the audience laughing and assumed that the jokes were just loss in translation. 

I've watched quite a bit of subtitled Japanese musicals (and un-subed as well) and find that I've got to watch them 3 or 4 times to catch everything. There is just so much stuff going on on stage that having to rely on subtitles means you'll miss something.

[gstrus2]

Posted: 11/15/15 at 9:20am

In Michael Riedels newest article for the NY Post he says:

" But the vultures are circling: Word on the street is that “Prince of Broadway,” the Hal Prince musical, is eyeing the theater for the spring." about the Longacre, where Allegiance is playing.

http://nypost.com/2015/11/12/beloved-star-trek-actor-is-now-the-asian-betty-white/

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 11/16/15 at 10:24pm

Interesting. I guess we'll have to watch and see how Allegiance does in the next few weeks. I still personally think the Simon is a more likely candidate if they do decide to go for this spring, since, as far as I can tell it's the only theater that is not booked (or has a current tenant) for spring '16. 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 11/18/15 at 6:03pm

I love the idea for this show, and the cast is top-notch, but something feels a little off to me. I can't put my finger on it. Maybe I'm thinking this coulda been a kick-butt 54 Below gala, rather than a full-blown revue? Also, and sorry if this has already been answered- why are they premiering it in Japan? Is Hal Prince particularly well-known there?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/18/15 at 6:34pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "...something feels a little off to me."

 

My sentiment through this entire production process. I feel like it's great on paper, but the more I see of the show, the more I wince a little bit.

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 11/18/15 at 7:00pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Also, and sorry if this has already been answered- why are they premiering it in Japan? Is Hal Prince particularly well-known there?"

That's where the money for the show came from, the Japanese investors, who had been investors from the start.  Basically, they wanted to see the show happen so they offered to fund the whole project (after the second bunch of producers left the project) if they premiered it in Japan first.

Hal is as well known there as he is here in the states, among Musical theater fans (and they really do love their musical theater there.)

Updated On: 11/18/15 at 07:00 PM

[evic]

Posted: 11/18/15 at 7:48pm

Talent is up there for sure but they are recreating scenes from shows where they can never come close to the performances of the original actors.  I am sure it is enjoyable but It really looks like a high school recital or cruise ship material.  The set looks cheap except for Company but even so just a few songs from each show with not even the original choreography..  The only true dancers are the Japanese girl and Tony Yazbeck.  ...  it will sell if it comes here for nostalgia reasons but will not be embraced once word of mouth gets around.  Nancy Opel's wig as Mrs. Lovett looks hysterical.  The Japanese girl stands out like a sore thumb when she sings.....I am sure that the producers demanded they use her- if not- the role would have gone to Charlotte D'Amboise.....if she is still dancing.  Rumors of taking the Longacre- smarter than the Simon-less seats to fill and would look more of a hit there if they sell seats..  .