Has anyone seen THESE PAPER BULLETS ?

[FBay]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 7:28pm

I loved AI so hopefully this will be just as good ?

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 8:00pm

I saw it last night. Tonight is opening night. It easily made it on my list of one of the most funniest and enjoyable plays I've ever seen. The music was great, the acting was great, and the story was hilarious. Everyone in that huge cast was outstanding. It's a play with music. The songs are by Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. It is a parody of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and the Bealtes. Takes place in 1964. It was hilarious. My jaw hurts from laughing and smiling so much. The songs are great. Damon Daunno, Nicole Parker, & Justin Kirk were the standouts to me. The whole cast is amazing. This is something you don't want to miss if you live in LA or close by.

[macnyc]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 8:43pm

Thanks for your comments! I'm really looking forward to seeing the show when it comes to NY!

[FBay]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 9:23pm

will it come to new york?

"

 

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 9:30pm

I heard after the show that it was going to the Atlantic Theater Company next.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 9:40pm

It's coming to Atlantic Theater Company Nov 20, 2015 - Jan 10, 2016.

[FBay]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 9:56pm

!!!hopefully then broadway

"

 

[Glittergrrl]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 10:43pm

It was at Yale Rep. and I'm really mad at myself for missing it.  It was just laziness.  

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 2:35am

I saw These Paper Bullets last night, and I'm sorry, JoseLee, I had quite the opposite reaction.  I totally respect your review, and I respect the creators and performers in the show.  After all I'm just an audience member that doesn't work in theatre or music, and they're accomplished writers, composers and directors.  I, too, loved American Idiot.  I thought it was terrific - the first musical in years where I leapt to my feet in applause at the end before anyone else.  This show is not in the same league. As stated it's a mod-era adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing with musical numbers performed by a Beatles-like band who are the male leads.  The show follows the original to some extent and gives it a cheeky, swinging Brit 60's farce spin.  The dialogue is a mixture of  Shakespearian lines, Shakespearean lines given a modern, comic twist and original lines.  The dialogue ping-pongs back and forth between those styles.  At times they sound Shakespearean and at times they sound like mod period Londoners - at times both!   I totally realize that is the intentional style of the piece, but I found this approach initially jarring, arch and sometimes difficult to follow... or unneccesary when simple dialogue would have sufficed.  There ARE funny, clever scenes and elements of the show, and I enjoyed the performances and the music.   But I found the pacing erratic and often slow.   Scenes and dialogue often go on way longer than necessary, and some of the humor and bits are forced.  The show is almost two and a half hours long with intermission.  Shakespeare didn't always stick to his own words: "Brevity is the soul of wit".  But with this show that's a good line to follow.  But, hey, this is just my 2 cents.  That and $4.98'll get you a cup of Starbucks.   All said, I'm really glad to have been able to see this show.   I hope they still keep polishing it, and I'm glad people are enjoying it.

Updated On: 9/17/15 at 02:35 AM

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 11:11am

I hope people don't go into this thinking it's going to be a musical. Billie Joe Armstrong wrote the songs. There is probably less that 5 songs in the whole show. It's not going to be anything like American Idiot. The Beatles parody group sing songs that sound like  Beatles songs created by BJA. They only sing when they're in a recording studio or concert.. so it's not a musical. They don't sing randomly. I sat third row. And everyone around me loved it. The wedding scene, the Queen, omg my cheeks hurt lol I went in not knowing what to expect. I did see Much Ado About Nothing 1993 movie with Emma Thompson before going. It helped a lot. I think it made it more funny for me, since I can see the difference.

[hork]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 11:17am

Thanks for the reviews, guys. I really wanted to see this, but now that I know it's not a musical, I can skip it. Not that I'm opposed to straight plays, but it doesn't sound like this one would be worth the money, for me.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 11:31am

It's a play with music, not a musical. I saw it at Yale Rep and LOVED. I disagree with most everything StageDoor said, but everyone has different tastes. FBay, it's not aiming for Broadway.

Updated On: 9/17/15 at 11:31 AM

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 12:41pm

Differences of opinion are fine and expected.  And yes I think it helps to know the oriiginal play beforehand.  Closest show I can think of which is similar is "One Man, Two Guvnors", another play adaptation with songs, which is also having its Southern California debut concurrently at Southcoast Rep in Orange County.  

[shocowo]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 2:34pm

Just throwing my 2 cents in, loved American Idiot... really did not enjoy These Paper Bullets when I saw at Yale. There were laughs for sure, but for me, it felt forced on my part.

Although to me, a not so great night of theater is better than a boring night at home, so there's that. But I wouldn't go in expecting anything along the lines of AI, which is probably the mistake I made.

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 2:36pm

I'm confused why people are expecting American Idiot. Are they marketing it that way at the Geffen? In the Atlantic materials it is clearly represented as an adaptation of Much Ado, with songs by Billie Joe. https://atlantictheater.org/playevents/thesepaperbullets/

Which is what it is. Primarily it is an adaptation of Much Ado.