Roman Holiday Previews- Page 5

[Griffin2]

Posted: 6/9/17 at 1:39am

I was at the matinee Wednesday, walked there from the gym near Market/New Montgomery. I'm very familiar with the problems on Market St, but if you walk with purpose and quickly it's fine. Many police on Market St, both before and after the show....there appeared to be a group of young women involved in an argument with (at least 6) police talking them down as I walked by.

In terms of the show: It's cute and entertaining, but hard to recommend with enthusiasm. Drew Gehling was terrific, but I wasn't really drawn in, didn't see much chemistry and other than Easy to Love I didn't walk out humming. That said the woman next to me cried at the end.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/9/17 at 2:06am

The best produced nothing I've ever seen. Beautiful but useless. Mostly second or third-tier Cole Porter songs shoehorned into the familiar plot. Agreeable actors. Georgia Engel was a ray of light. If someone is foolish enough to mount this on Broadway, they will quickly be dismissed. It's no Nice Work or American In Paris. It isn't even a High Society.

Last season, Amelie was equally slight but less developed and more interesting. And flopped. Roman Holiday was more developed but significantly less interesting and more (less?) slight.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/9/17 at 5:16am

I'm hoping that the rumors of  SF sit-down Hamilton production a year or two down the road, following a remodel of the GG Theatre is true. When Carole and the Nederlanders opened it, 25 years or so ago, it was appreciated, but it needs to be brought up to contemporary standards. First and foremost in the bathroom department. And the outer lobby has so much wasted space while the orchestra-level lobby is permanently congested. 
That said, the loge/front mezz is excellent. And the leg room and sound is superior to the Orpheum (which, admittedly isn't saying much!). 
Neither the Golden Gate nor the Orpheum will match the Curran or the Geary for atmosphere, but at least the GG can be brought into the 21st century amenity-wise.

[Big Apple2]

Posted: 6/10/17 at 9:43am

.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 6/10/17 at 2:43pm

MarkBearSF said: "I'm hoping that the rumors of  SF sit-down Hamilton production a year or two down the road, following a remodel of the GG Theatre is true. When Carole and the Nederlanders opened it, 25 years or so ago, it was appreciated, but it needs to be brought up to contemporary standards. First and foremost in the bathroom department. And the outer lobby has so much wasted space while the orchestra-level lobby is permanently congested. 
That said, the loge/front mezz is excellent. And the leg room and sound is superior to the Orpheum (which, admittedly isn't saying much!). 
Neither the Golden Gate nor the Orpheum will match the Curran or the Geary for atmosphere, but at least the GG can be brought into the 21st century amenity-wise.

 

"

I didn't know about GG remodeling rumor. But since SHN no longer has access to Curran, if GG goes dark, will SHN only use Orphuem? The season usually has six shows so I guess it's doable as other touring cities only have one theatre to host. I'm curious if Carole will bring the Comet for a long run and creates a similar staging to Curran as she's one of the producers.

Updated On: 6/10/17 at 02:43 PM

[Fan123]

Posted: 6/10/17 at 9:39pm

More short clips from the panel discussion about the musical are progressively being made available online:

https://www.youtube.com/user/SHNSanFrancisco/videos

(And by the way, that aforementioned Takarazuka adaptation is available on DVD if anyone's interested enough: http://shop.tca-pictures.net/tcaonlineshop/goods/index.html?cid=99999&ggcd=TCAD-502.)

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 1:17am

rushed $40 and ended up fourth row center. crowd was very supportive and most seemed to enjoy the show a lot

stephanie made it through the entire show with a fairly consistent accent other than when she was doing the princess in front of a crowd.

no changes since the reviews came out so looks like their going with what they got until broadway

i had a good time

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 1:17am

rushed $40 and ended up fourth row center. crowd was very supportive and most seemed to enjoy the show a lot

stephanie made it through the entire show with a fairly consistent accent other than when she was doing the princess in front of a crowd.

no changes since the reviews came out so looks like they are going with what they got until broadway

i had a good time

Updated On: 6/11/17 at 01:17 AM

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 1:29am

I'd love to see a redesign of the men's room to add more toilets/urinals. A little bit of thought could create more usable space. Though I know "wet" construction work can be super expensive. Re the neighborhood, I've had some fun chats with the SHNSF "Orange Coats." Many are retired SFPD and they always have fun stories to share when I'm waiting out front. 

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 3:21am

lite2shine said: "I didn't know about GG remodeling rumor. But since SHN no longer has access to Curran, if GG goes dark, will SHN only use Orphuem? The season usually has six shows so I guess it's doable as other touring cities only have one theatre to host. I'm curious if Carole will bring the Comet for a long run and creates a similar staging to Curran as she's one of the producers."

I suspect that Carole will take what she can get (although I have nothing but praise for what she's put in there - just ordered 2 nights of Taylor Mac) - perhaps they could reach an agreement for the odd production, (or with ACT since the Geary is typically dark much of the summer, if I recall correctly). But yes - you've identified the limitation in the rumor. (And, for the life of me, I can't think of another SF house to take the short-run add-ins beyond the 4 week subscription bookings.) 

I was unaware of CSH's involvement with Comet. It's a tantalizing idea, but I don't know if she'd want to tear up the Curran after spending a year restoring it, but perhaps the tour will be staged for a traditional proscenium theatre (how was it done at ART?) - or she can do a tent. A long run? Hmmmm...

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 3:30am

MarkBearSF said: "I was unaware of CSH's involvement with Comet. It's a tantalizing idea, but I don't know if she'd want to tear up the Curran after spending a year restoring it, but perhaps the tour will be staged for a traditional proscenium theatre (how was it done at ART?) - or she can do a tent. A long run? Hmmmm..."

 

I haven't seen Comet but have seen and read enough to get a sense for the staging, and yeah, a tent like Teatro Zinzanni might work and have an appropriate feel and experience for the audience. A less traditional house/space might help the designers eliminate the obstructed view issues caused by shoehorning it into a theater. 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/11/17 at 6:48pm

Here's the Talkin' Broadway review of ''Roman Holiday.'' Richard Connema's takeaway: ''Decorously entertaining entertainment. It will need major revision before it goes to New York.''

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/sanfran/s1766.html

Updated On: 6/11/17 at 06:48 PM

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:26pm

An overall very positive review for Roman Holiday from SFist,com

'Roman Holiday' Is A Cheery Throwback Musical Of Which Cole Porter Would Approve"

http://sfist.com/2017/06/08/roman_holiday_is_a_cheery_throwback.php

 

Roman Holiday wraps up it's fourth and final week in SF on sunday afternoon june 18

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:44pm

MarkBearSF said: "I was unaware of CSH's involvement with Comet. It's a tantalizing idea, but I don't know if she'd want to tear up the Curran after spending a year restoring it, but perhaps the tour will be staged for a traditional proscenium theatre (how was it done at ART?) - or she can do a tent. A long run? Hmmmm...

"

At the ART it was every similar to the current Broadway, just on a slightly smaller scale in a theater with no mezz.  It would not be tourable like that (The ART is also much smaller than pretty much all of the touring houses).  The only way to tour this show would be the completely restage it or use a tent (although that is a bit small scale for a Broadway tour, but it could work).  Personally a sit down would probably be much more effective as it would allow for full theater customization which is what this show requires imo.  It will be very interesting to see what happens, and if it is even able to tour.  But people said they wouldn't be able to mount it Broadway and here we are, so if anyone can tour this show its Rachel Chavkin!

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 2:13am

Broadwaysfguy: Are you hoping to make it back to ''Roman Holiday'' for Visit No. 6 before it closes this weekend? ... In this 4-week tryout, it doesn't sound as if they made any substantive changes - in terms of cutting, adding or replacing songs or scenes. Or did they? ... If you chat with the producers and director again, please ask what happens next. Is it still full steam ahead to Broadway this fall?

Updated On: 6/14/17 at 02:13 AM

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 12:23pm

hi wayman

the biggest change i observed was the princess getting her accent and mannerisms down and working in additional laugh lines for members

i dont think ill see it this week bit given my only two choices right now in sf are hamilton for 200 or this for 40 who knows?

i dont know the producers other than reaching out at shows unless i go again and see them wont have additional info on broadway plans for roman holiday

im really glad it came to sf and glad i was able to get my cole porter fix this summer

 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 12:34pm

It's not Cole Porter, but there's another musical trying out for Broadway across the bay: ''Monsoon Wedding'' at the Berkeley Rep, and it's a screen adaptation, too (based on Mira Nair's 2001 movie). They just announced their third extension (now thru July 16).

Plus, Berkeley Rep is hosting another Broadway tryout in August: ''Ain't Too Proud - The Temptations,'' a new musical from the ''Jersey Boys'' team of Des McAnuff and Sergio Trujillo.

Updated On: 6/14/17 at 12:34 PM

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 12:52pm

ill probably check out aint to proud but not sure monsoon is worth seeing

[bk]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:05pm

broadwaysfguy said: "ill probably check out aint to proud but not sure monsoon is worth seeing

 

"

Not when you can see Roman Holiday for the seventh time.  I'm sorry, but for whatever reasons, you have made yourself a champion of this show.  Which is fine if you just say that.  To hit up the producers and creatives is so weird to me, but that's just me.  And if you're saying the biggest "changes" to the show are accents and a couple of laugh lines (are they NEW "laugh" lines or just making old ones work better) - sorry, that's not changes at all.  It sounds like they're just cocky like every other show that tries out these days - and will not make any substantive changes before and IF they get to NY.  The point of doing a tryout is to see what works and doesn't - and clearly there is a LOT that isn't working (and oh so sorry, posting some "review" from something called SFist really doesn't do you any favors).  So, why are you obsessed with this show?  Because clearly you are.  

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:25pm

SFist has been around for over a dozen years, and is part of the istaverse, which includes Gothamist. How have you never heard of this?

[bk]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:37pm

LizzieCurry said: "SFist has been around for over a dozen years, and is part of the istaverse, which includes Gothamist. How have you never heard of this?

 

"

Istaverse?  Gothamist?  Speak English.  There are a lot of things that have been around for over a dozen years (me included) - you think a dozen years is a long time?  It isn't.  We have a lot of "reviewers" here in LA that have been "reviewing" for over a dozen years - doesn't mean anything in the scheme of things because they review on sites of their own making.  And rave about 99% of what they see.  

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:38pm

hi bk

dont think weve chatted youve obviously been on the board i long time so i respect your longevity and clear interest in musicals

ive made it really clear from the opening post im a huge cole porter admirer and student of his music and shows and have been actively rooting for this show to succeed and also trying to ellicit suggestions from other members that may make this show better. i speak regularly to producers and cast members because im lucky enough to get invited to many of the opening night cast parties in sf and enjoy both giving and getting feedback on shows with those closest to the material. 

dont know why my covering this show closely has triggered something in you- most participants in this thread seem to have enjoyed the discussions and opinions which i thought was the goal here

best wishes

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:46pm

Oh Bruce. Were you also crowing about the names of blasted, newfangled websites and words like Yahoo Netscape and Altavista and Dogpile back in the '90s too? New words and adaptations of words happen all the time! Sorry that adaptation causes grief for some.

[bk]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 2:17pm

LizzieCurry said: "Oh Bruce. Were you also crowing about the names of blasted, newfangled websites and words like Yahoo Netscape and Altavista and Dogpile back in the '90s too? New words and adaptations of words happen all the time! Sorry that adaptation causes grief for some.

 

"

Oh, whoever you are - crowing?  Don't think that's the word you're looking for, but I understand your point.  I don't live on my phone (or my computer, for that matter) like you and others apparently do, so no I have no idea what istaverse is nor do I care - I don't app my phone to death - I only use it to - now wait here - make and receive occasional calls and not much of that, frankly.  I'll check out things occasionally on the phone, Internet-wise, but who has time for all this crap - not me.  A little too busy for that.  I wish you well, however, with your istaverse.  :)

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 2:58pm

 In bk's defense (and not that he needs it), I'll add that I had never heard of SFist until yesterday, when I was Googling for some reviews. I'm not exactly a Luddite, but ''istaverse'' is new to me, too. When I Googled: ''istaverse definition,'' nothing immediately came up. Now, I find that ''istaverse'' is a coined word that defines the universe covered by Gothamist, SFist and any other ''ist''-like websites.