LOVE NEVER DIES - US Tour- Page 2

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 12:33am

MCfan2 said: "Can't believe ALW keeps trying to polish this turd, pardon the expression. All the revisions in the world can't save a fundamentally flawed story. It's his time and money to waste, I suppose, but in his shoes I'd cut my losses and try coming up with a new and better project.

"

Well considering how well it did in Australia, Germany, Japan and on DVD-bluray release,it doesn't seem like a waste of money or that the entire theatre going world agrees with your assessment.  

[Willie4316]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 12:37am

chernjam said: "MCfan2 said: "Can't believe ALW keeps trying to polish this turd, pardon the expression. All the revisions in the world can't save a fundamentally flawed story. It's his time and money to waste, I suppose, but in his shoes I'd cut my losses and try coming up with a new and better project."

Well considering how well it did in Australia, Germany, Japan and on DVD-bluray release,it doesn't seem like a waste of money or that the entire theatre going world agrees with your assessment.  "

I agree. The DVD got me very interested in the show. While the book is a bit muddled, the score and acting I found quite impressive. 

[kreichelt]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 9:42am

I don't know if this is the case throughout the tour, but in Boston this is the ticket nobody wants that they have to buy if they want the subscription that lets them get Hamilton tickets.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 10:13am

I heard something similar from a friend in Georgia.

[bdboston]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 10:43am

kreichelt said: "I don't know if this is the case throughout the tour, but in Boston this is the ticket nobody wants that they have to buy if they want the subscription that lets them get Hamilton tickets."

Same can be said for "Waitress." Many subscribers have already seen shows generating out of ART (like this and "Pippin" ), and feel stuck when they have to see them again on tour. I actually know several folks here in Boston looking forward to "Love Never Dies;" that's what makes horseraces. 

 

Updated On: 5/24/17 at 10:43 AM

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 12:06pm

kreichelt said: "I don't know if this is the case throughout the tour, but in Boston this is the ticket nobody wants that they have to buy if they want the subscription that lets them get Hamilton tickets.

 

"

Huh. Its the same in the city closest to me as well. I was thinking that the only way I would see LND is if I could see if very cheaply. Maybe some of the subscribers will sell their tickets.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 12:41pm

Off topic, but does anyone know if Webber plans to ever revise and possibly tour The Woman in White? Didn't they initially announce a tour that never materialized? I didn't get to see it but I like the recording a lot better than Love Never Dies. I'd much rather he continue polishing up The Woman in White maybe the Love Never Dies creative team could try fixing that one next.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/24/17 at 2:01pm

This show is a mess, but it has one of Webber's most beautiful scores. It's a shame it's saddled with such clunky lyrics and a dreadful book.

[Lot666]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 12:25pm

CATSNYrevival said: "Off topic, but does anyone know if Webber plans to ever revise and possibly tour The Woman in White? Didn't they initially announce a tour that never materialized? I didn't get to see it but I like the recording a lot better than Love Never Dies. I'd much rather he continue polishing up The Woman in White maybe the Love Never Dies creative team could try fixing that one next."

I like Love Never Dies, so I'm happy that ALW hasn't abandoned it, but I would also be thrilled to have The Woman in White revived! I never saw it performed but the complete score is my second favorite ALW piece, after Phantom. Not seeing Woman is one of my biggest misses. 

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 12:57pm

Lot666 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "Off topic, but does anyone know if Webber plans to ever revise and possibly tour The Woman in White? Didn't they initially announce a tour that never materialized? I didn't get to see it but I like the recording a lot better than Love Never Dies. I'd much rather he continue polishing up The Woman in White maybe the Love Never Dies creative team could try fixing that one next."

I like Love Never Dies, so I'm happy that ALW hasn't abandoned it, but I would also be thrilled to have The Woman in White revived! I never saw it performed but the complete score is my second favorite ALW piece, after Phantom. Not seeing Woman is one of my biggest misses. 

"

I saw WIW twice on broadway... I really enjoyed the score but truthfully haven't listened in some time to it (been stuck on Sunset for about 5 months now :) )   That being said, story wise, it did drag and the ending (while visually kind of stunning with the projections) was kind of anticlimactic.  Don't know if there's "story doctors" for shows like there used to be, because there's a lot there to work with.  But this might just be a "miss".

But back to Love Never Dies - while some dismiss it outright, and deride it as "laughable" I never saw it as either.  I mean, when people start going off on these things as "unrealistic" I want to remind them the Phantom, Christine, Raoul are all fictitious characters. So just calm down.  And when I went to the movie theatre to see Love Never Dies on screen after they had released it for a three night thing - 1 - I was shocked by the packed theatre in suburban NJ on a tuesday night; 2 - The audience applauded at the end like they were in a theatre seeing it live. and 3 - for me, it was entertaining, and beautifully done... which is basically what I'm going to theatre for.  So, I suspect this will do well on the road and hopefully spur a Broadway production

[LJD123]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:03pm

kreichelt said: "I don't know if this is the case throughout the tour, but in Boston this is the ticket nobody wants that they have to buy if they want the subscription that lets them get Hamilton tickets.

In Boston we have been able to drop one show in the subscription for the past 6 or 7 years!  Now with Hamilton coming in this season, we are not able to do this. I actually called to drop On Your Feet at renewal, and was told the policy changed this year.

"

 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 2:02pm

I mean, when people start going off on these things as "unrealistic" I want to remind them the Phantom, Christine, Raoul are all fictitious characters.

I can't speak for others, but for me, the problem is that the plot hinges on a backstory that is implausible within the realm of the original story and characters.  Having your supporting characters go off the rails like pathetic lunatics at every turn doesn't help much.  Then comes The Beauty Underneath and all hope is lost for any resemblance to the gothic-horror-romance of the original and it descends into a pulpy dimestore novel camp that could have been entitled "THE MONSTER'S BABY-MAMA!" or "CONEY ISLAND JEZEBEL!"

Updated On: 5/25/17 at 02:02 PM

[MCfan2]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 2:31pm

I can't speak for others, but for me, the problem is that the plot hinges on a backstory that is implausible within the realm of the original story and characters.  Having your supporting characters go off the rails like pathetic lunatics at every turn doesn't help much.  

 

Nicely put, Mister Matt. Even a fantasy story, or a quasi-fantasy story, needs some level of realism and logic within its own world.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 2:42pm

ALL HAIL MISTER MATT for explaining exactly why this show is so ludicrous!

(With no offense intended at those who enjoy some of it.)

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 8:32am

(Maybe against my better judgment) I decided to buy a ticket for the show when it comes to my city in October. I am looking forward to seeing who is cast. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 9:43am

Babe_Williams said: "(Maybe against my better judgment) I decided to buy a ticket for the show when it comes to my city in October. I am looking forward to seeing who is cast."

If you go into it with an open mind, dismissing the pre-conceived ideas about the show that you've no doubt absorbed from this board and elsewhere, you may just love it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:11am

What is the closest it is coming to NYC?

[chernjam]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:14am

What is the closest it is coming to NYC?

 

Right now it looks like Baltimore is the closest... with Boston the next one.  I'm assuming they want to see how it does on the road and then consider a NY run?

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:16am

chernjam said: "I'm assuming they want to see how it does on the road and then consider a NY run?"

I hope so. I really want to see this show finally make it to Broadway, even if it's only for a limited run.

Updated On: 6/7/17 at 10:16 AM

[Justin D]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:35am

Mister Matt said: "I mean, when people start going off on these things as "unrealistic" I want to remind them the Phantom, Christine, Raoul are all fictitious characters.

I can't speak for others, but for me, the problem is that the plot hinges on a backstory that is implausible within the realm of the original story and characters.  Having your supporting characters go off the rails like pathetic lunatics at every turn doesn't help much.  Then comes The Beauty Underneath and all hope is lost for any resemblance to the gothic-horror-romance of the original and it descends into a pulpy dimestore novel camp that could have been entitled "THE MONSTER'S BABY-MAMA!" or "CONEY ISLAND JEZEBEL!"

 

"

OK so I do love the score but this kind of hits at why the show is a problem for me.

My 2 main issues are:

1, plot suspense, christine has to choose to either sing the phantom's big number or leave with Raoul, we already know she will sing it because after all it is the TITLE NUMBER, so there is no tension of will she or wont she in that moment, so that whole plot device is dumb.

2, Gustave. and here is probably where the whole 'these are fictional characters' might come in, but truth be told, in 18th century France, a Lady (or any aspiring lady) would NEVER hook up in the dark someplace with a guy that tried to murder her and her friends, even if she was madly inlove in some way with him. It is totally unrealistic to think that back then someone would be so casual with a sexual encounter as people are nowadays (and it happened more than once so you cant blame it on a one of spur of the moment thing). Yes it is fictional but you can't divorce the characters from the time period that the show takes place, If Christine did that, she would be labeled as a slut and 'lady with questionable morals" and that would put any chances of an Opera Star career down the drain. so it is HIGHLY unlikely she would do that to herself. As a result, the whole Gustave being the Phantom's child makes it absurd.

 

Again, I love the score and the design, but this scenario is something plausible in today's world, just not in the 1800's

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:42am

Justin D said: "It is totally unrealistic to think that back then someone would be so casual with a sexual encounter as people are nowadays (and it happened more than once so you cant blame it on a one of spur of the moment thing)."

I disagree that such a thing would be unlikely in the show's era. I think people are, always have been, and always will be given over to romantic passions; the only thing that changes from generation to generation is people's honestly about it, which is directly related to how sexually repressed the current society is.

Also, on what are you basing your statement "it happened more than once"?

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 11:37am

Lot666 said: "Babe_Williams said: "(Maybe against my better judgment) I decided to buy a ticket for the show when it comes to my city in October. I am looking forward to seeing who is cast."

If you go into it with an open mind, dismissing the pre-conceived ideas about the show that you've no doubt absorbed from this board and elsewhere, you may just love it.

 

"

Absolutely! I do like some of the songs, not sure about the book, but I'll keep an open mind.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 12:05pm

Guess I'll be going down to Baltimore! Never been, but that's kind of exciting. I love pieces of the score, and curious to see what they do with the physical production. As well as the actual book. 

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 8:27pm

It's coming to Philadelphia also. 

[Justin D]

Posted: 6/8/17 at 8:53am

Lot666 said: "Justin D said: "It is totally unrealistic to think that back then someone would be so casual with a sexual encounter as people are nowadays (and it happened more than once so you cant blame it on a one of spur of the moment thing)."

I disagree that such a thing would be unlikely in the show's era. I think people are, always have been, and always will be given over to romantic passions; the only thing that changes from generation to generation is people's honestly about it, which is directly related to how sexually repressed the current society is.

Also, on what are you basing your statement "it happened more than once"?

 

"

"again and then again, beneath a moonless sky"