#3Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/19/19 at 11:12pmMight be controversial but in Tootsie: “I’m a man in love! Pass me my bra!” Fell sooooo flat it sounds like a joke that would be made on Disney channel or by a third grade boy. For a show that had some great one-liners there were a couple that just made me roll my eyes.
alex814
Stand-by Joined: 11/25/18
#4Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 12:23amDoes anyone remember when Mean Girls first opened? I wonder if the line Regina’s mom says about the “Japanese closet organizing” landed as well as it did after Netflix released Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up series.
#5Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 12:43am
alex814 said: "Does anyone remember when Mean Girls first opened? I wonder if the line Regina’s mom says about the “Japanese closet organizing” landed as well as it did after Netflix released Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up series."
I didn’t find a single joke in that show to be funny.
SomethingPeculiar
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/14
#6Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 1:11am
Sometimes, there are jokes that don't work outside of the era of the show. In Mame and Bye Bye Birdie, for example, most 2019 audiences aren't going to laugh at jokes about Peter Lawford, Alice Toklas, Sammy Kaye, and Amos & Andy.
There were some insidery jokes in It's Only A Play that I'm sure went over the general public's head.
#7Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 1:33amShowing the dismembered body of veruca salt
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#8Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 2:08am
Call_me_jorge said: "Showing the dismembered body of veruca salt"
LOL
GeorgeandDot
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/16
#9Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 3:20am
Call_me_jorge said: "Showing the dismembered body of veruca salt"
DEAR GOD THAT IMAGE IS SEARED INTO MY MEMORY
BroadwayRox3588
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
#10Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 3:52am
Dear Evan Hansen - "Love the outfit, Connor! Very school shooter-chic.
Just...no. There has been way too much gun violence in this country as of late, for that joke to be funny anymore. I saw the show on tour a couple weeks ago, and the theatre was filled with nervous laughter, as if they weren't sure whether they were supposed to laugh.
#11Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 7:51am
TotallyEffed said: "alex814 said: "Does anyone remember when Mean Girls first opened? I wonder if the line Regina’s mom says about the “Japanese closet organizing” landed as well as it did after Netflix released Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up series."
I didn’t find a single joke in that show to be funny."
You didn’t find the line about the ‘woke’ seniors who did an essay on intersectional veganism or whatever it is funny? The mean girls script is very witty. Highly underrated musical.
—-
I have seen n2n 10+ times and I’m always puzzled why people don’t often laugh at the “my husband’s waiting in the car” line.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Brit33444
Swing Joined: 3/31/19
#12Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 9:25amChristine's whole character in BMC...
#13Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 9:43amJorge, that’s exactly what I was going to say. No one laughed, everything got really quiet. It was the worst-landing joke I’ve ever seen on Broadway and I’ve been seeing shows for 25 years straight.
Another day, another dollar is the reality of my mentality. Otherwise, don't even bother.- TLC
carolinaguy
Broadway Star Joined: 10/13/06
#14Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 9:58am
BroadwayRox3588 said: "Dear Evan Hansen- "Love the outfit, Connor! Very school shooter-chic.
Just...no. There has been way too much gun violence in this country as of late, for that joke to be funny anymore. I saw the show on tour a couple weeks ago, and the theatre was filled with nervous laughter, as if they weren't sure whether they were supposed to laugh."
This was the first thing that popped to mind for me. They really do need to change that line. I'm fine with a show pushing the envelope, but that's too far. Not only is it in poor taste, it derails the show for a scene or two.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
temms
Broadway Star Joined: 7/21/04
#15Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 9:58am
GRAZIELLA: I and Velma ain't kid stuff, neither. Are we, Vel?
VELMA: No thank you-oo, ooblee-oo
GRAZIELLA: And you can punctuate it?
VELMA: Ooo!
?????
#17Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 10:13amThe entire book of Beetlejuice.
NYCblurb
Featured Actor Joined: 4/16/07
#18Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 11:05am
qolbinau said: "TotallyEffed said: "alex814 said: "Does anyone remember when Mean Girls first opened? I wonder if the line Regina’s mom says about the “Japanese closet organizing” landed as well as it did after Netflix released Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up series."
I didn’t find a single joke in that show to be funny."
You didn’t find the line about the ?woke’ seniors who did an essay on intersectional veganism or whatever it is funny? The mean girls script is very witty. Highly underrated musical.
—-
I have seen n2n 10+ times and I’m always puzzled why people don’t often laugh at the “my husband’s waiting in the car” line."
I thought this was fun - the graveyard of jokes from TOOTSIE the musical over the years as it came headed to Broadway:
https://www.facebook.com/TootsieMusical/videos/2338323089561006/
A lover of theater for decades. Teacher by day. Family man by night. See more theater than most, oftentimes a hesitant plus one.
#19Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 12:55pm
qolbinau said:
I have seen n2n 10+ times and I’m always puzzled why people don’t often laugh at the “my husband’s waiting in the car” line."
I still don’t get that joke, actually. Is it a joke?
nasty_khakis
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
#20Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 12:59pm
TotallyEffed said: "qolbinau said:
I have seen n2n 10+ times and I’m always puzzled why people don’t often laugh at the “my husband’s waiting in the car” line."
I still don’t get that joke, actually. Is it a joke?"
Yes, it is. At least how Ripley/Marin played it. They said it like they were a wife in an older movie who has an affair. The joke is she thinks Dr Madden is hitting on her so she pretends to be a movie heroine saying "Dr, we couldn't possibly make love right now! My husband is right outside! We could be caught it's so dangerous!"
#21Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 1:17pmBut the joke doesn’t make sense to me that way because the doctor said he was sure it’s the MEDICINE’S fault she’s not having a desire for sex, not her marriage.
#22Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 2:04pm
Charlie's line in Kinky Boots, "I've never been good at anything, accept maybe snogging" always landed with a thud the 8 times I saw it. I don't think it translates to American audiences.
nasty_khakis
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
#23Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 2:50pm
TotallyEffed said: "But the joke doesn’t make sense to me that way because the doctor said he was sure it’s the MEDICINE’S fault she’s not having a desire for sex, not her marriage."
It does. She thinks the doctor is bringing up her sex drive because he's coming on to her. I'm not saying it's a clear baffo-socko laugh riot of a joke, but it's a joke.
#24Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 2:54pm
Yeah part of the joke is that she takes his line to be hitting on her, when he clearly wasn't. But to be fair I don't blame anyone that doesn't seem to get it because audiences just don't seem to really get it, either. I'm surprised they didn't think about adjusting that line in previews.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Tom5
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/11
#25Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 2:59pm
Maybe I'm humor warped but I thought the line "I'm a man in love! Hand me my bra!" was very funny. My problem with Tootsie was that it buried the story lead by exchanging all of America with a single Broadway house.
#26Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 3:11pm
nasty_khakis said: "It does. Shethinks the doctor is bringing up her sex drive because he's coming on to her. I'm not saying it's a clear baffo-socko laugh riot of a joke, but it's a joke."
[DIANA, spoken]
I now can't feel my fingers or my toes. I sweat profusely for no reason. Fortunately, I have absolutely no desire for sex. Although, whether that's the medicine or the marriage is anybody's guess
[DR. FINE, spoken]
I'm sure it's the medicine
[DIANA, spoken]
Oh, thank you, that's very sweet, but my husband's waiting in the car.
I used to think that this was what the joke meant as well, that she thought he was coming on to her, but if you actually break the joke down it simply doesn’t make sense. Since it’s never made sense to me that way, I’ve also wondered if Diana is saying that since her husband doesn’t even come into her appointments and instead waits in the car, the doctor is being “sweet” for implying that it’s the medicine’s fault she doesn’t have a desire for sex, as opposed to her messed up marriage.
InTheBathroom1
Broadway Star Joined: 10/6/18
#27Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 3:18pm
First, I think everyone’s over analyzing the N2N joke a little too much.
Second, I saw Gentleman’s Guide on tour about a year ago and was surprised how much of that fell flat. Especially “Better With A Man” which now comes off as a little homophobic
#28Jokes In Musicals That...Just Don't Work?
Posted: 5/20/19 at 5:36pm
I thought Tootsie had a funny, quick-moving book (despite not liking the score too much), but the quick gag about choreography stolen wholesale from The Birdcage made me roll my eyes an almost complete 360.
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