I saw Beauty and the Beast last night, and......

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 10:40am

IT WAS HORIBLE! The cast looked almost as bored performing as I was watching them.

First off, the Beast Steve Blanchard, can't sing, and his acting was crap. He ruined all the tender moments and I couldn't wait for him to leave the stage. He strutted around the stage as if he was this marvelous actor, but the minute he spoke I wanted him to shut up.

Next, Maurice and Lefou, Jamie Ross and Aldrin Gonzalez, their performances were predictable and not motivated. Everything they did looked rehearsed and planned out and horrible delivered.

Belle, Devorah Lew, singing was descent, acting was good, but it wasn't special at all.

Lumiere, John Tartaglia, talked about miscasting. I am not sure if he even knows what a french accent is suppose to sound like, but he was just bad. The only time he got any reaction from the audience was when he broke character.

Overall the chorus was dull, the show was slow, and I just couldn't wait to get out of there. It really pisses me off that these people don't care about their performances and its very clear to the audience. There are plenty of people who would love to be in their places, performing on Broadway and if you are just here for the paycheck then it is time to go.

The same thing happened when I thought I'd check Phantom out. These shows run for years and years with the same cast and it just looses its magic. If I pay to see these shows, I expect to see a good one, I expect them to give a new performance at every show, as if it is the first time they performed it.

Thank God they are closing it. Hopefully some day in the very very far future they can revive it and maybe I can give it another try.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 10:52am

Wow, when I saw it back in October I thought it was great...

[Horton]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 10:56am

yeah, lets close these crappy shows!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 11:01am

>>"Belle, Devorah Lew, singing was descent"<<

Where did she "descend" from?

[myManCape]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 12:31pm

I have not seen it with Lew but I've said time and time again that the only bright spot in the cast worth seeing is Meredith Inglesby as Babette. With any luck, shell find a good job soon.

[Makanthony22]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 1:57pm

"Lew" has done alot of regional and broadway. She prior to this was Cinderella for North Shore Music Theatre and 3 Penny for Roundabout. She was great at North Shore.

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:10pm

Sorry to read that the show didn't go well for you. I saw this show 6 years ago and absolutely loved it. Saw it with Sarah Litzsinger and she was wonderful as Belle.

[AudreyTwoTwo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:38pm

I am gonna go anyway, cause even if Johnny Tags does suck, I want to see him in something, you know? I personally like him, but it's okay, everyone's entitled to their own opinions

[alliez92092]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:40pm

How was Jonathan Freeman as Cogsworth? He's my friends uncle.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 3:48pm

Audrey, I personally loved John in it, which seems to be the overwhelming opinion. Certainly to each her own, but you shouldn't just listen to one opinion.

[bohemianxsunshine]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:23pm

i loved this show. both times i saw it. i saw it with ashley brown who i think is now mary poppins and sarah litzsinger who came back to beauty and the beast last you.

"time to close these crappy shows"

if it was a crappy show, why has it run for over 10 years?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:26pm

Beacause people go to it based on brand name recognition, not what is on the stage. a HUGE example-Phantom

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:26pm

Clearly, longevity means quality.

*snort*

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:30pm

I saw the Actors Fund performance last spring, and without a "star" name in it (and with Blanchard being out that night), it was fantastically performed. Everyone was at the top of their game.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:46pm

Beauty's been decreased.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:11pm

I can't believe they've let Steve Blanchard continue all of these years with his sub-par performance. Didn't his contract ever expire?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:17pm

if you work for cheap and do passibly they'll keep you forever

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:20pm

Just ask JP Dougherty!

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:22pm

I love the title of this thread. Every time I see it I click it, because I for the life of me hope that it leads to a different opinion each time.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:23pm

Performances like that are a little something my musical director (aka Momma) likes to call "diarrhea."

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:29pm

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy John's performance Spacedog.

Personally I think his choice to make the French accent over the top added to the character and he certainly isn't the first person to do so. Even Jerry Orbach exaggerated his accent to a Chevalier caricature for the film.

But to each his own I suppose

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 9:10pm

his accent was not "over the top" it just simply sucked! it didnt sound french, at times it sounded british and he and beast constantly broke character. Cogsworth was my favorite. He was actually the only funny character. Babette was dull and forgettable too. The one thing that I hated the most is that I wanted it to be so good and it simply wasnt. Not because its a bad show, but because the people in it just don't care.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 11:20pm

I hear there's not much love for Tartaglia backstage either.

[StarStruckGB]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 11:25pm

Wow.
I mean, maybe it's just because I'm getting into a production of this as we speak, but now I really hope it's a lot better.
Here's to really working to the bone on this one.

[BelleOnBroadway]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 11:36pm

That's a shame. I saw it many many years ago (in fact, it was my first broadway experience) and I feel in love. Of course I always loved the movie, but there was nothing like seeing it on stage.
Hopefully the revival will be bigger and better than ever!