Is the Pirate Queen going to bomb?- Page 2

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:42pm

The whole point of doing a show out of town before bringing it to Broadway is to evaluate it and make changes.

To declare PQ a bomb based on its Chicago reviews before it even starts performances in NY is like sending a dog to obedience school and then shouting "bad dog, bad dog"! the moment it returns home.

Sorry, that's the best analogy I can come up with at the moment.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:49pm

Or like throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[bella cantato]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:51pm

The show I saw in Chicago had a lot of unrealized potential. If the writers can get it together, it should be very successful. I am crossing my fingers for them- I loved what I saw, and hope they get it together for New York. If anything, I would love to see the people on this board who haven't seen the show but are predicting and hoping for its demise shut down.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:52pm

These threads are ridiculous.

From the bway.com video - I think that this show will turn out t obe impressive, at least in the group numbers. The cast is talented and I think it's got a shot.

[AngusN]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:57pm

I think it will bomb. I really don't want it to, I would it to be a huge success.
The reason i think it will bomb is because Marting Guerre was a fantastic piece of theatre, with gorgeous songs and similar river dance sequences. Plus, the story of Martin Guerre was known by many, due to Somersby. However, they could NOT sell that show not matter how many transformations the show went through and how mnay names they had attached: Iain Glenn, Maria Friedman, Joanna Riding to name but a few.

[AngusN]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:57pm

I think it will bomb. I really don't want it to, I would it to be a huge success.
The reason i think it will bomb is because Marting Guerre was a fantastic piece of theatre, with gorgeous songs and similar river dance sequences. Plus, the story of Martin Guerre was known by many, due to Somersby. However, they could NOT sell that show not matter how many transformations the show went through and how mnay names they had attached: Iain Glenn, Maria Friedman, Joanna Riding to name but a few.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 1:20pm

I have been looking forward to this show since I heard about it, as I am a huge Boublil and Schoenberg fan. I hope it does well. On a somewhat related note, I will be in NYC during March in previews and I would love to see it. Does anyone know if they will be having any kind of rush during previews?

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 1:27pm

I think, that unless you all have crystal balls that show you the show with all of its revisions, you really have no way to pass judgement. Let the damn show open first.

[Dr. Jaykll]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 1:45pm

It is offering very substantial discounted tickets (see broadwaybox.com) through mid-May.

For a show with this big of a cast and budget, to be offering discounts before it even opens can't be considered a great sign for its longevity or for its advance.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 1:57pm

To all those who say we should shut and let the show open first, I have but one question-why?
This is a theatre related board, and here we prognosticate, predict, and discuss. Our discussions in no way affect the commercial prospects of a show. No one is "burying" a show here.
The BWW posters are by and large well educated in show business and their comments come from informed opinions.
I for one enjoy reading both sides of a debate.

[bella cantato]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 2:52pm

"For a show with this big of a cast and budget, to be offering discounts before it even opens can't be considered a great sign for its longevity or for its advance."

Are you kidding me? Many, many shows offer discounts before they open, and especially during their previews. That's a pretty standard procedure.

[bially082]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 2:55pm

I hope it does well just cause I think Pirates are cool :) But sadly I don't think it'll be around long past the Tony's.

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 3:15pm

Stephane j block is amazing in it!

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 4:03pm

I think it's silly to be having a discussion now about whether the show is going to bomb. Why don't we at least wait till previews when some grosses and house percentages become available to us?

As far as discounting goes, if I remember correctly, Wicked discounted tickets during it's previews/beginning of the run. Based on how they've been selling since I think we can safely say that discounts are not much of an indicator.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 4:39pm

i think it's a big clunker. i hope that it gives Stephanie some more leading roles on Broadway after it, but it's gonna be one to laugh at afterward with your theatre friends.

(about how bad it is, i mean)

[MLE]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 4:58pm

folkyboy - I saw the very first public showing. Even then, it wasn't something you could laugh at afterwards. I can tell you that it had a lot of potential. I don't see it going for years and years, but still having a pretty good run.

Of course, that's all up to the production team. Everyone in the cast has done as much as humanly possible to make the show great.
I've heard from friends who have seen the show progress in Chicago that they cut and changed a lot of the wrong things. So, here's to hoping they're getting it together right now. Step one, reinstating the "Because I am a Wife" lyrics. I've said that before and I will keep saying it. The new lyrics to the song are not as good and if they open on Broadway without Because I am a Wife they'd be making a huge mistake. That song could be a huge hit and I'd hate to see them drop the ball on that one.

I love the idea of this show and I think the story is just too fantastic to be wasted on a botched attempt to musicalize it. So, I'm really hoping it works out.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:06pm

"Why can't I have a life?
Because I am a wife!"

Are you serious? Those lyrics were sophmoric and embarrassing, and they were one of the first things to go when the show was in previews.

I will agree that the replacement "The Woman That I Was/Am" didn't scan well and was awkward. I'm hoping the whole number got cut.

[FallintoLight]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:12pm

By looking at shows that are currently running on Broadway it seems that there IS a market for sung through shows. Is Phantom not the longest running show on Broadway (and my least favorite)? Les Mis keeps extending, yes? Rent is also a sung through show...at least I would consider it one.

I, too, loved Martin Guerre but a show that is so much about religion, such as this show, is hard to market. I would have loved to have seen it come to Broadway. I saw it on tour and in London and thought that it was a beautiful piece. It is hard however to market a show that is so engrossed in the issues of the Protestant and Catholic fight in the 1500's.

Yes, I think PQ has some work to do...which they ARE doing! What show doesn't have work to do after it's out of town tryout? I think that TechEverlasting is right in saying that it's ridiculous to judge success without seeing changes. I personally loved the show and think that is a very interesting story. The cast is steller and I think that with the new changes they can have a really wonderful show. I truly don't understand how people can not think the music and lyrics are not beautiful(as I've read in other posts). I don't know what people consider to be good nowadays. I challenge you to actually SEE the show and then state your opinion. I'll be curious to see how people feel about it after they actually see it! I wish the cast, crew and creative team the best of luck with the show!

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:17pm

Tech, I agree on the lyrics, but I thought the song worked. Stephanie just tears it up.

[MLE]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:18pm

Actually, I don't believe those are the lyrics.
I think it's something like:
"I am I committing a lie"
I'm not quite sure exactly what the whole phrase is, but I know the last word of the line is 'lie' not life. Unless they changed it later or something

I didn't say that the song couldn't use some tweaking. But I think in scrapping it, there would definitely be something lost in the audience's emotional investment with Grace. Plus, as brdlwyr said, Stephanie's performance of it nearly brings down the house.
Updated On: 2/15/07 at 05:18 PM

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:26pm

I very clearly remember from the early preview I saw that the song repeatedly used that silly two line "Life/Wife" rhyming scheme. Yes, it was great to see Stephanie doing an empassioned solo number, but she deserved something better than those lyrics to sing.

Clearly I'm not the only one who didn't think the "Because I Am A Wife" lyrics worked, because they were changed very early in the Chicago previews.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:31pm

And, cut the balls reference. It is just distracting. I cannot recall which song it is in.

[FallintoLight]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:33pm

I personally love the lyrics

"On the sea of life
travelers all are we
at it's mercy to and fro
where it takes us, er I'll go
tides may eb and tides may flow
yet steady stays the sea"

[Popular]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:37pm

Not that it really matters much out of context but Tech is right, it was:

"Do I abandon her
Am I forbidden a life
Because I am a wife"

I kind of got over giving the whole "don't knock it till you try it" speech back when the show was in Chicago... I think that the people who understand that it's still a work in progress up until it's opening in April will keep an open mind and those that don't wont.

I just hope that the person who started this thread didn't think it was possible to actually get a yes or no answer. The answer is you'll have to just wait to find out. NOONE knows at this point. Even if it had gotten better reviews in Chicago you still never know.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 5:37pm

"And, cut the balls reference. It is just distracting. I cannot recall which song it is in."

I can't recall which song it wasn't in. It's been awhile, but in the opening number I believe the Pirates said Grania had "a lot of balls" to want to sail, then in "I Dismiss You" Grania told Donal he didn't have "the balls" and then of course we had Lord Bingham singing about how he wanted to "Crush those balls of hers"

This was after Grania gave Donal a sharp kick in the groin. As a man I really felt a bit uncomfortable during parts of this show.