Am I alone on CRY-BABY?

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 2:31am

Saw the show tonight, Orch Row B, right hand side. In the last 24 hours, I'd received three seperate text messages from friends of mine telling me the show was among the worst they'd ever seen on Broadway. On top of which, all the reaction I'd read here on the boards was piss-poor to say the least. I expected the worst, and when I left the theater around 10:30, I was carrying the opinion that it was... fine.

No, truly: fine. Not good, not astonishingly bad. Occasionally smile-inducing, rarely laugh-provoking, mostly just remarkably mediocre. I, for one, was really grasping to understand why the word of mouth has been so putrid. Granted, there's nothing special about the show, and I can't really see people recommending it (nor should they), but it's completely just middle-of-the-road.

Had any of these people bitching SEEN "Tarzan"? Or "The Phantom of the Opera" while we're at it?

I only found one thing especially awful: Harriet Harris' "I Did Something Wrong Once" (or whatever that number was called). The lyrics were atrocious, the music/beat was aimless, and it went on FOREVER. That aside, some numbers were fun, but most were just bland and forgettable. Maybe it's because I'm caught up in whirlwind of shows in a very compressed time period due to Spring Break ("Young Frankenstein," "Cry-Baby," "South Pacific," "Gypsy," "Passing Strange," "In the Heights" all in one week), but I guess I just don't understand what everyone's complaining about.

I enjoyed this significantly more than "Young Frankenstein" (though, granted, that's not saying much). While I wouldn't recommend either show, here at least there seemed to be consistent effort put into the proceedings, where "YF" just came off as mere regurgitation.

Anyway, I don't think this is going to be a long-running show or anything, but I'm just wondering if anyone else thought it was not so bad?

[bbernardini]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:06am

I saw it last night as well, and I thought it was great. I think the people who are trashing it just don't "get it". It's a parody, a caricature. The show NAILS every 50s music cliche. Having watched more than my fair share of 1950s-era teenage juvenile delinquent movies, I can also say the show NAILS the spirit and stock characters of those films as well. It's a show celebrating and mocking trashy pop culture. In other words, it's perfect John Waters.

We're not necessarily supposed to become emotionally invested in the characters, because they're intentionally not designed that way. The scenery is supposed to evoke an old-style Americana, and I think it did that quite well. In fact, it was at times reminiscent of old Archie comic books. Costumes...also ripped right out of these old films. Very accurate and appropriate, at least for what I believe Waters and the director were trying to achieve.

Don't get me wrong, there's some things that need fixing. "I Did Something Wrong Once" clearly needs to be orchestrated, and probably needs a few lyrical tweaks as well. There were a few "jokes" that simply didn't get any laughs, and I think some of the scene transitions at the end of the first act need to be tightened up. Other than that, I think it was quite well done. It's clearly supposed to be a parody of 50s music and teenage juvenile delinquent films (and the two-dimensional characters contained within), and it achieves that quite well.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:17am

bbernardini, with all due respects, I did get that Cry-Baby is a satire, I just didn't care for it. In addition to some of the performances, I found both the book and score weak.

[BBBoy]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:18am

I saw it last night as well - and I think it's just becoming this snippy little fad to proclaim "Crybaby" as the biggest flop since "Moose Murders" (I'm sorry - but did anyone here see "In My Life" or "The Blonde and the Thunderbird"?)

Basically, the material is pretty great, in my opinion. Just basic camp - no different or worse than Xanadu - but it's just plain ol camp - which, at its best - is just supposed to be very funny and provide an enjoyable time.

The problem here is Mark Brokaw - a director with limited and spotty musical experience - who, very clearly, has had a very hard time grasping the tone of this piece. Certain parts of the show are just completely out of whack - many of the very funnily written lines fall flat out of misdirection; much of the characterization is off (which I also blame on casting - again, the responsibility of the director), and there's a sloppiness and lack of clarity during a number of book scenes that I would have expected to have been fixed out of town. But, man, those California critics are just happy to see new shows and will give good notices to just about anything - I bet the Cry-Baby folks thought they were in GRAND shape.

They're not. They have alot of work to do. I think it's totally salvageable, and can, in the end, be a great deal of fun beginning to end, but they have ALOT of work to do.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:42am

Some will like it, some will hate it

There is no point in the people who liked it saying that the people who didn't like it "didn't get it"....dont be ridiculous, its not challenging if the film is anything to go by, we all know that its a nudge nudge wink wink at the 50s (so was Grease)

And there is no point the in the people that hated it making out that everyone who likes it is a plant for the company producing the show trying to stop bad worth of mouth.

ALL SHOW HAVE FANS.Pirate Queen has fans, Good Vibrations has fans, Rent Remixed has fans and so and so on

[folkyboy]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:56am

i'm curious, what ways does it parody 1950s music?

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 8:59am

bbernardini, I agree with DottieD'Luscia that it's a bit silly to presume that people who dislike it just "don't get it." And I do agree with songanddanceman2 that every show, no matter how good or bad, seems to have its fans or people that love it.

My point/question was just that, with people clearly so strong on both sides of the aisle (admittedly more on the 'hating' side than the 'loving' one), I was wondering if anyone besides me found it to just be so "meh" and mediocre.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:06am

I, in fact, love how people assume that we hate it because "we don't get it."

It doesn't take even a quarter of a brain to see what they've attempted to do, but it also doesn't take even a quarter of a brain to see that it's already been done, with more quirkiness and melody, in GREASE.

Here, you have an utterly unmemorable score which is derivative of the same musical theme - "Watch your ass these days...", an utterly unmemorable cast, and a 2nd rate book which has assorted, somewhat amusing moments.

CRY-BABY is unoriginal and boring. Unoriginal, fine. Everything's been done before. But boring? No es bueno.

[jacobp]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:16am

When I saw it I found the book remarkably unfunny and the two leads extremely weak. Other than that...the music was not terrible and the choreography....EXCELLENT. So fix the book well OVERHAUL it and if they don't want to recast both....get rid of Cry Baby

[folkyboy]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:23am

so is it more like a parody WITH 1950s music than a parody OF 1950s music? i'm seeing it tomorrow so i'm interested.

[Jess03187]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:26am

I saw it last night as well. It was OK defanitly not the best play I have seen but I wouldnt say it was the worst in my opinion. There were some parts that need some fixing but I thought the dancing was great as well as some of the songs. I think I liked the second act alot better then the first. What I dont understand is why they dont have the songs from the moive in the play? I was expecting to hear "King Cry Baby"! lol Im kind of happy I saw it and payed only 50 bucks for orch seats instead of waiting till they were 120!

[SimpleJoysHaveSimpleVoice]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:47am

What a bunch of "Cry-Baby's" you guys are....

(sorry bad joke this early in the morning, but couldn't resist)

[East Village]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:51am

I think disappointed expectations is a big factor. Folks on this board are big fans of Hairspray, Waters and HH and were excited to see James Snyder after the Bare recording. By the way, the bad buzz didn't start on this board -- I've been hearing backstage rumors for months from my friends in current shows that this Cry-Baby was something much less than the pleasant reviews from La Jolla made it out to be.

I'm seeing it next month with much lower expectations.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 10:05am

Cant wait to see it!

J*
Updated On: 3/21/08 at 10:05 AM

[dramadude]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 10:23am

Updated On: 4/25/08 at 10:23 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 10:59am

I'm looking forward to seeing it on the 29th. I liked the film, love John Waters, but mostly because I like to form my own opinions.

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 11:23am

Haven't seen it, but I might have to squeeze it in, just to see how bad it is.

(Although I'm already seeing Young Frankenstein, so I should be careful how many subpar shows I see.)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 12:17pm

East Village, HH??

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 12:20pm

I'll let you know tonight. Seeing it then. LOL.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 12:35pm

HH = Harriet Harris

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 12:36pm

Thank you!! I was thinking of a show not a person!

[westcoastdrama]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 1:34pm

BBBoy says: "But, man, those California critics are just happy to see new shows and will give good notices to just about anything - I bet the Cry-Baby folks thought they were in GRAND shape. "

I spend time on both coasts - I love New Yorkers, but you need to get a grip on reality. The blocks that make up BROADWAY culminate in a very small and narrow world - you don't have a lock on all things theater. In addition, the 2 major critics who originally reviewed the shows (Variety and LA Times) review Broadway shows all the time - for example, McNulty of the LATimes was the lead theater critic for the Village Voice.

As for the show, I am a Cry-Baby - have very favorable things to say about the show. And as for the direction, it seemed pretty seamless to me. Also, Grease may be in the pop lexicon, but this is a far more interesting and witty show.

I hope people go and see for themselves.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 2:50pm

Yup. I will see this show now for myself. I just watched the movie and I am looking forward to see the show. I will be seeing CRY-BABY & A CATERED AFFAIR next weekend, so expect a double treat of 10/10 Reports from me.

J*

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 3:07pm

Here lies the question: "Will it remain open long enough for me to actually get my opportunity to see this on 05.14?" I certainly hope so, consisdering I booked the tix LONG ago, y'know, when the buzz was actually 'POSITIVE' - Haha!

[WestVillage]

Posted: 3/21/08 at 3:21pm

Of course it will ... hardly anything closes quickly anymore. I think Cry Baby will go the route of Wedding Singer, it will have its fans and its detractors, and will probably close within a year, after the fanbase has been completely tapped.