22 shows in 16 days - the reviews! - part 3- Page 2
22 shows in 16 days - the reviews! - part 3
&OneForMahler
Understudy Joined: 6/27/06
#25re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/1/07 at 10:13pm
Wow, that's impressive. *applause*
I'm excited to read some reviews.
#26re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/2/07 at 11:31amwhere's the reviews??
#27re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/2/07 at 1:42pmlucky! I'm saving up for my MASSIVE theater trip this summer. I'm planning on 30 shows...I'm so excited
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#28re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/2/07 at 1:48pm22 shows and NO straight plays??? You even chose I HATE YOU, YOU'RE EXECRABLE, THIS SUCKS over a straight play? C'mon! Variety is the spice of life...give it a chance!!
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#29re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/2/07 at 2:08pm
I think Nath either got lost or has abandon us. 
Nath
Stand-by Joined: 7/3/05
#31re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 1:14am
THE REVIEWS!!! - part 1!
OK BEEN INSANELY BUSY GETTING MY LIFE BACK IN ORDER, but am back now and here are the first few show reviews (in brief!)
Colour Purple-
ok this was our first broadway show so it had a bit of an overwhelming-oh-my-god-i-can't-believe-we-are-here feeling over it.
I really enjoyed the show, however I felt that it had pace issues and flew over scenes/moments when I think more time could have been spent developing relationships between teh characters-esp in Act 1, I also felt at times the show was over sung- or excess singing, and too much emphasise placed on developing a good gospel sound as opposed to furthering a character or teh plot which made teh show feel heavy at times.
My best on ground award goes to Gavin Gregory (who was an understudy!) as Harpo who I felt really worked the material as opposed to letting the material work him... don't know if that makes ANY sence...
hmm these maybe long...
Hairspray - 2pm matinee show
ok I LOVED this show, the energy, the clever use of set and ensemble to move scenes and pace the show, can clearlt see why thsi show is still kicking. Was so dissapointed by the actor playing wilbur, Cornie Collins and i thought teh van tussles were very 'blah'. But everyone else seemed to cover their misgivings- Best on ground went to Diana DeGarmo... OMG! she was sensational!! such a great part!
*side note* was a particularily good looking audience which added to my enjoyment :) lol
Drowsy Chapperone
ok so this show remained in my top 5 shows for my entire tripped. I loved this show! Such a clever 'adult' musical which doesn't take itself to seriously. I came to this show diesing to see Sutton perform, her ebing teh draw card loving the man in the chair. He was amazing! how is this show going to cope when he leaves? Loved teh set, the costumes, teh script, and while the music isn't the most amazing is perfectly suited for teh show.
I did however love Sutton, plain to see she is a true star, and yes I nearly jumped out of my seat when she came on... very very exciting...
Spring Awakening - 2pm
another show that remained in my top 5 shows from the trip. I was sceptical about thsi show -the whole 'the new rent' did nothing for me, because I don't like rent! But thsi show is far superier to Renbt in its direction, staging, content and delivery. Loved teh whole potrayl of teen angst, and how it pushes you to think about other perceptions, and your theme song might be different form someone elses but then again it might not.
Wasn't the biggest fan of teh score if taken outside teh show, but in context found the whole experience amazing.
Chorus line - 8pm
what can I say. proved why this was such a succesful show. ok slightly dated now, but still a fantastic experience. My main crit would have been that some of the characters (or the actors potrayl) were a tad weak, and I think this would have been pushed higher on my list with more focussed and intense 'acting'.
*his show need an interval, I'm sorry, I'm tall and I hate sitting in theatres because teh seats are so uncomfortable!!
ok that ens part on, will type some more up later on! let me know if you want more/less detail etc etc etc and apologies for spelling and bad grammar... :)
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#32re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 1:15am
Yay! I am printing these out and using them for my nightly reading material.
lol.
Can't wait for the rest to come! 
Edit: I understand spelling and grammar mistakes but, do they spell "the" differently in Aussie? Perhaps it's spelled, "teh?"
neddyfrank2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/05
Nath
Stand-by Joined: 7/3/05
#34re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 1:26amlol nope its me typing to quickly and hitting the e before the h... constantly :) sorry!
#36re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 9:58amCan't wait for the rest of the reviews! (Curious about the Wedding Singer)
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
gumbo2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/21/05
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#39re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 11:41am
Especially Avenue Q!
Nath
Stand-by Joined: 7/3/05
#40re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 6:38pm
part 2-
The Wedding Singer (final show!)
REally enjoyed the show, but can kinda understand why it wasn't succesful. Found teh book really weak, and the jokes obvious and predictable(to a point where you knew what the next joke was going to be). REally enojyed teh score and the enetrgy in the chorey though!
What made the experience fantastic was that it was closing and there was an amazing buzz in teh audience and constant cherring etc etcetc so that was fantastic- hilarious american teenagers in the audience (especially one who nearly cried when the souvenier stand had run out of keyrings) also made the experience mroe enjoyable! lol
Forbidden Broadway
Hilarious show as I thought it would be, the audience was so dead (prob hung over it was new years day!). Was so glad I was able to see this show- hilarious Chicago and Mary Poppins skit were my fave.
Jersey Boys
Firsly great theatre!
Good jukebox musical, prob one of teh best i've seen, but still these shows don't do it for me. leads were amazing but found the ensemble so boring and lacked energy. All aside was a great production.
I love you you're perfect now change - 2pm
Ok I hated this. Only reason we saw it was because my friend are in production in aus coming up and wanted to see it, and i'd never seen it so thought it would be good. But it was sooo boring, all the jokes were lost and I think I napped during the 2nd act for a while... oops...
Mary Poppins - 8pm
wow... okj this was a spectacular. A big brassy lavish production in teh most beautiful theatre I have ever been in. Stunning. From teh 3 storey house to the lavish costumes and sets. Best on ground went to Bert, so charismatic and funny!
Def one of my top shows. Enjoyed the Mary Poppins actress but found her accent a littler 'american-english' which clashed with some of teh real english accents on stage. As far as the show/book goes I wasn't a fan of how dark the story turned at times, esp when Mary kinda turned into a witch and banished the nanny to 'hell' was an odd moment... but its mary poppins and I was as excited as a kid in a candy store :)
more to come!!
Julian2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
#41re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/3/07 at 7:29pm"teh" seems to be a Canada-Australian thing, because frontrowcentre does it all the time.
Roger246
Featured Actor Joined: 3/4/06
Zeitoujo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/3/06
#44re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/4/07 at 9:43amgreat reviews. im glad you enjoyed drowsy- its an amazing show!
#45re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:56pm
Thanks for the great reviews NATH!
That was quite a whirl-wind of theater-going on your visit!
Cheers to you for all the planning involved, and being able to get tickets for all of these during the holidays!
Incidentally, I have to chuckle about the whole "teh" thing, as I do it too quite often! HAHA! In my cae, it's because I am not a "typer" by any means, and it comes more naturally to hit the "e" before the "h" for some reason.
In any event, on boards like these, content is more important than spelling anyway!
Looking forward to teh rest of teh reviews! :)
neddyfrank2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/05
#46re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/4/07 at 3:00pm
I wasn't a fan of how dark the story turned at times, esp when Mary kinda turned into a witch and banished the nanny to 'hell' was an odd moment.
Mary didn't turn into a witch, that was a different character.
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#47re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/4/07 at 6:15pm*Eagerly waits for the Avenue Q review*
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#48re: 22 shows in 16 days
Posted: 2/4/07 at 6:24pmI'm waiting for the Altar Boyz review. I LOVED it when I saw it on tour.
Nath
Stand-by Joined: 7/3/05
#49re: 22 shows in 16 days part3!
Posted: 2/6/07 at 2:58am
part 3 -
Wicked.
what can I say everything I expected. having known teh cd back to front, loved the book (I am dissapointed in teh changes from book to stage esp the ending but I did know about these before seeing it and thats a whole other discussion) twas very exciting to finally see the show.
Firstly I love that this theatre has a foyer! so few broadway theatres do! Glinda was awesome, Fiyero was awful (did he do a singing audition??) and the elphaba warmed on me. Such a great show.
Spamalot.
ok thsi was one of teh biggest dissapointments of teh trip. Felt like I had missed teh joke the whole time... and to top it off was crushed that Marin Mazzie was off thsi night (and it was friday evening! what the??). Seemed like the show would have been fantastic with the original cast, but since then everyone is just trying to emulate the originals without bringing their own take to the parts.
this show easily fell into the bottom of my list!
Company (2pm)
this show had my 2 fave moments on Broadway - ladies who lunch and being alive... yes I cried... (1st and only) Raul was stunning!
ok I completely appreciated the concept of the actors playing the instruments-and it was done well- but I didn't quite get teh point, didn't understand how it furthered the characters or the story. very intsresting but I didn't quite get it!
Tarzan.
ok first 20seconds were the best 20secs I saw on Broadway... the next 2.5 hours were the worst! Boring set. odd costumes, mundane songs. Got over the 'flying' very quickly, got over seeing teh harnesses and ropes and safety lines. def the worst disney show out there (and to top it off tarzan wasn't 'ripped' enough! lol)
oh I loved this theatre... loved the tiering of teh orchestra, had fantastic seats!
more to come...
ps teh means the I am a lazy typer (and no it is not a crazy aussie thing just me being lazy!)
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