AMÉLIE Previews — Page 6

Sigh. I wanted to like this one so badly. It's hard to be so critical of a show that's very sweet and harmless in what it aims to do, but man, it really doesn't do it all that well. 

The score is, as most have said, monotonous. Shockingly monotonous. It's literally the same tunes over and over again for 95 minutes, and they're not memorable tunes to begin with. The book is pretty generic and a bit sloppy at times. The direction is totally nonexistent. The design is okay (some of the projections were truly lovely), but nothing to write home about.

That said, Phillipa Soo can do no wrong. She's on the stage for about 90% of the show—and thankfully, too. Honestly, I might have walked out mid-show if Amélie was being played by another actress. Soo exudes both radiance and vulnerability, and her voice is just absolutely sumptuous. She's great in this role, but the role itself just is not a brilliantly written one like Eliza or Natasha. Either way, the maturity she conveys at 26—remember, people, she's 26!—is remarkable, and she can count on me as a sold seat for whatever her next theatrical endeavor will be (but I hope it's better than this one). 

I can't post this review without expressing my frustration over the show's ending. Why does it end with Amélie being gradually diluted into her relationship with Nino? Isn't the whole thing HER story? Shouldn't we get a final, grand number or say from HER as opposed to "we're together now, so...we'll see what happens! Bye!"? I found it to be one of the least satisfying conclusions to a show I've seen in a long time.

I really can't see this doing well with Tony nominations, unless Soo is able to grab a Best Actress nod (which I believe would be quite deserved). Extremely disappointed, but you can't win them all.

Updated On: 4/1/17 at 12:50 AM

It appears the same criticisms expressed by those including me during its pre-Broadway run in L.A. are now also being made to the Broadway show. That's too bad. These pre-Broadway launch are supposed to gauge audience reaction to further tweak a show. Looks like very little of that has happened here. Hopefully, this show still finds its audience. 

Do they have the photo booth in this theatre?  They did in L.A. And it was a nice touch. We got there early to have our picture taken. I'm glad we did because the line was long after the show.  It turned out to be a nice memento. 

mamaleh said: "Willie, what was your rush seat location?  Thanks."

I got to the Kerr half hour before curtain and got orchestra A111 

I caught this yesterday and generally agree with what most have said. I didn't think it was completely awful, but unfortunately most of what redeemed it was Philippa Soo, who I thought made the best of the material. I thought the score would work better as a concept album or with different direction, or something, because I didn't think it was necessarily bad, I just don't think it works with this whimsical direction that was went with. 

That said, the score does strike me as sort of breezy indie folk a la Sara Bareilles or Ingrid Michaelson, neither of whom I would have imagined penning a Broadway musical prior to last Spring. It's the kind of music that someone makes trying to be profound and ends up just being forgettable, lost in a sea of better versions of what it's trying to do (like Sara or Ingrid). Anyway, I did love the fig song. That was probably my favorite part. I think Heath Calvert plays Lucien well without careening into caricature. 

Hey all, long time lurker first time poster.

I saw this show on Saturday.  I went in with mild expectations, based on how well it was supposedly selling. This musical is the definition of a harmless, mediocre, and unmemorable show.  It is to be sure based on some really quirky material, but that quirkiness and mischievous charm of the film did not make the leap to stage.  The tone constantly shifted or fell flat, ie the random Elton John number. The stand out musical number form the otherwise forgettable score was the Haircut number. The rest of the score was bland and repetitive, given the pureness and power of Phillips's voice I was waiting for a really strong I want number or ballad, but never really got a definitive moment.  I really wanted to like the show and to be sure I did not dislike it per say, just was not impressed by it.  The geek chorus was my favorite part, these regular joes that Amelie affected by he actions were effective narrators, but were used sporadically and therefor not as effectively as they could have been. 

 

Overall repeating the sentiments I read here earlier, just a meh, bland show that took inspired and quirky original material and watered it down to something that is not charming, sort of sweet, but not memorable.

Ripped, I agreed with you until you said the score is better than War Paint.  Amelie's score is so brutally simple that the music is completely unmemorable.  It lacks any quirk or "Frenchness" about it.  War Paint has been criticized, in my opinion, unfairly, about it's score be unmemorable.  I must say, War Paint actually has a very complex and layered jazz score that I think will benefit from multiple listenings.  I think people will enjoy the score more after the cast album.

I actually did enjoy this...no, it isn't the best thing I have ever seen. But the cast does a good job, the set was fun to look at, and it had some funny material. It definitely has its charm.