AMELIE to close on May 21- Page 2

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 8:48pm

Oh damn, that was fast.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 9:08pm

Not sure why anyone would attack you for that opinion.  This show has been slammed since it opened in LA. I would dare say most people on here would agree with your take on the show.

emo_geek said: "After I saw this in LA I was attacked on this board for complaining that the show didn't have any catchy songs in it. Now it's closing. My best to the cast and crew- some very talented players in there. 

 

"

 

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 9:09pm

You only have yourself to blame then.  This show has been attacked since it took its bows in LA.  Anyone who saw it in NY anyway and didn't like it, oh well.

Robert16 said: "Wish it had closed before I saw it 

 

"

 

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 9:32pm

Bummer that the show never reached it's potential due to crappy writing, but philippa is a great talent and will move onto other great things. 

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:42pm

i saw it in berkeley

it was just ok at best without any memorable songs and sonehow missing the pixie-ish charm of the movie

[Big Apple2]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:56pm

This is too bad. But this should not have opened on Broadway after its LA run. I saw this one coming after being disappointed with it in December. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:58pm

Big Apple2 said: "This is too bad. But this should not have opened on Broadway after its LA run. I saw this one coming after being disappointed with it in December. 

 

"You're right...I've been saying the same thing!

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:05pm

theatreguy12 said: "Not sure why anyone would attack you for that opinion.  This show has been slammed since it opened in LA. I would dare say most people on here would agree with your take on the show.

emo_geek said: "After I saw this in LA I was attacked on this board for complaining that the show didn't have any catchy songs in it. Now it's closing. My best to the cast and crew- some very talented players in there. "

 

I believe emo_geek was referring to a post I made, where I expressed irritation at his comment about the show now having any "hummable" melodies. As I said then, it's not that I object to someone disliking the score. I can understand how it might not appeal to everyone. But the "hummable" thing to me is just so shallow. 

if I recall correctly, emo_geek went on to quote Joe Josephson's line in Merrily about their score not having a hummable melody. I pointed out that Sondheim literally wrote that line to make fun of people like him. 

Sorry if I made you feel attacked, emo, but I stand by everything I've said. And your strangely gloating post in this thread does nothing but reaffirm my feelings. 

I know it's not worth anything at this point, but this show filled me with a lot of joy, and made me smile so much that it hurt. I agree that it had a lot of issues, and I certainly don't condemn anyone just for disliking the show. But I'm sad to see it go. I think they will do well when they put it up for licensing, however. It's a perfect show of schools and small regional theatres. 

[Soaring29]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:22pm

I saw one video of it on the Today show and it was just awful-  Judging from that, the film's evocative quirky quality has been replaced by mediocre commercialism. Wish the show could have been in French.

[6timesnyc]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:28pm

"I know it's not worth anything at this point, but this show filled me with a lot of joy, and made me smile so much that it hurt."

 

I would agree. We saw 7 shows; missing Groundhog Day because of AK's accident cancelling the matinee. While this wasn't groundbreaking, it was utterly charming.  Fourth in my list of favorites on this trip. I have listened to the tracks on YouTube over and over - and can't wait for  the release of the cast recording soon. I disagree with posts about the monotony of the music.  Grateful to have seen it. 

 

[Dysquith13]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:40pm

I could also see Pippa reprising her role as Natasha in The Great Comet once Benton leaves. It would especially cool if Oak was still there, giving us a little Hamilton OBC reunion.

[Dysquith13]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:40pm

I could also see Pippa reprising her role as Natasha in The Great Comet once Benton leaves. It would especially cool if Oak was still there, giving us a little Hamilton OBC reunion.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:43am

It should never have opened.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:54am

I quite literally slept through at least half of it in LA. I'm not gloating that it is closing (it was merely dull, not offensive), but I am puzzled why the producers thought it was ready for Broadway.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:10am

Yep there it goes, bye!!

[bk]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:23am

The press release was a lot more entertaining than the show - you know when the only quote they use in the release is from the nitwit Los Angeles Times critic, that something is awry somewhere.  The release would make you think the show had been the biggest success in the world.  Had this opened thirty or forty years ago the producers would have closed it in a week - or, back then, should I say producer in the singular - you know, when producing didn't involve thirty entities and a whole lot of ego, when a producer felt some responsibility.

 

[froote]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 2:28am

For those interested, they have released Stay from the cast recording which I really do think is a lovely song and the highlight of the score.

[Margo319]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 2:32am

It's unfortunate, but very expected.  It was a boring show, and I think they overestimated Phillipa Soo as a "star".  She isn't a huge, famous star.  She is well known in Manhattan, and starred in a huge show.   But, then she left the show, which is its own star.  I don't think most people said "Well, I love Hamilton so much, Ill follow her anywhere.".  

I wonder if she regrets not doing Great Comet, but it seems to me she loves creating new rules.  I wish her the best.  Maybe she will have time to have a beautiful wedding now!  

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 4:35am

Wow that was fast. Sad to hear but not surprised.

The reason the movie is good wasn't the plot, and based on what I've seen there was little attempt to make it as interesting theatrically as it was cinematically. And while catchy songs aren't necessary they do help. The "Times Are Hard" for dreamers song was rather forgettable and the other song they sung on the Today show had that boring contemporary MT sound.

Best of luck to everyone especially Miss Soo, I hope her next appearance is something as interesting as HAMILTON or COMET (I can't see her returning to either though).

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 5:07am

I understand wanting to originate a leading role on Broadway but .... AMELIE? Who ever asked for an AMELIE musical all these years after the movie?? She should have joined THE GREAT COMET... 

This is not a troll / dig but it seems that the cast of HAMILTON struck while the iron was too hot ... The buzz was for the show not its stars... I feel like BROADWAY was hoping they could carry their success to other shows / projects ... Alas...

She'll be fine... people like her ... But I find her voice a bit too nasaly so I hope she stays away from MY FAIR LADY...

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 6:38am

Skimbleshanks2 said: "Who ever asked for an AMELIE musical all these years after the movie?? She should have joined THE GREAT COMET... "

By that logic, who asked for a War and Peace musical 148 years later?

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 7:33am

haterobics said: "Skimbleshanks2 said: "Who ever asked for an AMELIE musical all these years after the movie?? She should have joined THE GREAT COMET... "

By that logic, who asked for a War and Peace musical 148 years later?

"

Also by that logic, who ever asked for your beloved Groundhog Day all these years after the movie?

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 7:59am

I just listened to "Stay" from the cast album and it has confirmed to me that it is absolutely the worst score of the season.  The lyrics are completely nonspecific and the orchestrations do nothing to suggest a Parisian setting.  The only good thing about this show was Soo, who I thought was perfect for the part.  I love the film, so much, so this whole beige project was very disappointing for me.

RIP Amelie. Good luck to the cast and I hope they all find work soon.

[newintown]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 8:10am

"It was a boring show, and I think they overestimated Phillipa Soo as a "star".  She isn't a huge, famous star.  She is well known in Manhattan, and starred in a huge show."

I would edit that to read "She is well known in Manhattan, among a relatively small group of unusually enthusiastic theatre fans."

I think that there are some who wildly overestimate the fame of musical theatre actors.

[froote]

Posted: 5/5/17 at 8:17am

As someone that is only known for theatre and hasn't done any TV or Film (unless we count a non-speaking background role in Smash), Soo is fairly well known. She has over 200,000 followers on Twitter and over 300,000 on Instagram. Compare that to her peers: Laura Osnes has 60k, Cynthia Erivo 40k and former Amélie Samantha Barks has 160k, despite starring in one of the biggest movies of 2012. The difference is just because people know someone doesn't mean they'll pay to see them in a weak show. The poor box office results clearly are to do with the negative reception towards the show itself and not to do with Soo.