AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Previews- Page 4

[Hest882]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:21pm

Ugh, now I'm so conflicted about whether or not to buy tickets. Christopher Wheeldon is my favorite choreographer so this seemed like a no-brainer when we were planning this NY trip. Ugh, ugh. If Broadway tickets were cheaper I might have just gone for it but the cost factor makes it a difficult decision.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 9:31pm

"The plot of the movie may be slim but it worked in it's own way."

It's been a while since I've seen the movie. Forgive me for the irreverence (not trying to offend anyone) but the way I remember it, Gene Kelly is an artist who spurns the attention of an older blond woman for daring to be older than him and wanting to support him with her largesse. He sees Lesley Carron at a club and pushes his attentions on her in spite of her embarrassment and clear rejections. He then stalks her to her job and annoys her into going out with him. There's an age difference but it's totally cool because it's less creepy than the age difference between her and her guardian. And then there's a really long, indulgent Gene Kelly ballet at the end.

How have they changed the plot?

[starcatchers]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:09pm

"Ugh, now I'm so conflicted about whether or not to buy tickets. Christopher Wheeldon is my favorite choreographer so this seemed like a no-brainer when we were planning this NY trip. Ugh, ugh. If Broadway tickets were cheaper I might have just gone for it but the cost factor makes it a difficult decision."

Do not let this board form your opinions for you. Wheeldon's work makes it worth the price of admission on its own, in my opinion, but ultimately it is your decision to go.

"Well, in the stage version things are rather muddled. Henri is indeed being pressured by his mother greatly to propose to and marry Lise. Why he's so nervous makes little sense, especially in light of revelations made later in the show. "

SPOILER, I guess:

Henri's mother says to him, "I fear your interests lie beyond the fairer sex," suggesting she thinks he's gay. Like Whizzer said, you never actually hear Henri break off his engagement to Lise (although it did happen on stage), so you never really get a resolution as to why.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:26pm

Editing my original post because it was a little too harsh. Apologies. Suffice it to say, VintageSnarker, I disagree with your take on the movie. You've got some of the details wrong, and as for those you've got right, I don't think they make all that much difference to what's ultimately a simple, fun, romantic story. But we'll have to agree to disagree.
Updated On: 3/15/15 at 10:26 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:58pm

VintageSnarker, regarding your comment "And then there's a really long, indulgent Gene Kelly ballet at the end."...

I understand that some people feel this way, but I happen to think the last 20 minutes of the film are genius. Those who love the film as I do are sure to agree.

Personally, I am looking forward to seeing this show (on April 4, BTW). While I adore the movie and count it among my very favorite films, I have always found fault with some of the storyline and felt it could be improved. That being said, I am not going to see this production for the storyline. I'm going for the dancing, which, in my opinion, is what makes the film so special.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 6:54am

I completely disagree that the (Oscar-winning Best Original) screenplay and story to "An American in Paris" are faulty or slight.

There is a lot of careful balance going on in a romantic story about a suffering artist living abroad after World War II.

Jerry Mulligan's interaction with the kids (in what may be the film's best song/number outside of the ballet "I Got Rhythm"), his interaction with his landlady, and the other patrons in the cafe, all serve to pull him out of his self-centered "pity party" about his dilemma being in love with "the right girl" vs. being used as a boy-toy by an aging dilettante (also bored, beautiful, and lonely) sugar-mama.

His scenes with Oscar Levant aren't just funny, but they give him a confidant and an artistic buddy as a sounding board----who also happens to be friends with Henri, making for an awkward and funny dynamic.

If Henri and Lise don't already love each other (or think they love each other), then it removes the complexity of emotions. If it's essentially an arranged marriage where neither one wants it, then where is the drama in breaking it up? Everyone involved is hoping for it to fail. The stakes aren't high at all.

And the rebuilding of France was always part of this story's setting, it just wasn't treated with a sledgehammer. The reality was that most people were hopeful in the late '40s and early '50s. They were anxious to rebuild, not sitting in the rubble feeling sorry for themselves. Again, self-pity doesn't play. It's an old cliche, but it's true.

I can't say I'm fond of any of these "improvements" to the story. They sound awful.

Updated On: 3/16/15 at 06:54 AM

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 4:10pm

OHHH SO ITS BAD??? what did i say??? I told you so!!! I have a feeling i'm going to be saying that a lot soon :) I thought it was HILARIOUS how you people were predicting this show would get a best musical nomination LOL

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 4:41pm

It will get a best musical nomination.

[jawjuhh]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 6:03pm

I saw this in Paris and thought it was boring as sin, I'm glad to see it wasn't just me. But I attribute that to the fact that I don't care for dance based musicals (I'm looking at you, Newsies) so I don't think I am the target audience.

[ryandl15]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 10:59am

Anyone know a run-time for the show??

[starcatchers]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 5:05pm

First preview ran about 2:45, but I think that was due to a long intermission.

[Daddy Warbucks]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 6:03pm

I have tickets and can't wait to see it. I'm sorta glad a few people on here have helped to lower expectations. For those who have forgotten, people on this board saw it at the fully sold out Théâtre du Châtelet run in Paris and came back raving; not to mention the raves it got from the international press.

Just as a reminder of why my expectations have been through the roof:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1078420#4607365

https://www.playbill.com/news/article/updated-read-more-reviews-of-broadway-bound-musical-an-american-in-paris-337174

[Pasdechat]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 3:53am

OK, I was one if thise raving after the Paris preview and kind of question my taste now after these several negative reviews... Maybe I have to blame Paris fpr infusing my senses (it was sizzeling that day...) it's hard to find any fault when being surrounded by such beauty. Seriously though, several reviews of the Paris run already questionned whether the show could succeed in NYC. For one, the supply of shows is of course ubiquious compared to Continental Europe, where simply nothing new really happens musical-wise, and if so, it rarely reaches the professionalism of "An American..." (Just its cast and crew are stellar here). Also the lightness and "old-fashioness" of the show probably appeals to European audiences more than American. So yes, I agree the story is light as can be and probably way too light for NYC, but It is still a great dance/ ballet musical and I've been missing that for a long time and have been well entertained. Maybe it is more suited for s repetory theater than a continuous Broadway run.

[bdn223]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 1:47pm

So I was at last night's preview and the show ran about 2:50, which would be fine if the show actually had a plot and or musical numbers that warrented that run time, but sadly it does not. Let it be known I have not scene the movie since I was maybe 5, so I barely remembered anything plot-wise, which only hurt the production even further, as one should not have to watch the movie to understand the plot.

I would blame book writer Craig Lucas, but although his book scene are trite, he is not the one picking out of the Gershwin catalog or even where to add dialogue, that blame belongs to Christopher Wheeldon and Rob Fisher. First and foremost I could see the Gershwin's rolling over in their grave for what Wheeldon and Fisher have done to their songs. Gershwins' catalog are the epitome big band and jazz standards, but for some reason Wheeldon and Fisher have decided to throw out the big band feel of all of their numbers outside of "Stairway to Paradise" and turn them into some overwrought melodramatic numbers. Then the Gershwin songs that are most associated with emotion, "But Not for Me" and "You can't Take That Away" are sung by Adam, the composer which the audience cares nothing about outside of the fact he is supposedly the narrator. I still cannot believe what Fisher and Wheeldon did to "I got Rhythm", as not only is it one of Gershwin's signature tunes, but it is also the song that made Ethel Merman, Ethel Merman. Then instead of using the song as a big production tap number as it is done in the movie, it is used to basically introduce us to Max Von Essen's Henri. Then on top of that Gershwin songs are more about emotion then they are about plot, which is why the books to the original Gershwin musicals have been essentially thrown out so that Joe DiPietro and Ken Ludwig could rewrite the books with much tighter plots that would allow the songs to bloom. There in lies my only real complaint for Mr Lucas, is that his book is so thin, the songs seem to be part of a musical revue rather than part of an actual fully fleshed out musical.

Back to Mr. Wheeldon, who one can easily tell this is his first musical. Yes his choreography is gorgeous, but it is nothing new and if anything it hurts the show more than it helps it. The problem is outside of Fidgety Feet the choreography never really builds into a fully fledged musical number, the choreography just happens. The purpose of adapting an existing piece into a musical or even writing an original musical is that the characters emotions are so strong, they must burst into song and dance to truly express themselves. Yes there are the big musical numbers that begin big, but for the most part they start as a single voice and over the course of the song more voices are added. The same should hold true for dance. Part of the problem may be the choice of doing the all of the choreography outside of Fidgety Feet and Stairway to Paradise in the style of ballet, where it is much harder to "build" a number rather than letting the ballet happen, but it is possible just look at On The Town. Wheeldon also decides to do away dance numbers that are not ballet outside of Fidgety Feet and Stairwell to Paradise. Then in regards to Stairwell to Paradise, which is done in soft shoe for some reason, despite the number begging to be an actual tap number, which is essential to any Gershwin show. Wheeldon clearly doesn't understand the purpose of dance in the musical theater setting, which is likely due to his ballet background. Wheeldon has deliberately decided to use ballet instead of words to tell the plot, which would be okay if this were a ballet in the style of musical theater, but this is a musical in the style of ballet. Everyone around me who had not seen the movie, was completely confused at the Act I closer, as there were clearly several plot points made, but we did not know what they were. Yes, the movie may have used ballet along with tap, jazz and other styles to tell the story but that does not necessarily work on stage. Don't get me started on the recreation of the 16 minute "An American in Paris Ballet" from the film, which probably worked because of the amazing set pieces used in the film, but is done with essentially a bare stage. Yes it was beautiful, but it did nothing for the plot and should have been shorted to maybe 5 minutes, or at least added several colorful sets to help tell the story to an audience who may not be familiar with ballet.

I could see a dancer or dance aficionado falling in love with this piece, as a great first step into the world of musical theater, but I don't see the show working in the opposite direction. Yes there are several great dansicals including On the Town, Pippin, Chicago, West Side Story, aka essentially anything done by Fosse or Robbins, or even the modern Newsies, but Robbins and Fosse, clearly understood that dance is there to help aid in telling the story or give emphasis to certain aspects of the plot, and not be sole plot device, otherwise the show would considered a ballet or dance piece rather than a musical/dancical. (I purposefully am not including Tharp as I consider Movin' Out, The Times They are a Changin' and Come Fly Away ballets with a musical sensibility).

Part of the problem may be that instead of having an out town tryout in a city that is accustomed to, or actually likes the style of the American musical, the producers for some strange reason decided to do a publicity grab by trying out An American in Paris in Paris, a city that is known to not enjoy musicals. Not only do you have to deal with book problems because there is a clear language barrier, but also the audience is known to appreciate a completely difference style of performing arts. Germany for example is known to love the American musical, so it did make some sense to use it as a launching pad for Rocky, but even Claude-Michel Schönberg Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, admit Paris is not the place to launch a musical.






Updated On: 3/18/15 at 01:47 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:08pm

This sounds like a steaming pile of uninspired "maudlin."

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 12:11am

I just got back from tonight's performance, which got out at 10:50 due to starting late and a long intermission, and bdn223 & Whizzer have said everything I was thinking.

The dancing is gorgeous. It's stunning. It deserves every bit of praise that it has been getting. There is nothing bad I can say say about the dancing. There was just a ton of it. I have not seen the film so I had no idea that this was really a ballet in the guise of a musical. Watching a twenty minute ballet sequence might look pretty, but damn does it stop the story. Especially when sitting up in the rear mezzanine. I assume it would play much better in the orchestra or front of the mezz. The book is extremely weak, none of the characters have any narrative resolution. I can't imagine how this plot could possibly be considered more in depth than the film.

I really can't see how this could have appeal to anyone unless you are a fan of ballet.

[loliveve]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 12:24am

^ I was there tonight too, and I agree that the dancing is gorgeous! I would not count myself as a huge fan of ballet, but I thought it was enchanting.

[Mr Smith]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 5:10am

Could it be the movie is so well regarded nothing could live up or be better than the movie. Like no one is going to do Citizen Kane because its too much to live too.

[Mr Smith]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 5:10am

delete Updated On: 3/19/15 at 05:10 AM

[Fan123]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 7:12am

I'm disappointed to hear these reports, particularly with regard to the show's plot. I'm one of those who sees the film plotline as being rather flawed. For those who have seen both the show and the film, would you say that there been any 'good improvements' at all to the plot/book? Personally I would hope a stage adaptation today would make Jerry less of a stalker, make the central romance more believable, and give the "peripheral lovers find out the truth" scenes more time and gravitas. In fact... if they didn't improve the romantic quadrangle execution, I think I'd actually want the show to end with Jerry and Lise apart. That would be too much of a downer for audience members who loved the film though.

Updated On: 3/19/15 at 07:12 AM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 8:44am

Just for the record: 'I Got Rhythm' wasn't a 'big production tap number' in the MGM movie of 'An American in Paris.' It's simply the great Gene Kelly doing a delightful tap routine, surrounded by adorable French kids.
'I Got Rhythm' from 'An American in Paris'

[loliveve]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 8:54am

Fan123- I don't think Jerry seems like a stalker in the stage production. And, at least in my opinion, the central love story was believable.

[juice23]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:39am

I was excited when I bought my ticket a few weeks ago, then became a bit nervous reading the reviews on this thread.

I attended last night's preview and was so glad that I opted to not be swayed by anyone else's opinion.

I had a wonderful time watching this show. I had a smile on my face for almost the entire performance, much in the way I did watching On The Town a few months ago.

The design was lovely. The scenic transitions were visually interesting and kept things moving. Obviously the dancing is the main draw, and I was in heaven. The technique and elegance displayed was stunning.

I would write a longer review, but my phone makes it difficult to type and my lunch break is over.

Please feel free to ask any specific questions of me. I wouldn't mind being someone on the positive end of the reviews in this case (not that I don't see where most of you are coming from. I respect the reviewers in this thread a great deal. Well-written and thought out... Mostly).

[starcatchers]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:52am

""You can't Take That Away" are sung by Adam, the composer which the audience cares nothing about outside of the fact he is supposedly the narrator."

Did they change this? When I saw it, it was sung by Adam, Henri, and Jerry.

[juice23]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:58am

It was sung by all three men.