Addams Family as of Late

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 9:13pm

How has Addams Family been? Any better?

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 10:07pm

wasn't much better last night - reviews should be up later tonight.

[theatreboi11]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 10:13pm

Wasn't good on Sunday.

[darquegk]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 11:55pm

Has anything been changed since opening?

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:00am

I love it. Are you expecting Sonheim or R&H? it's not gonna live forever in infamy but it's a fun, moving, hilarious show with great music and great moments. It's a lot better than most crap we've had in the last few years. And while settling is not something I like to do, you can't always expect perfection and earth moving shows. Those come only every so often. When something so young in it's life is already so promising you have to be grateful that theatre is still being created and we're not getting another jukebox musical or yet another movie straight to broadway show.

JMO, and this is my champagne induced rant

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:04am

I love Sonheim! Not such a big fan of R&H. Love Nathan and Bebe and Jackie and Kevin.

Is Addams Family the show for me?

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:08am

excuse me, Sondheim*.

and if that was making fun of me it's a fail. I don't care. I liked it.
No, Wicked is not my favorite show (neither is Rent for that matter) I don't worship at the altar of Idina and I'm over the age of 16. But I do love musical theatre, I am a performer myself, and see at least 30 shows a year, and I DID enjoy Addams Family. That is all.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:12am

I was just being goofy. I'm looking forward to it and agree with you that this is a super stupid thread and thread title.

"as of Late"

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:20am

And hating Idina is not an admirable thing, really, particularly if you saw her in SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE in which she was magnificent. But Lachiusa may not be your "thing". And she was quite good in the final previews of WICKED, whatever problems the show itself may have. That's all.

P

P.S. Lachiusa certainly showed Lippa who was boss with the dueling WILD PARTIES, as far as I am concerned.
Updated On: 12/10/09 at 12:20 AM

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 12:21am

Good Namo, I didn't think you were one of the meanies on this board. (Yes, I just said 'meanies', I've had a bunch of champagne, ahhaha!).

And yeah, there are definitely like, 5 Addams Family threads. Which is funny since only us folks in Chicago are seeing it, and there are all of like, 5 people in Chicago on this board.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:15am

Will there be reviews tonight? I saw it last night and I am sorry but while I was not expecting the next Kiss of the Spiderwoman (my fave), I had a tough time with this show (as I've mentioned in another thread). I hope they are rethinking some of the way they are using the chorus, some of the songs, and plot.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:25am

I'm late to the game on this show but what exactly has changed from the moment it went in front of a public audience to now if at all?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:48am

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/12/the-addams-family-at-oriental-theatre-in-need-of-more-family-time.html

Chicago Trib's review...

[Act4ever]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:55am

there's a short video montage on that site as well

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:56am

"Such charming little moments are all too few. The show is hijacked by Addams behaving weirdly (i.e. normally) and characters who aren't part of the family."

I think this sums up everything those of us with "issues" have been trying to say. I also agree with his assessment of the "ancestors".

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 1:58am

And that's the one good song in the score! No joke!

P

[averagebwaynut]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 2:40am

And from the Sun-Times...

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1930909,addams-family-musical-review-121009.article

I'll report back after I see the show this weekend, but this gives me a good deal of hope...certainly more than I had after reading the passionate naysaying that seems to be dominating these boards.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 3:01am

Bebe looks slighty preggers in the video...

She needs some Spanx.

Posted: 12/10/09 at 11:06am

Diva, she's playing a woman terrified she's getting old and unattractive. i wondered if they padded her actually....

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 4:14pm

Strange way to pad her...

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 4:41pm

Everything the Tribune said is exactly what I've been trying to articulate.

[averagebwaynut]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 5:57pm

Gavin,

I would agree that Chris Jones shares your sentiments about the use of (or lack of necessity for) the ancestors and shares some of your concerns about the need for even more of the Addams-esque tone and humor.

That said, unless you're revisiting your earlier sentiments, I'm not sure how you can claim solidarity with the Trib's review – to wit:

You said:

– “Addam's Family is pandering, thinly-plotted (and predictable), and the score is completely forgettable.

– It's a pandering, forgettable bore that wastes the talents of immense performers.

– It is simply uninspired material and I can't even see many regional theaters wanting to mount it.

– It should have been more ambitious in its conception, and simply more fun.

– Lippa has lost it, fo sho.

– It's a weak show, not an embarrassment, just not up to the standard of a big-budget star-headlining Broadway musical.

– The lack of an exciting score undermines everything--without a stronger book the show is doomed, I fear.

Chris Jones writes:

– And it's clear that all involved here...are at pains to create a weighty, original and iconoclastic show, as distinct from campy, self-aware, derivative schlock. Very laudable. Nobody could accuse this ambitious, visually rich piece of taking the cheap way out.

– there are some deliciously amusing moments, many from Lane, who enhances all he performs. His narrator role remains half-baked, but Kevin Chamberlin's very droll and juicy Fester has splendid physical set-pieces, including one that literally sends him to the moon.

– That number, “In the Arms” (of a squid) works nicely, as do some of Lippa's multi-layered songs, including a hummable Wednesday/Lucas rival-duet called “Crazier Than You” and Fester's “Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love.” But the uneven score desperately needs at least one lighter comic ditty, and (more problematic yet) it lacks a real tour-de-force number for Gomez (“Happy/Sad” is too mild, just as “Second Banana” works against Morticia).

– There is integrity and originality aplenty.

This is why I noted last night that after Chris Jones' review, and Hedy Weiss's rave, I was far more encouraged than I had been from reading the postings here in recent weeks (many by you and Pgenre). But if you in fact are more in the Chris Jones camp, perhaps you're not quite as down on the show as you seem to be. Chris definitely seems to have issues with the show, but it seems to me that he is hopeful the shortcomings can be addressed in the four months the show has until it opens on Broadway -- so perhaps you are too?

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 7:11pm

Aaaaaaaw snap! You just got F'd in the A!

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 7:28pm

I was speaking generally about the larger problematic issues Chris mentions. I didn't feel the need to go through it bullet point by bullet point. I apologize for not being specific. Most of what he praises I disagree with, but I can see what he means. I think Nathan and Kevin's performances might appeal to someone not me.

I don't see how our opinions drastically differ, really. I think the set is great, but doesn't serve the show well. The show is well produced. It isn't vulgar or embarrassing, it's just weak and lacking in inspiration. Lane has charisma, sure, but he was Nathan, not Gomez. (Though that swing-set scene was one of the few charmingly sincere moments between characters, upon reflection)

I think if an Addams Family musical is to be made then it should be exceedingly better than what is at the Oriental right now. If the show was just more "fun" I could forgive a lot of the flaws, honestly. I know it is not trying to be an intellectual masterwork. The pandering jokes stick out like a sore thumb because they don't have any other Addams-based humor to compete with.

I praised "In the Arms of a Squid," as well in previous comments. It was so weird I couldn't help but take notice. And I've sung it to others, in part, when recounting the show. Javert singing about tentacle sex? Ok, I'm intrigued.

The rest of the score is forgettable, though, that is where Chris and I differ, I suppose. But, yeah, I largely agree with his criticism. So sorry our comments do not align to perfection. Ugh, "Second Banana" is pure awful and seems so far away from Morticia.

Lippa HAS lost it, btw. I guess "Crazier Than You" was alright if I had to choose a second song that had some impact. Wednesday also had a song near the beginning that was short, sweet, and might grow on me with repeated listening. "Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love" is too generic to comment on.

(Also, keep in mind I saw it in previews. Who knows what changes have occurred or how the cast may be energized for opening night, etc..)

Should I see In the Heights when it comes around? What might it be compared to?

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 12/10/09 at 11:21pm

on a similar note, has anyone rushed this show? How is the line?