Am I wrong to have no interest in "Finding Neverland"?

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 3:34pm

It just doesn't appeal to me. But if someone can change my mind, more power to you!

[JonahKost]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 3:39pm

I'm seeing it in the beginning of May and it sure will be interesting. It has been getting a lot of controversy because of Harvey Weinstein. It also got a mixed out of town try out, but I'm really excited to see it. I chose it over Something Rotten, just to let you know.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 3:42pm

^Plus it should be interesting to see how much has improved with the past six months.

[dave1606]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:02pm

I really did not care for this at ART, but I'm curious to see how much it has changed. Paulus's direction was a real disappointment for me on this one, but maybe with a bigger budget it will improve.

[JMPlayer6]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:07pm

No one is wrong not to be interested in any particular show. If you are not, then you are not. So just don't go.

I saw this show at ART and will be seeing it on Broadwa, too. But that's just me.

[LeTigre]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:16pm

They mangle and flatten the story of Barrie, dumb it down,
ridiculous cheesy pop score. Some of the staging is cool,
however.


Updated On: 3/13/15 at 04:16 PM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:30pm

I'm with JMPlayer6. If you're not interested, then don't go. But like him, I am planning a return visit.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:34pm

Oh Jesus, its a musical, not a Supreme Court nomination or the last lifeboat to leave the Titanic. Perspective!

That said, go see everything. If its musicals you like, you've got to see them all. I paid good money to see disappointments like that Beach Boys Juke Box Show (Did it even have a formal title?), Saturday Night Fever and Vampires. Long ago I saw Ari (Exodus as a musical), Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen (Teahouse of the August Moon as a musical), an original called Halloween directed by Albert Marre with music by Mitch Leigh (both of whom did La Mancha) that closed on the road and any number of other turkeys that taught me more about musical theatre than some major hits ever did.

So, while having no desire to see Neverland does not make you a bad person, go see it anyway.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:36pm

To each their own opinion. I am picking Something Rotten over this show for my NYC trip in May

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:36pm

I did like the show in Boston, and I would like to see it again on Broadway but there are so many other shows I want to see this season (Fun Home, Something Rotten, The King and I) that I'm not sure I can fit it in but I'mm excited to hear what changes have been made, for better or for worse.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 4:54pm

Oh, good lord. If you don't want to see it, don't see it. Who cares. Plenty of shows I have no interest in...why do I want to be convinced otherwise?

[Back Row]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 5:06pm

I liked the show in Boston. I think I described it at the time as "an enjoyable night at the theater". I wasn't bowled over by any particular element of it (other than some of the staging, and Michael McGrath's performance), but I did enjoy it. Given the amount of competition it will be facing at Tony time, I would be shocked if it earned many (if any) nominations, because the score does not give the performers many opportunities to shine. The big moments in the show are a result of the staging, not the music. Still, I think the show will eventually be a commercial success. Harvey's deep pockets will keep it open long enough for it to find its audience, and once that happens, it should do fine. If I was making choices as to what shows to see in the Spring, I would put a lot of other shows ahead of FN on the list, not so much because they are potentially that much better, but because, with Weinstein footing the bill, FN is almost certainly going to be around as long as it takes to find its audience. Some of the other shows will not have that luxury.

[rcwr]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 5:14pm

No one's ever wrong not to want to see a show.

That said, he's my own viewpoint on FN, only because I haven't heard many other people saying this: I find FN (as it was in Cambridge) to be teeming with contradictions (about what is grief, and who can feel grief, and what does the concept of childhood even mean) -- and those contradictions make it "meaty" imo. Interesting and layered.

That's my Cambridge viewpoint. Anything may have changed.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 5:27pm

No you aren't wrong if it does not appeal to you. If you don't want to see it, don't see it. Simple as that. If you are on the fence about it still, go watch the movie and see if you like it.

[rcwr]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 5:34pm

If it would help your decision to hear some full songs -- assuming you don't mind that we don't know whether there have been key changes for Bway, and that the male lead singers aren't the same singers as in this bootleg -- someone linked these here from tumblr. (I"m sorry I forget who did that, but I'm grateful to them! Thank you, tumblr linker person!)

"Neverland"
http://magalamb.tumblr.com/post/112068745286/peterllewelyndavies-neverland-from-finding

"Stronger"
http://magalamb.tumblr.com/post/112068722626/peterllewelyndavies-stronger-from-finding

"All That Matters"
http://magalamb.tumblr.com/post/112068639956/peterllewelyndavies-all-that-matters-from-finding

Updated On: 3/13/15 at 05:34 PM

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 6:36pm

"I paid good money to see disappointments like that Beach Boys Juke Box Show (Did it even have a formal title?)"

It was called "Good Vibrations".

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 7:18pm

Watch the Movie instead, at least that you can turn off.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 7:42pm

There's plenty of other things to see. Why see a show that doesn't appeal to you?

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 8:10pm

Thanks for everyone's input.

For the record, I try to go to as many shows as possible, sometimes even those I'm iffy about. But right now there's no way I'm going to be able to see everything new before the Tony nominations, or probably even before the Tonys. This is one I'll probably put on the list for later.

[temms]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 8:20pm

I've always found it odd that musical theatre fans seem to think everything should appeal to them. Movie fans don't think that every movie that gets released should be for them, music fans don't think that every single band releasing music should be marketing to them (okay, some do) - but there's this idea that there is one monolithic audience for all Broadway Musicals.

Years ago I moved to NYC with the intention of seeing everything just so that I could say I saw everything and have an "informed" opinion about it all. Then life got in the way and I started missing things here and there and realized that my life was no worse off. More and more I don't see things that don't appeal to me, and surprise, I find I have a higher batting average of liking what I see.

I'm all for expanding out of your comfort zones, but I have lots of good friends with great taste in things and I'm far more inclined to listen to their recommendations. I also have zero interest in Finding Neverland and have no plans to see it, and the same goes for several other Broadway offerings this Spring.

I still take chances on things, but I also have a good sense of what I like and what I don't and whose opinions I agree with and so forth, and everything suggests to me that Finding Neverland is not for me. I wish it no ill will, but I'll be spending my limited time and money at things more exciting to me, of which there are several this Spring.

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 8:53pm

Well said!

And with ticket prices today, it's the only practical approach, especially if you're not rich or don't have the time or patience for rush tickets (I'm not even sure how that works).

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 11:14pm

No, you aren't wrong as I have no interest in seeing Finding Neverland either and I am seeing Fun Home again, Rotten, The Visit, King & I and An American in Paris.
I already saw On The 20th Century and OTT.
Also, NOT seeing GIGI, It Shoulda Been You or Dr. Z.

[TasteofCyn]

Posted: 3/14/15 at 1:42am

I was over the moon when I heard this was being adapted, as I am a big fan of the movie. I'm heading to New York (from LA) in a couple of weeks and have to make a decision on whether or not to see it. As I'm on the fence and having not heard raving reviews, I'm probably going to skip it! There's so many other musicals out there to go to, no need to be interested in them all :)

Maybe FN will find its way over here.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/14/15 at 4:31am

Well, there have been many people that raved about it.

[SharoninB]

Posted: 3/14/15 at 4:43am

I hope for it to be good otherwise no NYT for me