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#51

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 2:19am

Back from Amelie at Berkeley Rep sunday night show

Summary

I really enjoyed it (especially considering its the second or 3rd time its ever been performed)

-very faithful to the movie;Samantha Barks, Adam Chanler-Berat, Tony Sheldon and the rest of the cast all gave very compelling performances. staging was story theater and gave sense of motion movement and flow. The score style reminded me a bit of Once in the musical style and instrumentation. It's one I would buy and listen to.

Im grateful they did not try to do french accents, so we could understand the lyrics, many of which were clever....

I think they are doing the right thing having it all in one continuous act...it keeps that sense of flow and motion

WARNING: they announced at the beginning if you get up from your seat once the show starts, you will NOT BE re-admitted and have to watch the rest standing in the lobby watching on a screen

(kinda wished I hadnt drank that second sparkling water with dinner)

there is also no orchestra pit...i was in the 3rd row and was about 8 feet from the actors who are front of stage, which is always thrilling....

Improvement ideas-

I would like to care about Amelie a bit more than I actually did...there was something more breezy and enchanting in the Audrey Tatau persona in the movie(its been a while)

There were only a few songs that were close to (but never quite made it to) showstopper status for me, where I just went WOW that was an incredible song/performance...

this show could really benefit from one or two numbers that really pop and stand out in a bigger way from from the rest.

there were a few good lines and laughs and I think culling out a bit more humor would be good for the show

They dont have good breaks at the end of songs...i think the audience wants to applaud and doesnt know when its the right time to...

I will likely go again near the end of the run to see what they change

This is a good and worthwhile evening at the theatre at this point that I believe can make it to broadway.

Its not a a blockbuster, but it can play and get reasonable audience

#52

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 2:44am

"What's the procedure like for meeting them after the show? I've never been there before, is it like a typical stage door?"

When you are in the lobby of the theatre, there is a courtyard all the way to the left side of the theatre. Go into the courtyard and all the way to the back (and left) there is a flight of stairs. The actors come down these stars. You'll be able wait for them in the courtyard. They all came out when I went.

I'm really glad to have read a few more opinions of the show. I've been having trouble processing the show and its positive/negatives, and you both have put into words some of the things I was thinking, but couldn't think how to say.

"I would like to care about Amelie a bit more than I actually did...there was something more breezy and enchanting in the Audrey Tatau persona in the movie(its been a while)
There were only a few songs that were close to (but never quite made it to) showstopper status for me, where I just went WOW that was an incredible song/performance..."

I thought the same thing. Samantha Barks is very good, but I wonder if she needs more time to settle into the role? It seems to me that she doesn't quite understand Amelie's quirkiness yet, but I think she's captured the emotional element beautifully. I was actually floored her performance in the emotional climax of the show, in a song which I believe is called "Stay." I thought it was beautiful and perfectly done.

I also think the character of Nino is more well-developed and three-dimensional in the musical than he is in the movie.

I also agree with ChairinMan that the narrative could use tightening, particularly in the beginning during her childhood, and I too noticed (after my initial review post), that many of the subplots were trimmed down significantly. We see nothing of Amelie's pranks of Collignon, or Lucien's dream of becoming na artist (though it is mentioned briefly). Most frustrating to me was with how they dealt with the father's storyline. They seemed to be going all the way with it, including the gnome, etc. But then they changed his decision to go out and travel, into a thrown-together love story between him and Suzanne. It accomplishes Amelie's goal in a different way, but it makes you wonder what the point of the traveling gnome was if it didn't inspire him to travel.

I also have a few particular things in mind that I think are ripe for the cutting, but none of them ruined my enjoyment of the show.

#53

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 3:12am

EDIT: my last post wasn't showing up for me, so I posted it again. Looks like the original message is visible now.

Updated On: 8/31/15 at 03:12 AM

#54

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 6:23am

It sounds like a fun show. I cannot wait to see it in nyc

#55

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 11:05am

wait -- has this been announced for new york?

"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

#56

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 11:13am

^Not yet.

#57

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 11:44am

thanks ... is that foreshadowing?

"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

#58

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 12:32pm

Yeah I think johnsmith2 was just assuming/speculating.

I think it's difficult to say at this point whether it will or won't. The show, while far from perfect, is not what I'd call a mess. It's a lot less of a mess than many of the things that DO transfer to Broadway. I think it mainly depends on whether they can get a theatre. There are lots of shows trying to transfer this season, and Amelie's later opening might hurt its chances. I certainly hope it does transfer, though!

#59

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 12:48pm

Do you have to see the movie first before watching the show? Or does it work well enough on its own?

#60

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 12:53pm

Lilly7 said: "Do you have to see the movie first before watching the show? Or does it work well enough on its own?"

I saw the show with a friend who had never seen the movie, and he really enjoyed it. As you can see, I and other posters have been talking a lot about how it compares to the movie, and judging the show by that. So you might actually enjoy it more if you go in blind? It's hard to say.

#61

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 12:59pm

^Thanks! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get confused or have hard time following along with the plot. I might try watching the show first and then viewing the film so I can judge it by it's own merits.

#62

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 1:21pm

Does it really sound like Once? (In my mind, that's not a good thing.) I'm interested to hear that it has a relatively short running time and yet there are things that could be cut. I wonder how much they're willing to work on changing the show. I would hope that they wouldn't abandon all the side characters entirely to build up the romance. I think Amelie's adventures apart from Nino gave the film a lot of its charm.

#63

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 1:30pm

"Does it really sound like Once?"

Personally, I didn't think it sounded like Once at all. I'd be curious to hear from broadwaysfguy, which songs reminded him of Once. As I said in my earlier post, it sounded much more like Tom Kitt or Brian Loudermilk to me.

EDIT: In response to the poster after me (I feel like I've been posting in this thread a lot so I figured I'd combine my responses into one post)

Of course you're correct, New York is not the same this as Broadway. However, I think it's not too presumptuous of me to say that this musical most likely has its sights on Broadway. It's a textbook out-of-town tryout, with its cast and creative team of Broadway vets. I know Berkeley Rep does lots of smaller works, but in the case of shows like this and American Idiot, it's clearly designed to be a larger-scale project. That isn't to say that it definitely WON'T play Off-Broadway, but I think this is a classic case of a Broadway-intended show doing an out-of-town run.

Updated On: 8/31/15 at 01:30 PM

#64

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 1:31pm

JBroadway, no snark intended, but "new york" does not equal "broadway". in fact, i actually would guess that, coming from berkeley rep, it would play someplace off-broadway first (though, that's not the predictable pattern it once was) -- maybe one of the non-profits like NYTW or Playwrights ... though many of their 15/16 seasons are set at this point.

(i assume this isn't being co-produced, or we'd already know the answer to the "what next" question.)

it will be interesting to see how this evolves, anyway -- i hope it has legs.

"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

#65

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 3:12pm

It's got a cast full of broadway vets, a reasonably recognizable star, and a tony winner in a supporting role and is based on a hugely beloved film. I'd say it has commercial ambitions.

#66

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 3:36pm

I think it's a cute show but not sure if Amelie film fans would be happy. Saw the show last night. If a person didn't watch the movie and see the show, you don't have anything to compare so maybe it's good. OTOH some episodes don't make sense if you didn't see the movie. BTW people either love the movie or hate it. It's a whimsical yet bit odd movie. So if you can't buy in the oddness, you'll be turned off. And the musical tried to focus on the whimsical part and left out the oddness.

I think the cast is solid no weak link except maybe Child Amelie (weak singing). There was no song list so I don't remember all the songs. I wish they had some tune that reminds you of this is taken place in France. Although I said the cast is solid, actually, Samantha may be a miscast for Amelie (but her singing was great). In the movie, since Amelie had a lonely childhood, she is introverted and has difficulty establishing/having a relationship, which makes her really vulnerable and very tentative about the boy (Nino). Samantha came out like she has a confidence in everything she does. I was thinking who would be a good choice for Amelie and I thought Olive in Spelling Bee would be like Amelie (lonely, has a parent issue, only dictionary is her friend etc). And Celia may be a good fit except Nino is the actor who was Peter in Peter and the starcatcher, so they would have to cast a different actor for Nino.

BTW the direction, especially in the beginning, reminded me of Peter and the starcatcher. I thought okay, this is that kind of musical, then when Amelie grew up, the direction toned down. They had a narration by different ppl but it was uneven too, it's like if the creator couldn't make a song to keep the story moving, they insert a narration. The set was pretty elaborated and the lighting/projection was good. I kept reading about this show is an ensemble piece, and sure enough, each ensemble member has their own number. But the title of the show isn't Quirky people at the cafe, it's Amelie, so I guess I don't think I agree with the concept.

I liked the photo booth mystery guy storyline and how it revealed in the movie (subtle yet effective) but in the musical, it was a led down how they revealed.

This show has more than a month of performances, so I'm sure they will tweak and tighen up. Then maybe I'll go back to see it again.

#67

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 4:00pm

It's got a cast full of broadway vets, a reasonably recognizable star, and a tony winner in a supporting role.

Who's the Tony winner?

Updated On: 8/31/15 at 04:00 PM

#68

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 4:44pm

it will be interesting to see what they do with this. especially with Pam's direction

Use my fabulous TodayTix code: JEYCY

#69

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 4:59pm

Does the stage show keep the Parisian setting? I remember there being a little bit of speculation.

Keeping BroadwayWorld Illustrated

#70

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 5:16pm

yes who is the tony winner. I am confused

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "It's got a cast full of broadway vets, a reasonably recognizable star, and a tony winner in a supporting role.

Who's the Tony winner?

#71

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 8:42pm

I think he meant Tony Sheldon, who is a Tony NOMINEE, and also has the name Tony :)

"In the movie, since Amelie had a lonely childhood, she is introverted and has difficulty establishing/having a relationship, which makes her really vulnerable and very tentative about the boy (Nino)"

I agree with you that it seemed kind of off, but I wonder if that was a deliberate character shift? The reason I think that, it because it's difficult to write for an introverted leading character in a musical. Maybe they wanted to make her more expressive while still afraid of emotional attachment. Just a thought, maybe I'm rationalizing too much.

"it's like if the creator couldn't make a song to keep the story moving, they insert a narration."

That also seems pretty deliberate to me. The narration was a big part of the movie, and it only made sense that they would have it in the musical, and it also makes sense that they'd choose to have much of the narration sung. I didn't feel like the sung narration replaced the actual songs, they just added a fluid sense that the songs were going right into one-another.

"Does the stage show keep the Parisian setting? I remember there being a little bit of speculation."

What do you mean? The story still takes place in Paris, though they don't hit you over the head with it with the design.

BTW, sorry if it seems like I'm posting in this thread too much. I just feel like, because I started it, and because only a handful of people on this board have seen the show, I should be active in the discussion surrounding it.

Updated On: 8/31/15 at 08:42 PM

#72

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 8/31/15 at 9:19pm

I recall the earliest reports hinting that it might take Paris out of the setting, a terrible idea they obviously didn't follow through with.

Keeping BroadwayWorld Illustrated

#73

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 9/1/15 at 12:18am

JBroadway said:

Amelie's traits and personality are the core of the movie. She is an introvert but does amazing/unbelievable thing because of her imagination. So if the creators deliberately changed her personality, then she is no longer "Amelie" at least not the girl in the movie.

#74

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 9/1/15 at 3:46am

I have no idea if this going to Broadway but hopefully it will

#75

Amelie at Berkeley Rep

Posted: 9/1/15 at 9:58am

jbroadway-love your posts and i think its one of the highest values of this group is to express opinions and ideas for new shows(you know the producers scan these boards and are on them)

With another days thinking on the show, I liked it more than my first take.

the observation that Amelies character as written for the musical (and played by barks) does not seem as shy and introverted (except for with her love interest) is one of the the huge differences from the movie and may be a cornerstone of what makes this production such a departure from the movie.

regarding the score, my observation that it reminded me of Once was probably a response to the style of music in Amelie sounding more contemporary singer/songwritery and more contemporary sounds for integration of strings. It does bear some similarly to Kitts style in If/Then, although IF/Then has several truly blockbuster songs and belter tunes designed im sure for Idinas pipes that are missing in this show.

The often used dream sequence song vehicle with fat Elton John was fun and added some variety, and the duet singing on opposite sides of the door was more memorable and played off the vehicle used in A Gentlemans guide and others. I again found the score enjoyable with clever lyrics

still wanting those one or two songs per show that just make me go "wow" that was incredible. But you dont always need them to make for a great show(A gentlemans guide for example)

I'm definitely going back for another watch mid-late september, and want to watch the movie again first.

remember to anyone not following all of these posts:

Amelie is one act 140 minutes and if you get up during the performance, you will NOT be allowed back in and must watch rest of show on a screen

Dinner alert-we ate at an italian place called Belli Osteria on shattuckk one block from the theatre and it was outstanding with fresh pastas daily, outstanding entrees(at $22 the duck breast was also very fairly priced) the gnocchhi was INCREDIBLE!

have fun at the show-LOVE having SF get a good premiere show and wish the best for Amelie.

Between Beautiful and American Idiot, SF bay has had some good luck for pre broadway showings!!!!

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