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#251

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/9/11 at 10:34am

Saw the show last night.....

After seeing the show in Tampa '09, Houston '10, B'way 1st Preview, and again last night.....here are my conclusions.

This is a show for the tourist & family audience. It's light, entertaining, short, & fun with catchy music that can sometimes be generic - which in my opinion, most "catchy" music is generic. Wonderland is by no means high art or what I would consider a NY show. I think there are some great moments and things happening in the show but yes, there are holes & moments you tilt you're head at as well.
However, I think this newest version of the show is the best one yet. It seems the most complete. I've never experienced a show change so much through all it's inceptions....especially since the 1st preview. Since then, it seems the new creative team was hard at work trimming the excess fat (i.e. cringeworthy lines) and beefing up the things that needed it.
I enjoyed it. Yes, it's mindless fluff and has some flaws but it's entertaining and charming at times also. And the voices in the show are incredible!
I have no feel for how the show will do in NY as far as a run is concerned. I do expect it to get mediocre reviews at best so we'll see. What I do know is that there is a place on Broadway for this kind of show to exist & this is the 1st real family, kid friendly show to open in a while...since Shrek maybe? Time will tell.....
#252

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/9/11 at 12:56pm

this is the 1st real family, kid friendly show to open in a while

That's true. There were a lot of little kids there last night and judging by comments I heard on the way out, they seemed to really enjoy it. The little girl behind me really loved it, as did her family.
"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"
#253

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 12:01am

Just got back, and can tell you, show was definitely NOT frozen-- (or might be now, but a ton of very obvious changes since last week)

The opening projections are still changing, and there are now pre-show "sound effects" (to go with the preshow screen projections)

The opening dialogue between Chloe and Edwina is totally different- same with the dialogue between Chloe/Aice and Alice, right before "Once More I Can See"-

Few different lines.... Alice now adds an "Am I Being "Punk'd" line during the "Drink Me" scene-

The dialogue between the White rabbit and Alice during the "turn back timne" scene is different- (Alice doesnt say the lines "in reverse" anymore

The "Knights" now come out for another dance during "Together", and the March Hare now asks Jack if he can be part of their "boy band" after the song.

Unfortunately, "Allstate" still there !!!

Probably more that I cant remember due to lack of sleep !!!
#254

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 12:41am

Just got back. I like and see everything. I hated this. I didn't get it. I didn't care. The only positive part was Karen Mason's Queen of Hearts. Second act bored me. The people behind me cheered ....but when it was over. Kids liked it. That's it. Don't see it.
#255

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:01am

Wait...bit confused. Were the people behind you that were cheering kids?

Looked like a pretty nice ovation tnite overall, and most of the people around me seemed to be positive about it-

Definitely not for everyone (what show is?), but definitely not just for kids.

#256

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:10am

Wow Isinger2, interesting & to the point.
Testing, the show was apparently "frozen" (a relative term these days) this past Friday so of course it's different than when you saw it last week.

I say that "frozen" is a relative term because directors & choreographers will come in years after a show has opened and change things here and there......nothing super drastic like changing plot points, but still. I know for a fact that the Broadway company of Billy Elliot changed parts of it's choreography once the tour had been put up. The choreographer implemented changes done on the tour into the Broadway show. Anyhow, that's my point....."frozen" doesn't really mean FROZEN anymore.
#257

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:18am

WORSE THAN 'WOMEN ON THE VERGE.'

WORSE THAN 'RAIN.'

WORSE THAN 'SPIDER-MAN'!!!!!!!!!!

In my history of theatre-going, WONDERLAND was the most painful show I had to sit through. I bolted out of there so far, headed straight home and downed a bottle of wine.

The "moral" of the show is very clearly defined, however the journey has ZERO to do with the lesson! It's confusing, doesn't make sense, is pointless and worthless. The lyrics as amateur as is the book, choreography, and staging.

Costumes were OK, the best being the Queen of Hearts and some of the Mad Hatter's. Projections were welcomed but paled in comparison to the brilliant use in other recent productions that were better achieved. The actors made the most of the material, I sympathize with every single one of them.

Boy Band song made you stop groaning for a few moments. Song at the Tea Party introducing the Mad Hatter will be the one performed at the Tonys (IF they get to perform!), and the musical theatre references in the Queen of Heart's first song made me long to see ANY of those shows instead.

Mason and Shindle were the only ones able to provide enjoyable moments in the show, especially Mason. That little girl playing Chloe can SING -- I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more from her.

In closing,

A WASTE OF TALENTS.

A WASTE OF MONEY.

A WASTE OF CREATIVITY.

A WASTE OF A THEATER.

A WASTE OF TIME.

Whatever you do -- DON'T be curious about this show. Just skip it altogether. Avoid it at ALL costs. I'd rather microwave a pile of doggie diarrhea and slurp it down as a soup than to EVER go back to see this show.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#259

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:12am

The opening projections are still changing, and there are now pre-show "sound effects" (to go with the preshow screen projections)

The pre-show 'sound effects' existed on Tuesday this week, I noticed them then, just realized I never mentioned them here.

Changes I noticed between Tuesday and tonight, besides the ones you mentioned:
- The Queen now does the pre-show announcement
- Through the Looking Glass: 1- the Looking Glass now appears later in the song than it used to (right? I'm not imagining this?) 2- the new Alice lyrics, the "Hatter! If you dare to touch a single hair on Chloe's head..." part, that was definitely new. 3- Alice gets the final "through the looking glass" line solo again.
- the characters/words on the screen during the entr'acte: the dancing characters during Welcome to Wonderland, the words to Home during Home, the animated looking glass during Through the Looking Glass (I really don't remember these existing on Tuesday)
- I really love the new setup of only two scenes, not three, breaking up I Will Prevail.
- the "I am that Alice and I wish to make a theatrical entrance" line is gone (still has the projection with the word "theatrical" though, with a different joke from Rabbit)
- small change in dialogue with Lewis Carroll during I Am My Own Invention
- yay the ballerina's still there
- more El Gato/invisibility stuff added during the jail scene (also, if you're sitting far enough house left during this scene you don't see the Rabbit pulling the lever to raise Alice; she kind of just appears out of nowhere)
- small additions to the dialogue before Home (Reprise) (also, new Playbills, with Home (Reprise) officially listed, no more Heroes)

I was sitting next to a group tonight that had seen it in Houston who were seeing the Broadway version for the first time, so it was fun to do an intermission comparing of notes on the various versions of Worst Day of My Life, and the new songs, Hatters, etc.

And here, I'll leave you with a TheaterMania interview with Darren Ritchie, because it's a fun read...
A Knight In Wonderland: Darren Ritchie discusses returning to Broadway in Frank Wildhorn's inventive new musical adaptation of Alice In Wonderland.
#260

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:17am

Sounds like they switched the Alice's "angry" verse from Tampa this year - do they show the Hatter with Cloe at all?

"You don't find the looking-glass, it finds you!" got some of the worst camp-awful laughs I've heard... thats what they said last time I caught it so glad it changed.

Sad to hear about "Heroes," you'll all hear it on the cast recording at least.
#261

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:24am

Sounds like they switched the Alice's "angry" verse from Tampa this year - do they show the Hatter with Cloe at all?

During Through the Looking Glass? Nope, not at all. When Janet sang that line I actually thought for a second that they were re-adding the Hatter being in that number, and so that's why Alice was specifically threatening her, but nope.
#262

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:27am

In Tampa they actually brought down the Hatter's "control screen" ( I don't think it's in the show anymore, the big TV board) and had a video projection of the Hatter touching Chloe's neck as if snipping it off with an "angry" verse that followed along the old notes.

Janet sounds great in the other verse ("Strange but true, something's changing deep inside me...") but it serves no purpose besides what we already know, or atleast doesn't move the plot anywhere IMO.
#263

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:41am

"Alice gets the final "through the looking glass" line solo again"

As in the last line of the first act? So it isn't that glorious chord anymore? That's disappointing...
#264

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:48am

As in the last line of the first act? So it isn't that glorious chord anymore? That's disappointing...

Sorry, I meant solo as in only Janet singing, like it was back in Tampa 2009 when I first saw it (all through Broadway previews it had been all five characters singing it); the glass breaking/music after it are still the same.

eta: "You don't find the looking-glass, it finds you!" got some of the worst camp-awful laughs I've heard... thats what they said last time I caught it so glad it changed.

Sorry, just caught this, that line still exists, but whereas it used to be that line and then the looking glass appeared, now it's that line, then about half of Through the Looking Glass, and *then* the noise/the looking glass appears.


Updated On: 4/10/11 at 03:48 AM

#265

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 4:05am

Oh I meant like the harmony of the five characters singing. I thought it was a very pretty harmony to end it on. What is she singing? High, low? The weird slide she does on the concept recording?
#268

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 9:53am

We saw Wonderland three nights ago with TDF tickets. Great seats, row M off to the right.

The first thing I want to say is how impressed we were with the 11 yr old Carly Rose Sonenclar who played Chloe. Wow. This girl basically opens the show and her voice and stage presence were top notch. Loved her.

Bottom line - it was fun and worth seeing and I would recommend the show. We both left feeling something was missing. The talent was outstanding, the costumes and sets were excellent, and there were at least five numbers that were true winners. After saying all this we still were trying to figure out what was missing. I was not emotionally touched I guess.

There was nothing in my life that I could relate to. I am not going through a divorce, going through intense life changes, questioning my talents or how I am changing. If I was, perhaps this show would have moved me more in some way.

Sitting behind us were delightful children who kicked our chairs throughout the night. Where ever the family was from I did overhear them say they were happy they choose this show.

The biggest audience reaction was the boy band-esque "One knight" the girls literally squealed with delight. They recognized the cheese comedy and ate it up. Darren Ritchie should be proud of his performance. He really commands the stage.

We enjoyed so many numbers. One of my favorites was "off with their heads" it felt so traditional, classic Broadway. Karen Mason owned the stage and held everyone captive. Great fun.

The Mad Hatter was such a sext villianess and a delight. At times she seemed she could go a little "bigger" with her performance. At the end of any of her numbers she had people cheering and belts out some great notes. Her actress skills may not be as strong but she is good.

Alice - Janet Dacal - is amazing. There is a number (forgot which song) where they cast a spell on her boots and she does this dance as a result. oMG !!! That was a real wow moment in the show and makes me think her dance skills could have been utilized a bit more. If she can do THAT then they are missing an opportunity for not making good use of her dance skills. She also has a gorgeous voice.

The comedy of Jose Llana was well done. He put himself all out there and it pays off. So well done. Loved him.

Families and kids will love it and the adults will feel they got their moneys worth. Not a bad night out. Would I see it again? Eh.. Maybe. again, I didn't feel really moved in any way but if i had a chance to see all this terrific talent and lovely sets for another TDF ticket, I would.

The show is worth seeing.
#269

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 10:10am

<< Alice - Janet Dacal - is amazing. There is a number (forgot which song) where they cast a spell on her boots and she does this dance as a result. oMG !!! >>

Great summary and review, Dennis ! The number that you are referring to is "Go With The Flow"- And yes, love Janet !

#270

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 2:46pm

Wow, all the haters on this board are going Effie White on people,geez!

I know this was forever ago, but I saw the show on 3/25/11, and I have to say that this was one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever seen. Does it need work...definatly yes! Was it a good show altogether...YES! Thats why they have previews It's not a Carrie but it's not a South Pacific or a West Side Story.
My Notes:
"who the bleep are you" lame

Disney was actually really funny to me

Alice is such a flat character. Janet was amazing, she just needs more developement.

Kate Shindle- Spectacular!!! One of the best preformances I will ever see!

I loved the score. It was a mix of everything that pleased a lot of tastes

I really enjoyed the elevator too.

When white knight dies, it was so fast and no one was really sad besides Alice

All the cast seemed to enjoy the show as well which I love to see
Overall, I expect the show to take off succefully, despite what everyone else says.
#271

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:07pm

"who the bleep are you" lame

This one's gone. (It was one of my least favorites too.) I actually realized this morning that I don't miss any of the lines that I recognize as having been cut from first preview.

When white knight dies, it was so fast and no one was really sad besides Alice

His/the Hatter's deaths are much more obvious now, (you can tell that the Queen is banishing her, etc.) and there are fewer characters on stage; agree that it used to be a very fast and crowded "wait...what happened?" moment.


I believe the projections were different to begin Act II as well--- did you notice that?

The projections as in during the entr'acte, or actually during I Will Prevail to start Act II? I definitely noticed new projections on the screen during the entr'acte, mostly because of the actual lyrics to Home being on the screen.

<< Alice - Janet Dacal - is amazing. There is a number (forgot which song) where they cast a spell on her boots and she does this dance as a result. oMG !!! >>

Great summary and review, Dennis ! The number that you are referring to is "Go With The Flow"- And yes, love Janet !

I don't really miss Don't Wanna Fall in Love as a song as much as I know some others on here do (on the other hand, my kingdom for Love Begins :)); but I do miss it as being another place for more Janet dancing.

Oh I meant like the harmony of the five characters singing. I thought it was a very pretty harmony to end it on. What is she singing? High, low? The weird slide she does on the concept recording?

Ha, ok now I get it. High. Although for me the money note in that song is now her 'pay' in the new lyrics.

eta: The biggest audience reaction was the boy band-esque "One knight" the girls literally squealed with delight. They recognized the cheese comedy and ate it up. Darren Ritchie should be proud of his performance. He really commands the stage.

The dialogue before One Knight is some of my favorite, because Ritchie's delivery of it is so brilliant. "I'm professionally trained to handle danger, and I'm your hero...you, being the damsel, will be the one to trip over the tree stump..." The whole bit is hilarious.

Updated On: 4/10/11 at 03:07 PM

#273

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/11/11 at 6:35pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_WONDERLAND_Production_Shots_20110411

The photos are up. I see Janet got a haircut.
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
#274

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/11/11 at 8:22pm

I think her hair is actually just pulled back.

I like the pics! They are pretty cute!

I'm seeing this again on Thursday and I can't wait! I'm excited to see all the changes everyone has been talking about. I love reading about all the changes so thanks everyone for keeping us updates on what's happening.
#275

Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?

Posted: 4/11/11 at 9:00pm

Goin back Weds nite-- has anyone seen any of the U/S yet?

I am thinking that a few of the leads might take a show or two off before the opening-

Janet seemed to be straining a bit the other day--- actually, a number of leads seemed to be vocally drained.

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