Anyone going to see Wonderland this week? — Page 6

Saw the matinee today, and I have to echo the general sentiment of wow, this show needs a lot of work. The story is a mess (and that's during the moments when there is some semblance of a plot going on) and the book is atrocious. I found the songs on the whole to be better than the book, but still nothing all that wonderful (although, I did really enjoy Through the Looking Glass. As other posters have said, Kate Shindle does a great job with what she has to work with, and it seems like the rest of the cast is starting to jump on the "camp" bandwagon. Carly Rose Sonenclar is really wonderful, and I would love it if they gave her more to do. I also liked that the Hatter more or less seemed to morph into the Red Queen by the end, which was a nice touch.

But, frankly, the show was pretty much a complete dud to me. The first act was 75% exposition/introducing each of the main Wonderland characters through their own song and 25% of an extremely rushed "plot/conflict" which pretty much gave me whiplash (suddenly Alice decides to help the Queen of Hearts? The Mad Hatter wants everyone dead?). The second act was even worse- that Lewis Carroll scene does not fit in at all here- and the speed at which everything was resolved had people around me laughing and snickering.

And it's really a shame, because they could have done something cool with the source material (and based on what I've read here about earlier versions, the other drafts that relied more heavily on the Hatter might have been a better way to go). I honestly don't have a good answer for how to fix it, but more Hatter and Chloe would be where I would start (as I was leaving, two mothers with four girls aged 6-10 asked the girls who their favorite character was- Chloe or Alice- and all four replied the Mad Hatter...so the interest is there even with the kids).

But it certainly needs a ton of work, and I highly doubt the book and plot can be fixed at this point without a complete overhaul.

So we know how all of you feel, but I'm interested in how the huddled masses of "civilians" felt about the show. Was the audience feeling it all? Were there people leaving at intermission? Strength of applause?

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everythingtaboo: There were a few walk-outs at intermission, the man sitting next to me included. The audience was into the show a great deal more at the outset than during the second act. For example, the various topical references played pretty well during the first act (the Tea Party one even got an applause break), but by the second act the people around me were groaning at the references rather than laughing. And the Lewis Carroll bit perplexed quite a few people according to the chatter after the show. At intermission the ladies sitting by me had this take on the show: the cast is strong, but the plot was completely impossible to buy into and they just simply didn't care about Alice at all (which is one of my central gripes as well- it's hard to like a show when you'd rather watch the villains than the heroine).

At the curtain call, there was a standing ovation by the time the trio of the Caterpillar, Rabbit, and El Gato bowed, but I think a lot of that had to do with a central row standing and blocking a view for a great portion of the audience. But Janet Dacal received a thunderous applause, and the rest of the principals received strong applause as well.

Why is it actors think the show is good just because the audience claps/stands at the end?
I never understood that.

Saw it last night. Can't even pretend I have anything positive today. Those jokes were truly painful, and the sets and costumes some of the ugliest I've seen.

The show opens April 17, with a final preview April 16. It's now had 4 previews...it has time to change.

No doubt the cheesy dialogue will most likely end up staying... but that doesn't mean songs won't be cut, re-ordered, etc.


Personal favourite in this production is *SPOILER* Jack "dies" (I think? through the trap door) and then Chloe not upset or anything just says let's go Home! And a reprise of "Home" comes on and the cast happily tells Alice to go home.... just forgetting that her husband died? */Spoiler* I miss "Heroes"... what a beautiful song!!

"Can I just say that it was so bad last night, the rear-right orchestra at one point in act 2 just started snickering at how pathetic the show was?"

Yes, I was there last night and remember this. I think it was at the point where the story literally BECAME the Wizard of Oz except completely off the mark. Alice even sings a song called HOME.

We were in the mezz and were laughing out asses off for the entire show. It was the most absurd 2 hours I've ever spent in the theater.

Yeah, I was wondering that too Michael Bennett!

Jordan- I know you only saw it once, but I'm wondering how quickly they're changing stuff. Were all the lines about iphones, All State, etc still in?

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I haven't seen this but I think I can understand the feelings of dramadude after having seen Bonnie and Clyde last year. Most of B&C was far below par but there was a three song segment combined with unusually creative staging which was brilliant.

Putting it all together must be very tough. When you keep falling short with the whole package you must look in other directions for help.

Ad of yesterday's matinee, the All-State reference (which didn't land at all), the phones/GPS mention (which received a bit of a chuckle), and the soup were still in it- with a strange emphasis on the word "soup" every time they said it.

Janet Dacal seemed to lack any and all personality in my opinion. Granted, Alice's only emotion for the show seems to be "stressed"- which is interpreted by Dacal as whiny alternating with vacant. And her voice seemed very similar to the quality on the concept album.

The Allstate line was still in last night. If I remember correctly, it's said when the Hatter leaves stage right with the little girl and her rabbit henchman on that odd tank-like vehicle.

Also, did anyone else think that any emotional impact of the ending was wasted because the entire ending seemed way too rushed? Starting with the odd unexplained "death" of the Hatter and the White Knight through the ending song, the whole things just came to an abrupt finish.

Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait!!!!!!

They cut Heroes?!

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