Anyone seen "Ring of Fire"?- Page 2

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/25/06 at 10:46pm

I thought that the Lennon elements (the multiple couples symbolizing John and June) worked better here than it did in Lennon.

Personally, I thought Lennon was painfully boring. But I saw it twice. And if this had rush, I'd see it again, thats how much I liked it.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 7:51am

I saw it. I thought it was pretty lame. Aside from the predictable couple of hits like Boy Named Sue and Ring Of Fire, I was surprised at how deeply undistinguished the songs are. Downright boring, in fact. Most other shows of this type have a wider (and higher quality) catalogue to choose from. No matter what you may have thought of Lennon, it at least had one magnificent song after another.

There was a show a few years back about the composing team of Mann & Weill (I can't remember their first names, sorry.). I went in to the show not knowing who they were, and left the theatre thinking they should be on Mount Rushmore. I went in to Ring Of Fire not knowing much about Johnny Cash's music, and came out thinking that I hadn't been missing anything.

I wasn't the only one dissatisfied with the show. It actually failed to get a standing ovation the night I saw it. How often does that happen anymore?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 9:45pm

So I saw Ring of Fire last night. I actually didn't hate it.

I will say that I don't a know damn thing about Johnny Cash - Walk The Line is in the mail from Netflix right now - so I came into this relatively fresh. So while I can understand the gripes about the lightening up of the songs, hearing them for the first time, for the most part I was surprised just how hopeful and touching they were. Jarrod Emick was just superb as one of the showcase singers of Act One and is able to make all the songs sound really hearfelt. OK, I'll never get "Look at them beans!" out of my head ever again, but good for him for trying. Jeb Brown comes into his own in the second act, but I was never too won over by him. Jason Edwards is heartbreaking in Hurt, and manages to hold his own even when the 11 o'clock number comes off as awkwardly schmaltzy.

The three main women in the show were amazing as well, with powerhouse voices. One girl, Beth Malone, was great in her Broadway debut. Lari White is brilliant as well. The rest of the ensemble/band are just wonderful as well, my head and foot didn't stop bopping most of the night. They were really the highlight of the show. It just sounded amazing, orchestrations were exciting and uplifting. (Again, never really listened to his stuff before.) Lights were beautiful as well.

OK...so now the bad parts. The songs that translate well is maybe 60%. There are good portions of the show, especially in the beginning of the first act, and a good portion of act two, where while the songs sound great - at least in my mind - they just failed to connect. Or they just ran on way too long. Maybe making some of the number medleys would help? And while I got that they wanted to make stories out of the story-songs, and interesting idea, with a slim thread to help it along, not all of it worked. And some it treaded too far to what I understand to be Johnny's actual story - confusing the line between revue and biography. And some are just headscratchers - Five Feet High and Rising and that aforementioned song about the beans and the peas, for example - got way too "Broadway-ized" for their own good. The "prison" segment sorta runs away as well, and not in a good way. And the Grand Ol' Opry runs waaay too long for it's own good.

Also, the set. The woodwork looks fantastic! (When the show inevitably closes, I want to steal it for my flooring.) But the screens are probably the stupidest thing I've ever seen. I think they put more effort on Public Access graphics. Just horrible. Laughable and disappointing, especially considering who designed them - just throw him a couple more bucks to work with, would ya?!

As a revue of his music, it works for a good portion of it. As a Broadway musical, it's kinda pointless, and considering the source music, it's destined to fail. It'll make people like me want to find out more about Johnny and his music, but I can understand why so many people around me didn't care for it. When my head wasn't bopping, my eyes were glazing over, and overall I can't help but wonder how they expect this to work anywhere but as a touring revue. But for Broadway? The meat is there, but still it's really lean.

Updated On: 3/1/06 at 09:45 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 9:54pm

You mean Beth Malone....and yes, she's very good.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:04pm

Thanks. I edited.

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 11:57pm

I absolutely adore Beth Malone! She is absolutely beautiful, and has such an amazing voice. She reminds me a lot of Idina, and it would not suprise me in the least if ends up playing Elphaba in Wicked in the future.

[liotte]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 11:58pm

I just saw it tonight.

Good singing voices.

Didn't care for anything else.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 12:04am

FeelingElectic, I was thinking the exact same thing about Beth! I mean I'm sure it'll be closed way before Eden's contract is up...

[mtdonegan]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 9:10am

I went in having no expectations but left feeling very disappointed. Three Friends and I all felt the same way the show is a real let down and should be considered a concert not a Broadway Musical.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 9:59am

I don't understand how everyone is not taking it for what it is: A Theatrical Revue! It is presenting this catalogue of material in a theatrical way (just like Ain't Misbehavin and Smokey Joe's Cafe). If people go into the show with that expectation, I bet they will have a good time. I guess they just aren't marketing this correctly now that everyone is expecting a juke-box/Mamma Mia thing. Maltby does develop an "arc" but its really a clothesline to hang these songs on and give them a theatrical context. I haven't seen the show to judge how well he's doing this, but everyone keeps projecting what they want the show to be instead of what it actually is.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 10:21am

If you are a talent junky (like I am) you will like it a lot. A lot (and I mean a lot) of talent and energy is on that stage. Hey guys, it is a review of songs and I found it considerabley better put together than "Lennon". It dosn't bother with a plot (except for the stories within the songs) at all and should be viewed a such.

Neatly directed.

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

[Jaxx2]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 2:58pm

All I have to say is: 2 hrs of my life I'll NEVER get back!!

If you love Johnny Cash (and when I say love, I mean the minimum amount of Cash devotion must be exhibited by a large shrine in your home in his honor, as well as know every single word to every single song of his, ever.... you get the idea), you'd enjoy it. But I was nodding off b/c the storyline is nearly nonexistent. Oh wait, completely nonexistent. I will say, however, that the vocals were phenomenal, but it wasn't a show I would actually pay good $$ to see. Ever.

I don't know how long it will last in NYC, but I could see it doing well in, oh, Dallas or Atlanta... But, again, if Johnny Cash alone will do it for you then by all means, you should waste... err, ahem, I mean spend, your hard-earned $$ on a ticket...

[moljul]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 3:40pm

Jaxx, Couldn't agree with you more. It was like watching paint dry. Very boring and I can usually find some redeeming quality, or at least some reason to stay awake, in any piece of theater.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 3:46pm

Saw this on Sunday - I did not care for it at all. Very boring, all except the talent on the stage.

I almost left at intermission, but thought I will give it a chance - bad mistake. I could not wait for it to be over. If I was on an aisle I would have left.

[children&art]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 4:02pm

"Ring of Fire" is that the musical about the invention Preparation H or Tucks Medicated Pads...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:38pm

I think so.

Seeing it Thiursday...can't wait for the badness.