BYE BYE BIRDIE first preview...- Page 11

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 1:15am

I think this production was doomed from the moment the creative team and cast were put together. Shame.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 1:17am

Granted I haven't seen the show yet (I'm going next Thursday) but how much more dancing can they cut out for Gershon?!


I just don't get why they cast a D-list (C-list at best) actress who apparently can't dance or sing in a role originated by Chita f*cking Rivera? Just cast a nobody! Roundabout already has a built-in ticket-buying "base" and BIRDIE is one of the most popular shows of all time. Gina Gershon is not the reason people are rushing to see this production...

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 1:18am

Rentboy- Telephone Hour always comes after English Teacher. We need that scene and song to set up who Kim is and to know that the phone lines are busy.

What Did I Ever See In Him is always between Kim and Rose. Earlier she sang the first half in a beauty parlor and the second half to Kim. Now it is all to Kim as originally intended. Kim needs to hear Rose talk about all that stuff to give her the motivation to run off and perform Lot of Livin. (And really to inspire her dad to sing Kids.)

WickedRocks- There is next to no dancing left for Gina. Some minor skirt swishing during Spanish Rose is about it. The big dance show case has become Lot of Livin, and that is clunky at best.

Updated On: 9/25/09 at 01:18 AM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 1:25am

Oh, I know. I'm not confused as to WHY the song is needed, but confused as to their relationship at that point in the show. I felt like they had hardly spoken to each other, so then to have this intimate moment with them singing a song to each other on her bed just seemed strange to me.

And the opening is pretty awful. I felt like the whole moment of them rushing to the TV and stuff could have worked so much better and more fluid, but it was just kind of half-assed.

And really, I mean, Roundabout has a ticket audience built in, and it's the first Broadway revival of Birdie, so it's going to do decent business. Why not cast people who can deliver good performances and get good reviews, that will help sell tickets. Not Uncle Jessie.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 11:36am

Bump

[yankees1253]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 11:03pm

Robi Hager went on as Conrad Birdie tonight.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 9/25/09 at 11:08pm

I saw tonight's show and wasn't all that impressed.

Nolan Funk was out, so Robert Hager went on as Conrad Birdie and I liked him. I thought he had a good amount of charisma.

Gina Gershon and John Stamos were disappointing. I really don't understand why Gershon was cast in this role. I loved her in Boeing Boeing, but she just doesn't have the singing chops for this.

There was quite a mistake after "The Telephone Hour." As the phone booths were being rolled off the stage, one must have gotten stuck or something and there was a pile-up. A few kids nearly got crushed and had to jump out of their booths and out of the way, and a stagehand came onstage during the next scene to remove the remaining booths.

I liked Bill Irwin and Allie Trimm, but that was about it.

[Fish2]

Posted: 9/27/09 at 12:14pm

We were thrilled that we ended up seeing Robi Hager instead of N.G.Funk - great voice and a fantastic dancer. If he were just an inch or two taller, he'd be my totally ideal Conrad.

Wondering what was with the 1960's/Laugh-In set and the 1950's (hugely) crinolined dresses?

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/27/09 at 2:25pm

Is Funk still out?

[bybubble]

Posted: 9/27/09 at 11:22pm

No, Funk was there today. I have to say I was disappointed in the show. I saw nothing special at all. The only real standouts for me were Bill Irwin and Jayne Houdyshell. Allie Trimm was adorable and can sing but the show was lackluster. Why oh why was Gina Gershon cast? Funk was cute but lacked the charisma of Conrad Birdie. The entire production was just blah to me.
Updated On: 9/27/09 at 11:22 PM

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 9/28/09 at 4:26pm

Just to add my two cents...

I saw the show on 9/24 and my friend and I were APPALLED at how bad it was. As people have been saying, Gina Gershon was absolutely terrible...we couldn't figure out what led to that casting decision. I feel like usually a celebrity's bad singing and dancing can be justified with brilliant acting, but the acting was awful too. Stamos was fine. Allie Trimm was definitely the best in the show for me - "One Boy" being the highlight (and...really the only Broadway-worthy moment, imho.) I'll give Nolan Funk a break since he was obviously sick.

By far the worst thing was Bill Irwin - my jaw dropped when he started his schtick...it was SO out of place. He plays Mr. MacAfee like some foppish, British sketch comedy character. It was one of the only times I've been to a show where I genuinely wished I had a tomato with me to throw at him during "Kids." I can't think of a single performance - in any show ever, high school included - that I've hated more than his in this show.

In good news - LOVED the costumes. Though as my friend and I said to each other on the way out, "there's something really, really bad about quick changes stealing a show."

Seriously...how does this stuff even get produced?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/28/09 at 8:12pm

Oy...I'm still excited to see it on Thursday. I've heard through the grapevine that they're still making recognizable changes. At least they're trying to tweak it.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/28/09 at 8:21pm

Oh, I know. I'm not confused as to WHY the song is needed, but confused as to their relationship at that point in the show. I felt like they had hardly spoken to each other, so then to have this intimate moment with them singing a song to each other on her bed just seemed strange to me.

I haven't seen this production yet so I'm trying to remember other productions I've seen. IIRC wasn't Rosie sharing Kim's room with her? I never felt felt that the number was awkward because I felt that Kim was in her room pouting over what has happened and watching Rosie pack. Rosie isn't so much speaking to her but just spouting her anger - she'd had said it even if she were alone. But her spouting is what urges Kim to join in and later act out.

While they don't have a ton of interaction I think Kim viewed Rosie as a sophisticated, independent woman and admired her.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 2:50pm

Saw this last night after not reading the reviews here and buying tickets week ago because I'm a diehard John Stamos fan. I sat through all five episodes of "Jake in Progress"! In a production with a slew of problems, the biggest is that it's hard to pull off "Bye Bye Birdie" when your Albert is more of a matinee idol than your Conrad. Stamos's entrance is greeted with cheers and swoons - how can he play the nebbish? Combine that with Nolan Funk practically taking a nap on stage and it's a dichotomy that's all wrong for the show. Gina Gershon - loved her performance in "Boeing-Boeing," by the way - gives one of the worst stage performances I've ever seen. She's obviously trying her hardest but there is simply no excuse for casting someone who can't sing and can't dance in a part originated by Chita Rivera. The "Mrs. Phi-Beta-Kappa Peterson" notes were particularly cringe-worthy. People in front of me walked out during "Spanish Rose," though that number is so close to the end of the show that there might have been other factors at play there.

For some positives, I liked the whole opening sequence with the overture, the MacAfees turning on the TV and the projected images of Birdie. I thought the kids were great, didn't mind at all that they were cast age-appropriately, and "Telephone Hour" was re-invented the way the rest of the show deserved to be re-invented. Allie Trimm is really lovely in what is pretty much a thankless role but her voice is very good. Most of the choreography is pitiful, especially the "Bye Bye Birdie" encore, which I was excited for because it's nice to see that song incorporated into the stage production. Bill Irwin was so over-the-top, playing every line for a punch line and it was distracting for me but the audience seemed to love him so I can see him getting some raves.

As for Uncle Jesse, if he can tone down the mugging, he wouldn't be so bad despite the horrible miscast. For me, he was better in Act II when Albert finally grows a pair and he has the more romantic scenes with Rosie. His voice was lovely singing the ballads but "Put On a Happy Face" was one of the worst parts of the show for me because he wasn't able to convey any kind of spontaneity. He can't rely on physical comedy schtick like Dick van Dyke but it was so obvious that everything was choreographed and he was just doing the moves instead of just doing what he can to make the girls laugh.

Overall, a completely uninspiring night at the theatre and this is coming from someone who enjoys "Bye Bye Birdie" and came in as a vocal supporter of John Stamos. I already have a second set of tickets for the week before Christmas so maybe there will be improvements by then?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 3:06pm

Poor Gina
She was damn good in Cabaret and Boeing and i love her in the movie bound.

I have to say ive only seen this show on naughty DVD but i thought Gina was OK, shes not brilliant in the singing dept but she was fun to watch. I liked her acting and thought her comedy was very good, shes the only one who really looks like their having a good time as well (apart from the Teens)

Her singing is weak but not horrid, i thought Janey's singing in 9 to 5 was far worse.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 3:25pm

IIRC wasn't Rosie sharing Kim's room with her?

I'm almost certain that is correct.

[dramadude]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 3:29pm

I said it before and I'll say it again: Janney sings like Celine Dion in comparison to Gershon.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 3:31pm

I have to say ive only seen this show on naughty DVD but i thought Gina was OK, shes not brilliant in the singing dept but she was fun to watch. I liked her acting and thought her comedy was very good, shes the only one who really looks like their having a good time as well (apart from the Teens)

Her singing is weak but not horrid, i thought Janey's singing in 9 to 5 was far worse.

So, there's already a bootleg of this and you want to defend Gershon's performance based on it? Fantastic.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 3:58pm

Yes Blaxx, im sure you have bootlehs as well, get of your High Horse.

And just because ive only seen it so far on DVD it does not change her voice or acting you know *rolls eyes* in fact i probably got better close ups than most lol

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 4:04pm

I never understood the point of bragging about having bootlegs.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 4:38pm

Especially of a show that hasn't even opened and to defend a performance.

Some people's kids.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 4:38pm

"Telephone Hour was re-invented the way the rest of the show deserved to be re-invented."

My problem with Telephone Hour in the revival is that the kids are all in phone booths. They wouldn't be in phones booths calling each other about Hugo and Kim; they'd be calling from their bedrooms or kitchen or dens at home. Made absolutely no sense to me. I didn't expect the original cubist design to be recreated, but they could have come up with something clever that made it look like the kids were all calling each other from home and not from phone booths. But in this dreadful production, that was the least of my complaints.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 9:52pm

Those weren't coin phones that they used in "The Telephone Hour". They were al phones. That negates the idea that they are supposed to be in phone booths.

Still, wall phones were usually used in kitchens. In the 60's kids had phones--most likely "Princess" phones--in ther bedrooms.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 10:00pm

ljay889 its not about bragging, it was simply saying i had seen the show but not live (as im from the UK and arent due in to NY for 2 more months)

And if i was bashing the show after seeing it on DVD Blaxx would have something to say to that as well......Blaxx ALWAYS has something to say....about everything!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 11:26pm

Her singing is weak but not horrid, i thought Janey's singing in 9 to 5 was far worse.

If you think this, you need to get your hearing checked. I'm with dramadude on this one.