Best use of a revolve? — Page 2

Phantom4ever said: "Well Rippedman, you’re probably gonna get your wish for an updated Phantom! Even though the Bjornson/Prince production is/was perfect in every way, CM knows there are enough people like you who will just go “oh cool they updated it” when they hear the inevitable announcement that Phantom is returning in its scaled down oops I mean UPDATED current West End version."

To be fair, I don't mean change anything. Just update it. Faster chandelier, better pyro. I remember seeing it around 2018 and the dead guy that falls from the ceiling was laughably bad. The horror factor could have been updated, to me. But I think the design/staging are quite gorgeous.

And Hamilton just always felt like they used a turntable given the confines of the Public. So I'd love to see what they would have come up with otherwise.

Would something like The Lehman Trilogy count? I loved how it added different configurations and perspectives to its simple glass box set, but also played a role in some of the dream sequences/visions.

I don't know if it is best use, but the revolve in the most recent London revival of Follies certainly made the set and production come to life in more interesting ways than a static stage would have.

I once saw a surprisingly good non-professional production of Spring Awakening that made effective use of a turntable - it was only used during the song "I Believe". Many productions use the swing concept that was done on Broadway, and it has certainly been cleverly staged other ways as well - but this was possibly the best I've seen. It was a very small turntable, only big enough for the actors playing Melchior and Wendla to lay on, and it sat center stage at a slight raked angle towards the audience (it was not raked for the entire show, it was lifted for this song). The two of them slowly rotating during the events of this scene was haunting and I found it to be a wonderful directorial choice.

Musicaldudepeter said: "Are there any Golden Age shows that had revolves? Why do I think My Fair Lady used one in the '50s? No? Didn't the original Oliver! have a revolve designed by Sean Kenny? "

Because Bart Sher used it in the revival.

Current shows using revolves:

Hamilton
& Juliet (I think 3 revolves?)
Harry Potter
Kimberly Akimbo
Hadestown
Lion King (ish, but not really)
Aladdin (ish, has those revolving traps, for the spinny Genie effect)

Basically a quarter of shows currently running. Any others I missed?

Updated On: 1/16/23 at 05:11 PM

Among the "golden age musicals" the best use of a turnatable is the original production of "Fiddler on the Roof". Jerome Robbins use of a turntable inside a turntable was brilliant.



As for effect, any time the Metropolitan Opera uses their enormous turntable it is amazing. Current productions that use it are "Lucia" , "Le Nozze De Figaro" "The Magic Flute'

Updated On: 1/16/23 at 06:31 PM