Brooklyn Review (Last Performance 6/26/05)

[Marlene]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:44pm

I walked out of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre with a headache. I enjoyed the musical but was it totally necessary to turn the volume up so much? I’m just going to disregard that factor because I was sitting in the first row [A8], right under the speaker. (Perhaps obstructed view box seats were better than my seat, but the lady in the box office assured me that A8 was better.) I had no idea that there was no orchestra. I mean it occurred to me that the score doesn’t require an orchestra at all, but that is a really important component of the whole experience to me. I like live music. :/ {Edit: So the music was live...there was just no pit...)

Certain things were funny at least in comparison to listening to the cast recording. There were moments that I really enjoyed, Ramona Keller and Eden Espinosa did awesome jobs in their songs vocally, they seem to go all out at times considering it is their last performance. I really did enjoy Karen Oliva’s character and presence on stage and just wished that she had a bigger role. (Like an hour before the show…she climbed out of the fire escape and waved to us!) But I didn’t enjoy how at times the songs ended with something pretty close to yelling; with my already speaker induced headache, that was not making the experience any better.

The whole transitioning aspect of the show seemed like blur to me. I really didn’t know what to direct my attention towards at certain times. I was stuck between liking the costumes (hey, it covered my affliction with caution tape), the set, and well sometimes the narrating bore me (but overall Cleavant Derricks did do a spectacular job when he first appeared as the Street Singer with Eden.)…and since I was at the far right I spent a lot of time looking at Karen’s tattoo and I kept thinking to myself that I need to find out the brand of mascara Eden uses. (She keeps sobbing and that mascara isn’t running at all, or her make up in general. That and it bothered me how the tears didn’t bother her, but then I figure she would mess up her make up if she touched her face.)

I must give it to the show, for a creative use of the set and props. It really added to the element of laughable cheesiness. The fact that the audience kept breaking out in standing ovations for Ramona and Eden confused me towards the end of the show, cause I was trying to recall the finale—but alas I couldn’t. And there was a very long applause even before Eden finished her song.

The show had its moments, but I understand why there is so much criticism surrounding it. It’s lacking a lot, but it does have something to offer. The actual live performance made the music a lot more enjoyable, cause when I remember playing the cast recording for the first time ever, I was trying to embrace it but I was basically going WTF, and well my family unanimously made me turn it off when Eden Espinosa started “screaming.”

I can’t say I hate Brooklyn. I had a pretty good time sans speaker-induced headache. But I was waiting for a kick ass curtain call, you know because it is it’s last Broadway performance for the love of anything. The cast bowed, smiled, I think they said like thank you to the audience, and ran/leaped off stage. I was hoping for some like nice verbal exchanges, or if they could have lingered on the stage so I actually had time to um snap a picture of Eden in costume. (Illegal I know, but everyone was doing it, and like the crew I believe brought cameras out with them, and they were taking pictures like there was no tomorrow.) I just feel like it could have been so much more, if certain things were interpreted differently, and/or if there was an intermission. (I was also interested in how the heck the costuming worked…layering and seatbelt buckle contraptions.

I can’t think of what to say without giving away the plot. I sort of liked the whole fairy-tale story but honestly if it were more plausible it could have been something totally different. And, nothing really happens with the city-weeds story…it’s like let’s put on a fairy-tale…the end.

I still can’t fathom why someone would want to see it “3-4 times in two weeks” as I think someone stated in the broadway.com opening night clip.

The stage door was nice, Lee was a sweetie and Karen was all smiles! Cleavant, hrm…actually I missed him and had to rush down to get his signature. I’m pretty sure I pissed Eden Espinosa off with my malfunctioning camera, cause I was alone at the stage door so I had random people take pictures for me. I actually was walking towards the train when I realized I had missed Ramona and sprinted back, I just caught her and it seemed like the crowed cleared a bit after Eden vanished.

{Edit: I'm aware that there are inaccuracies with my review, but ATM I'm too lazy to change them. And well the headache isn't gone yet...off to the medicine cabinet.}

Updated On: 6/26/05 at 07:44 PM

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:59pm

awesome review! glad you enjoyed it...i think...

[Marlene]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 8:01pm

Overall I have to say I did.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 8:02pm

thats good

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 8:27pm

No, they just blast it.

I was sitting row H...it was too loud.

It's trying to be Rent - but it isn't.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 8:28pm

where was the music coming from then? was the band on stage just not visible? or was it recorded or what? thanks.

[Marlene]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 8:30pm

Awww....I could have turned around to see the infamous Thenardier. Wait...I thought horses had to stay in the park. Did you brush today?

RentBoy86, from what I understand now, there is a band. (So I'm guessing it's like blue men in a sense that they are in an enclosed pit...but not on stage this time round.)

[mijofly19]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 9:10pm

The band is there but they are just backstage. It was the same with Jekyll & Hyde when they were there. That was the only other show I ever saw at the Plymouth/Schoenfeld. There are TVs in the back, just bellow the mezz. level where you can see the conductor. It was funny because during Ramona's "Love Me Where I Live," he got up and started dancing on the TV.
Updated On: 6/27/05 at 09:10 PM

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 9:13pm

I was there also. The show was phenomenal today. The most enthusiastic audience that I have ever been in. I was in Row K- the last row of mezzanine and to my surprise, was given (along with the rest oif the people in the last row of mezz) a signed playbill while the show was being performed. It was a nice treat considering I got that seat from TDF and it happened to be last row of mezz (although I can't complain b/c the view was excellent and the surrounding energy was amazing). The cast ran out onto the stage and there was a good 5 min. of applause and an immediate standing ovation. Throughout the show, there were several ovations basically after every song that was performed by Ramona or Eden. There was also HUGE applause after Cleavant said "Yea, we got a good crowd going tonight!" and "They say if you were in attendance that night, you were a witness to history." It truly was an amazing experience although iw as dissapointed that there was not like a closing speech after curtain call or something along the lines of that. The stage door was great as usual and EXTREMELY CROWDED. You can really tell the cast gave it their all and it was appreciated. It was my second time seeing the show and originally I thought it was good, but now I think it is great. Also, when did Kevin Anderson leave the show? I had no idea that he was no longer in it?

[ILoveWicked330]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 10:37pm

I was in row C seat 10...I thought the show was at it's best today! The volume could have been just a notch lower, because, as Marlene said, the speakers were RIGHT there along that side area and it got annoying. The cast was really upset and I loved the audience today! Non-stop Standing ovations after big numbers (once upon a time, Superlover, Love me where I live, Streetsinger, etc). I thought it was great today! The first time I saw it in November, it was weak but it truely has improved. Too bad it didn't last the summer...

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 10:41pm

I just came back from the Closing Night Party.
Review and (a lot of) pics will be on the bklyn fans forums.
This was THE best night of my life.

[Marlene]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:43am

I did love Superlove alot. Couldn't help but smile until it hurt.

:sigh: My pictures were a disaster...I didn't get any pictures of Cleavant. I only took one because I missed him and it didn't come out. And I didn't get a picture with him or an autograph to begin with because of my stupid camera. Damn you Canon Powershot! Haha...and I couldn't get any pictures of Karen signing things cause Eden kept blocking her.

[edit] I'll just post the links to the images because I don't free like making my album public.

Lee:


Eden and occasionally slivers of Karen:





Karen:


Where are your pictures going to be Tiny-Toon?


Updated On: 6/27/05 at 10:43 AM