CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Previews- Page 13

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:03am

And for all this awfulness the bastards won't even offer a discount code.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:09am

Matt Rogers said: "And for all this awfulness the bastards won't even offer a discount code."

 

I second this. I'm holding off because of price but I want to see it soon.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:14am

Does anyone think Borle is good enough for a nomination?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:17am

neon and matt rogers, There are (or were) $69 seats in the rear mezz. I imagine they're sold out for a while, but it's at least a somewhat affordable way to see the show. 

And neon, just to warn you, this show isn't so bad it's good, but rather it's just so bad it's depressing. (Save for the dancing squirrels and Veruca's demise, which is the only scene that approached Wonderland's so bad it's a flop lover's fever dream appeal. I saw Wonderland three times because I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. I won't quickly stomach Charlie again. It made me angry, sleepy and gave me a headache all at the same time. I'll send the producers a bill for the bottles of Excedrin and Captain I had to use last evening to recover.)

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:27am

Warning taken. Thanks.

[MyLife]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:53am

Bald Christian Borle = not a good look

He has such great hair that really suits him. I just don't get the point of him shaving it for this role.Too bad it'll likely have been for nothing if this show is as floptastic as you all describe.

[DeNada]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:56am

How's the sound design?  I saw Charlie at an early preview in London (before the glass elevator was actually working properly) and it was dreadful; it doesn't help that the songs are overly wordy but with so many ensemble numbers the lyrics were devolving into mush.

I remember very little about it beyond the garish sets and fever dream choreography.  There was one bit I genuinely loved, which was More Of Him To Love (the Augustus introduction number) - most of the rest of it was just noise, until Pure Imagination (which feels like something out of a completely different show - which of course it is!).

Sad it's not got any better; surprised, if I'm honest, it sounds worse on Broadway than it was here.  At least ours looked lavish.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:17am

This sounds like such a total creative meltdown that it gives Joan of Arc a run for its money for title of most misconceived musical of the season.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:34am

Is it worse than ADDAMS FAMILY...?

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:37am

Kad said: "This sounds like such a total creative meltdown that it gives Joan of Arc a run for its money for title of most misconceived musical of the season."

 

Idk Kad, I don't think anyone is doing multiple virginity checks in CHARLIE. Though I could be wrong!

 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:48am

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "Is it worse than ADDAMS FAMILY...?

 

No, Addams Family (and Finding Neverland) were both better. Nathan's performance in Addams Family was able to buoy the production in a way that Borle wasn't able to.

Another thing to mention: Mike and Mamacita Teavee no are kind veiled Trump supporters who are mocked with corny political jokes. For example, when Mike goes through the TV, Mamacita looks at him and says, "My what tiny hands you have." I think there was also a "Make TV great again" type line. 

Sort of reminded me of Bebe Neuwirth's Addams Family line when Carolee said, "That thing everyone so desperately want, but so few have..." "Healthcare?"

Borle also has a line like "Chocolate, who doesn't like chocolate? Everyone loves chocolate," which Nathan also said to Terrence Mann before the "Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love" number. 

Hey, I had to keep my mind occupied somehow last night, so making a list of all the Addams Family/Charlie connections I could helped pass the time.

 

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:54am

neonlightsxo said: "Getting out my credit card BECAUSE of Whizzer's review

 

"

Literally... same. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:56am

neonlightsxo said: "Idk Kad, I don't think anyone is doing multiple virginity checks in CHARLIE. Though I could be wrong!"

No need. Sounds like everyone in attendance gets f****d before the night is through...

[MM8TRfm]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:56am

I, too, saw 1st Preview on Tuesday night. Do listen to Whizzer..., and all of these others who share their PAIN , that they experienced while wishing for a lifetime supply of '... Chocolate' positive memories! (71' Willy Wonka... one of my all-time favorites). 

My fingers are crossed for all involved in the show that the 10x10 "Chocolate Room" platform was just a substitution for a Set Still On The Way (Not ready for first preview)! One of the most disappointing moments of theatre in the 750 plus shows I've seen in my lifetime. [That truly was a '85% of High School Shows would-have-done-better moment]

Somehow, the creative team seems to be trying to "be original" every moment that the audience wants "the wonderful familiar". It's as if Shaiman and Wittman have something against Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and want you to hear as little of their music as possible. Pure Imagination doesn't even get it's own "Musical Number" line in the program. Oh no. It is shared with a slash and Grandpa Joe. As is I've Got a Golden Ticket. Almost as if the composers needed those famous songs from the movie to transition and end with their song (heaven forbid the Thunderous applause they would hear after those songs had been sung!).  [For those sports fans out there I'm thinking of the meaningful cheers for the home football team when they finally get their first first down late in the 2nd quarter...sarcastic cheers?! The audience cheering 'Now there's a musical number we liked'] Why not EMBRACE the material from the movie?! How is it possible that the audience leaves the theatre after this show with anything other than a beautifully arranged version of Pure Imagination?! Seriously!?

I promise I'm a forgiving guy. Grandpa Joe off on his entrance of a song? Set pieces getting stuck?The technical mistake at the end of Act 1 destroying the magical elevator moment? I can forgive that. Shtuff happens. Heck it's a first preview.

But the book? What the heck happened?!

Direction?! (Three Tony's? At what age does one retire?)

Musical numbers of this quality? 

Willy Wonka! Willy Wonka! ?? Tales of Wonka ??      A Letter From Charlie Bucket ?? Queen of Pop ??These were not good. IMO.

I once read that my favorite song from Stephen Schwartz's score for Prince of Egypt, "Through Heaven's Eyes", was the fourth complete song written for that spot in the show. Apparently the third song he'd written for that spot in the show was gonna be the song and then Jeffrey Katzenburg said to him "We need something different"...and then he wrote that one.  Wow.

I sure wish most of those Act One songs could and would be rewritten... and that the set design would be worthy of our imaginations... and that the creative team loved the original movie... and that out of Sunset Boulevard & Groundhog Day (Sat), Sunday in the Park With George & Beautiful (Sun), Anastasia(Mon) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(Tue)... this [C&CF] wasn't my 6th favorite show.

On the positive side:

1) I loved Christian Borle (what more could he do?!) 2) I liked that Charlie was a kid and the others were older playing younger.  It helped us cheer even more for Charlie. WTG Ryan Faust! 3) I loved The Gloops! 4) I liked Jackie Hoffman lots 5) I loved every moment that reflected the 71' film. Bb, A (octave lower), Bb. 6) Only the lady on my right left at intermission. 7) The Oompa Loompas were cool I saw a youtube video where a young teen gave the show a 9.99 on a scale of 1 to 10. So ya got that goin' for ya.

Me? I'll give it a 5. Any lower score would make me depressed over the $139 I spent on my ticket. 

PS.    SO sad. I wanted to like this SO much! : (

...now back to thoughts of how much I liked Andy Karl in GD, Anastasia, and the song "Greatest Star of All" from SB.

MD

 

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:18pm

Well this is disappointing.

 

What I saw in London had a few good new songs (which were apparently all cut), fantastic sets and a very 'neat' setup in the beginning where Wonka (in disguise in a dump) meets Charlie briefly and decides to test him by having the contest, bringing others in (I guess as bad influences).  The first act was over long, each kids' song was worst than the last, and waiting until the end of Act 1 to enter the factory was an error

 

so they threw out the few good new songs, kept the crap, killed the set, created a crazy story line to make Charlie and Wonka interact, kept the factory until Act 2, where it is revealed to be a 10x10 box.

Wizzer-best review yet

Others - too many hysterical responses to name. 

Yeah - I feel the need to rubberneck the accident on the other side of the road. And I do mean The squirrel ballet. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:28pm

MM8TRfm thanks for sharing. I had thought that they were going to rewrite much of the score between London and now. It seems they did not?

[MM8TRfm]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:01pm

Comparing the London music Wiki site to my program... about 8 or 9 songs from the London version were cut and replaced with new songs; about three or four were changed or altered the singer or location in the story; and added were The Candy Man, The Oompa Loompa Song, and I've Got a Golden Ticket.

But for those of us who know and love the movie...it just feels wrong that Charlie starts singing that (a verse), all by himself, when he gets the Golden Ticket...and later Grandpa Joe sings it with him. "I've Got a Golden Ticket" is Grandpa Joe's song to start!

[It would be like the kids singing My Favorite Things in Sound of Music, then joined by Maria.]  ??

I guarantee you none of the four in charge (Book, Music, Lyrics, Director) like the 71 movie at all. They would never have made half the choices they did if they cared at all about the What's and the Why's of the movie! 

The incredible, suspenseful moment of him finding money, hearing about the 5th ticket being a fraud, realizing/discovering that he could have the ticket, slowly opening the bar to the incredible revelation!

uh...no.

Open bar. Sing "I've Got a Golden Ticket"

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:05pm

The finding cash/fraudulent ticket thing, isn't that from the Tim Burton remake?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:07pm

It goes all the way back to the Dahl book, if I recall correctly. Certainly in the '71 film. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:10pm

Shaiman and Wittman's work on Hairspray and Bombshell are both great to I'm truly surprised to see them fall down so bad on this one.

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:11pm

While I didn't love the show in London, I think the choice to have Wonka in disguise as a beggar is much better than whatever's going on in this version. Is it just so Christian Borle can sing "The Candyman"? I don't think Wonka sings it in the movie.

Also if Mrs. Bucket needs to have a song it should be "Cheer Up Charlie". It says a lot about the creative team that they decided to change the boring number they had in London.... by making it a dance duet with ghost Dad???

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:15pm

icecreambenjamin said: "Shaiman and Wittman's work on Hairspray and Bombshell are both great to I'm truly surprised to see them fall down so bad on this one.

 

"

Their work on Catch Me If You Can was mediocre at best.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:17pm

I thought Catch Me had a pretty poor score, but enjoyed much of Fame Becomes Me.

However, as fun as some of Shaiman and Wittman's work is (and considering their ages, there's not much of it), it's so lightweight it makes the Sherman Brothers look like Stephen Sondheim (put together).

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:20pm

little_sally said: "Does anyone think Borle is good enough for a nomination?"

Curious to hear thoughts on this too.

 

[Patty3]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:23pm

I still can't believe they screwed around with what is probably one of my top 10 favorite moments in theater. Seeing that elevator traveling above the stage (not just straight up and down) and hearing Charlie and Wonka sing Pure Imagination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rloUsfuzXdk

I am sure I will have the same feeling I did in Aladdin when the magic carpet just hovered above the stage at the New Amsterdam. If they can make the carpet travel out over the audience in Disneyland why not on Broadway?