CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Previews- Page 27

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/17/17 at 9:48pm

MaddieBB12 said: "Does anyone know if the show is frozen yet? How many days before opening are shows usually frozen?

 

"4-5 days prior to opening...Critics start coming on Thursday so the show will be frozen by Wednesday!"

 

Updated On: 4/17/17 at 09:48 PM

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 4/17/17 at 10:00pm

^Thank you, Robbie!

 

Broadway BeeBe, can you post that picture, if you have access to it? Very curious!

Updated On: 4/17/17 at 10:00 PM

[Joshua Boyd-Williams]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 5:20pm

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTCC-HDhEap/?taken-by=theatreislife2017

 

This is the Chocolate Room. I can't believe how small this thing is.

[thealtoslament]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 5:31pm

Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "https://www.instagram.com/p/BTCC-HDhEap/?taken-by=theatreislife2017

 

This is the Chocolate Room. I can't believe how small this thing is.

 

"

Wow. That is tiny.

On the one hand, I understand the temptation to emphasize imagination over anything else with the set design. The design could work pretty well on tour, even, in smaller venues. On the other hand, it does not look good at the Lunt-Fontanne. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 6:48pm

The issue with that design isn't that it's minimalist- it's that it literally looks like a model of an actual set.  There is absolutely a way to do a set that requires imagination, but this one just looks like someone screwed up building it. 

[thealtoslament]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 6:57pm

Obligatory Spinal Tap reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 9:19pm

Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "https://www.instagram.com/p/BTCC-HDhEap/?taken-by=theatreislife2017
 

This is the Chocolate Room. I can't believe how small this thing is."

 

It looks like a terrarium.

 

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 9:40pm

It almost seems like the scale of things are off...a show shouldn't have the audience members questioning why a factory only has 5' walls.

[mpkie]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 9:47pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ffj8SHrbk0

What is this? A Chocolate Room for Ants? (it actually does need to be at least 3x bigger)

 

thealtoslament said: "Obligatory Spinal Tap reference. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw"

They scaled it for real life Oompa Loompas to play the all characters, obviously.

[Larkinfon]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 1:03am

Saw the show tonight. The show is not the mess this board makes it up to be, but it is not the show we deserved. Simply put, I think the main issue is a lack of coherence. Half of the sets follow a sort of abstract, expressionist emptiness which is beautiful, but then the next set will be one realistic set piece amidst this space which makes you wonder "if they're going to just drop the abstract design, why didn't they build more set pieces?"

The new music made me miss the london score deeply. The new music (for the most part) either made no sense in context, or slowed down the plot. However, it's not all bad. The new song for the great glass elevator scene is gorgeous, and it is also the best visual in the show. 

In terms of the book, it had plenty of laughs, and it guides you through the story well enough. However, the show kills Wonka as a character. He is completely humanized, and it takes away the magic, and replaces it with manic. Borle is incredible, but it makes no sense to make Wonka present from the first scene, a man who literally steps out and reveals his reason for being here, and then treat him like this magical mysterious candy man in the second act. 

The cast is wonderful. The show has its moments. Would I tell someone to go see it? Probably not, but all my friends are actors and theatre artists. If you throw your inhibitions out the door, you will have a great time. It's good for the tourists, and that's about it. 

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 9:04am

Just wanted to thank you all for preview impressions.  I didn't want to see this show when I first heard about it.  Then in that panic Hamilton mode "It's going to be huge, should I just buy tickets now before it gets crazy?"  I almost bought tickets.  Then the previews happened and I started reading the thoughts on here.  While I don't think it's going to be as bad as I'm reading it is, I don't think it's for me.  I detest expensive Broadway shows that cater to the masses including parents with children.  Matilda and Aladdin were nightmares audience wise (the shows too IMHO).

I have been noticing that the advertising seems to be emphasizing the "Pure Imagination" theme, unless I'm just noticing it more because all I've heard about the lack of set and visuals.  I think I'll wait and see if it gets on TDF (usually the mark of an empty house if it's not in previews).  Otherwise, I can't wait for the reviews (unless it's a critic's pick like Groundhog Day is in the New York Times, SMH) 

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 9:23am

Regarding the chocolate room, they also spin it around at least once (maybe twice) as Augustus goes up the pipe. I still can't figure out why they do so, but everything was happening so fast I may have missed the obvious reason. 

[Larkinfon]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 9:45am

MaddieBB12 said: "Regarding the chocolate room, they also spin it around at least once (maybe twice) as Augustus goes up the pipe. I still can't figure out why they do so, but everything was happening so fast I may have missed the obvious reason. "

As far as I could tell, the chocolate room rotated to show the "pipeworks" at the back of the set piece. Of course, the oompa loompas never actually interacted with the pipes because the turned the piece back around for Augustus to fly out, so it was easy to miss.

[kellyhallo]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 10:59am

While I do agree that this is not the worst piece of theater I've ever seen, it is, without a doubt, the most disappointing.

I love, love, love the book, the Gene Wilder movie, Christian Borle, Jackie Hoffman, Ben Crawford and Hairspray and had been looking forward to seeing this production since it was announced.

I think the biggest problem for me was the management of expectations as to what this show was going to be.

 - The Producers clearly spent a lot of money on advertising. The commercials were beautiful and in no way required you to use your own imagination to envision this magical world. It was bright, happy and lush.

 - They spent a good deal on decorating the outside of the theater (clearly marketing to kids).

 - They partnered with Dylan's Candy Bar (again, clearly marketing to kids).

 - The sets in London were amazing.

All of the above pointed to an amazing, beautiful set and a show that was appropriate to bring children to. Instead we got an incoherent, sparse, inconsistent stage design, cheap looking projections and at least two of the children being gruesomely killed (one by squirrels and one by being blowing up).

I did love two of the songs (Must be Believed to be Seen and View from Here) but the rest of the score is bland and at times irritating.

Updated On: 4/19/17 at 10:59 AM

[tmbyru]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 11:31am

Saw last night's show... and was happily surprised. After reading all the posts here and having seen the show in London I was VERY worried about this show. Although it is a much more subtle show than in London, I actually did not hate it. I was disappointed with some changes (Violet's songs were better in London, the kids are played by adults, and the sets are small), I do not think it is as bad as people are making it out to be. Christian is amazing, Emily was awesome but not used enough, and Ms. Jackie Hoffman was hilarious and a much needed addition to the cast. I was also disappointed with the stage door - the three people I know and am a fan of did not come out - Borle, Hoffman, and Padgett. I got everyone else's autograph. 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 8:52pm

So now there's to be an animated remake starring... Tom & Jerry? Behold: the trailer for "Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Gaze upon it and despair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs-tu4fj4zA

I can't find an imdb page to confirm who is doing the voice over work. This looks as terrible as the animated "King and I" remake. The licence is not being treated with care.

Updated On: 4/19/17 at 08:52 PM

[Rainah]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 12:00am

tmbyru said: "I was also disappointed with the stage door - the three people I know and am a fan of did not come out - Borle, Hoffman, and Padgett. I got everyone else's autograph."

Borle rarely/never stagedoors, he's very shy and has said before that it's really not his cup of tea.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 1:44am

Well, he seems to like to hang out at the Glasshouse Tavern and flirt.... so uh... ok

[Tiann Nerng Chong]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 2:31am

RippedMan said: "Well, he seems to like to hang out at the Glasshouse Tavern and flirt.... so uh... ok

 

"

[tmbyru]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 9:16am

I think paying high prices for shows means you can get over being shy and come out and sign my Playbill. I won't even make eye contact.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 9:34am

tmbyru said: "I think paying high prices for shows means you can get over being shy and come out and sign my Playbill. I won't even make eye contact."

An actor's obligation to you ends when the curtain comes down.

 

[Nycat63]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 9:38am

Tiann Nerng Chong said: "RippedMan said: "Well, he seems to like to hang out at the Glasshouse Tavern and flirt.... so uh... ok

 

"



 

This still has me cracking up.  Thank you.  

 

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 9:55am

tmbyru said: "I think paying high prices for shows means you can get over being shy and come out and sign my Playbill. I won't even make eye contact.

 

"

Oh, you're one of those people. Stage dooring is in nobody's contract and you should be happy that anyone came out at all. 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 9:57am

Kad said: "tmbyru said: "I think paying high prices for shows means you can get over being shy and come out and sign my Playbill. I won't even make eye contact."

An actor's obligation to you ends when the curtain comes down.

 

 

"

Just yes. 100 times yes. 

[Tiann Nerng Chong]

Posted: 4/20/17 at 10:01am

tmbyru said: "I think paying high prices for shows means you can get over being shy and come out and sign my Playbill. I won't even make eye contact.

 

"