#26
Posted: 7/31/16 at 9:19pm
Rum Tum Tigger.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#27
Posted: 7/31/16 at 9:19pm
Are the reviews for Leona Lewis similar in scope with the reviews that Elena Roger received in "Evita"? I was at Evita's first preview.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
#28
Posted: 7/31/16 at 9:32pm
I saw the show last night and overall had a really great time and was (mostly) pleasantly surprised by all of the tweaks and updates to the show. As many have said, I think the biggest and best change was the new lighting design (there's also some tasteful projection work with moving clouds over the moon), followed by the 'enhanced' choreography. Everything I wanted from Gillian Lynn's original moves was there, plus some really well-integrated new work. The cast gave it 150% and the set was more immersive than I expected it to be - the entire front half of the auditorium is covered in black fabric with twinkling stars and the trash covers all the box seats and wraps around the front of the mezzanine. My one main issue is the casting of Leona Lewis. She seems to be doing the best she can, and has a pretty voice, but lacks the power needed to really sell 'Memory'. With all of the wonderful actresses/singers they could have gotten, it just seems like a strange choice and missed opportunity. On a lesser note, it's a little sad they couldn't have sprung for fresher orchestrations. I was anticipating less of the 80's synth-y sound, but it's still there (if not more-so with the reduction of the pit musicians). I also was very dissapointed in Grizabella's 'ascension' - she literally just flew up on a wire. Anyway, this production isn't going to convert anyone, but those who like the show/music to begin with should be pleased :)
#29
Posted: 7/31/16 at 9:37pm
Based on attendance numbers, etc. for previews, maybe, once again, CATS will be critic-proof. There have been some very favorable posts on this board. I don't remember the original reviews, but this show always had a very high snark quotient...and still managed to stay open for 18 years.
#30
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:07pm
#31
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:13pm
#32
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:14pm
#33
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:14pm
New York Times...
Isherwood seems to mostly have liked it....not thrilled with Lewis' acting though...
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/theater/cats-broadway-revival-review.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0
"Y'all have a GRAND day now"
#34
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:17pm
Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Are the reviews for Leona Lewis similar in scope with the reviews that Elena Roger received in "Evita"? I was at Evita's first preview.
"
Leona was always gonna get sh*t on. Theatre critics were upset when she was first cast because she wasn't American. Probably some of those same critics are going to be as harsh to her now simply because she's not Elaine, Betty, or Laurie. Same as when the critics (and a lot of folks in the States) got Elena instead of Patti.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#35
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:17pm
Bold prediction that this one will not run anywhere near the original run of Cats of 18 years.
Poster Emeritus
#36
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:24pm
Leona was always gonna get sh*t on. Theatre critics were upset when she was first cast because she wasn't American.
What the f**k? I mean Cynthia Erivo was lauded to high heavens and you want to throw out "They didn't like her cause she's not American!" about a production of a British show. That was Composed, Written, Designed, Costumed, & largely choreographed by Brits? This is such a stupid statement that I question your objectivity on really anything.
It couldn't just be that people weren't hot on Leona Lewis? Like many people on this board who have been saying it for weeks?
Updated On: 7/31/16 at 10:24 PM
#37
Posted: 7/31/16 at 10:53pm
They had an opportunity to re-visit an iconic female character d'un age certain and a poignant, universal dark night of the soul -- in light of the culture's more savvy understanding of aging, women, and the impact of ageism and woman shaming -- but chose to go for a celebration of pop sensibility. A chance to deepen the show's most emotional chord has been ignored to preserve an expectation of money note nirvana. Too bad. The character of Grizabella says much about tossing women into a dumpster, literally, once they are past a certain superficial "prime," physically speaking. The show might've made us sit up and pay attention. Instead, in casting a luminous (let's say it, young:) pop diva, they undercut the very message they claim to be putting over. It's so obvious. Yet the need to recreate with museum accuracy wins. Too bad. A show unfairly maligned just opened itself up for fresh trash talk.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#38
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:07pm
#39
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:09pm
Did anyone actually think that today's elitists would give this show a good review? They were no doubt enraged at its success the first time, and were just chomping at the bit to tear into it now, and make sure that no such success would occur a second time.
I would love to see it be a smash again just to see them confounded.
#40
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:11pm
icecreambenjamin said: "LizzieCurry said: "icecreambenjamin said: "I saw the show yesterday. I knew the song Memories, but I really had never heard the score, so seeing this was like seeing a new musical. I thought it was absolutely horrendous. Probably the worst musical I have ever seen. Memories was butchered by that wailer and the show was dated beyond saving. How sad to see so many resources go to waste on this."
Really? They changed the title of the song, huh?
I told you. I knew nothing about this show. I had heard the song a couple of times, so sorry if the title is wrong. I honestly went in a completely blank slate.
If you know nothing about the show and went in as a completely blank slate, how would you know she butchered the song. Maybe the song is the problem and she sang it as well as could be expected. Just sayin'.
#41
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:13pm
his is such a stupid statement that I question your objectivity on really anything.
Except people WERE pissed. For example:
Jason Robert Brown: @NathanMeredith Of course not.But why cast an American production with all American actors except for a B-list pop singer who’s never acted?
There are plenty of more examples of this. Not denying that people were just disappointed with Lewis, but many were angry at the casting simply because she wasn't American.
#42
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:19pm
^so I guess he would have been OK with Nicole sherzinger? Lol
#43
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:23pm
The character of Grizabella says much about tossing women into a dumpster, literally, once they are past a certain superficial "prime," physically speaking. The show might've made us sit up and pay attention. Instead, in casting a luminous (let's say it, young:) pop diva, they undercut the very message they claim to be putting over. It's so obvious.
You know... the difference in age between Elaine Paige & Leona at the time of their portrayals is a 1 year difference. I mean Elaine was a the top of her prime when she went into Cats and who in the US really even knows who Leona Lewis is? I mean, the only reason I had any clue was because I liked that song she did for the Avatar soundtrack. The thing I seem to see about ALW currently is him trying to build up people into his next Sarah Brightman. You saw it with Sierra Boggess, you saw it with Nicole Scherzinger, and you can see it with Leona. I can completely side with the idea that they're really opposed to making Grizabella "ugly" in these last two productions and I don't care for it myself.
Except people WERE pissed. For example:
Jason Robert Brown: @NathanMeredith Of course not.But why cast an American production with all American actors except for a B-list pop singer who’s never acted?
Jason Robert Brown is showing his ass. He then proceeded to whine about how the union needs to protect American Jobs. He can have several seats when the transfer of talent has gone both ways for decades. Was he bitching when London took Patina Miller or Heather Headley?
Updated On: 7/31/16 at 11:23 PM
#44
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:25pm
Anyway we all know why Leona got cast : because A Lewd Webber is a perverted old fart who has this obsession with transforming pop starlets into theatrical "sensations". He's basically the Phantom; no wonder his best work to this date is POTO - it's basically a romanticized version of his adult life
#45
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:31pm
Exactly. If it wasn't Leona it would of been a some minor pop starlette with no qualifications anyway... But at least it would of been 'Merican.
#46
Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:45pm
The major complaint about Leona is not that she's British; it's about she can't act!
Grizabella is not an iconic role. Anyone who thinks the character makes a statement about older women has been watching too many Lifetime movies.
This museum piece will run about a year, if that!
#47
Posted: 8/1/16 at 12:03am
icecreambenjamin said: "I saw the show yesterday. I knew the song Memories, but I really had never heard the score, so seeing this was like seeing a new musical. I thought it was absolutely horrendous. Probably the worst musical I have ever seen. Memories was butchered by that wailer and the show was dated beyond saving. How sad to see so many resources go to waste on this.
You just butchered the name of the song Memory.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
#48
Posted: 8/1/16 at 12:06am
If you butcher the literally only song in the show, you are in big trouble.
Poster Emeritus
#49
Posted: 8/1/16 at 12:20am
I read Peter Marks' review. Right on except for one bit- Miss Lynne has never won a Tony Award for this or anything else. These reviews seem to mirror those of people who have seen it- Some love it, others hate it. I am of the latter opinion. It is all spectacle with nothing underneath.
#50
Posted: 8/1/16 at 12:23am
UncleCharlie said: "icecreambenjamin said: "LizzieCurry said: "icecreambenjamin said: "I saw the show yesterday. I knew the song Memories, but I really had never heard the score, so seeing this was like seeing a new musical. I thought it was absolutely horrendous. Probably the worst musical I have ever seen. Memories was butchered by that wailer and the show was dated beyond saving. How sad to see so many resources go to waste on this."
Really? They changed the title of the song, huh?
I told you. I knew nothing about this show. I had heard the song a couple of times, so sorry if the title is wrong. I honestly went in a completely blank slate.
If you know nothing about the show and went in as a completely blank slate, how would you know she butchered the song. Maybe the song is the problem and she sang it as well as could be expected. Just sayin'.
"
Cause gurl can't act. The melody is pretty, but gurl...
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