Cirque does Broadway: PARAMOUR Previews — Page 3

Mark Long's favorite quote is:" blaaaaaaaaa"



Sounds pretty remarkable.

Been there - done that. Multiple times

I'm going to tonight's preview, SweetLips and will let you know what I think!

Yikes, I thought this was a mess on nearly every level. I couldn't believe how much book and original score there was and how little "Cirque" was woven into it. Mostly it was just boring, but the ineptitude of the atrocious lyrics (everyone has an angle when you're caught in a love triangle) was good for a few laughs and the book has enough WTF moments to make for some fun conversation at intermission and after the show.



Jeremy Kushnier plays the most talented director in the world; he doesn't make movies he makes films. "He never makes a movie or a picture or a flick, he makes a film- get it- a film!" When he is short a leading lady he discovers Indigo James (Ruby Lewis) performing in a club. She's fresh off the bus from Indiana, but she's already hardened and playing Joan Crawford rather than Norma Shearer. She's also a lyricist, writing her own songs with the help of composer and unrequited lover Joey (Ryan Vona). She's hired to star in Kushnier's film and Joey is hired to write that one perfect love song. (Indigo has trouble with the lyrics- well she's never been in love, of course!)



The film is a bizarre piece of work, seemingly made up of famous movies that couldn't have been made yet, including Casablanca, Calamity Jane, Gone With the Wind, Some Like it Hot, Mata Hari, King Kong, Cleopatra and others. It's hard to tell if Indigo actually starred in all these films or if they are comprising the one film that will make her a star. She is both uber famous and still working on writing that perfect love song with Joey.



The few Cirque set pieces come off the best; Kushnier hilariously tells Indigo that even with everything going on around her all eyes are always on her when it couldn't be further from the truth. Why he would even want to add these acrobatics into a film whose sole purpose is to showcase his leading lady is mind-boggling. Why even bother with this insipid and nonsensical book? Just have Kushnier be a director looking back on his filmography and each stunt/song can be a scene from one of these films.



The score is all wrong at all times. The Calamity Jane number sounds like modern country and numbers in the 1950s sound like Benny Goodman's Sing, Sing, Sing.



Even the the dancing was unimpressive, especially after the wowing tap seen in Shuffle Along. This felt anemic by comparison.



This was my first live Cirque show, and I have to assume that the other incarnations must be much better. If not, I have no idea how this franchise became so popular.

Cirque can do wondrous things. I know this is illegal but I don't care https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrnGzv_sE4. But I wonder why on earth they wanted to do a musical. What works as a circus does not work as a musical/ Why not just do a circus show? With lots of acrobatics. You might not win Tonys but you will have bums on seats. Lizzie I loved Alegria . What are your favourite shows?

"everyone has an angle when you're caught in a love triangle" Wow, that is bad. Why the hell did Cirque not hire an ACTUAL musical theater composer and lyricist for the show. This sounds like ANOTHER flop for Cirque.

WhizzerMarvin said: "This was my first live Cirque show, and I have to assume that the other incarnations must be much better. If not, I have no idea how this franchise became so popular."

I love Cirque and have been to many, but every time they try to dive into narrative, it tanks. It's always the broadest, non-speaking story that is practically mime, just killing time for the next stunt to kick in. Even some of their huge shows like KA waste too much time on story.

I mean, I obviously love stories, but they try to have such threadbare narratives, arguably in the name of access as far as a global audience, but really, 40% more stunts would make everyone happier.

Wow, that sounds even worse than their previous attempts...

MichelleCraig said: "Thanks, Whizzer. It only took 56 posts for someone to properly answer OP."



On a preview thread, you start at the end and go back until you find Whizzer's review. That is when any preview thread truly starts.

Agreed!! Haterobics, you are so right...

Updated On: 4/18/16 at 11:30 PM

And I though Zarkana was crap....avoiding this like the plague!!!!!

UGH! Too late for me since I have tickets to attend on May 9th.

I have seen most of the touring and resident Las Vegas shows. The best are the resident Las Vegas shows because the sets are pure spectacle due to the amount of money thrown at them. The touring tent shows are also fantastic for me because of the intimacy of them. Unfortunately, on the second time around on the touring circuit the tent shows get revised to arena productions and those lose a lot of the impact because of the vast openness in the building. Zarkana at Radio City Music Hall could have been so much better but it fell flat...the same for Iris in LA.

Is this Banana Spiel bad or worse.?Pardon me if spelling is wrong and I will correct it forthwith