Dance of the Vampires

[johnsolt]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:59pm

How was this show on Broadway? I know it got panned and closed quickly. I ask because I recently saw the German-language version in Berlin, which has been playing to packed houses for over a year. And, to be honest, it was pretty darn good.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:19pm

The New York production was ruined by Michael Crawford's super ego.

[JumpJumpJumpSoHigh]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:23pm

As I understand it, the German production was a straight-up Gothic fantasy, right? The Broadway production was hampered by a severe identity crisis: it didn't know whether it wanted to be serious or comic. The serious parts were often really cool (everything from "Red Boots Ballet" to the end of Act One was pretty awesome), and the funny parts were often genuinely funny -- but they just didn't blend into a cohesive whole. I don't know if it was the producers or director trying to "Americanize" it, or if it was the fact that Michael Crawford is a comedian and wanted some funny stuff, but they should have left it as is.

(Also, the translation of the lyrics was mostly terrible.)

That said. I kind of loved the show. I have a special place in my heart just for bad vampire musicals.

~JJJ

[BrianS]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 2:11pm

That's exactly what happened. Crawford was allowed creative control and the tone of the show was all over the place. You had lines in Act I like "I'm just an 18 year old virgin in the woods at midnight, I wonder what could possibly be in store" (paraphrasing badly, but you get an idea of the camp tone) which seemed like a lot of fun and then in Act II you had these dramatic power ballads and I was left thinking "am I supposed to take you seriously now? Because you didn't earn any emotional investment by mocking everything in Act I."

I heard the German version was consistent in tone and knew exactly the show it wanted to be, making it actually very entertaining.

[Mythus]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 2:31pm

Tanz der Vampire is unmeasurably better. There was humor in it, yes, but it was much more sophisticated (or, at least, handled that way). We get it, that it's just a wee bit sexual when Sarah rubs the sponge all over Alfred. We don't need a penis-shaped sponge. Yes, we know garlic "makes stronger what sleeps", we don't need the line "garlic, garlic, it's why we're so well hung".

Even the cool dance stuff in the American version was way better in Tanz. I'll just say it...look up Carpe Noctem and Die Roten Stiefel on YouTube. Absolutely fantastic choreography.

[threatXthree]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 5:58pm

Speaking of Dance of the Vampires: the 10th Anniversary Concert is available on iTunes.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:07pm

I'll repeat what I said in the BWW chat room a month ago, believe me or not. The team of producers in Germany surrounding the show are aiming for a UK run. As such, they've hired a new book writer/lyricist to "fix" the show. He's returned to a faithful adaptation of the German version, and a London opening for 2008 or 2009 is anticipated.

They anticipate a Broadway transfer, but I think they're naive. However, judging by the chat room reaction, not many theatre buffs are that averse to a return of DOTV or the show it was based on, so maybe I'm wrong.

Updated On: 12/10/07 at 06:07 PM

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:09pm

Tanz der Vampire is of course better but Dance of the Vampires was a lot of fun.The comedy worked in most places and the talent involved were great.

The music was good(most taken from the german show and translated in to English) and the sets were jaw dropping

I have the show on DVD and have watched it a few times and it really is pretty good if not a little stupid

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:18pm

The worst show i have ever seen on Broadway and possibly elsewhere.....by far! Deserved its fate.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:21pm

I'm guessing you never saw or heard the German version.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:24pm

Yes i know that version well. Its not a new show.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:25pm

The german show is fantastic

the US show is a fantastically fun mess which made for a highly entertaining evening

[Grand Motel]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:29pm

If I'm remembering correctly, there was an entire song dedicated to garlic so what's left to say?

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:30pm

If you call gasps of emmbarrasment from the audience an entertaining evening. The performance i saw at least 70 or 80 left at intermission. I stayed only because the friend had a friend in it- we were 5th row centre! Michael Crawford seriously flawed his career with that one. The German production is different beast altogether.
Great poster artwork!

Updated On: 12/10/07 at 06:30 PM

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:34pm

i saw this in NY about 3 times and never saw anyone leave, in fact the audience loved it when i saw it

Its the same with the dvd as well, it gets a standing ovation at the end.

It was a mistake, and they should have just taken the original and done a straight translation but it was by no means the mess people say.

In fact if i remember its reviews werent all bad, they were more mixed.

There was a lot to like in the Broadway version but also a lot to laugh at, but after sitting through some of the stinkers ive sat through DOTV looked like a tony winner lol

Oh and wasnt MC career pretty much stalled in terms of theatre anyway?

Updated On: 12/10/07 at 06:34 PM

[Roscoe]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:18pm

The show was ruined by a bad book, a bad score, bad direction, and bad choreography. It was ruined by the decision to try and play it for laughs. It was ruined by Michael Crawford's idiotic performance(s).

Simple, really.

There were some good aspects to the show. The lighting was good, the technical aspects of the show were quite professional, and the cast did their very best to make the inanities of the script and score and direction work.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:25pm

Garlic sounded like it was penned by Mr Wildhorn & I like his work.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:35pm

Nobody left the night I saw it either. We were all too excited about seeing the latest greatest Broadway bomb, the SHOWGIRLS of the Great White Way.

[Rypm25]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:38pm

Saw this show after previews...there were huge chunks of empty seats in the back of the orchestra...I was able to move my seat after the first act. I loved parts of this show, and some of the music...but the humor was just awful! Nothing made me laugh, the penis sponges were just stupid, and I was dumbfounded when the bat puppet made by the jim henson co. showed up and started chatting using foul language! Believe me I'm no prude...but the foul mouthed puppet bat was just not funny..along with most of the show. It also had some cool visuals...I remember a dance late in the second act between Max von essen and asa somers (who was a vampire) where they danced in front of a large mirror and of course you could see max's reflection, but not asa somers'. I also enjoyed the last 15 minutes of the first act, and really loved the song "Braver Than We Are!"

Mostly, the show was a mess...and not what it originally was intended to be...

[johnsolt]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 8:33pm

I highly doubt this would be revived on Broadway any time soon. Though what would be interesting would be to have the German-language version appear in the States, with perhaps open captions. There is something authentic in having it in the German language -- kind of gives the night an Eastern European feel. I saw this in Berlin and can't speak German, but followed along for the most part.

It was still a bit hokey, but proved an overly entertaining evening.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 9:49pm

I loved it when I saw it, but then again I was 12 and starstruck by MC.

[NCSAcat]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 9:54pm

Say what you like aobout "Dance..." as a show, but the score, although cobbled together from previous sources is some of the most thrilling and appropriately theatrical music to play broadway in a decade or so.