Disney’s HERCULES - Reviews & News Thread- Page 5

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 6:38pm

Anyone going tonight?

[rafarosgon]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 1:03am

It was such a joyful night at the theatre. 
The show was stopped for a couple of minutes, it seems there was a problem with the columns.

Overall the show is in a very good shape for a first performance. My personal highlights: the Muses and Pain & Panic. 

Updated On: 2/17/23 at 01:03 AM

[shiaho]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 1:05am

Yikes. This show is not going on Broadway anytime soon. 
 

Preface, I am a huge Hercules fan and this was my first time at Pappermill so I was very excited going into this. 
 

Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment. Let’s just start by saying, the new songs need A LOT of work. None of the songs moved the plot forward, nor memorable (if anything, it slowed the show down). There was some mic issues, flubbed lines, and a brief 10 minute pause because of a technical issue but asides from that, it was a smooth first preview. 
 

The good: Most of the costumes were beautiful. The set wasn’t anything spectacular but used effectively. The Muses were a delight – they were the only reason the show didn’t bore me (such a talented group of people). The actors playing Pain & Panic nailed the comedic timing; I could watch them for the entirety of the show. The puppets. 
 

The bad: Bradley Gibson, Hercules…yikes. He looks the part but that’s about it (I felt like he was playing Hercules at a Disney park; overacting). The new music. Staging…lots of scenes were very questionable and you can tell the actors didn’t understand why some of the scenes were blocked the way it was (the “big” fight was the biggest mess I’ve witnessed; the audience was definitely confused – lots of upstaging). ALL OF ACT 2! It was very rushed; I thought I was watching the show on 2x speed. The final fight with Hades was lackluster, it lasted maybe 3 minutes. 
 

This show should go straight to licensing and move on with it - nothing can fix this mess. 

Updated On: 2/17/23 at 01:05 AM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 12:24pm

Two wildly different opinions - anyone else?  I'm very curious to hear more.

rafarosgon, what did you like about the show?

[musikman]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 12:37pm

The show has good intentions, but it’s absolutely not ready for broadway, which is the nicest thing I can say.  This compared to the public theater production in Central Park which was charmingly campy and clever.   
 

Shoutout to the Muses who were hilarious and - literally - sang for the gods. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 9:26pm

This and Hunchback are my favorites. Sad to see them both die at Papermill. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/17/23 at 10:01pm

Hopefully Disney can rework this if they're still planning on it coming to Broadway next Spring.

[supersam1026]

Posted: 2/18/23 at 11:57am

What’s the run time on this? The site lists 2 hr 30, has that been the case? Just trying to plan out train times

[52889j]

Posted: 2/19/23 at 9:41pm

Saw it this afternoon. Feels like it lives in the same universe as the Hyperion Aladdin. Some good singing, amusing at times, but on the whole extremely forgettable.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/19/23 at 10:24pm

WHY IS HERCULES IN A MINI DRESS AND HIGH TOPSY. WHY. AWFUL.

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 2/19/23 at 11:45pm

RippedMan said: "WHY IS HERCULES IN A MINI DRESS AND HIGH TOPSY. WHY. AWFUL. "

...it's a stylized toga, not a "mini dress". Everyone wore them. The high tops, not so much.

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 2/20/23 at 7:54pm

Is there a song list on the program? Anyone willing to share, if so, please?

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 4:16pm

I’m seeing this tomorrow with a friend. Was very excited but now nervous based on the reviews here. Hoping for the best! 

[bholtzinger544]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 9:56pm

Found one on a random Instagram Post! I think I got the transcription right below:

Act 1

• Prologue-Company
• Gospel Truth I-Muses & Ensemble
• Gospel Truth II-Muses and Ensemble
• The Prophesy-Fates
• Gospel Truth III-Muses and Ensemble
• Despina's Lullaby (Part One)-Despina
• Gospel Truth IV-Muses and Ensemble
• Uniquely Greek Town Square-Ensemble
• Go the DIstance-Hercules
• Phil's Soul Spot-Phil & Muses
• One Last Hope-Phil
• Gospel Truth V-Muses and Ensemble
• Forget About It-Meg & Hercules
• Cool Day in Hell-Hades, Pain, Panic, & Fates
• Uniquely Green Tough Town-Ensemble
• Zero to Hero-Muses, Hercules, Phil, Ensemble
• Act One Finale-Hercules, Muses, & Ensemble 

Act Two

• A Muse Bouche-Muses
• I'm Back-Phil
• One Last Hope/Go the Distance (Reprise)-Phil & Hercules
• Cool Reprise in Hell-Hades, Pain, & Panic
• Gospel Truth VI-Muses and Ensemble
• I Won't Say (I'm In Love)-Meg & Muses
• Great Bolts of Thunder-Company
• To Be Human-Company
• A Star is Born-Hercules

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 10:29pm

TheatreMonkey said: "RippedMan said: "WHY IS HERCULES IN A MINI DRESS AND HIGH TOPSY. WHY. AWFUL. "

...it's a stylized toga, not a "mini dress". Everyone wore them. The high tops, not so much."

The fit is mini dress

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 4:39am

I'm honestly a little surprised that they aren't trying to incorporate the cut song (but covered in Europe by Boyzone) Shooting Star.  Yeah it covers the same ground as Go the Distance, that replaced it, but they found a way to use both Someday and God Help the Outcasts in Hunchback...

Especially because everything I hear about the new music isn't... good.  As an Alan Menken devotee, who has been pleasantly surprised by some of his later scores I expected not to like (Bronx Tale, not great but much better than I expected--I admit I still can't get into Leap of Faith) I hate to admit that I don't think much of most of his recent music...

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 9:04am

I’m not sure where to begin with this one. I will say, the actors are doing their best with the material they have been given. I do realize this was only their 4th or 5th performance and they are still in previews, and this is similar to an “out of town tryout”, so this could be a completely different show in a few weeks, a few months, or a few years - or by the time it transfers (if it transfers). So - my review is solely based on what I saw last night 02/22/23 at Paper Mill and it contains SPOILERS.

The good: The Muses. Absolute scene stealers. Each muse has a powerful voice and I loved each and every one of their performances. Charity Angel Dawson did stand out as my favorite, which didn’t surprise me as I’ve seen her in several other shows - she is always fantastic and is an absolute power house.

Isabelle McCalla as Meg. Loved her rendition of “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)”. Also - loved the subtle Disney Easter egg, giving her the middle name “Susan”, presumably after Susan Egan who voices her in the movie. I don’t remember the movie’s character having a middle name but I could be wrong and it’s not an Easter egg after all. Lol.

Pain and Panic. Jeff Blumenkrantz and Reggie DeLeon had perfect comedic timing. They had the audience cracking up with their corny and sometimes clever jokes.

The puppetry. Fantastic. It did make me wish they kept Pegasus in though, they could have done wonders with that one!

The statue effect for Zeus and Hera - thought that was cool.

Great Bolts of Thunder. Thought it was the most fun out of all the numbers. Could be a show stopper with a little more work.

The Okay:

James Monroe Iglehart as Phil. The talent is obviously there and he was certainly giving his all but it’s as if the people involved saw him in Aladdin and said “he’s great, let’s give him another role where he can do this same exact schtick”. The problem is - Phil isn’t like the Genie but James is playing him like the Genie and I can’t help but think that’s the direction he was given.

The costumes. Some good, some bad. Another Disney Easter egg I thought was funny was at some point dressing 3 characters similar to Fauna, Merryweather, and Flora.

The bad:

Shuler Hensley as Hades. Again - the talent is certainly there but his material, his wig, and his costumes were so god awful and cartoonish. It also made me realize how iconic the voice of James Wood is as Hades for the movie. Similar to Robin Williams as Genie and James Earl Jones as Mufasa, his voice makes the character so evil. I didn’t get that with Shuler. His lines were half cringe and half good.
Again - not really his fault.

Hercules. Bradley Gibson certainly has the muscles for Hercules but I thought his acting was so over the top - again - unsure if that was his decision or the creative team.

The book. Yikes. Nearly every line everyone had was incredibly cringe worthy. It felt like bad community theatre. It needs ALOT of work. I thought Act 1 should have just ended with “Zero to Hero”. Speaking of “Zero to Hero” - it’s my favorite song in the movie and I felt they slowed it down a beat or two for the stage show. Unsure why they did that but I was disappointed in that choice.

The choreography. All over the place. WHAT was that last number? Seemed like a curtain call but then it wasn’t. It was several little groups on stage with flags. Seemingly all in their own world. But then they eventually danced together. It was weird and misplaced.

Additionally - they stopped about 20 minutes into the show for about 10 minutes. Looks like Hercules’ Mom’s house got stuck. Curtain came down and an announcement was made. After Hercules “lost his strength” a child in the audience near me cackled and everyone else near me laughed. I overheard someone say that was the best part of the night. Do with that as you will… lol.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 9:10am

Unless they drastically rework this, I'm assuming Disney will hold off in taking it to Broadway next season.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 9:33am

Or it will just go straight to licensing, like they did for The Jungle Book, Hunchback, and Freaky Friday. 

Updated On: 2/23/23 at 09:33 AM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 9:54am

Long before it hit the stage I’d been wondering how “Zero to Hero” would be placed. The music itself obviously screams Act 1 finale, but dramatically, in terms of the movie lyrics and storytelling the song does, it almost makes more sense as an Act 2 opener in that it could easily be a montage of sorts of all the things that “happened” during intermission. 

[Alex M]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 10:02am

Sad to hear all the negative reviews. Aladdin is one of my favorite Disney movies and I feel like the broadway show just doesn't work and feels like a theme park show, Hercules is another one of my favorites and it looks like it suffers the same fate (lol). Still looking forward to seeing it this weekend, and have my expectations managed now haha. 

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 11:09am

Wait……Zero to Hero ISN’T THE ACT I FINALE??!? That’s honestly mind boggling. To me, that would be like having another song after You Can’t Stop the Beat in Hairspray. Kinda tells me everything I need to know about this misguided production. So sad. People have been clamoring for this for YEARS. Maybe it’s time for Disney to pack it in. It seems they’ve lost the magic.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 11:36am

seaweedjstubbs said: "Wait……Zero to Hero ISN’T THE ACT I FINALE??!? That’s honestly mind boggling. To me, that would be like having another song after You Can’t Stop the Beat in Hairspray. Kinda tells me everything I need to know about this misguided production. So sad. People have been clamoring for this for YEARS. Maybe it’s time for Disney to pack it in. It seems they’ve lost the magic."

Sounds like how Friend Like Me almost ends Act I, but the creators decided (I guess for dramatic reasons) they need a bit more after that before the Act One Finale.

I actually like the idea that Zero to Hero should start Act II - it tells the audience all that happened during intermission and jumps the story forward to start the final act. 

It sounds like despite the issues, there is a lot that is working in this production.  I really hope they can work on it and make it the hit it should be.  It seems like for Disney, The Lion King was lightning in a bottle - a bold vision, beautifully and magically executed.  Everything else is on a sliding scale of quality, but ultimately just a stage version of an animated movie.  You'll probably enjoy it because you like the movie, and you're certainly getting your money's worth in production value, but you won't be mesmerized, and it won't stick with you for long.  Maybe one day we'll have a series of Disney musical revisals that take a new approach to the source material and find magic in a new way. 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 11:58am

^ Well I keep saying to myself if Disney adapts Brother Bear, Welcome would be the perfect Act 1 ending. A lighthearted production number before the plot takes the big pivotal dramatic turn.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 2/23/23 at 4:51pm

Hairspray0901 said: "I’m not sure where to begin with this one. I will say, the actors are doing their best with the material they have been given. I do realize this was only their 4th or 5th performance and they are still in previews, and this is similar to an “out of town tryout”, so this could be a completely different show in a few weeks, a few months, or a few years - or by the time it transfers (if it transfers). So - my review is solely based on what I saw last night 02/22/23 at Paper Mill and it contains SPOILERS.

The good: The Muses. Absolute scene stealers. Each muse has a powerful voice and I loved each and every one of their performances. Charity Angel Dawson did stand out as my favorite, which didn’t surprise me as I’ve seen her in several other shows - she is always fantastic and is an absolute power house.

Isabelle McCalla as Meg. Loved her rendition of “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)”. Also - loved the subtle Disney Easter egg, giving her the middle name “Susan”, presumably after Susan Egan who voices her in the movie. I don’t remember the movie’s character having a middle name but I could be wrong and it’s not an Easter egg after all. Lol.

Pain and Panic. Jeff Blumenkrantz and Reggie DeLeon had perfect comedic timing. They had the audience cracking up with their corny and sometimes clever jokes.

The puppetry. Fantastic. It did make me wish they kept Pegasus in though, they could have done wonders with that one!

The statue effect for Zeus and Hera - thought that was cool.

Great Bolts of Thunder. Thought it was the most fun out of all the numbers. Could be a show stopper with a little more work.

The Okay:

James Monroe Iglehart as Phil. The talent is obviously there and he was certainly giving his all but it’s as if the people involved saw him in Aladdin and said “he’s great, let’s give him another role where he can do this same exact schtick”. The problem is - Phil isn’t like the Genie but James is playing him like the Genie and I can’t help but think that’s the direction he was given.

The costumes. Some good, some bad. Another Disney Easter egg I thought was funny was at some point dressing 3 characters similar to Fauna, Merryweather, and Flora.

The bad:

Shuler Hensley as Hades. Again - the talent is certainly there but his material, his wig, and his costumes were so god awful and cartoonish. It also made me realize how iconic the voice of James Wood is as Hades for the movie. Similar to Robin Williams as Genie and James Earl Jones as Mufasa, his voice makes the character so evil. I didn’t get that with Shuler. His lines were half cringe and half good.
Again - not really his fault.

Hercules. Bradley Gibson certainly has the muscles for Hercules but I thought his acting was so over the top - again - unsure if that was his decision or the creative team.

The book. Yikes. Nearly every line everyone had was incredibly cringe worthy. It felt like bad community theatre. It needs ALOT of work. I thought Act 1 should have just ended with “Zero to Hero”. Speaking of “Zero to Hero” - it’s my favorite song in the movie and I felt they slowed it down a beat or two for the stage show. Unsure why they did that but I was disappointed in that choice.

The choreography. All over the place. WHAT was that last number? Seemed like a curtain call but then it wasn’t. It was several little groups on stage with flags. Seemingly all in their own world. But then they eventually danced together. It was weird and misplaced.

Additionally - they stopped about 20 minutes into the show for about 10 minutes. Looks like Hercules’ Mom’s house got stuck. Curtain came down and an announcement was made. After Hercules “lost his strength” a child in the audience near me cackled and everyone else near me laughed. I overheard someone say that was the best part of the night. Do with that as you will… lol."


i unfortunately have to agree with all of these criticisms. You might guess that I had high hopes for a Menken stage adaptation, but wow. This was not good. Joke after joke fell flat. Couldn’t understand most of the Muses’ lyrics, the book was hard to follow, great performers were embarrassingly wasted, new songs weren’t great, classic songs were not done well, and it felt soooo long. 
 

Also, do not sit in the first row. They have raised the stage, and I only saw the top 1/4 of the performance. The seats were not sold as partial view, but they were some of the worst seats I’ve ever been in. I was happy to give a standing ovation at the end so I could see what their legs looked like. 
 

I give it a V out of X.