Donmar revival of Passion

[Proper Villain]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 2:01am

Been listening to the BBC3 broadcast with the leads of the revival of Passion, and I can't help but think that Elena Roger brings a beauty to Fosca's songs, that I hadn't heard before. Revelatory.

Anyone seen it?

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 2:18am

Should Fosca's songs be sung with beauty (whatever that really means anyways)?

[mallardo]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 5:43am

Just because Fosca is not physically beautiful doesn't mean she shouldn't sing beautifully. I loved Donna Murphy's voice in the part.

[Buddy's blues]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 5:59am

Listening to her singing on BBC3 the word that came to mind was vulnerable which to me indicates Fosca's inner beauty.

[binau]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 6:36am

Is there a way we can hear this? What songs did she sing? (BBC iPlayer link, or something?)

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 7:03am

I would also love to listen to this, if it's available.

Should Fosca's songs be sung with beauty (whatever that really means anyways)?

Why do you think they shouldn't be?

[Buddy's blues]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 6:07pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tmj5w

This is the link to the BBC iPlayer - the interview with the 3 main characters and the director starts at about 1:08:00 - Elena sings a song and so do the other two. It actually opens tonight so there should be reviews on the West End Message Board soon.

[binau]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 6:09pm

So according to the listing she sang "I wish I could forget you". But it's no longer available. Did anyone record it?

[Proper Villain]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 7:02pm

Um... did you get my message, qolbinau?

[binau]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 7:05pm

No I didn't .

[Proper Villain]

Posted: 9/21/10 at 9:26pm

Let's try that again...

[Buddy's blues]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 7:10am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?page=2&thread=1019909&boardid=3

reviews posted on the West End board

[Proper Villain]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 11:38am

Thanks for the heads up, Buddy's blue!

Reading those reviews - and I'm not talking about this production, as I haven't seen it - show how some theatre critics know absolutely nothing about music. (The one who said Sondheim didn't know how to write romance shows like R&H or Lloyd Webber (!) do, seriously, why does this guy have a job critiquing anything beyond TV shows?)

To call the show "flat" and dissonant, is indeed a high insult to this work. It also shows they don't understand it; it was written not as sung-through, but as one long (a 1 hour, 45 minute) love song. The critic that complains that the music isn't hummable - what an idiot!

At any rate, I hope they record this for posterity. I won't be making it to London in the near future, and I'm dying to hear the new Tunick orchs.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 11:40am

I would love to see/hear Elena Roger as Fosca. I've actually never seen her in anything, but there's something about her that I really like, and I think she'd work wonderfully in the part. (and apparently she does!)

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 12:13pm

Will this be another Brit-reduced production, with one violin and a casio keyboard?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 12:14pm

You forgot the comb and wax paper.

[Buddy's blues]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 1:20pm

Big isn't always beautiful - I haven't seen this production and unfortunately won't be able to but a choice between seeing some of the big Broadway productions and this - my choice would be very clear. The London Times has given Ms Roger her very own star and the WOS critic is being slapped down right left and centre.


http://www.whatsonstage.com/reviews/theatre/london/E8831285111116/Passion.html

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 1:30pm

"Will this be another Brit-reduced production, with one violin and a casio keyboard?"

If it transfers, we'll make it even more crass: just wait 'til you see Georgio "sit bolt upright and scream... and grab his crotch".

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 1:35pm

I would be very surprised if this transfered, though I'd certainly love to see it

[ellieptical]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 3:59pm

The night I saw it, 3rd performance, I think. There was a producer in the audience - I don't know who but he said he had Memphis, ALNM & La Cage on Broadway. He was there to check out the show for a transfer, I think.

Also in the audience was Sondheim who looked like he was loving the production and just seemed so enraptured by it. It was sweet to watch him actually.

I have never liked the score for Passion until I saw this production, it's stunning. I love Jamie Lloyd's work anyway but this was prob the best thing I've seen him direct. I didn't like David Thaxton when I saw him in Les Mis but he was an absolute wonder in this production.
Updated On: 9/22/10 at 03:59 PM

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 4:30pm

"If it transfers, we'll make it even more crass: just wait 'til you see Georgio "sit bolt upright and scream... and grab his crotch".

The current British school of musical theatre direction: when in doubt, emulate Benny Hill.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 5:01pm

Neither Memphis, La Cage or Night Music has turned a profit in NYC so that producer needs to be carful. The production sounds wonderful and I'd love to see a revival - but its VERY risky to try to move it.

[Proper Villain]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 5:08pm

The reviews say a 9 piece band, and the radio interview says the musical director conducts from the piano.

But this score doesn't need much, and Sondheim also said the original production was overblown.

I hate to gush, but it may be my favorite Sondheim score, specifically for "Loving You".

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 5:19pm

"The current British school of musical theatre direction: when in doubt, emulate Benny Hill."

C'mon Roscoe - this isn't that British Comedy thread on the Off-Topic board. Benny Hill has been banned from UK terrestrial TV for 20 years. The way you describe the Broadway production of ALNM makes it sound more like Trainspotting.

But who knows? Maybe the Broadway production is more like Trainspotting. Another thing I liked about the current production of ALNM at the Menier was the way it avoided the coy, nudge-nudge, wink-wink humour that was written into the book by British-born Hugh Wheeler (who would definitely know who Benny Hill was).

Nunn (who I am not usually a fan of, as my posts on the West End board bear witness) got rid of it and brought a very matter-of-fact Swedish eroticism to the show: since I haven't seen anyone on the Broadway board comment on this I can only assume it too has been jettisoned on the journey across the Atlantic.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/10 at 5:22pm

I love PASSION and I'd love to see it back on Broadway but I'm not sure this is going to be the production that makes it New York as a revival. To produce it as a commercial theatre piece would be unbelievably challenging - unless they got Cate Blanchett to play Fosca.