Evita National Tour - Don't Waste Your Time or Money — Page 3

Di2,

The problem I have with people on this board is the way they constantly bash people. That's what I get angry about. Very few offer criticism, mainly hateful bashing of people. That's what upsets me most.

I was trying to explain to some people who may not be familiar with the intent of the choreography in the show, how the numbers were choreographed.

Really it doesn't bother me that much, because I still give my all everynight, and I still get a paycheck each week.

---

Add me to the list of people who weren't impressed with this tour at all.

I think the assumption everybody has here is...

Hal Prince is infallible.

I think we have to get out of that mindset. The man makes mistakes too.

I could see where the direction may have been inspired, but it just wasn't performed by a very charismatic cast.

I just saw LES MIZ in Toronto, and it was an absolutely dull evening. Sure this is the same production and staging that opened 20 years ago. But the cast is not performing at the same level or quality as the original cast or subsequent casts that have made LES MIZ a much more engrossing and thrilling experience than what's currently on tour.

So... sure the EVITA tour may have Hal Prince's staging. But I think it's suffering from the same problem the current LES MIZ tour is suffering from: bad performances.

As the saying goes, "Opinions are like a$$holes... everyone has one."

Glad you made it through the storm (both down south, and here on this board).

---

Updated On: 9/28/05 at 10:55 AM

it's true. a good rule of thumb would be to read what you wrote and imagine reading it as if it were about you before you post.

---

Saw the broadway original several times, and to be fair, the show's biggest problem, despite its exciting score (and it is exciting) is in its curious lack of dramatic action.

Much of the story of Eva is shoved in our faces by Che's narrative -- not dramatized through individual scenes, ones that might let us make up our minds about this odd heroine. Che tells us what she did wrong, how ego-centric she is, etc., and we never get to experience her rise by observing her actions. It's all pre-packaged by Che (even "Goodnight and thank you" basically makes her a cheap whore from the top -- not a great way to get inside this woman.) We need to learn more about Eva via Eva -- not Che. But that material isn't in the text. Che is omnicient, and that cold, "Brechtian" approach may make for a strong political point of view, but it strips the story of much of its drama. This was painfully obvious in the film, when Madonna's Eva seemed to be less of a presence in every sequence, not more of one. It's a strange show -- so many wonderful tunes, a great subject, and seemingly a great role -- but a hollow, undramatized center.

---

Or in a more appropriately written fashion:

"Di2,
You are assuming that all of us are actors. I am not. I am a audience member. You know.. the ones that spend their hard earned money to hopefully see something good. [In my opinion,] This production was mediocre and it pissed me off. [I feel that] If people are going to mount garbage than I am going to make sure that anyone I can reach knows it is garbage so that they don't waist their money or time just like I did. It also pained me because I love this show and took people who had never seen it.. and they were bored.

I don't care how hard Evita is to do. In the end all that matters is what is up there on stage.. and [I think] what is up there sucks."

---

When I saw this production no one was standing and cheering. They only stood to leave. There were 6 of us in our party. Tickets were about $90.00 a peice. After spending close to $600.00 in tickets to see this highschool level ( at best) production you have to forgive me for feeling a little bitter when you keep bashing people for not liking the show. Perhaps you are a little too close to the production since you are in it to really have a bias opinion. Maybe you should stop bumping the thread up and let it go so you don't have to keep reading how bad your show really is.

Ok. High school is too harsh. You just irritated me . Thats all. Still; it was not very good and I felt cheated. Now you should just let this thread die. It can't be easy for you to be in this show and read this stuff.

Di2 - as Marc Shaiman participates on this board, you might want to rethink your willingness not to say cruel things to an artist's face.

DGrant..

Dear Mr. Shaiman,

Your show is lame.

Sincerely,

Di

Ya know, Auggie, I thought I was the only one who felt that way about EVITA.

God, what a dramatically inert show! Even seeing bits and pieces of Lupone on video, I'm struck that such a smart and nuanced actress could be reduced to posturing and vocal pyrotechnics...but that's the limitation of the role. The actress is given nothing to play!

---

HOW was DGrant being a jerk for pointing out your hypocrisy that completely destroyed your own argument??

The bottom line is that if we are going to criticize shows or the artists that create or perform in them, we need to do it with respect--even if they don't post on BWW. Most comments do find their way back to people. And, we should be better than the usual internet trash talk. We should show our intelligence by posting respectful criticism.

---

Di - I haven't seen EVITA - not this production, anyway - and haven't said one word about it.

Again, your hypocricy is noted.