Finding Neverland at ART -- Reviews & Thoughts- Page 2

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:11am

Except nearly all (or perhaps it IS all) of the creative team has been replaced. From what I understand, this has almost no resemblance to what was seen in the UK.

Does that mean this will succeed? Of course not, but you can't judge THIS production by what you saw in the past.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:12am

Really BAD idea to have a guy in a dog suit for the "reality" scenes in this show. Muddled worlds.

The film worked because of Depp's central performance as the man/child Barrie. Not that others weren't good, but it definitely feels like a period version of a Lifetime "Disease of the Week" movie.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:31am

"From what I could gather from talking to people who were walking out at the same time I did, DJDan's opinion is clearly an outlier."

I truly wish people were better able to refrain from thinking that they know "most people's" opinions based upon their limited conversations with a limited number of other audience members.

To imply that any differing opinion is an "outlier" is both unnecessarily insulting and rather self-aggrandizing ("I'm aligned with popular opinion! I'm right!")

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:53am

Here is the first review...

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/blog/2014/07/24/finding-neverland-musical-review-art-broadway/

[Back Row]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:59am

The show was enthusiastically received by the audience. Why is the opinion of one guy who rushes home so he can post a negative review of the first preview any more valid than that of a dozen theater goers who were raving about the show as they were leaving? His was literally the only negative reaction that I read or heard. The response from the audience was not only positive, but overwhelmingly positive. There is no right or wrong here. Only opinion. And yes, from what I can gather, his opinion is an outlier.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:59am

I'm only slightly skeptical about any of the early buzz on this project if for no other reason that Harvey Weinstein's best talent is generating PR. If the average producer employs shills and reporters to favorably color their show during previews, I can only imagine what Harvey will do.

I mean an actual published review (and a rave at that) after...the 1st preview?

Updated On: 7/24/14 at 09:59 AM

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:08am

Interesting that the big issue so far on this board was a person playing the dog meanwhile the Globe review says that Thayne Jasperson stole the first half of the show as Barrie's dog

[Kad]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:14am

That "review" certainly doesn't sell me on the show with its references to twerking and its choices for the most memorable lines and effusive, but generic, praise.

[Back Row]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:15am

To be fair, the posted review was from a Boston Magazine blog, not the Globe. I do agree with a lot of what she said, though. Particularly about Jasperson. He was very funny.

Updated On: 7/24/14 at 10:15 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:17am

A published review after a first preview? I'm sure the PR team at ART is *thrilled*

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:17am

The writer, Yiqing Shao, is female and has the writing skills of an average high-school sophomore.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:20am

"The show was enthusiastically received by the audience."

No, the show was enthusiastically received by you and those you spoke with. Your impressions of how the rest of the audience reacted are colored by your own feelings.

You really don't need to pretend to know what "the majority" felt in order to validate your own opinion. Your own single opinion about the show is what has the most value on a site like this; less so your subjective and possibly illusory impressions of what everyone else thought.

[djdan1079]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:28am

Listen, friends- I don't claim my thoughts on the show are the gospel here. It's an opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. I understand and respect the creative process. I know this show will change a lot between now and it's official opening. I reread my post last night and I don't think I was scathing or unfair. I tried to offer up thoughts on moments and performances that worked as well as what I thought didn't. If you saw the show and loved it, then more power to you.

At the end of the day, I'm not sure who the audience is for this show. I'm not sure there is enough Peter Pan magic to hold a child's attention, and not sure the material is smart enough to work for adults.

All that being said, it's a creative PROCESS. Diane Paulus is a genius. Weinstein has a proven track record. Maybe the show will pull together and be a hit? If it is, that's great for Broadway.

The only thing I know for sure is that the overall experience last night personally left me bored. Take it for what it's worth

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:37am

Interesting that the big issue so far on this board was a person playing the dog meanwhile the Globe review says that Thayne Jasperson stole the first half of the show as Barrie's dog

I have no doubt that a person in a dog suit can steal a show. Especially if it's in trouble.

Maybe they can add one in to Bullets Over Broadway or Rocky. Stat.

You know, for the kids!

[Back Row]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:41am

"Your own single opinion about the show is what has the most value on a site like this; less so your subjective and possibly illusory impressions of what everyone else thought."

Fair enough. However, I went to this show with a group, and some of the group are theater professionals. This group of friends has a tendency to pick apart elements of a show, especially when it's in previews. (The same group went to the Jungle Book, pointed out what they liked, what they didn't like, and concluded that it was not ready for Broadway.) The conversation is much like that every time we get together to see a show. There is rarely unanimous agreement about every part of the show. Until last night. We all liked it. All of it. Those familiar with the source material acknowledged that turning a sad movie into an entertaining stage show was a difficult task, but gave Diane Paulus credit for pulling it off.

[skylight2]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:47am

I'm curious if American audiences will respond to the "Brit Pop" sound of the score.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 10:48am

Thanks - phrased like that, I find it much more informative.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:01am

I agree with Mr. Bennett, whatever the merits of this show, I am sure we will see a PR onslaught like we've not seen before.

As far as Weinstein's record, he has none in the Theatre, it will be interesting to see how he makes the transistion, but as someone once said "... but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

[jv92]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:04am

"Diane Paulus is a genius."

There have only been three geniuses in the American Musical Theater: Jerome Robbins, Frank Loesser, and Stephen Sondheim. Diane Paulus isn't even a piece of doggy-doo wrapped in a pretty bow compared to them.

I have no desire to see this, and I'm certainly not supportive of it after the way Weinstein threw actual Musical Theater writers to the curb and replaced them with some pop schlock bum. And then he got Diane Paulus involved? No thanks.

I am going to pre-judge all I want. This man doesn't know how to work in the Musical Theater. Turn off your iPad, Harvey.






Updated On: 7/24/14 at 11:04 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:08am

I've enjoyed reading the impressions both that praise and criticize the production. I also can't wait to see it for myself. I'm on the fence with how I feel about the dog suited actor, so trying not to make that decision yet.

Could it be that Barrie felt the dog was LIKE another person? That the dog is that meaningful? I don't know yet.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:08am

"There have only been three geniuses in the American Musical Theater: Jerome Robbins, Frank Loesser, and Stephen Sondheim."

I'd add Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, and maybe Hal Prince. Boris Aronson, too.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:08am

...I'd like to point out that A) iPads are now very commonly used by creative teams for the purposes of note taking and B) iPads now have a blackout mode which turns off their backlight.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:17am

I'm all for new technology, Kad, and I didn't know about the blackout feature, but I still think a pad and pencil (or pen, if you'd like) would be less distracting.

And newintown, we'll have to have that argument over Bernstein's "genius" status in another thread. I think he went from inspired and brilliant to "important" and pretentious far too quickly.

[Back Row]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:19am

"That "review" certainly doesn't sell me on the show with its references to twerking and its choices for the most memorable lines and effusive, but generic, praise."

When one of those lines was delivered (the one about fairies), the actor preceded it with a very funny take to the audience. That is what appeared to draw the laughs, making the line kind of redundant.

Updated On: 7/24/14 at 11:19 AM

[Back Row]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 11:27am

"How is Mia Michael's choreography?"

I'll admit to not being qualified to judge choreography in technical terms, but simply as an audience member, I found it to be very inventive and original, particularly with the servants' use of dance and movement to add a little whimsy to otherwise mundane (but necessary) stage movement.