HOT FEET!- Page 2

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:26pm

"In My Life" was the worst musical i have ever seen...and i still sat through it four times. i really do love the flops!

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 9:05pm

I am seeing this in DC later this month. Originally I was not going to, because I generally hate catalog shows. Yhere was a discount code available, and I figured, hey, might as well see it since its in town, as a preview.

I, however, have never heard Earth, Wind, and Fire, so perhaps I am not the target audience.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 9:17pm

Woo, I hear Faith Healer was BAD!

I don't mean to threadjack, but the production of FAITH HEALER that is coming to Broadway got RAVE reviews in its tryout run in Dublin.

[M&M]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:21am

Yeah, I haven't heard anything about Faith Healer in Dublin...but several people said not so great things about the script itself.

Personally, I think it sounds very interesting and very timely given the political climate here in America.
HOT FEET

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:29am

Excerpts of the reviews of the Dublin production:

Karen Fricker of Variety:

"Twenty-seven years after its unsuccessful world premiere at Broadway's Longacre Theater, Brian Friel's powerful monologue play Faith Healer may finally be ready for its Gotham closeup. The combination of top-line talent; a masterful production from Jonathan Kent that embraces and exploits the play's unusual structure; and auds now more familiar with postmodern storytelling forms portend a positive New York reaction. The only significant problem in this initial Dublin outing--a weak distaff lead--seems likely to be immaterial given that Cherry Jones will take over from Ingrid Craigie when the production opens May 4 at the Booth… The power of play and production lie in the interplay between the three characters' often contradictory accounts of the same events."


Charles Spencer of The Telegraph:

"Ralph Fiennes gives a compelling and haunted performance as Frank Hardy… And he receives tremendous support from Ingrid Craigie as his loyal and fiercely-loving wife Grace, and Ian McDiarmid who offers a tour de force as his delightfully garrulous cockney manager, Teddy. Right from the start of Jonathan Kent's gripping production we gather that something terrible has happened, as first Frank, then Grace, and then Teddy tell their versions of their itinerant lives together. And then, in the stunningly beautiful final monologue, once again narrated by Frank, Friel seems to usher us into the very heart of mortality."


John Murray Brown of The Financial Times:

"[The Faith Healer] is still probably the Irish playwright's least accessible play… As ever with Friel, the play is a celebration of language. But it is also a hilarious account of low life on the road… The structure allows Friel to meditate on some of his favourite themes: the imperfections of memory, tensions between private and public history, and the nature of art. Indeed the faith healer's constant self- questioning becomes a discourse on the nature of the creative process itself. The central role was played by James Mason in its unsuccessful US launch, and more recently by the late Donal McCann and Barry McGovern, two great Irish actors. Fiennes brings a different sort of intensity to Frank's brooding angry character. But perhaps the real greatness of the play is that Friel has created three wonderful characters, each of whom would merit star rating in a lesser work."

[M&M]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 11:00am

Wow! I guess they really did like it huh?
Plus, the Booth is such an amazing theatre too!

Thanks Margo!


HOT FEET

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 11:50am

I didn't realize the book for Hot Feet was an urban adaptation of The Red Shoes. Styne and Norman couldn't make it work the first time. Though it is mildly intriguing, I don't have high hopes for Hot Feet. It could be a "fun" show and I'd love any opportunity to see Ann Duquesnay again, but outside of the UK (where jukebox and catalogue musicals have thrived for nearly two decades), how familiar is the tourist market with the catalogue of Earth Wind and Fire outside of maybe three or four disco hits? This is going to be a tough ticket to sell.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 12:39pm

Well, EW&F are NOT a disco group and only maybe one or two of their songs would even qualify as disco. They started as a jazz group and morphed into one of the biggest r&b/funk bands in history. They've sold over 50 million records worldwide and they've had 15 top 40 pop hits (including a #1 and 7 top ten hits) and 35 top 40 r&b hits. They still do large venue tours, selling out dozens of 20,000 seat arenas around the country every year (their stage concerts are legendary -- some of the very best in the business). Their fan base is HUGE.

Now whether their fans wanna pay $110 to see a Maurice Hines jukebox show without them in it is a whole other matter. Regardless of whatever happens on Broadway, though, I think the enduring popularity of dozens of their hits will mean that this show will do very well on the road after it leaves New York.

Updated On: 3/9/06 at 12:39 PM

[kyle33nyc]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 1:32pm

I love EW&F, but this sounds like the worst idea yet for jukebox musical. Who was willing to produce this with no stars attached? Did someone need a tax write-off?

[newsieboy23]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 1:47pm

I snuck into a Hot Feet rehearsal a few weeks ago. I must say it was pretty incredible. While I wouldnt necessarily compare it to the recent, pitiful production of Fame (on 42nd st), I do agree that the dancers do raise the bar from the current level of broadway choreo to something we havent seen in years.
As a dancer, it was great to watch something where i didnt find myself saying "I can do that" (and you all know what im talking about!).
I'm curious to see the show's final product. It certainly didnt feel like a Jukebox musical, nor did it feel like a Movin Out style dance show... so maybe it will find a new niche.Like Jersey Boys, the music seemed so appropriate that you didnt have to know all the songs to be entertained. Does that make sense?
oh... and the cast is BEAUTIFUL.

Is there a cast list anywhere? Some faces looked familiar (The guy who plays the choreographer, some cute chorus boys) but I couldnt pinpoint anyone...

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 1:48pm

I just hope they don't ruin the arrangements of the songs and retain the trademark horn "section" arrangements that were done by the Phoenix Horns that they are known for.

[Tunaburger]

Posted: 3/14/06 at 1:28pm

Ill assume the people that love flops and/or hope that it flops have never been in a new Broadway show. oh well,There are always the ones who never made it,are afraid they will never make it, or haven't made it so long that they feel they need to spread bitterness. When you guys get off of your Catering/waiter/temp job and respond to this, please keep in mind that when you souport the faluire of theater you are not souporting your theater family,cheesy...but damn true.Some of you guys just really need to calm down and look at what you are putting out there in the universe. Hope you got good tips today.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 3/14/06 at 1:34pm

Not to cause controversy... but it's support. And I love a good flop. I can't sing, dance, or act. I'm a librarian with a masters degree and have never had any aspirations to be anything but.

I don't want to see anyone out of work, but I find flops, especially enjoyably bad ones, fascinating. There's always new shows coming, anyhow. I see a lot of theater and I like seeing what does and does not work.

I want to support theater, but GOOD theater - if something is so middling that it flops, so be it. That's why it's called "show BUSINESS" and not "show FeelGoodFuzzyTime"

If we had to keep everything open just so that people could "be in work", we'd never get anything new. In My Life would still be running, happily holed up in a perfectly good theater, keeping its actors employed.

Updated On: 3/14/06 at 01:34 PM

[Tunaburger]

Posted: 3/14/06 at 1:40pm

I don't know how to repond to that. Congrats on your degree but I was talking to the performers. I don't expect you to understand. And I a not saying that to be bitchy. You don't know about the heart and sweat goes into SOME of those shows...****ty or brillant...they still require alot of heart and work. Hell no things that suck should not stay open. IT's a waste of space. honestly I am only refering to the people that get on these boards and are just so angry and bitter about everything. It's just boring.
Updated On: 3/14/06 at 01:40 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/14/06 at 2:06pm

I am definitely a flopaholic, but I am going into Hot Feet with an open mind...

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:33pm

Just thought I would let all of you know that I got an email from ticketmaster saying that the first preview of Hot Feet was cancelled. I went to ticketmaster to order another ticket to the new first preview, which is now Thursday, April 20th. This is the second time the show has delayed previews.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:46pm

Previews begin this Saturday in DC. Not sure when the reviews come out (two weeks, maybe?), but we should have a very good idea if what kind of show we're dealing with (and how good it is) after that. Peter Marks, head critic of the Washington Post and the former #2 for many years at the NY Times, writes reviews that are almost always consistent with the critical reception here, so it'll be quite interesting to see what he thinks.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:04pm

Margo - I am aware of EW&F's music style, I just meant that I'm not sure the typical Times Square tourist (especially international) is going to be well-acquainted enough with their catalogue of music outside their disco hits (some of them are lumped in with disco) to spend that much money on a show that features their music, but not the group themselves.

American EW&F fans will no doubt flock to the show (if they actually hear about it), and with more marketing and buzz (I've seen very little), it should bring in a decent advance, but this show is going to need dazzling reviews and months of good press to develop some staying power. I really do hope for the best, however, because it does sound intriguing. The title however....blah. "Hot Feet"? First of all, it's the title of a Duke Ellington tune and second, it's too close to the Michael Flately crapfest "Feet of Flames" or the Australian tap-review "Hot Shoe Shuffle". Honestly, "Hot Feet" was the best idea they could come up with?

Updated On: 3/15/06 at 03:04 PM

[sanda]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 4:07pm

When I read the title I thought it is a musical adaption of the coming annimation pic "Happy Feet" which is about Dancing Penguins.

I want to see that movie and am sure it will be a hit.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 2:18pm

Anyone go to the first performance last night? My mother is taking her 4th grade class from the Bronx to see it when it gets here. It's the principal's choice since Tarzan was sold out. What's the buzz?

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 2:27pm

I am dying here in Denver to know about this show!!!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 2:30pm

It's up at DC's discount ticket booth for $51.15, which to me is a little much. I plan on seeing it sometime next week and will report here about the experience.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 8:25pm

National Theatre also sent out a discount code via email to their mailing list. I am seeing this on Friday.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:34pm

The newly formed Broadway Club (don't laugh) at my school is planning to see this. Since I like Earth, Wind & Fire, I'm pretty interested in this. I hope it's good.

[cricket]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:23pm

I agree. I think the marketing for this show has been really strange, don't you? And with no stars... yup. Papering services!