High Fidelity - 10/18

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 6:38am

Last night I saw High Fidelity & I thought it was incredible! The ushers were telling my family, since my mom is way to over friendly and so is her friend, that they reworked almost the entire first act and today was the first day they played it for the audience.

Also, their was a cast list with some minor role cast changed from those listed in the Playbill, which worked great. I don't have my Playbill right now to type it in.

I found the first act great! Almost all the characters except for Rob were underwritten, and the songs were long at times, and some lyrics were just alright. But everything else was great. The book seemed pretty strong, Act I was a lot stronger than Act II. Will Chase was incredible, very emotional and very powerful and a strong character. The supporting cast was great, hilarious.

The set was one of the best things I have every seen set-wise. That was so cool, and I loved the Rob & Marie / Laura & Ian scece with the different beds/rooms. It was great.

Overall the show seemed to be in a great shape for Broadway. The average audience member can relate with the broken-heartedness, and the music involved in the show, as well as the music jokes.

Catch High Fidelity this final week in Boston! It's great. I love the book and I was very sad to see many things not mentioned from the book, like Barrytown, Rob and Laura's sex after the funeral, and the final DJ scene in the book. However I found it great for the stage, since you can't always have it all. I enjoyed the Brooklyn setting as well.

Updated On: 10/19/06 at 06:38 AM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 7:44am

Thanks for the review! I have seen it twice, but I don't think there were any major changes when I saw it. I might see it again on Friday but I'm not sure yet. I really enjoy it!

[joe5]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 8:44am

Glad you enjoyed the show. I surely did when I saw it..........

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:23am

Thank you for the review! I hope I get a chance to see this. I adore Will and Matt Caplan, I hope this does well for them.

[curly120]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 11:43am

Yay! Thanks for letting us know! I'm seeing it tonight, so I guess I'm glad I didn't see it earlier.

Do you know what time the show ends now? Updated On: 10/19/06 at 11:43 AM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:36pm

Does anyone know what changes they made to the first act?

I saw it, didn't particularly care for it, but understand that it is still a work in progress. However, I thought the sets were good as well, and it definitely is a high energy show.

[veryownplanetz]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:46pm

Yes, they got rid of Laura's "Things We Could Have Been" song in the beginning and they added a song thats called "let's order in" which is very cute. And basically wahts going on is it takes you back to when Laura first got her job and she is telling Rob. THEN it goes back to the present when shes like...I'm leaving Rob.
It's MUCH better. I think Jenn ( who plays laura) likes the changes a lot too. At least she said so when we spoke.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:51pm

Oh now I have to go back tomorrow. I need to see the new song.

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:56pm

I felt the first act was very smooth, and I really enjoyed the beginning. The opening number was great, and I loved the energy. I loved Matt Caplan's mohawk. That man is one of my idols. I love his album & his song Sideways.

I forgot to mention that the theatre was not very full, and I had tickets with my family in Row L of the Mezz, and the usher told us to move up. I sat about 6 rows back in the Mezz, and the seats were great. It was sad to see low attendence, but the audience was loving the show.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:00pm

I'm glad its gotten reworked.
Very excited for this now.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:08pm

Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it! I saw it about a week or so ago, and thought it was great. I'm seeing it Sunday (closing night) and I'm VERY excited for the changes. Yes, and Matt Caplan's mohawk is life. It looks so real!

[curly120]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:20am

I just got back. There were 8 people there for the lottery and the theater was quite empty. But there was a lot of laughter and clapping from the people who were there. I hope it does better business on Broadway.

I'm not a legitimate reviewer like most of you here, but I thought the show was great and extremely funny. And the set was amazing. I was front row center so I had fun looking at all the tiny details on the walls and props.

Will Chase and Jenn Colella were great. She actually cried during one of the emotional scenes (at least they looked like real tears...) Although all the other actors didn't have a lot of lines, they stole the show. I think I spent a lot of show just watching them in the background because they were so funny in an awkward adorable kind of way. And I loved that every actor was so connected to the audience, always pointing and looking at you.

So, I enjoyed it, and it seemed like the rest of the audience did too.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:34am

Although all the other actors didn't have a lot of lines, they stole the show. I think I spent a lot of show just watching them in the background because they were so funny in an awkward adorable kind of way.

Agreed. They are really great. The second time I saw it I spent a lot more time watching them. My favorite was when the background people were frozen in one scene, and one of the characters (played by Andrew Call) had a record in his hand. While he was frozen, Rob took it out of his hands. When they unfroze, Andrew looked around for it for like 10 minutes. His facial expressions were amazing- so hilarious. It cracked me up.

[Katie2]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:16am

Yes, they got rid of Laura's "Things We Could Have Been" song in the beginning and they added a song thats called "let's order in" which is very cute. And basically wahts going on is it takes you back to when Laura first got her job and she is telling Rob. THEN it goes back to the present when shes like...I'm leaving Rob.

Thank god. That song was so boring and it sounded too much like "Wonderful Love."

[justme2]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:40am

"I'm not a legitimate reviewer like most of you here"

Don't worry...none of these posters are either!

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 2:55am

Have they done away with "Johnny the drunk"?? Please God say they did. What a terribly unfunny character.

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 6:43am

Yes, Johnny The Drunk is no longer a character.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 8:31am

REALLY? I didn't really like him either. But is Bruce still a character? What does that actor do?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:36am

Please refresh my memory and tell me who Bruce was.

[MissNY]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:49am

Bruce Springsteen played by John Patrick Walker. I would guess that's still in the show, its a pretty popular scene. So if Johnny the drunk is gone, does JPW have a new character?

[joe5]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:51am

It was when I saw it. Glad Johnny the drunk is gone..........

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:52am

Oh *slaps self*, I remember the Bruce Springstreen character. Referring to him just as "Bruce" made me think of him as someone else.

If I were him, I would drop out of the show, as terrible as that sounds. They should just make another supporting cast member who plays one of the guys in the shop (such as Justin Brill, Matt Caplan, etc.) Bruce since it is such a minor role. Usually aren't those roles fufilled by an ensemble member or a supporting cast member?

Updated On: 10/20/06 at 09:52 AM

[curly120]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 10:27am

If I'm thinking of the guy you guys are talking about, he also plays this really awkward dorky guy in the record store who becomes a part of Barry's band. It's a really funny part and he's in the store a lot (i.e. on stage a lot).

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 11:39am

No... I'm talking about the ridiculous and offensive character who stumbled around the store drunk the whole show.

I'm honestly relieved.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 11:42am

Curly- different awkward guy, same guy in Barry's band.