Holy Crap! ONCE!- Page 2

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 2:23pm

I'm the guy that paid the $25.00 for a ticket. What I bought was considered a "student ticket". As far as I understand, tickets that aren't sold become open to students at $25.00 an hour before curtain. The seat that I got was front row center for the first preview performance.

I think I've made my thoughts on it pretty clear, hah. It's one of the best musicals that I've ever seen, extremely refreshing in its execution, and will be a HUGE hit when it transfers. I can already say it's a really tough contender for Best Musical without having even seen the other musicals that are coming.

As for cutting Lies, yeah I was surprised by that too. Maybe they'll add it back in during the Broadway run. I actually missed "All The Way Down" more than "Lies". However, I'm really happy with the piece and I'm so impressed by the shape it's in for being an Off-Broadway run. It's ready to transfer right away and I think it would be a smash hit even without any changes. This is really the only musical that's got me excited again about musical theatre. I'm so glad to hear that it's pretty much sold out, but bummed that I probably won't be able to see it again! I'll be there as soon as it transfers to Broadway.

My review is here for anyone that wants to read it: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150407156552103
Updated On: 11/28/11 at 02:23 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 2:43pm

@blaxx the problem with your statement is.... where does it go if it transfers? every theater is full right now or will be......

Come January, it may be a different story. If it truly is a great show, I hope it transfers on time and not have Spider-Man win a Tony by default.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 2:50pm

My only problem wasn't the lack of songs from the film. In fact, it wasn't until much later after I'd thought on the show that it even occurred to me that so many were missing. I'm actually happy we got some new interludes and the Czech song as opposed to say, "Trying to Pull Myself Away."

I hate to bring up the comparison, but I had a similar problem with 'Once' as I did with the far, far, far, farrrrrr inferior 'Bonnie and Clyde.' Both had ridiculously weak first acts. Nothing much happened, and you didn't care about the central characters much by the end of it. Not until the conversation on the hillside in the Act II did I actually begin to have some actual investment in the characters. It just felt like there was too much noise intruding on something that could just have been so simple. I just don't get why we needed all the 'comedic' bits added in. It really detracted from the intensity of the show. The songs themselves, new, old and cut are just so beautiful that it broke my heart that there was 15 minutes of lame dialogue where we could have had another musical moment.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 3:06pm

I disagree wholeheartedly. I was incredibly engaged by the first act and fell in love with all the characters and was interested in where they were going.

We can agree to disagree on that, but I'm going to throw it at you again that you are assuming that the characters weren't developed fully or that 'we' didn't care about them until the 2nd act because of your experience with the way the film is structured and the differences in the story telling for the stage play.

Perhaps the stage play is taking a slightly different angle on the material as I saw this being about much more than a 2 person love story; I saw this as the story of how one fated encounter affected a multitude of lives. The fact that I cared about all of them as much as I did by the end of the evening is thanks entirely to how the script was structured.

I'm really happy that the play didn't follow what you are suggesting, because in my experience of it, the evening as a whole would have been so much less if it had simply eliminated the 'noise' to spend extra time developing a romance that didn't need any more developing in order to be profoundly moving.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 3:13pm

Yes, the influence of the film probably was a huge factor in how I perceived the relationship. I'd be interested in the perspective of someone who saw the show and then watched the movie after though, to see if they thought the same about the film, or saw something lacking.

To me, it's just a bit like watching 'West Side Story' and cutting out Tony and Maria to put in more Riff. I mean, Riff is a great character and all, but he's not what the story is about. I was looking, and yes, expecting from the film, to see a show about a momentary and fleeting story about love through music, and when the plot diverged from that, I was really annoyed.

That being said, I think musically, one of the biggest strengths of the show were the glorious orchestrations. I DID like how the supporting characters were brought in and as a result, we had more organically added layers to the actual songs. Because of the supporting characters, they didn't feel tacked on at all. And we also got some of the gorgeous fiddle that was lacking from the movie orchestrations and is usually present when The Swell Season play together. But did we need a 5 minute scene with weird fake karate moves to set up those characters? No.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 3:29pm

To me this did exactly what you should do in a stage-film adaptation; it used the film as a catalyst for reinventing a story for a completely different medium.

And from hearing of the changes, I think its fair to call this a reinvention rather than an adaptation of the movie.

And as a stage piece this is beautifully conceived and realized for THIS medium; utilizing brilliantly a theatricality you can only get in live performance -- it was epic in its simplicity. Instead of just seeing this romance unfold over three days, we saw a world changed in three days - simply, subtly, powerfully and then it cleared away and we saw at the heart of this was a magical interaction - this guy and this girl who somehow made it all happen who *SPOILER* can't ever realistically be together but are forever changed themselves because of the experience.

And everything supported this - just as it should be in perfect musical theatre - the direction, choreography, concept --

I haven't seen the film so I don't know what the emotional impact of this story was in the cinema. I'm guessing though that it left its audiences on an equally dizzy feeling of joy when leaving it -- but I can't imagine a feeling more than what I had leaving the NYTW.

To that end - I'm more than willing to give the creative team full applause for finding ways to make this story sing on stage even if it leaves some of its film fans slightly annoyed because of its changes.

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 3:48pm

I did see the movie, and I liked it quite a bit. I fell short of the awestruck feeling I know a lot of people were left with, but I definitely consider myself a fan. I found that feeling with the musical which I think is even better than the movie and quite possibly the best thing I've seen this year (and I'm over 100 shows so far, so there's real competition). I was so worried it would be just another movie to musical adaptation that was a cheap attempt to cash in on the success of the original property, but this show really is just a tremendous achievement. I won't link to my blog (though the address is in my signature), but I gushed all over it yesterday.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/28/11 at 7:33pm

Wait -- that movie from a few years ago? The "we're really not writing a musical" musical?

Oooooo-kay.

[Copperfield2]

Posted: 11/29/11 at 12:34am

I'm looking forward to this because of my affection for the film but I don't see how anyone is going to give the same heart to singing the songs as the composer Glen Hansard who starred in the movie.

I'm also wondering what happened to the original thread which was equally positive.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/29/11 at 6:03am

GOD, I'm excited about seeing this!!!

[GatorNY]

Posted: 12/1/11 at 9:10am

I just got a ticket for the matinee on 12/21. So glad you guys were buzzing about this or I would've missed out. Thanks!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 3:42pm

So much for Cristin Milioti "never cracking a smile the entire two hours." :)

[whatever2]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 5:07pm

just back from the matinee performance ... can't add a thing to all the raves already in this thread -- holy crap, indeed!

get your ticket NOW, while there is still time -- you will be kicking yourself for a long, long time if you don't.

Updated On: 12/4/11 at 05:07 PM

[After Eight]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 7:16pm

It's all very touchy-feely, but unfortunately, it's really something of a drag.

The main problem with the show is that it seems stuck in neutral for the whole length of the evening, all to the accompaniment of an endless stream of doleful, and/or wailing ballads, all of which end up sounding the same. I guess I would call them passable but unmemorable, with monotony setting in early.

The scant attempts at humor are rudimentary, at best.

It's all very dispiriting.

Whatever happened to blue skies, raindrops on roses, the flowers in spring, the robins that sing... These things still exist today. People used to sing about them in musicals, and it was a pleasure to hear them sung about. So why can't they do so now?

Composers of today's musicals: Are you listening?

Oh, well. I guess the only antidote to the whole dreary business is to listen to "The Best Things in Life Are Free" or "Tea for Two."

[After Eight]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 7:16pm

Updated On: 12/4/11 at 07:16 PM

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 8:27pm

Hmmm. I liked the film but found the OMG, this is glorious-life-chaging-wet my pants OMGOMGOMG reactions to it to be way over the top.

I'm not going to be an ass and accuse the posters in this thread of the same, but I am understandably a bit wary at the similar reaction.

I agree with the above reviewer that it all got monotonous after a while. To me a great musical has ups and downs. Great theatre doesn't flatline. But what do I know, I've only seen the film.

[Copperfield2]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 12:02am

All right, I love the film and I've also seen Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova give some amazing concerts of their songs at Radio City and the Beacon Theater.

This adaptation for the most part works beautifully and I enjoyed the added material to the original story taken from the film. Several of the added characters add some humorous scenes to the show. I liked the simple set and the stage movement.

But it's basically the songs that make this show shine and they sounded exquisite with the musical arrangements used for this production. The cast members are a first rate ensemble but I'm afraid I found Cristin Miloti not as appealing an actress as Marketa Iglova in the film. Her singing was fine, though.

I think there was one song by Hansard and Iglova that wasn't in the film that is sung twice in the show, once when the Guy performs in front of an audience and another by the whole cast a cappella.

I think this show could work on Broadway--but please producers do not over-amplify the songs if you move it to a larger house.

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 12:37am

Best thing I've seen in New York this season--including "Other Desert Cities". The cast left me in awe, every single one. I was so moved at the end I was a little embarrassed. Its a keeper.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 12:46am

I am not happy. The only performance I could have seen was cancelled. (Xmas eve matinee)


Arrgh.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 7:43am

That sucks


But, honestly, you're maybe better off. If you've read this thread, you may already be aware that there's no stale, flowery, cornball lyrics comparing love to flowers in spring. It's a shade closer to depicting a slighter more complex, nuanced, and problematic reality, which (I can only assume) you don't go to the theater for, anyway.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 9:45am

Copperfield: I think you're referring to 'Gold,' which was in the film, but wasn't sung by Marketa and Glen, but rather at the joint dinner scene party by the supporting band. The orchestrations were completely different though, so you may not have recognized it.

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 1:23pm

That's terrible Dramamama! Hopefully something will work out and you'll get a chance to see it. If not, I think it's almost a given that it'll transfer to Broadway and hopefully you'll ge to catch it then. It's definitely worth it.

As for the accusations of the show flatlining- I disagree. I think that there is a very clear emotion arch to the show and they do a great job of developing it, especially throughout the second act. Anyway, I can understand not liking it because of the material. I've shown the film to a whole bunch of people who for the most part enjoy it, but there is always someone who isn't really touched by it the way that a lot of us are. And that's fine, to each his own. I just know that it really spoke to me.

And anyway, is the show really such a drag? Sure there are moments of sadness, as there are in real life, but I think it's a profoundly beautiful story. It's an entirely realistic love story about two people who can't be together. I'm a fan of realism, and this story feels very much like it's a true story being told by a friend.

Copperfield, like Katurian says you are thinking of Gold. It was written by the band Interference, and sung by them in the film with Glen doing backup. Two songs appear in the musical that aren't actually used in the film, save for the credits. Those songs are Once and The Moon, which doesn't appear even in the credits but is in the show.

As per Miloti, I liked her more than Irglova, but it's just a matter of personal preference as they give two really different performances but both are equally great.
Updated On: 12/5/11 at 01:23 PM

[vegas2]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 2:20pm

Is there any place where I can hear snippets of the music from this show? Every clip on YouTube features the same song -- Falling Slowly -- which doesn't do much for me.

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 2:42pm

From the movie soundtrack:

Say It To Me Now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqsaETH5_J0&feature=related
Gold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wk_gu-2CaQ&feature=related
When Your Mind's Made Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtVSfINZA4I&feature=related
Leave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12QnNEYNGr4&feature=related

[vegas2]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 4:16pm

Thank you.