How was Tale Today? — Page 4

Jill,

I am so pleased to have this discussion...

One of the criticisms I had regarding the opening, but failed to offer in my earlier post has little to do with your score and all to do with the design and staging. I loved the title screen and I didn't mind the prologue. In fact, it forced me to immediately focus on entering your world. The Way It Ought to Be, appropriately is an ensemble number which I believe is the best choice. However, when it arrives one of the large moving scaffold units is configured to be downstage left taking up almost half of the stage. Numbers like, The Way It Ought to Be, usually require the full stage for full impact. I felt here was the "opening number" and it was hindered - crimped - by the staging and the design. (Having typed this, I adore Tony Walton and I thought the designs for A Tale of Two Cities excellent.)

Regarding the music of The Way It Ought to Be, I do think it could have been musically stronger, more developed. Perhaps, just longer. Read on...

I am so pleased that you wrote and included words like "fuzzy", "unformed" "hook", etc. You have given me the vocabulary to proceed. I agree with you regarding everything you wrote about the "memorability" factor. I was not looking for something to hum upon exiting the theater. Your understanding of this is exact and we are in agreement. (I particularly appreciate the comments regarding Sondheim.)

I truly do hope to listen to the original cast of A Tale of Two Cities again. I haven't iTuned the concept recording as I'm hoping for an Original Cast, but after our discussion, I think perhaps both versions are destined for my collection. I promise to listen to, You'll Never Be Alone, after I finish this post.

I have just checked iTunes and the concept recording has, You'll Never Be Alone, at 2:30. Perhaps, the reason why some of the earlier songs seemed less focused is that they don't repeat their "lyrical hooks". (Please remember that I've heard your score only once and will be far more able to comment after repeat listening. Also remember, that most audience members will make their initial impressions based on only one listening.)

As for the Les Miserable comparison. Don't let it get to you at all. Obviously, there are going to be comparisons, but A Tale of Two Cities definitely has it's own identity. It's structure alone is quite different. Your piece is far more traditional in form and I thought that it was in many ways more accessible. There are some melodies in Les Miserable that are haunting, but I think your comments regarding repetition might be an answer for future productions of A Tale of Two Cities.

I am so pleased that you wrote A Tale of Two Cities from your heart and not some desire for "commercial" value. This did come through and it was one of the stronger points of the show. In fact, I think this, more than anything else, is what made A Tale of Two Cities stick with me. Trust me when I wrote / write that I have spent a lot of thought as to why A Tale of Two Cities did and didn't work for me. (You may laugh, but I have kept the playbill in my bathroom and I find myself reading it when using the john. Probably tmi!)

Your comments about Passion (which I love), remind me of a similar Sondheim experience: Children Will Listen from Into the Woods. Here was a lyrical hook that when I first heard it in the theater I was beyond captivated. I was haunted by those few strands and found myself almost angry that Sondheim didn't finish the song until years later at the request of Barbra Streisand. Interestingly enough, I don't love the additional music he wrote for her and still feel that Children Will Listen hasn't been fully realized.

So, with the possibility of future productions (tour), how do you - or even do you - revise A Tale of Two Cities? I am sure that you are bombarded with more conflicting comments than are helpful. With this in mind, I won't "redirect" your piece, but I do wish to end this post on a very positive note:

Something we haven't written about, but I do want to comment on: the book. I thought the balance between words and songs excellent and I thought your characters words intelligent. Lyrics included.

And, I want to thank you for this very intelligent dialogue. Now, I'm off to download the concept recording to understand more why your baby has so moved so many people.

With great respect,
Scott

Updated On: 11/16/08 at 01:43 PM

<< While I loved the show in its entirety and was going weekly while it was open, I must make note to Jill (and how lucky we are to have her on the boards posting about her show!) that the reason I kept coming back to the show was the score. I thought it was haunting and special >>

Totally agree, and I feel totally blessed that Jill is taking the time to post on the boards. I totally disagree with anyone that says this show is a retread of "Les Mis"- That is simply taking the easy way out (which is what the critics did, in my opinion).

I also felt that the score was beautiful, touching, and haughting, and the cast sang the heck out of it !

At the time the show was open, "I Can't Recall" was probably the best number currently on Broadway. (at least by a male lead-again, just my opinion) - If anyone male on Broadway has a better voice than Barbour, would love to hear it !

The costumes were excellent. Loved the set.

Natalie Toro showed off amazing chops on "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"-

I just think there were too many positive aspects of the show to get so critically panned the way it did.

<< "I would have loved to challenge them to name any new show they went into where they were not familiar with the score already and left humming anything!"

Billy Elliot

>>

While I love "Billy Elliot" to death, the score is actually my least favorite part of the show. If any song sticks in my head (now...not after leaving the theatre) it's, "Solidarity".

I think all of the songs that I've heard from "Tale" have memorable tunes-- and sometimes I even get the short samples from the website stuck in my head. But I had to hear the songs/samples multiple times before I realized how much I like them. It was the same with Sweeney Todd, The Woman In White, and Jane Eyre for me-- I didn't originally think the music was that interesting, and then it really grew on me. I do agree that a lot of the songs are more like the style of a fully sung-through show rather than one with dialogue as well (like "Fantine's Arrest" in Les Miserables), but so many of the songs are more in the style of typical musical theatre songs.

That said, I have to say--whenever my grandmother comes over (which is often), she says, "Sing something from "A Tale of Two Cities." Her favourite song is "Let Her Be A Child," though mine is "Until Tomorrow."

---

<< Either way, most of the reviews of BE, positive as they were, tend to mention the music almost as an afterthought>>

Very true, Jill. I definitely think (and I love Elton) that the score is by far the weakest part of the show. I might get crucified here, but I definitely think "Aida" was a better score. (Especially, if you want to talk about humming tumes when you leave the theatre.)

<< I'll agree he was sort of vicious (despite making claims throughout the piece that he was going to avoid the obvious nasty cheap shots!) but I think, in his mind, he thought he was being honest. What I really think is that he basically let "Forbidden Broadway" write his review for him - and that he's clinically tone deaf!
>>

All of the "reviews" were basically vicious, and I wonder if they were watching the same show as everyone else.

You had a cast with Barbour, Burkhardt, Edelmann, Lazar, and Toro--- singing their hearts out every night, over beautiful orchestrations. Feel so blessed to have seen this show numerous times. For weeks, at least for Sara and I, this was our "outlet"-

Thanks Jill, for this amazing score !

Jill,

Why do you - and the company - think the critics were so unkind? You wrote that, "he basically let Forbidden Broadway write his review for him". If you're willing, I'd be very interested in reading the A Tale of Two Cities inside take on what happened and why not just The New York Times, but so many of the New York critics were unkind.

Scott

Updated On: 11/16/08 at 09:04 PM

Testing1232,

I'm confused... You wrote that your reasons were stated earlier in this thread. I just read back and the only explanation you offer is one word, "agenda". It is clear from your posts that you're passionate about A Tale of Two Cities. It is also clear that you disagreed with the critics, but I don't think "agenda" explains the disconnect between your - and other's - opinion of the material and the reason why the New York critics were so unkind.

I truly am curious... For those who loved A Tale of Two Cities, why do you think the New York critics were so dismissive of this show?

JillS,

You rock. Earlier, I did a search on your posts and I wish to let you know how much I - and clearly others - appreciate your willingness to put yourself out there.

If it's not too personal, or painful, I truly would love to know the inside scoop regarding what you and the company think are the reason for such a disconnect between the show obviously loved by many of the people who experienced it and the New York critics.

Scott

Updated On: 11/16/08 at 09:24 PM

Actually, Riedel made little mention of Barbour.

Nobody knows who Barbour is outside the Broadway community; fewer than that read the Post (most people I know wouldn't even let their dogs SH*T on the Post); a lot of people in the Broadway community think he got a raw deal.

I think he was referring to the material and not Mr. Barbour, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think calling A Tale of Two Cities, "rubbish" is fair though. And, I suspect that Mr. Barbour did get a raw deal. I'm also unsure as to how true your speculation regarding the critic's agenda and Mr. Barbour's history is.

Oh YEAH, i forgot about that one!!!! Yankee Fan, say it ain't so!!!

K, long as you didn't really mean for me to have my feelings hurt by you calling my life's work dreck I still forgive you