IN MY LIFE REVIEWS- FIRST PREVIEW- Page 5

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 8:37am

Well, I actually turned down cheap tickets to see this show. I just had a "feeling"----(and I usually try to see ALOT of shows!). I think I made a good decision (altho' it sounds so bad it may actually be funny)-----

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 8:43am

Who was the choreographer?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 8:49am

Richard Stafford

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 8:57am

Oh you should definitely take the cheap seats. You'll be very entertained. And the show is still better then BROOKLYN.

[liotte]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 10:39am

Wasn't the best friend's name Samantha? Where did "Liz" come from?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 10:46am

"Liz" is JT's mother, I am almost certain. She is Roberta Gumbel's character.

[liotte]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 10:48am

Oh yeah, that's right. Liz was the mom, and Sam(antha) was Jenny's friend who lost her boyfriend Nick the rocker.

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 10:54am

I went to the website but couldn't find the info on the rush proceedures... Is it a lottery?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:05am

I knew this show was in trouble when at last week's Flea Market they were giving out the sample CD at about every 20 feet.

This show sounds soooo bad that I really MUST see it!!!!

Could anything be worse than THOU SHALT NOT?

Updated On: 10/1/05 at 11:05 AM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:08am

Could anything be worse than THOU SHALT NOT?

No, but this could qualify as a close second. I'll find out tomorrow.

I was supposed to go today, but I'm attending a wake. The anticipation is killing me (no pun intended)!!!

[liotte]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:10am

The rush policy is go to the theater on the day of the show, and ask for rush tickets, and they are $26.25 and in the front row. I got mine around 11:30am and it was in the center.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:10am

Now I am usually one to criticize people for posting reviews while a show is in previews. I say give them time to work things out and see if they can fix the problems. This time it seems there is no way to fix it...so I say "Keep 'em coming!"

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:24am

But still keep in mind that it was only the FIRST PREVIEW.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:30am

The problems don't lie with the performances or the talent...the problems are much more fundamental: the story, the music and lyrics...and, hell, the CONCEPT!

The "rules" about commentary during previews need to be suspended for In My Life. Based on word of mouth, accompanied by awed disbelief, this show may actually turn this into a must-see cult classic. If I were them, I wouldn't try to fix it. I'd leave it as-is and embrace it for the oddity it is.

Updated On: 10/1/05 at 11:30 AM

[mikem]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:31am

With 111 posts and over 4700 views of this thread in the first 12 hours, maybe the website is right and it really is "the most anticipated...original musical...to hit Broadway...this fall" and not just "the most anticipated...original musical...to hit Broadway...this fall...by Joe Brooks" (as the website also says).

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:34am

I have to say the rules for previews should be more like Spring Training or Exhibition football, you know they are still learning and the games don't count. But since you paid to see the game you can still comment on it and lament the fact that Andrew Jones still strikes out every time they throw the high fastball. Sure they can change it, and they should, but I paid to see a performance and they have some inherent responsibility.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:37am

Well, they are going to be making changes to it, but (and this comes from a cast member) Joe Brooks deliberately wants the show to be completely bizarre and absurdist. I have no idea why.

But like I said in my review, because a lot of the show is designed to be campy, it's not as fun to the flop collector as say, the Tap Dance Number that was cut from THOU SHALT NOT, which was trying to be deadly serious.

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:39am

Jessica Boevers SAVED this show??? That's like saying Jack and Rose saved the Titanic. NOTHING saved this show...which is why it's the best night of theatre I've had in YEARS!!!

DGrant,

The one (one??) thing that shocked me about the first preview was that there seemed to be no major flubs, no scenery problems and the pacing seemed pretty much right on.

Honestly. I've NEVER seen anything like it. I was howling, crying, gasping, groaning and loving every second. When the big cutout lemon descended at the end, I had tears streaming down my face and I applauded, saying, 'It's fantastic! It's fantastic!'

It was simply the most wonderful night I've had in a long time. Please don't change a second of it. It needs to be witnessed.

As for the actors...they have my sympathies. As much as I'd love to hear the critics' take on this, I hope it closes before it gets to opening. The actors don't deserve to have that kind of venom thrown at them.

But Joe Brooks does.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:40am

The disconnect is so bizarre though, you are in the middle of an emotional scene, then suddenly there is an intentionally campy dance with a skeleton? Somehow I feel sitting there thinking that type of weirdness is even worse if they did it knowing it was an emotionless distraction.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:45am

It kind of leads one to speculate just what kind of demons are dancing around in Joe Brooks's head, doesn't it?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:46am

Well isn't this story supposedly partially autobiographical?

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:49am

Isn't THAT horrifying!

Honestly...the actors truly committed and did what they could. The should be spared.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 12:08pm

I was already excited to have a little 2-day vacation in the city, and now this!! Does it run on Mondays?

[Plum]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 12:24pm

Wow. I guess the sampler barely hinted at the true strangeness at work here. I think my LJ friends would call this cracktastic.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 12:36pm

I guess they were smart to have no intermission. They would surely lose a lot more than ten people a night!