If/Then Previews- Page 11

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 7:39pm

Entrance applause are stranger when someone enters a scene that's in-progress, and everyone on stage has to sort of pause and wait, but Idina says three words and the pause is there naturally (since she's on a phone call).

The only time applause was way over the top that I recall is when I went to the final Priscilla show, which was a lovefest, and the one line just captured the effect the show had on many of the people in attendance, so they clapped, and more people clapped, then it became a roar, then a standing ovation, and at that point the three actors and the audience were all sharing a moment beyond the show in the middle of the show. My friend who was visiting from out of town, who hasn't been to a ton of Broadway, thought we really get into these shows, until I explained it all... thankfully he also thought I was crazy for seeing the show three times, until the people next to us both saw it 50+ times, heh.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 7:40pm

"I agree with what others have said: it's nothing to rave about..."

SOME others. Don't put words in all our mouths, grrl...

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 12:56am

Cant get to sleep, so I did an unofficial tally of opinion posted in this thread and of those who said they saw IF/THEN either here or in DC and expressed an opinion...

15 liked it
12 did not like it
3 were mixed

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 9:54am

"Cant get to sleep, so I did an unofficial tally of opinion posted in this thread and of those who said they saw IF/THEN either here or in DC and expressed an opinion...

15 liked it
12 did not like it
3 were mixed "

Sounds like the reviews of most shows on this board. I don't recall anything that got total raves but I will say some things have been universally panned.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 10:01am

Well, that is the nature of online reviews everywhere. Amazon products have one or five star reviews, since those are the people passionate about writing a review: those who loved something, or hated it. If you just like something, you're not driven to share that.

Of course, in the case of a show in previews, both out of town and now in NYC, none of the people have reviewed the same thing. The people who went since Friday saw a different opening than people who went last week than the people who went in DC.

For all of the complaints about the official reviews, at least they are all talking about the same show.

I don't think I've ever officially written a review, although I clearly support the show, etc.

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:57pm

Though I choose not to comment until the show opens, and I write a review for my blog, I will say this much: make it 16 liked it.

[de_lovely]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 3:52pm

I also saw the show and liked it- so make that 17!

What I liked most about it was the humor. I consistently laughed out loud once every five minutes or so- I don't usually laugh out loud in musicals. But to be fair, I was one of the few people that were laughing out loud, so maybe it just struck a chord with my sense of humor.

[wskrs4]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 11:54am

I saw the show last night and had purposely avoided ANY information about the show. I saw "Aladdin" the night before and maybe I was still reacting to that show (I thought it was bland, looked EXPENSIVE but couldn't quite figure out what Disney spent money on except rhinestones and sequins, and was thoroughly confused about all the standing ovations).

First of all, I was in the rear Mezz just off the center and about 4 rows from the back - lost some facial expressions but that's to be expected back there. I hadn't been in that theater before and was thoroughly impressed. It reminded me of a smaller scale Oriental Theater in Chicago - the seats were also raked wonderfully well - not too steep, but I could clearly see over the heads of the person in front of me. In the rear mezz at the New Amsterdam, I spent the entire show bobbing around the person sitting in front of me in hopes to see some of the stage. So, great theater - leg room was a bit tight, but aren't they all? I'm 5'6, but as I understand it, people used to be a lot smaller!

Anyway, the show: Again, I have nothing to compare it to since I didn't see or hear anything about it earlier, but I was really impressed. I guess my expectations were low. To break it down:

Set: I actually liked the minimalism, but I did not understand the mirror. It added nothing to the show (for me) and only was a distraction. I loved the trees in the background, however. This is a lighting thing, but I noticed that for most of the show, the warmer, orange lighting indicated the "Liz" path and the blue indicated "Beth." HOWEVER, somewhere in the second act, they started to muddle both of them and it became much less clear what was what. It only took a minute or two to figure it out based on dialogue, etc., but it was a little distracting. The lighting changes were 90% consistent, so that 10% was a little confusing.

Cast: I thought the cast was really great. Principals were really refreshing, and I was very impressed. I actually liked the lead guy a lot and thought he had an honest quality about him that made it seem like he was just a regular guy - important when playing opposite Idina Menzel. While Idina was FABULOUS (I've never heard her voice sound better and stronger), it's hard to forget that it's Idina and focus on Beth/Liz. It was like you were always aware that it was Idina *playing* the character, but that's totally not her fault. I imagine that happens with anyone so distinctive. Besides her now "celebrity" status, she has a very distinct voice. Acting wise, from what I could see way back there, she hit it out of the park. I couldn't help but think about her character's parallels with her real life right now with her split from her husband, return to NY, etc., and I think maybe that added some realism to her performance. Some of her lines seemed like they could have been from her actual life, so she spoke them with such honesty. (Maybe I'm projecting here?!) Anwyay, I do think this is probably one of the strongest performances of her career.

Music: I did think it sounded a lot like "Next to Normal," which is normal. Usually all composers have a certain style and sound. I thought some of the music was really interesting and I really liked the melodies. I thought it was refreshing.

Staging: I did like the staging, though sometimes I thought there was too much going on in the background for no reason. It seemed like the entire cast was on stage for "crowd" scenes, and while I know it was NY, sometimes it was distracting. They were on stage just to be on stage, not because they seemed to have a purpose to be there (as in, their characters didn't have a purpose). Also, cut the "choreography." There were maybe three places where there was a slight attempt at some lyrical type dancing and it just seemed misplaced and forced with the mood of the rest of the show. I thought the "realism" of the story didn't warrant the sporatic group dancing that came up out of nowhere and seemingly for no reason - and with high irregularity. I thought it was distracting and didn't feel like it was "that kind" of a musical. It just seemed like a (poorly executed) afterthought.

I think some of the complaints on this board about it being too NYC or North East centric are a little ridiculous. So it pokes fun at Nebraska and Portland... so? Yes, it will probably resonate a little better (the first act anyway) with people who are familiar with city living, especially in NYC, but people should grow thicker skins. Do you know how many things poke fun at New York (and this show also did that)? If you were offended, I think that was your problem. Loosen up and take a joke.

Lastly, I did cry. I could sort of see *SPOILER* Josh's death coming when he got his orders, but I really didn't expect it to hit me. I'm not a sap that cries at anything, but this hit me just right and I very unexpectedly felt myself tear up during her "I hate you I love you" song and her big number. I'm not really sure why, but I thought it was moving and definitely relatable. Additionally, I think there were a lot of things in this show that made it relatable. Maybe not as a whole, but there were many little moments and plot lines that seemed very real to me. A woman who was VERY pregnant was sitting next to me with her husband, and they LOVED the part where she was pregnant and the father started tearing up when Josh sings the song to his son. Little moments like that, I think, will secure a following for this show, even if it's not a blockbuster hit.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I was surprised, found it fresh and new, and even though it had its imperfections (what doesn't?), I thought it was a very strong show considering it was a 100% piece of original work. Will it live on without Idina Menzel? Maybe for a little while. I don't think this will ever be the world's biggest hit, but I do think it resembles "Next to Normal" a lot and will probably have a similar impact and following.

ALL OF THAT SAID, I don't want to see it again. The show I saw last night was incredibly tight as far as performances, music, etc., and I'm not sure it could be better. They may still change some things before opening, but I was completely happy with what I saw, and that's how I want to remember the show. I can't wait until the cast album comes out, and I hope Idina Menzel is at least nominated for a Tony (I can't imagine she won't be).

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:22pm

I saw this on Tuesday and thought it was mediocre at best. The only things i truly liked were LaChanze and Tam's performances.

I simply didnt care about these people enough to listen to them for two and a half hours.

The score was just not inspired, as Next to Normal was. I'm not sure the writers care much for these characters either. Kitt and Yorkey were there in the box seats. Only Tam and LaChanze reached beyond to ground their characters, imo. And Tam had the worst song!

Rapp, Snyder Dixon were fine.

Menzel was the biggest problem for me. We sat in the (cramped) rear orchestra, row P on the aisle. I felt like she seemed nervous and unsure, especially during her numbers. It was as if all of them were new songs she was trying to get right. Even her usually sturdy vocals were shaky in parts. The 11 O'clock number is going to wreck her voice if she is not careful, imo...and I'd hate to see another talented singer's voice ruined like Ripley's while singing a Kitt score. It was odd how she was sticking her tongue out, seemingly to try to reach for some of those notes. She looked like a bleating goat. I do like her alot, loved her Maureen and was not unhappy she won the tony for "Wicked", like so many. I was rooting for her, but was disappointed.

I'm very glad for another original musical from these talented folks, I just wish it was good.

And that mirror...UGH!

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:22pm

I have to disagree with Jason Tam. I only saw the 2nd preview, so it's possible that he has found a better footing, he was always in a completely different scene than everyone else, and it read very high school production. I'm hoping from your reports, that that seems to just be 2nd preview wonkiness.

Idina is a great singer, or an interesting one at the very least (I happen to think she's great). But I just don't think she's actually a very good actress. Did anyone else notice her strange sort of walk during most musical numbers. She bends at the knee and walks forward like she's on roller skates. It reminded me of a less exaggerated version of Sandra Bullock's "gliding" attempts in Miss Congeniality. I chalked it up to the shoes, though they seemed pretty basic...

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:35pm

Yes, I noticed that too, baritone, and it's those kind of indulgences that take you out of character.

So much of her songs were center stage and to the audience, I felt like she thought she was in a concert, not playing a character.

Updated On: 3/21/14 at 01:35 PM

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 3:16pm

YES baritone!!! I would contribute it to long legs (I'm short but have strong legs… I have a Chenoweth body basically) so our strides are longer, but she does something strange. Exaggerates it a bit.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 3:43pm

For the record, I don't think people were really "offended" by the show's making fun of other places. I certainly wasn't. (I don't live in Nebraska, Portland, or Phoenix, so maybe that helps. ) I just thought it seemed silly, pointless, and provincial. YMMV.

Updated On: 3/21/14 at 03:43 PM

[binau]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 5:13pm

I wonder what the correlation between sitting in good seats and enjoying a show is. I'd say based on the comments here pretty high.

[binau]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 5:13pm

I wonder what the correlation between sitting in good seats and enjoying a show is. I'd say based on the comments here pretty high.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 6:01pm

"I wonder what the correlation between sitting in good seats and enjoying a show is. I'd say based on the comments here pretty high."

Not to mention the high correlation of BWW users who predominantly get rush, lotto, TDF, and discounted seats.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 6:06pm

"I wonder what the correlation between sitting in good seats and enjoying a show is."

For some people, any seat will do. For others, they need to sit in a specific row, in a specific section, every single time in order to enjoy the show. Getting good seats is only half the battle though, the other half being people who sit near you and hoping they aren't inconsiderate dickbags. That ruins a show for me much more than having sh!tty seats.



Updated On: 3/21/14 at 06:06 PM

[veronicamae]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 9:48pm

"Did anyone else notice her strange sort of walk during most musical numbers. She bends at the knee and walks forward like she's on roller skates. It reminded me of a less exaggerated version of Sandra Bullock's "gliding" attempts in Miss Congeniality. I chalked it up to the shoes, though they seemed pretty basic..."

That's just kind of her normal hesitant/awkward walk - she does it in concerts as well. She's not a good dancer (not w/o lots of practice anyway) and they seem to have staged everything so she doesn't have to dance at all.

[LostinTranslation]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 8:10am

Welll....it's not a dance show, so there's no need to choreograph any dance.

[StickIt]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 2:54pm

I have to say, I'm surprised there isn't more discussion of the underlying vague sexism in the show. This idea that women have to choose between their ambitions for their careers and love is so 50s that it's almost painful. A few women around my friend and I at the show felt the same way and were discussing it on the way out. It's not Idina's fault, she's very talented and IMO does the best with the material she's given and surely will be nominated for her work, but the insipid and borderline offensive book is hard to get past.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 2:58pm

SPOILERS

Isn't the point of the ending that she doesn't have to choose?

[binau]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 3:36pm

Exactly, that isn't the idea of the show at all for two reasons.

1. She never actually makes that choice. The choice she makes is which friend to go with or not, that happens to lead to the two different paths (career vs family)
2. In the end she gets both in both paths

However, the fact that you and others have thought this perhaps suggests that they should do something to make this more clear.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 3:58pm

Yeah, a lot of people are confused by the entire thing. People seem to have a lot of different interpretations about the whole thing and what everything meant. I don't think it will affect ticket sales as long as Idina is there, though.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 6:34pm

"I have to say, I'm surprised there isn't more discussion of the underlying vague sexism in the show. This idea that women have to choose between their ambitions for their careers and love is so 50s that it's almost painful."

This was discussed earlier if you scroll back, but the takeaway (or my takeaway at least) was that this interpretation isn't part of the show. The family and the career paths both happen after she makes the decision that splits the narrative.

The decision is whether to go to a job interview or to stay in the park with friends and listen to a guitar player. So, it would be pretty lazy writing to make such a benign decision as the starting point to take the show you're describing.

I mean, sure, in one narrative, she has a husband and kids. In the other, she doesn't and doesn't. But since the decision isn't about that, and the ending isn't about that, it seems odd that the show would seem to be about that.

If it were about that element, I think they would address it directly, and make that choice between a career and family the direct point at which the narratives bifurcate. But since it doesn't, that doesn't seem like the show they are trying to make.

It would be an odd choice for this team to keep making shows featuring powerful female leads and also share the views being attributed to them by this interpretation.

I think the show asks big philosophical questions, and does open a door for people to speculate more than a modern Broadway musical tends to permit. I mean, I had a grand time at Rocky, but no one leaves Rocky wondering what his character was really trying to achieve...

[Libby1209]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 6:55pm

Saw this yesterday. Bought cheap seats because I wasn't sure how I felt about this show, but I wanted to hear Idina sing live. I can say that I'm happy I bought the cheap seats. The cast sounds good, but I found the songs to be forgettable and the book (as well as staging) uninspiring. A few people walking out near me also made some comments about not being impressed with the show. As long as Idina continues with the show, I think it will continue to sell tickets, regardless of how mediocre it is...