Is Stephen Sondheim Overrated?- Page 4

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 1:48pm

 

Guess.

 

Ah, quoting the final line of one of a song from Follies! See, you ARE a Sondheim lover, you old coot.

 

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 2:14pm

I'm pretty sure I saw A8 have a nuclear meltdown over a meal at 54 Below once. Anyone who behaves like that can't have the skills to comprehend the deep layers of humanity found in Sondheim's work. 

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 2:32pm

^

 

Wasn't me, Mildred, wasn't me. But I hope you enjoyed both the show and the meal at 54 below.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 5:25pm

After Eight said: "why not accept the (admittedly outrageous) notion that people actually mean what they say?"

This doesn't seem to be your attitude with respect to people who say they love Sondheim. You've clearly implied that we're brainwashed, or afraid to disagree with the elites, or something other than sincere in our appreciation for his work.

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 5:51pm

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 11/1/16 at 6:13pm

After Eight said: ""No compromises to appeal to those who don't understand or don't want to hear his truth"

Truth? What truth? Hogwash is more like it. Bitter, rancid hogwash that is as far from truth as Pluto is from the sun.

As you have probably read before, or noticed in his books, Hammerstein believed that most people were good, and if they did wrong, they were usually entitled to clemency. Ravenol was not a self-centered gambler who enticed his bride with lies about himself and then abandoned her with child when it suited him. He was, we learn in advance, truly in love with his wife and when he devastated Magnolia by deserting her he did not know she was pregnant and thought that going back home was best for her.

Depending on what revival of Show Boat you are watching and how the second act was put together, he may or may not be fully redeemed.

Billy Bigelow, a man who strikes his wife and is killed during a robbery attempt. We have learned in advance from "Soliloquy" that he is adamant in his determination to see his daughter not raised in poverty with a father she would be ashamed of. Unfortunately for Billy, the job market for carousel barkers in New England at that time was weak.

Sondheim. For the sake of brevity, what first you see of a character is what you are going to get. Please, George, just be a little more attentive to Dot, do some minor paintings in the popular technique of the day to mollify the other artists. You know that Sondheim will not change George to something he is not, that George and Dot do not have Niagara Falls in their future, and you will be watching a train wreck. 

As with any tragedy, the inevitable train wreck may be exquisite to watch. Others have seen enough train wrecks to make them long for something with a better ending. You know Sonheim will not change what he sees as the truth of the man to please audiences.

 

"

 

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 1:50pm

On the thread subject I deliberately put 'Is Stephen Sondheim Overrated?', I could've put instead 'Am I The Only One That Thinks Stephen Sondheim Is Overrated?' I wanted to leave the thread as open as possible to gauge people's reactions, thankfully most of the have been intelligent and thoughtful. I have to say I haven't really been trolled on this one.

Also I didn't use the thread title 'Am I the Only One Who Thinks Stephen Sondheim Is Overrated', because I don't think he is - he  has done some stuff that is incredible. Do I worship him? I have always been Atheist.

Sadly Stephen Sondheim hasn't been done on Broadway for a long time now, as his material hasn't much commercial appeal and when it does you need a star name to sell it. Where in London's West End it is done on a regular basis, the British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 1:53pm

"The British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now."

Wow, that was a pretty rude and offensive statement. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 3:06pm

there were 18 productions of Sondheim musicals on Broadway between 1994 and 2012. So maybe producers think Broadway got worn out on Sondheim?

[SweetLips]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 3:52pm

ljay889 said: ""The British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now."

Wow, that was a pretty rude and offensive statement. 

I don't read it that way. My take is that Phantom is saying the British 'paying public' are more inclined to sit in a theatre and enjoy Sondheim than the majority of tourists coming to Broadway.

Certainly not to offend American-or other nationalities re their love of 'the man'.

 

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 4:35pm

 

I have to say I haven't really been trolled on this one...the British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now.

 

Now you're just trolling us, you bloody wanker. Go back to the London board.

 

 

[SweetLips]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 6:44pm

Oops ! Someone who professess to know everything about everything is also offended.

Another storm in a teacup and anyone can contribute with opinions anywhere thank you very much.

PS. Perhaps stay with politics where you have lots to say.

[binau]

Posted: 11/3/16 at 8:30pm

I don't know how you could ever defend such a claim, either by the quality of productions or number/success of the productions. It just seems like a very odd thing to say to me. 

 

[godlessondheimite]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:11am

Is After Eight Overrated?

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:14am

no

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 8:56pm

PalJoey said: " 

I have to say I haven't really been trolled on this one...the British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now.

 

Now you're just trolling us, you bloody wanker. Go back to the London board.

 

That is a great place to start on a theatre debating forum, but then again with posts like that, we know you're not representing the intelligent side of America.

 

 

 

"

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:15pm

Stupid f*cking thread. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:28pm

I get a headache every time I see this stupid thread title.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:30pm

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:35pm

Cinders, BC, and others,

 

Who is forcing any of you to a) read the thread, or b) post in it?

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:49pm

After Eight, how did you like the show "After Midnight"? Curious!

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/4/16 at 9:58pm

^

 

I enjoyed it.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 11/5/16 at 7:17am

Phantom of London said: "...
Sadly Stephen Sondheim hasn't been done on Broadway for a long time now, as his material hasn't much commercial appeal and when it does you need a star name to sell it. Where in London's West End it is done on a regular basis, the British are the only ones who can seem to interpret his work now.

 

"

How old are you?! Three? I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, just questioning your sense of time.

FOLLIES was revived five years ago and there were six of his shows presented in the two years before that. Meanwhile, his work is done all over the country. I'll be seeing INTO THE WOODS in a couple of months in LA. (No star has been announced, BTW.) LA is also getting a major revival of MERRILY in the next few months.

Updated On: 11/5/16 at 07:17 AM