Jagged Little Pill preview thread — Page 10

I was in the Mezz, so I personally didn’t hear anything. I had a friend in the Orchestra who said he could hear movement but he wouldn’t call it distracting or loud. 

Also, someone pointed out the jump roping done on stage and called it comical [or something like that]. Out of context, yes. However it’s obviously done to emphasize the reverse movement during Smiling. If they did that scene with just a bunch of people walking backwards, that would look stupid. 
 

Another comment was the swing set scene which, again, I didn’t mind. I thought it was cute. 

Updated On: 11/30/19 at 05:01 PM

Did they include every song in the album?

Didnt need to hear all those angst-y anthems. Evan Hansen for drive time.

Really liked the choreo.

The lead girl was charmless and screamy. Felt like I was watching The Prom with less talented people.

Cast was rather charisma-free. Stanley was fine but unmemorable.

Better and rougher in Boston. Much too much navel gazing.

 

BTW:  no standing o for You Oughta Know. 

 

 

Updated On: 11/30/19 at 06:03 PM

YvanEhtNioj said: "So I just left the show.

Honestly, I disagree with almost everything negative that has been said. I don’t think the set is loud, I don’t think it feels “cheap” to where it brings don’t the show, and I don’t think the songs feel shoehorned in.

I don’t mind all the social issues being in one show. Yes, it’s heavy but I think it works for THIS show because her music itself is heavy.

Growing up I knew Ironic and You Oughta know. On occasion, I get high to “Hand In My Pocket”. That being said, if I had not known this was a jukebox musical i wouldn’t have guessed because the songs fit the story.

I think some of the jokes are cheesy and can be cut, but overall they’re witty.

At the start of the show, I thought “why the **** are there so many people on stage” but I actually got used to it and enjoyed all the movement. The staging is so unique and a lot of it gave me chills.

I don’t like Frankie as a character, but not everyone in a show has to be likable.

one negative I will say about the show is that I wish there was more Jo. I feel like she was added in the show JUST to sing you oughta know.
"

I saw the Wednesday matinee this week and have to agree pretty much with what was just said. I can’t remember a musical that worked with an existing score which found a better way to propel a story than JLP. I was only familiar with a few of the songs prior to seeing the show and based on so much that I read here was expecting a train wreck. Frankly I found it to be a successful piece of musical theatre that my partner (who grew up loving the album) and I truly enjoyed. I’m curious to see what the critics have to say about it.

We really liked the Inheritance and was expecting it to get raves across the board just like in London, but many of the reviews echoed similar sentiments that I found here soooooooooooooo I’m indeed curious to see what happens on Thursday. 

The dad is a collection of hoary cliches, seen in every dysfunctional family tale since the 1970s. Workaholic, indifferent, unavailable, and ... to solve it all ... he learns to play the guitar. It's just a parody of hip epiphany. And it's unworthy of Cody. The writer who gave us complicated men in "Young Adult" and "Tully." No, he's not an "archetype." He's a cartoonish movie-of-the-week trope that's long been exhausted. And yeah, he couldn't even be given a damn song. 

He also has “So Unsexy” in Act 1

I don’t mind the cliches. I think he had to be the workaholic archetype for the show to focus more on MJ and her addiction. Maybe that could’ve touched more on his porn addition? I liked that they mention it, but don’t dig too deep because it makes for some great jokes instead of feeling like ANOTHER social issue.
 

Updated On: 12/1/19 at 05:44 AM

Feature on CBS Sunday Morning today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezIvYEO-6Vs

Archetypes and their tropes can be useful for shorthand, which a musical book certainly requires. In a show that purports to illustrate the intersectionality of all social isssues (Cody's explication of her technique)  I only wish Steve had more moments when we saw more than a glimpse into why. He's a cliche because he isn't explained much and finds a cliched response to the myriad issues laid at his feet in his own family. (Yeah, I know, he wishes he didn't project ambition onto his kids; a little easy, and unoriginal in 1969.) I also thought his entreaty to MJ was fairly ludicrous.  In a family with this many troubles, surely his role could be pivotal. He gets a kind off pass, which only makes his ending up with a guitar and a really cheap joke (albeit one that brings down the house) feel disappointing in a show created by people who don't settle for easy answers.

Auggie27 said: "He gets a kind off pass, which only makes hisending up with a guitar and a really cheap joke (albeit one that brings down the house) feel disappointing in a show created by people who don't settle for easy answers."

The only reason they had him play the guitar was for that one joke. Yeah it was unnecessary but you gotta admit it was funny 

YvanEhtNioj said: "VotePeron said: "Feature on CBS Sunday Morning today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezIvYEO-6Vs"

That was cute. I’m gonna make an early call and say they’re going to do You Oughta Know at The Tonys."

 

The show would need to get nominated first.

 

"He gets a kind of pass, which only makes his ending up with a guitar and a really cheap joke (albeit one that brings down the house) feel disappointing in a show created by people who don't settle for easy answers."
 

But you get to block off one of the RENT squares on my Derivative Jagged Little Pill Bingo Cards (TM-Namo, Finding, LLC)

Tell him to grab it. 

I was far left (second seat in from the wall), row D mezz on TDF, and had a great view, nothing missed. The show is all down center.