I think this musical is just fantastic (great score, funny story), but I'm sure many people have different thoughts about it. Does anyone have any idea if its going to come over to Broadway? Its been just amazingly successful in England and I really wish it would get over here. Tell me what you think about this show, I'm dying to hear everyones comments
OH LORD! I just got back from London a week ago and I saw Jerry Springer: The Opera. I usually like everything I see (I'm just that way), but this was the worst show I had ever seen in my entire life! Sure when you listen to the CD it sounds hilarious. I went all excited to see it, ready to laugh my ass off and I was ready to go to bed by intermission. The book of the show was so poorly written. I wasn't offended at all by the material of the show. I don't think you can be offended by anything if you are going to do theatre. The songs just sang the same thing over again, it was like beating a dead horse. I felt like yelling "Yeah, we know already! Move on with it!" And the performers just weren't good. Jerry has this "warm-up man" that I wanted to knock out. The only good actor was the guy who played Jerry Springer, he hit it right. But Jerry doesn't sing! The single funny moment in the show was when the KKK comes out and tap dances (very poorly, I might add), but I think I missed most of cause I was watching my watch. I went with a group of about 30 people from the states, and we all were about to get up and leave cause it was sooo bad, but we still stay to support the people of our art. I really think it will be a huge flop on Broadway unless they rewrite the book, and add some more lyrics to the songs. Sorry, I talked to much I've just never seen a horrible show like that.
Not to be negative or anything, but it'll just be another Taboo. Not gonna work. It better not be looking at the Majestic Theatre either. A better show is in there. I've seen Jerry Springer The Opera. Nothing special in my opinion.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
Oh, I can't wait to see the reaction it has when it lands on Broadway! Other than what I've read, I haven't heard the score! I can't wait for a listen. I'm sure it's wickedly witty and hilarious!
Yes, there was a time when I watched Jerry religiously. I know this is sick, but it's true.
Here's to Jerry and the all the poor, stupid people who appear on his show!
I cannot wait, I am all for sick and twisted fare.
"SUNY Binghamton, yes. I'm sure getting a degree from SUNY Binghamton is very useful. Normally to get a degree with that kind of credibility you'd have to study in Guatemala or Haiti."
OMG....I'm not even going to tell you what I think about this show!
------- "We Drink Your Blood And Then We Eat Your Soul, Nothings Gonna Stop Us Let The Bad Times Roll"
-------"Past The Point Of No Return, No Backward Glances, Abandon Thought And Let The Dream Begin"
i dont know where you got the idea that its a great success in the uk.....that good i heard that they were on for closing it!!!! which is a good thing they sud have never have taken our house off ! ! ! plus the chipest ticket is £80 and no show is that good....not for all the seats to be that price anyway!!!!
Rubbish - they range from £25 to £50 and if you are under 25 you can get best seats for £25.
I loved the show... very funny and the music is fantastic. There seem to be alot of people here that say they saw it and hated it.. and when you try to discuss it with them it is obvious they have not seen it !! When did you see it Bially082 ?
Well, it's been running for over a year in London sinceit's transfer to the West End, so I don't think it's considered a flop. I'm looking forward to it. I love the recording and I can't wait to see it.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Lee, I saw the show in July at the National. My friends and I did not enjoy it. Other friends who have seen it on separate occasions, both at the National and at its current home in the West End, have had a difficult time understanding how the show got the reviews it did or how anyone could call it groundbreaking.
I'm not saying that the show did not have a clever premise or that some of the music was, on first listening, melodic. It's just that the joke wore thin very quickly, some of the performances were not good, the staging was weak and the show as a whole seemed to have a very pedestrian view of what "outrageous" is. Some of the humor also seemed just plain old ("Talk to the hand cause the face ain't listening" is a tired expression that's never used anymore, for instance).
Humor is a very individual thing. The audience was howling when the tap dancing KKK came out to end the first act. My friends and I sat in silence. The idea might be funny, but there was no cleverness or wit behind it. To me, the laughs seemed unearned.
You might just think that this is an American thing, but British friends have felt the same way.
I very much wanted this show to be everything the critics had said it was. I took my friends to see it and was embarassed (not by the subject matter, mind you, but the quality of what was on stage).
You didn't hear that from me Lee. I expressed months ago that I wasn't interested in seeing it while I had been in London. I was wavering then but am now curious to see/hear it.
A colleague saw it in November and liked it but said he doubted it would play here as it did there, and doubts any life to it. He doesn't see the burning cross playing well on B'way.
Succes d'estime perhaps. There are certainly plenty of those these days.
If I had to pick only one to be forced to sit through I'd grab at the chance to go with SPRINGER over CAROLINE from what I've heard and read.
some of the performances were not good, the staging was weak
I'd be interested to hear who you thought was weak. Alison Jiear , Michael Brandon and David Bedella have been nominated for Best Actor/Actress in a Musical and the entire ensemble have been nominated for Best Supporting. They're both also well ahead in an English website vote.
Also, how else do you stage the Jerry Springer Show on stage?
I've never found word-of-mouth that reliable. The Producers is a huge hit, yet not one person I personally know who has seen it, liked it. A couple of them left at intermission. Some are musical fans, and some are not into theatre so much at all.
I thought Jerry Springer sounded like a horrible and disgusting idea until I forced myself to listen to it. It's currently one of my favorite recordings. But then I am well aware that shows that sound great on CD may not work as well on stage (Istarted a thread about that last month). The Broadway production might be restaged as well, so it could be improved (or worsened). Either way, I would still go see it. If they don't make any drastic changes in the score, I think it could easily win a Tony.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
It is so wierd to hear people say I loved the recording but the book was weak.. it is a COMPLETE recording.. grin.. it is 99% sung through and the whole show is on the two CDS...
I have only seen the show once but it was a real audience pleaser when I was there.. everyone wandered out intio the night laughing and smiling wearing their Jerry pins...
It is deeply critical of the talk show culture and I think that grates a bit with many US visitors..
I have no idea what shape it is in now but at the time at the national it was a great fun night out.
But the definition of book does not explain people saying they loved the recording but on seeing it found the book weak !! It is all there on the CDs...
I expressed months ago that I wasn't interested in seeing it while I had been in London. I was wavering then but am now curious to see/hear it.
