Josh Groban in Chess. What do you think?

[Tateh]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:41am

I've been thinking about this for a long time.
I'm not saying he doesn't have the voice, I like him when he sings his music, but as a singer actor in Chess I think it is a wrong choice.
I don`t think he can act the character, and found a big difference between him and the rest of the cast, like he is out of place.
Does anyone think like me? I'm really interested

[binau]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:42am

Well the only thing I've heard is "Anthem" from a recent album he released and I don't think he sang it very well either.

[SINGASIMPLESONG]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 6:42am

I think Josh Groban would be great singing the Phone Book...

[Janki]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 8:00am

He sang a bit out of tuna @ The Royal Albert Hall!

[SoonerOrLater]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 8:21am

In terms of vocal power there is no doubt that he sang the roof of RAH. In terms of character however Groban doesn't quite have it all there. He wasn't bad but it was also obvious that isn't his forte.

[Tess6]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 11:13am

I was just one of those there for the May 13th performance of Chess at the RAH. It was amazing. There were two artists that stood out - Josh and Adam.

Remember, this was not the usual "play" - it was a concert with the artists certainly keeping true to their character, but the concentration was on the music - and in spite of the less than perfect video clips on the net, it was wonderful.

Josh was playing the part of a 40-something Russian - just what were you all expecting? His fans know a side of him that maybe others don't so his "acting" skills in Chess were perfect. But I honestly don't think any of us were even considering the stage presence of the performers - if that were the case, then Idina and Kerry were truly awful just standing there. Adam on the other hand would have won hands down,I guess. Love him.

Josh's voice will never be questioned by the honest. If you watch the icethesite Chess trailer - or a youtube clip - even though the last picture is of Idina - the applause - with SO's both nights was for Josh's Anthem. Something somewhat unheard of at the end of the first act in Theatre I've read.

I'm not a professional like those of you posting appear to be, but you know - we like what we like - and I can safely say that everyone in that audience for both shows was captivated. Come on, it's really a lot easier to just sit and clap than it is for an entire audience to make the effort to stand, cheer, shout, whistle - isn't that a good indication we kind of liked it? LOL

[mariusmyhomeboy]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:23pm

I'm a big Groban fan. He has an amazing voice (I think we all know this) but I don't think he's a strong actor. Maybe with time.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:44pm

Groban has a lovely instrument with a nice tone.

However he lacks sex appeal. He's too damn cuddly. He needs some balls. At least onstage.

[BadIdeaBear]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:33pm

He does sing the part very well although a bit too classical for my taste, and about the acting skills or more the lack of it he can always come to me for an acting class or two

[Weez]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:36pm

I could take him or leave him.

Now, Josh Groban in Never Mind the Buzzcocks, on the other hand... now that was GOOD. For one brief shining moment, I even stopped missing Bill Bailey. :3

[xoangel2789xo]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 8:06pm

I find the acting comments interesting since he went to Interlochen and got into Carnegie Mellon. Shrug.

[ladybegood]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 6:06am

While I did think he sang it well, I was another who still wasn't so impressed with his overall "performance". This was a concert version, though, after all, and it didn't matter so much, so maybe that was an excuse. But others (Adam particularly) still managed to be much better in that respect. The really surprising disappointment, though, was Idina, who really wasn't good at all.

But with reference to comment before, I have no idea about any connection with Interlochen and/or Carnegie mellon, but what he might be supposed to be able to do isn't the same thing as actually doing it. And while I would repeat that I did really like the way he sang it, he could do with more stage presence and I don't find that rather asexual thing terribly appealing either.

And in response to Tess6 before, specifically, that the audience was receptive (in spite of the sound problems) wan't actually just about Josh Groban! Strangely enough, a lot of people were actually there to see "Chess". But there were far too many Josh Groban supporters who thought that everyone else should only be there for him too, and who did the incredibly ill mannered screaming/shouting thing practically whenever he moved. Too many had no regard or respect for either the other performers or for the show. So I rather suspect their perception was more than a little skewed as well.

Really lookimg forward to the DVD coming out over here though. A lot of the problems, hopefully, will have been sorted or disguised for that.


Updated On: 4/23/09 at 06:06 AM

[Tateh]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 6:29am

Ladybegood, I could not agree more. Even on Idina's subject

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 8:49am

Carnegie Mellon for SINGING not acting.....shrug back

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 10:23am

His "acting" is absolutely repulsive. I hope he improved somewhat for the concert at the Royal Albert Hall, but from the Actors Fund concert several years back, they all whiped the floor with him.

As for his singing, I think it's great.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:16pm

Beautiful voice, flat acting.

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:49pm

I like him well enough in the part, but he tends to fall into that Celine Dion-ish style of singing far too much (his albums tend towards that, so i guess that is just how he sings). Tommy Korberg on the original Studio cd will always be the Russian for me.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 1:35pm

I dunno, I don't like Anatoly to be so young. I've always imagined him as an older man (Svetlana's part of "I Know Him So Well" makes it seem like she's fairly older.)

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 1:48pm

SporkGoddess- totally agree. I only let it go because of the concert style presentation. My bigger complaint was Julia Murney in the Actor's fund concert and Idina Menzell at RAH. Neither have the right voice for the character.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 1:58pm

Vocally, I haven't minded Murney from what I've heard of her, but I can't stand Idina Menzel's singing. Also, I've always thought of Florence as kind of a put-upon, harried woman; Julia and Idina come across as too fierce for me.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 2:08pm

God knows I can't sing like he does, but I am not a fan. Not crazy about his voice or style. I can't base his performance from a small clip so I am interested in seeing the entire concert to see how he does. And just to see the concert itself!

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 2:11pm

Again...totally agree. I don't mind their voices, but their style is not compatible to the character. I guess i just prefer the original Studio Cast's performances. They seem to understand the style of music better.