Just back from "The Yoko Ono Show"........I mean, "Lennon" — Page 2

Yeah, the Double Fantasy album is a real testament to their pending divorce, Feinstein. You must be talking about the wildly credible Albert Goldman bio. Which inspired Bono to write in "God, Part 2," "I don't believe in Goldman, his type like a curse, Instant Karma's gonna get him, If I don't get him first."

"in your efforts to sound like a know it all on this and other lennon threads..."

That's not my effort at all. My effort is to be one voice that says the RECEIVED WISDOM about Yoko is not universal on this board. That. Is. All.

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ah, the goldman book. classic piece of trash. i do have standards, my friend! i was refering to "the last days of john lennon" by fred seaman, as well as the memior of May Pang, who john had an affair with. i try to read all the biographies that come out, even though some of them are blanent opportunistic trash, and others too deep in hero-worship. some are right there in the middle trying to tell it how it was. i don't know who to trust, really, so i guess we all make our own conclusions.

It's General Rush; $26.25 in the front row (which has 10 or 12 seats, I believe). A friend went last night and got a rush seat at around 5:30PM.

Whenever I read the title of this thread, I cannot help but think, "SNAP!" Love it!

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There's an onstage band.

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If there is a concept that would be more off-putting to an audience than "Multiple actors playing the many facets of John Lennon" I can't imagine what it would be-- unless it's "Audience Participation."

And I don't mean that it can't work for the audience sitting in the theater watching (Although frankly I can't imagine how that could possibly work, either) I mean I can't imagine people buying tickets for the show with Multiple actors playing the facets of John. And no matter what anyone thinks of Yoko, she's a unversally reviled figure. A show that presents her as "a Saint" is going to have a very very dificult time winner people over.

The prospective audience that wants to hear a Lennon score presented wouldn't be keen on any of what's described here.

Having more than one actor play a rock star was done in "Love, Janis". I didn't think the concept worked well in that show. Maybe that concept is unworkable?

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The multiple Lennon thing worked very well, and it was one of the best parts of the show...in my opinion, at least.

I had no problems at all with the multiple actors as Lennon concept. It worked fine in SF, no one was "confused" and audiences enjoyed the show. I can't imagine that NY audiences won't "get it".

I keep hearing that Scardino is paring back on this concept, and that is disappointing, as, IMO, the concept was what made the show special.

And Plum, I too am sick and tired of the bitching on Lennon threads about Yoko and her involvement in the show. Let it go, people! She DID NOT break up the Beatles...creative differences and the band growing up and apart from each other did it.

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^^ exactly -- While I think some people won't like this show because John is shown to have a lot of flaws, for me, it made him relatable and NOT someone that was out of reach.

I just adored one of the lines in show (said by Will Chase) when he's talking about New York... it may have changed slightly but it was like... "Here in New York, I can just go out to a restaraunt - Do you know how GREAT that is? People come up to me on the street and say 'Hey, I like the new record', or... 'How's the immigration goin'?' You know what I mean?... FREEdom..." -- I think there are moments in this show that are so poignant, and you get that sense that John became this SENSATION with the Beatles and his relationship with Yoko brought him back down to earth in a way.

It's about time Yoko isn't used as the devil's playing card anymore... While she may have had her moments, she doesn't deserve that kind of bias, and John wouldn't have approved of her being painted horribly in the show, either. If I had ONE beef about the show now... and I don't have many, because I love it... But I think there needs to be a BIT more book. That's it. A little more flesh on the dialogue to link scenes and songs together. And they've actually done that a LOT since SF, where I saw it 3 times. Then I saw the 2nd NYC preview, and there was more dialogue in places, more explanation and a deeper view into John's thoughts and experiences, and even more about Paul (because there was VERY little in the SF version). So I'm assuming they're still working on that and making it MORE. But as far as talent goes, you almost couldn't get any better. Will LOOKS like John for me, Chad SOUNDS like John for me... Michael has that unspoken WISDOM like John for me... And Terrence has that SILLY STREAK like John for me - Chuck... crap, he's almost like GOD in the show. Fantastic presence. With Julie Danao-Salkin playing a, for once, LIKEABLE Yoko, and even Julia taking a turn as John's first wife, Cynthia (she has that tragic pain and loss down PAT)... They all contribute something, and the women in the show are STRONG women characters. Something that more musicals need.

Crap I talk a lot. Sorry about that. But that happens with shows you're passionate about.

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joekv -hmmm, that wasn't my point, at least..Anybody can be portrayed by one actor. This show, as it started in SF, was a lot of fun with the "everyone as Lennon" concept. I just hate to see the concept thrown out, and this show become a glorified tribute concert.

Who cares how many people love or hate Yoko Ono? The show is about Lennon, and people who are bashing the show based on her involvement need to see the show and attempt to base an opinion of the show without letting their Yoko hatred color it.

It's Broadway musical, people, not an A&E Biography of John and Yoko.

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Updated On: 7/21/05 at 04:46 PM

IMO, it takes at least nine actors to portray John Lennon. I love the concept and execution.

Have any Beatle/Lennon fans wondered, as I have, if Don Scardino chose a nine member cast by chance or by design?

feinstein, while John did cheat on Yoko, it wasn't really the dying devotion to Yoko that is shown in this musical but instead the great effect she had on his art. Yes, ART. Not music. ART. Hence the reason this show is so artsy and off-the-wall. Yoko Ono completely changed his musical career, for the better, in my opinion. He spread his wings when he met her, something he hadn't done before.

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