Just back from the first preview of PORGY AND BESS.... — Page 2

I haven't seen any production of Porgy and Bess, but how is that more fulfilling? She's still running off and he's still chasing after her, only now it has that "Susannah" flair to it.

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Updated On: 8/18/11 at 10:57 PM

"It's ironic that "the theater! the theater!" which understandably delighted in the change that Lerner, Loewe and Hart gave to Shaw's famous and cherished ending to "Pygmalion" has to condemn the change that Paulus and Parks are now giving to Heyward and the Gershwins' famous and cherished ending to "Porgy and Bess," before we've even seen the damn thing!"

Not a fair comparison at all. That's a play to a musical. Different art forms. This is not just a different interpretation of material, it's a total overhaul of a show. It's like changing Follies so that Ben ends up with Sally. That would change the whole mood and feeling and point of the show.

I suppose I'm the only person on earth who isn't enthralled by McDonald's trills.

And MY FAIR LADY is not called PYGMALION.

Changing the title to the female character says this is gonna be more about Eliza and she will get her happy ending.
Which sounds familiar to this new BESS ending.
So I suggest the new title:
BESS MY WOMAN.

^I appreciate the use of "bullpoop."

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@jewishboy, yes the ending was change for the movie. Also I think Shaw actually wrote the screenplay for the Howard movie.

I'm with Phil Crosby - people writing about this who have no knowledge of the opera whatsoever? I guess youth either has its advantages or disadvantages.

"I only know the original ending from a synopsis I read, but to me, this ending is much more... fulfilling."

You only know the original ending from a synopsis - a SYNOPSIS - and you think you can make a judgment that this thing they're doing is more fulfilling. Here's a novel idea - go buy the opera and listen to it. First of all, it will be good for you. Second of all, then maybe then you can make a post where you can compare the two. You certainly cannot compare it when you have no idea how it works when all the elements are combined. You certainly can't read a synopsis and think you know how the original ending works.

I just read these things and scratch my head, really. I will wait for someone who knows the opera to post something because kids posting who have no idea what the original is like is pretty pointless in terms of chat and debate.

Thank you for your concern. I shall sleep very well tonight. Perhaps you can find every other thread that I've posted in so you can make some more pithy remarks. You do pith very well and I know you know that I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Updated On: 8/19/11 at 02:22 AM

Sorry, henrik, when I asked that question, I was assuming you had read what I read upthread about the new ending. (We got it again a couple posts later, in a more fleshed-out version.) Whether or not it "works" is, of course, entirely subjective... but personally I'm not really interested in that. What most people are objecting to is the principle, the ethics, and motivation behind making any changes at all.

I'm actually finding a little disturbing the suggestion that people may find this ending "more fulfilling." What's fulfilling? As my brother used to tell me, "Just because it feels good doesn't mean it's right."

On paper, this new PORGY ending sounds like it may allow theatergoes to go "Rah rah rah" on the way out the door, but that doesn't really change my opinion of the tampering. The possibility that it's dumbed-down offends me, but the fact that it's happened at all worries me.

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Yes, I am aware that My Fair Lady is a musical and Pygmalion a play. However, I anticipated that counterargument, and made clear in my first post that I thought the comparison was still appropriate. Apart from the score and the ending, the works are otherwise quite similar in tone, and, as I said, Shaw left explicit instructions that he never wanted Eliza and Henry to appear to go off into the sunset - or in this case the fog of Belgravia - together. And as I've said, the liberties taken worked anyway; like a charm. Everyone else is free to disagree, of course.

But that wasn't my main point. I haven't seen the show yet. I have no idea what liberties were taken with the ending and how they play and am quite perplexed why everyone is jumping on a trashbandwagon prematurely; who knows? you might be surprised that it works; if not, then fire away, but why not give it a chance?

Good point, though my understanding was that Shaw was not pleased.

"And then they all go to the seashore."- ILLYA DARLING

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