Kinky Boots previews- Page 7

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 10:51am

^ It was still in on Thursday. I was glad they were able to use them again, even for such a brief moment.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:07am

SPOILER RESPONSE -

*
*

Yes, that scene was in yesterday's matinee.

I liked, didn't quite love the show. Found too many of the songs generic ("everybody Say Yeah"), but adored Ashford's "History of Wrong Guys" character-driven number.

Admired Sands' and Porter's performances although Porter seemed a little too much at times.

It's a feel-good, upbeat show with the best costumes since PRISCILLA, but it's no MATILDA.

[eperkins]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:20am

Admired Sands' and Porter's performances although Porter seemed a little too much at times.

I'm just going to inject that LOLA is a little too much at times. That's the character. And it's a good contrast to when he is stripped of all that and has to be Simon.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 12:16pm

"...but it's no MATILDA."

That's good, because it's not trying to be a MATILDA (whatever that is). They are two entirely different pieces of theatre.

[phan24]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 1:20am

Saw the matinee on Saturday, (March 30th) and the show was in great shape, overheard from some curious audience members who asked someone that the show was locked now and no further changes were gonna be made. At stage door, I found out that this had been the most energetic matinee crowd they've had, which I agree with, the energy was intense, and also found out that all the reviewers were coming to that evening's performance, which would make sense for the show to be locked down. Everyone one of the leads came out during the matinee stage door and signed and took pictures. It was a great experience and such a fun show!

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 10:52am

“I'm just going to inject that LOLA is a little too much at times. That's the character. And it's a good contrast to when he is stripped of all that and has to be Simon.”

I have to say I disagree with this and agree with mamaleh – it was not Lola who is a little too much, it was Porter. I don’t think Lola is written very well, but Porter doesn’t seem to ever try to infuse a deeper (or, rather, real) side of Lola. Even when Porter is Simon it is a one-note personality. I understand that Lola and Simon are supposed to be dramatically different, but because I didn’t get a character steeped in reality at all with Lola, it just made the vulnerable, quiet Simon seem fake, as well. I recognize I am in the minority on the opinion of Porter’s performance, but I just didn’t feel he was a three-dimensional person onstage (partly the script’s fault, but I believe it’s mainly Porter’s doing). Like someone said much earlier in this thread, he spoke all of his lines as if in bold italics, but full-time drag queens often speak conversationally as well. I would have loved to see that side of Lola.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:05am

I think part of the reason Lola is written/played somewhat poorly stems from the fact that Fierstein supposedly wrote him as straight but Porter is playing him super gay. I don't think there is any way in hell that Lola could ever be straight. Straight cross dressers don't tend to be so effeminate and live their daily lives in drag.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:12am

Personally I think it would have been a stronger/more interesting choice to make him straight. That alone gives the character so many levels of depth. Just the idea of a straight guy who wants to walk around as a women in his daily life.

[phan24]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:14am

double post Updated On: 4/2/13 at 11:14 AM

[phan24]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:15am

I have to agree with Gilmore. It was difficult to take Porter seriously as a well-rounded real character. It surprised me that Jerry Mitchell allowed it to become that over the top, since Mitchell has shown a dislike to shmacting, acting to the audience and not your cast members. I do think Billy's forte was his songs, his upbeat and serious songs as Lola were amazing, even getting standing ovations. But his time as the serious man did not really read.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:21am

The audience was giving him standing ovations during the show? I don't believe that in the slightest.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 11:21am

I agree, Clyde. As I mentioned in the thread discussing the Fierstein/Porter views, I think it would be beneficial if the two came to a mutual decision and let that outcome flesh out the character more (both in the writing and performance). In that thread I said: “Not that I necessarily think that the sexuality of Lola informs much in the musical itself, but things like Lola possibly being a virgin or “not having sexuality” are absolutely things that could play into the creation of this character (and, may have a significant effect on either the written character or portrayal). I did not see much depth in Lola (even in the moments we were supposed to), so, perhaps, this would be a good place for them to start and be able to show a few more sides of Lola (or, even, just for themselves to keep in the back of their minds; have a better idea of who Lola is, what has happened to her in the past, etc.).

[phan24]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 12:54pm

Why would I make that up?

Quotes about Billy Porter's standing ovation.

"Saw Kinky Boots on Broadway last night, first night of previews, and it was fun, fabulous, phenomenal. Billy Porter inspired a standing ovation in the middle of the second act with a show stopping solo! A sure hit, with heart."

from http://kinkybootsthemusical.com/audience.php

and

"The standing ovation in the second act was for Billy Porter. Porter stops the show in a star-turning, dynamic performance as drag queen “Lola”. I won’t give too much away, but Porter belts a song that is a true 11 o’clock number. The audience responds with a salvo of appreciation."

from http://broadwaybroadblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/billy-porter-is-a-superstar/

It's an amazing number ("Hold Me In Your Heart") that he performs flawlessly. Think of it as a Losing My Mind full of belting and emotion.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 1:18pm

I'm aware of the number because I've seen the show. There was no standing ovation during the performance I saw nor have I read reports on here about any. Your unabashed praise of the show makes me doubt things you say.

Those reports are both from the first preview which I think has a heavily comped audience that is overly excitable.

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:08pm

Saw the show on Thursday night and thought it was a fun night. I do however have a few things which I disliked about this production.

1) The story seems very plain from its inception. There is never really a very large conflict which needs a whole 2 and half hours to solve. Every conflict within the show is solved within about 25-30 minutes.

2) The story seems to not know what it wants its message to be.
***Spoiler****
In the ending they say all of the messages of the show and all of them are so different from each other that it is hard to understand why they did not just pick one message to push throughout the whole story.
***End**

I guess you could say the main message is accepting someone for whom they are? With a sub-message of a)staying true to yourself b)forgiving your parents for their shortcomings c)standing up for what you believe in d)holding onto a dream and watching it come into fruition

Did anyone else feel that much of the script was lifted directly from the film?

3) I liked some of the music, whilst other times I thought it was quite redundant. "Everybody Say Yeah," "The Most Beautiful Thing in the World," "What a Woman Wants" "The Soul of a Man," and "Raise You Up/Just Be." All of which used the same lyrics over and over and over. I also felt that "Hold Me in Your Heart," came out of nowhere and was completely unnecessary. I know you need to have Lola and her father make amends, but a book scene could have sufficed. The curtains opened on the scene and you don't know what the heck is going on until you notice the father. Then you still don't know why Lola is belting a Whitney Houstonesque song.

There were some things I loved about the score. All of the Lola numbers except for the aforementioned song were stand outs. "Sex is in the Heel," is by far one of the best and energetic songs in the show. I also loved the boxing scene and song which someone else had mentioned they thought should be removed. It made sense to me, but maybe it is because I saw it coming.

4) The cast performed their little hearts out. Porter and Ashford worked every little ounce of feeling out of their lines and lyrics. Although Stark Sands has a wonderful voice, I felt as thought he was dwarfed by the others on the stage. He seemed somewhat mousy to me, which may be the reason I disliked his character change in Act 2.

5) The Angels
Those girls danced and dipped and dropped their little ankles away. It isn't the easiest thing dancing in 4-6 inch heels. I commend them for working their tails off. Some of them were also very passable as gorgeous women.

As I said before this was a very fun night out in the theater.
I am glad that I rushed this show during my recent trip.

Another mention for rushing. I got there around 8:30 on Thursday morning and there were about 8 people in front of me. One woman even fainted right next to me as she was waiting in line for tickets. Suffice to say she did not get her rush ticket and took a cab back to her hotel.

Updated On: 4/2/13 at 03:08 PM

[Ukdude]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:09pm

Find this really weird.....being a British lad I'm just wondering why they have cindi lauper doing the music for a story set in northern England, ok I've not heard the music but it sounds like mixing water with oil... Maybe ill stand corrected but just find it hard to imagine it working!!!??

[Kelly2]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:14pm

"Why they have cindi lauper doing the music for a story set in northern England?"

And why didn't a real witch write the score for Into the Woods? Or a real bat-human hybrid write the score for Bat Boy?

I hardly think this is the first show where the writer doesn't have a specific connection to the locale or subject matter.

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:18pm

one really doesn't have much to do with the other in terms of it being set in England. it's a pop score. she writes pop. it's pretty easy actually.

and for the record. the standing ovation mid show did happen.

also happened for Andrea martin at "Pippin".

and more over..."pippin", "motown", "Matilda" and "kinky Boots" have been some of the lowest comped houses in recent history. fact.

[Ukdude]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:30pm

Well I hope it's a good show and gets to transfer to London...as I live the film it's based on... Oh and there's a brilliant drag artist, female impersonator.. Whatever you want to call her by the name of ceri Dupree that would be brilliant for the part!!!

[roadmixer]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:36pm

Regarding people's comments about structure and intent... The creative team set out to be true to the film which is true to the true story. Changing things around as people have suggested strays from that path. Thus the British accents etc.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:38pm

Elton John wrote the score for Aida and I don't think he's either Egyptian or Nubian. Schoenberg is not Irish, American or Vietnamese. Come to think of it, Cole Porter and Jerry Herman aren't French!

[Ukdude]

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:41pm

That's a fair comment... I guess pop does fit with the story and all things drag...

Posted: 4/2/13 at 3:41pm

Mister Matt- hilarious.