LEMPICKA Previews- Page 9

[seussical93]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:37am

ok, saw this tonight and oof… was a trainwreck for me. It was all over the place tonally and never found its stride. At times it felt like it was trying to lean into the camp, but as a whole felt like it was going for a Les Mis/Evita/Miss Saigon epicness, which imo it did not earn. 

Amber was great with what she was working with, Beth and Natalie too, but this was such a catastrophic misfire to me. At the core I just didn’t feel for any of the characters, and Beth’s 11 o’clock number felt so unearned that it was laughable. I love Eden so much (she was my first Elphie when I was a kid!) but boy, they really need to rework the keys of almost everything for her :( I feel bad, but her pitch problems were so consistent that by the end of the show my ears were so used to them that I had stopped wincing to them and was just numb... Musically, I just kept hearing the “Greatest Showman” sound that is currently plaguing bway scores, and lyrically I found myself laughing at moments that were not supposed to be camp. I just feel like I saw a totally different show from what I’ve heard from others…

My friends and I all agreed that we preferred Diana to this… at least in its later iterations it was camp and self aware with some bops and thrilling vocals/ a point of view :P I wish the best for the creative team, cast, and crew, but oy, I have no clue how this iteration of this show is on Bway. Hoping it’s just my taste/ others connect with it more.

[KitKatBoy24]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 1:51am

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but it is kind of a convoluted mess at times.

The set design is really great and everything was very smooth and clear.

The costume design was a miss for me - nothing was cohesive. Sometimes we were in period styles, sometimes we weren’t. 

The score has its moments! The styles of music seemed a little all over the place, but it results in a lot of cool numbers. I really enjoyed Natalie Joy Johnson’s act II number and Beth’s number toward the end of the show. I also enjoyed the act II duet between Lempicka’s two love interests. Eden gets plenty of times to screlt and “Woman Is” really is thrilling. Amber’s numbers are all great but sometimes felt like they were written for a different show. 

The cast is fantastic but it was really Natalie, Beth, and Amber that took the night for me. Eden is a powerhouse but is vocally unstable to the point that you worry and get distracted and it takes you out of the moment. She was really solid my night, and I hope that maintains. 

In general I think this show is trying to be too many things at once and it’s all over the place. Therefore it’s just not clicking. I felt act two was stronger and the last 20 minutes are really solid. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 5:29am

I really enjoyed this musical!  I thought the show was on firm ground when the direction matched the writing. All the progressive scenes, the Rafaela number in Act 1, Perfection, the lesbian number in act 2 called Women, the second act in general.  Eden was fine, the triangle projection things were ugly, the blank color scrim terrible. What happened to backdrops?  I liked much of the score, and book. I’d recommend, go see it!!

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 6:34am

Sounds like I should get to the Longacre incase this thing collapses sooner rather than later. I’m getting impressions of the wife in American Beauty - trying to hold on, keep it together, pretend there’s nothing wrong, until one day there’s a nuclear meltdown that can’t be contained. 
Oh to be a fly on the wall backstage.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 10:12am

There’s no greater artistic failure than crafting a role around Eden Espinosa over the span of six years, and the fruit of that labor is a bland performance of a poorly written character, a score she cannot sing (she is nails-on-a-chalkboard flat multiple times per song), and no chemistry with her two (three?) love interests. Eden also reads waaayy too old for the part: this is a young woman’s story of Tamara from 18-33. Even if there was a magnetic starmaking performance at the center of the show it might only improve things by 10%, but at least the songs would be listenable and we might want to root for her more. After the one-two punch of this and GARDENS OF ANUNCIA, I struggle to see why anyone would ever cast Eden Espinosa again…her voice is shot, her acting is surface-level, and she's a black hole of charisma.

Every actor feels like they’re in a different show (a mix of problems with writing, acting, and directing), the ensemble has no function, and the design looks better in pics. There is an interesting musical about a love quadrangle buried in this misguided love triangle. Beth gets the eleven o’clock number bequeathing her husband to Tamara, but there’s no setup so no payoff. Samonsky is a wet blanket and their non-monog marriage would be interesting if actually explored. Amber Iman’s voice sounds great but her performance is of a different show. George Abud radiates presence even when standing still but his intensity feels out of place.

If I had to play show doctor, I’d say move the press opening back 10 days (the final day of the season), fire Eden immediately and replace her with literally any other Elphaba or Angelica Schuyler, refocus the beginning of the show and final third, and try to shave the show down to focus on Tamara + her three loves. But if they couldn’t crack that over the past decade I don’t see it happening in 20 days.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 10:31am

At a $19.5 million capitalization, this show was never going to recoup, so now it's just a matter of seeing exactly how much it loses.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 11:18am

See, I actually thought that off key tone was kind of intentional.  I feel like she does that when she sings her other songs, including defying gravity.  I also did think that she was too old.  Beth Leavel looks younger than her.  The clothing of Lempicka in the first act is ugly and she looks lumpy.  I understand she’s poor, but I want her to be a poor girl who’s resourceful and still finds ways to look chic.  Slimming down would help.  I do agree, the musical is all over the place, but I still enjoyed it.  

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:03pm

If her off-key singing was "intentional," then that is a certifiably insane intention to make.

imagine how much better this show could have been with Micaela Diamond as Tamara (even with minimal changes to the existing book & score)?

It's frustrating when so much potential is evident under the rubble of a show, from artists who should know better.

This is not a show that would be a hot touring property, so there's basically just Broadway, stock & amateur (a trickle of a revenue stream) and European licensing as their income streams.

It also made me want a non-musical biopic of Tamara from a great queer filmmaker...Celine Sciamma? Luca Guadenigno? Todd Haynes?

Updated On: 4/5/24 at 12:03 PM

[lopside]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:07pm

Broadway Flash said: "See, I actually thought that off key tone was kind of intentional. I feel like she does that when she sings her other songs, including defying gravity. I also did think that she was too old. Beth Leavel looks younger than her. The clothing of Lempicka in the first act is ugly and she looks lumpy. I understand she’s poor, but I want her to be a poor girl who’s resourceful and still finds ways to look chic. Slimming down would help. I do agree, the musical is all over the place, but I still enjoyed it."

Not only is this person a troll poster, now they are making nasty comments about people's appearances. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:10pm

lopside said: "Broadway Flash said: "See, I actually thought that off key tone was kind of intentional. I feel like she does that when she sings her other songs, including defying gravity. I also did think that she was too old. Beth Leavel looks younger than her. The clothing of Lempicka in the first act is ugly and she looks lumpy. I understand she’s poor, but I want her to be a poor girl who’s resourceful and still finds ways to look chic. Slimming down would help. I do agree, the musical is all over the place, but I still enjoyed it."

Not only is this person a troll poster, now they are making nasty comments about people's appearances."

To be fair, in this instance I believe they are talking about the costuming rather than Eden herself.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:22pm

Trashing someone’s voice, their livelihood is okay, but appearance is off limits?  Theatre is a visual medium. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:26pm

Paloma Young is generally a great costume designer but I agree she missed the mark here. A number of the actors are unflatteringly costumed, and there's an odd mix of contemporary and period styles. Which is interesting because they've had a different costume designer for each iteration of the show.

Updated On: 4/4/24 at 12:26 PM

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:27pm

I did not see this yet, but I did see Eden in Gardens of Anunsia at Lincoln Center, which she was in. I wrote in my review on Show Score that her voice was in bad shape. She was pushing, she wasn't breathing properly, she sounded like she might not make it though the run. I don't know what she sounded like as Alphaba (in a show I am not a fan of) but she sounded like she needed vocal rest and to start over with her technique.

[lopside]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:32pm

So you want free reign to call people whatever you want since it's a subjective visual medium?  Her voice is her instrument, something that is the selling point for people paying for her livelihood. Her appearance is not. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 12:34pm

Yeah tell that to all the directors and casting directors who only cast hot gay guys in the chorus. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 1:47pm

Jesus Christ I hope Eden doesn’t read this thread. If I were hedging my entire career in starring in $20M Broadway musical and this was the reaction I got you’d have to put me on suicide watch. Take it down a couple notches, people.

[magicfingers]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 1:47pm

Stock and amateur rights can be extremely profitable. Ask Andrew Lippa (Addams family) and F&A (Suessical). I think the show will have a very healthy life in stock and regional and school productions. With a great cast album.

[KMKJ]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 1:52pm

I enjoyed...but wanted so much more. There are some gripping themes and material in there; stakes just need to be raised, relationships zeroed in on, etc. If the musical had a firm point-of-view, then I missed it.

The cast SELLS what's there now for all it's worth; each principal shines and is truly so committed. Iman = effortless, Natalie Joy was a joy, & Leavel was surprisingly grounded. Espinosa had a mostly solid night vocally (act one was particularly thrilling), commanded my attention, and was full of heart; by Act Two, I wanted more aggressive writing for her title character, more to highlight the survivor in Tamara.

Have other significant changes been made since the "new opener" went in last week?

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 1:58pm

Yeah I think we’re picking up on different things.  My big takeaway was the survivor aspect of her life. And the creation vs war theme.  Others seem to be really focused on her relationships between the two lovers.  To me, that was all a subplot.  

[seussical93]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:02pm

It just makes me sad because they could easily adjust some of the keys of her bigger numbers so they’re not in the stratosphere and her issues might not be so apparent. Maybe they have been playing around with them? Last night though, “Woman Is” was definitely in the original key. Again, love her and she is a very talented performer, but they’re not setting her up for success with this score.

[somecheapfrenchthing]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:09pm

"I struggle to see why anyone would ever cast Eden Espinosa again…her voice is shot, her acting is surface-level, and she's a black hole of charisma."

 

I agree that the years have taken a toll on her singing voice and perhaps there are issues with technique but I disagree about her acting and charisma. I left both Anuncia and Lempicka hoping that Eden eventually dips into some play acting. I thought her scenes in Gardens of Anuncia were the some of the most compelling. I also thought her Flora the Red Menace was stellar back in her Elphaba days. 

Updated On: 4/4/24 at 02:09 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:10pm

magicfingers said: "Stock and amateur rights can be extremely profitable. Ask Andrew Lippa (Addams family) and F&A (Suessical). I think the show will have a very healthy life in stock and regional and school productions. With a great cast album."

What the authors earn are irrelevant to this conversation. The author share for licensing is much different & larger than what the investors/co-producers receive from licensing to pay back a $19 million capitalization. It's pennies on the dollar, especially if the Broadway production ends up returning $0 to investors.

You've also cited two family friendly musicals based on branded IP that could not be more different from Lempicka. This isn't a show that's going to be done in most, if any, high schools (due to language, sexuality, themes, esoteric subject matter, vocal demands, etc) –– and depending on how it fares on Broadway might not even get many regional & amateur productions.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:15pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Jesus Christ I hope Eden doesn’t read this thread. If I were hedging my entire career in starring in $20M Broadway musical and this was the reaction I got you’d have to put me on suicide watch. Take it down a couple notches, people."
 

I would never expect any actor to read these forums, but if they do, actors are a resilient bunch and comments about their onstage performances in a big, expensive Broadway show are completely fair game. The bottom line is Eden is being set up for failure by the authors and the creative team, and at the same time her performance is not transcending poor material. These are the types of blunt convos that her own agents will have to have with her if the grosses don't skyrocket post-opening.

Perhaps the lead producers will consider some of the comments, though, if they're not preoccupied with Stereophonic, Illinoise, Enemy of the People, and Queen of Versailles.

Updated On: 4/4/24 at 02:15 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:36pm

I repeat: I would have LOVED to have seen Aléna Watters play Tamara, or maybe even someone like Aisha Jackson (who has the Gould connection). 

[BETTY22]

Posted: 4/4/24 at 2:56pm

I wanted to love this show....very disappointing. 

The book is a mess..........style over substance.