#1
Posted: 4/22/06 at 6:09pm
Well the show is frozen. And the critics are going to destroy it more than they did Julia. And they deserve it. There is nothing good about this show. Until Act Two.
Act One
Lestat has a fight with the air (supposed to be wolves) and sings a horrible ballad about it (From the Dead). Poppa throws him out, yet mamma still loves him (Beautiful Boy). He goes to Paris (In Paris) where he meets his "friend" Nicolas. Then, they fight, he's bitten by a vampire, and then he's turned into one. He then has (The Thirst) for blood. He sees a transformation (Right Before My Eyes). His momma returns, dying and begs him to (Make Me As You Are). They are both now vampires and they meet Armand, the evil vampire who lurks in the shadows with other vampires. They hate (To Live Like This). Lestat and momma free the vampires and they become what else? Actors! (Morality Play). Nicolas, now a vampire, wants to die and momma wants to leave. Lestat is alone, however, he cannot for get his mother's (Crimson Kiss).
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So much happening, so little explanation. It was confusing, muddled, and absolutely boring. The dialogue is laughable, the songs unmelodic and unmemorable. The set, however, is good.
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Act Two
Lestat meets Marius, king of the vampires (they never really explain who he is). Lestat goes to New Orleans, circa 1848 (Welcome to the New World). He sees a man, Louis, who is ready to kill himself. Lestat drinks his blood and they become gay lovers (Embrace It). What else do they need? A child. Lestat drinks the blood of a dying orphan girl and adopts her. Years later (30 years), they're still together. Claudia, the daughter, is unhappy (I Want More; I'll Never Have That Chance). She tries to kill Lestat, prompting him to go back to Paris (Sail Me Away). He meets up with Armand and the vampire acting troupe. Claudia and Louis have joined them. Armand finds out that Claudia tried to kill Lestat, so they kill her (To Kill Your Kind). Louis leaves Lestat (Embrace It reprise). Lestat is alone again. Until Marius and momma come back (After All This Time/Finale). Lestat lives forever. The end.
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Act Two was SIGNIFICANTLY better than Act One. The songs were memorible, the performances were great, and, again, the set rocked.
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Performances:
Hugh Panaro - nobody rule him out for a Tony. He's good. Very, very good. He can get that 5th slot (the one reserved for Alan Cumming or Stephen Lynch). Lestat is a great role and he certainly gets to show off his great voice.
Carolee Carmello - why can't she find a successful show!? She's been in so many mediocre things, but she's excellent. Her voice alone is worth the price of admission. Too bad she's in act 2 for a total of 3 minutes.
Allison Fischer - one of the best new talents on Broadway. What a set of pipes on this girl! 'I Want More' is easily the most hummable song in the score and she does it great justice.
Drew Sarich - great and very creepy
Jim Stanek - he's great, too.
Rob Roth's direction and overall vision of the show was muddled and confusing. It tried to be too many different things at once. Is it a gothic thriller? Is it camp? Is it an erotic thriller? These questions should have been addressed by now.
The cast was phenominal. They're working their heart out for this little show. It needs work. And it can be saved. They just need to postpone the opening. But they won't. And the critics will destroy it.
Act One
Lestat has a fight with the air (supposed to be wolves) and sings a horrible ballad about it (From the Dead). Poppa throws him out, yet mamma still loves him (Beautiful Boy). He goes to Paris (In Paris) where he meets his "friend" Nicolas. Then, they fight, he's bitten by a vampire, and then he's turned into one. He then has (The Thirst) for blood. He sees a transformation (Right Before My Eyes). His momma returns, dying and begs him to (Make Me As You Are). They are both now vampires and they meet Armand, the evil vampire who lurks in the shadows with other vampires. They hate (To Live Like This). Lestat and momma free the vampires and they become what else? Actors! (Morality Play). Nicolas, now a vampire, wants to die and momma wants to leave. Lestat is alone, however, he cannot for get his mother's (Crimson Kiss).
----
So much happening, so little explanation. It was confusing, muddled, and absolutely boring. The dialogue is laughable, the songs unmelodic and unmemorable. The set, however, is good.
----
Act Two
Lestat meets Marius, king of the vampires (they never really explain who he is). Lestat goes to New Orleans, circa 1848 (Welcome to the New World). He sees a man, Louis, who is ready to kill himself. Lestat drinks his blood and they become gay lovers (Embrace It). What else do they need? A child. Lestat drinks the blood of a dying orphan girl and adopts her. Years later (30 years), they're still together. Claudia, the daughter, is unhappy (I Want More; I'll Never Have That Chance). She tries to kill Lestat, prompting him to go back to Paris (Sail Me Away). He meets up with Armand and the vampire acting troupe. Claudia and Louis have joined them. Armand finds out that Claudia tried to kill Lestat, so they kill her (To Kill Your Kind). Louis leaves Lestat (Embrace It reprise). Lestat is alone again. Until Marius and momma come back (After All This Time/Finale). Lestat lives forever. The end.
----
Act Two was SIGNIFICANTLY better than Act One. The songs were memorible, the performances were great, and, again, the set rocked.
----
Performances:
Hugh Panaro - nobody rule him out for a Tony. He's good. Very, very good. He can get that 5th slot (the one reserved for Alan Cumming or Stephen Lynch). Lestat is a great role and he certainly gets to show off his great voice.
Carolee Carmello - why can't she find a successful show!? She's been in so many mediocre things, but she's excellent. Her voice alone is worth the price of admission. Too bad she's in act 2 for a total of 3 minutes.
Allison Fischer - one of the best new talents on Broadway. What a set of pipes on this girl! 'I Want More' is easily the most hummable song in the score and she does it great justice.
Drew Sarich - great and very creepy
Jim Stanek - he's great, too.
Rob Roth's direction and overall vision of the show was muddled and confusing. It tried to be too many different things at once. Is it a gothic thriller? Is it camp? Is it an erotic thriller? These questions should have been addressed by now.
The cast was phenominal. They're working their heart out for this little show. It needs work. And it can be saved. They just need to postpone the opening. But they won't. And the critics will destroy it.
Updated On: 4/22/06 at 06:09 PM
