Little Shop on Sunday

[Marway44]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 4:24pm

Who’s going to Christians last show on Sunday?  I wonder if he’ll do his Dentist death thing, trying to get Rob to laugh. It will be sad to see him go, but bigger and better things await him. 

[Marway44]

Posted: 8/27/22 at 7:59pm

The theater is quite full, so I would think someone on this board is going. 

[ImAProphet]

Posted: 8/27/22 at 9:39pm

I'm going, and it'll be my fourth time so I should be able to compare and contrast CB's performance pretty well. First time seeing Rob McClure, though.

[Marway44]

Posted: 8/27/22 at 9:46pm

It’ll be my 11th time seeing him. I’m just curious if he’ll be doing all of his extra stuff, in the Dentist scene and such. I’m sure he’s tried to make Rob laugh by now. 

[joshdog2014]

Posted: 8/27/22 at 10:28pm

I’ll be there! I bought my ticket as soon as Andrew Call’s starting date was announced (before this was officially confirmed as Christian Borle’s last show) and am very excited! This’ll be my 3rd time, once in November with Jeremy Jordan and once a month ago which was Rob McClure’s first show out with COVID and I caught Josh Daniel. Christian Borle did his extended death scene trying (successfully) to get him to break so I agree it’ll be interesting to see how far he goes tomorrow. Will also be interesting to see the audience reaction, any chance he’ll get some mid-show ovations? The theater is certainly well sold now but it was wide open for a good while after Christian Borle’s final show was announced

Updated On: 8/28/22 at 10:28 PM

[inception]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 10:30am

Does Borle not do that every show?  The performance I saw I July had an understudy on while McClure was off with covid, and that death scene went on for what felt like 15 minutes.  I didn't find it very funny.  The people beside me had a group of kids who looked about 5-6 years old - don't know wtf they were thinking - and the children all were getting quite upset by it.  It made for a rather unpleasant experience. 

[joshdog2014]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 11:34am

Just based on the two times I’ve gone it was way longer the more recent time when he was clearly trying to make Josh Daniel break. It’s possible that he’s just gotten longer over time, I just assumed that it varies show to show.

Updated On: 8/28/22 at 11:34 AM

[MsPiety&Rectitude]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 1:00pm

Why is CB doing this? It sounds uncalled for and extremely selfish. I saw him and the original company early on in the run and even then he was milking his moments and taking his bits too far, to the point that they were no longer funny - it sounds like this has gotten a lot worse over time. To me, that’s a violation of the audience’s trust and commitment to the story, motivated by a self-conscious need to be validated by the big reactions (and this is starting to seem like a pattern in CB performances&hellip.

[Bryce 2]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 1:15pm

MsPiety&Rectitude said: "Why is CB doing this? It sounds uncalled for and extremely selfish. I saw him and the original company early on in the run and even then he was milking his moments and taking his bits too far, to the point that they were no longer funny - it sounds like this has gotten a lot worse over time. To me, that’s a violation of the audience’s trust and commitment to the story, motivated by a self-conscious need to be validated by the big reactions (and this is starting to seem like a pattern in CB performances&hellip."

I'd assume it's not CB just going off the rails and selfishly trying to make the actors break whenever he feels like it. The moment is probably directed as ad-libbed and he can do whatever he wants during his death. He's always been an actor who switches comedic beats up from night to night. And if he notices his Seymour is on the verge, he probably wants to see how far he can push them. Audiences eat it up when an actor breaks when they aren't supposed to. I don't think it comes from an egotistical place, but rather from a place of spontaneity 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 1:48pm

MsPiety&Rectitude said: "Why is CB doing this? It sounds uncalled for and extremely selfish. I saw him and the original company early on in the run and even then he was milking his moments and taking his bits too far, to the point that they were no longer funny - it sounds like this has gotten a lot worse over time. To me, that’s a violation of the audience’s trust and commitment to the story, motivated by a self-conscious need to be validated by the big reactions (and this is starting to seem like a pattern in CB performances&hellip."


OFFS

[DaveCSparty]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 5:41pm

inception said: "The people beside me had a group of kids who looked about 5-6 years old - don't know wtf they were thinking - and the children all were getting quite upset by it. It made for a rather unpleasant experience."

I know better than to think I know how to be a better parent than the actual parents.  With that said, I am also contemplating taking my 7 year old.

[somecheapfrenchthing]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 7:39pm

Bryce 2 said: "MsPiety&Rectitude said: "Why is CB doing this? It sounds uncalled for and extremely selfish. I saw him and the original company early on in the run and even then he was milking his moments and taking his bits too far, to the point that they were no longer funny - it sounds like this has gotten a lot worse over time. To me, that’s a violation of the audience’s trust and commitment to the story, motivated by a self-conscious need to be validated by the big reactions (and this is starting to seem like a pattern in CB performances&hellip."

I'd assume it's not CB just going off the rails and selfishly trying to make the actors break whenever he feels like it. The moment is probably directed as ad-libbed and he can do whatever he wants during his death. He's always been an actor who switches comedic beats up from night to night. And if he notices his Seymour is on the verge, he probably wants to see how far he can push them. Audiences eat it up when an actor breaks when they aren't supposed to. I don't think it comes from an egotistical place, but rather from a place of spontaneity"

 

I don’t disagree that audiences eat it up when an actor breaks, but what’s going on here I experience as contrived and frustrating. Here it’s so intentional. I had a similar reaction to Ms.Piety&Rectitude seeing this. Even though Little Shop is a comedy, it feels to me like a disruption to the story. The role and the situation are already funny and I’ve preferred interpretations that are spontaneous in ways unlike this. But I suppose it works for some. That’s just me. 

 

 

 

Updated On: 8/28/22 at 07:39 PM

[willep]

Posted: 8/28/22 at 11:32pm

That’s how I felt about those godawful planned “breaks” in Music Man.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/29/22 at 9:44am

MsPiety&Rectitude said: "Why is CB doing this? It sounds uncalled for and extremely selfish. I saw him and the original company early on in the run and even then he was milking his moments and taking his bits too far, to the point that they were no longer funny - it sounds like this has gotten a lot worse over time. To me, that’s a violation of the audience’s trust and commitment to the story, motivated by a self-conscious need to be validated by the big reactions (and this is starting to seem like a pattern in CB performances&hellip."

You seem fun.

[Marway44]

Posted: 8/30/22 at 8:52pm

I thought it was nice how they gave him a moment during curtain calls. Plus, when Ronette asked him about his jacket was priceless. I will miss him in the role. Andrew has some big shoes to fill in many different roles. 

[DaveCSparty]

Posted: 9/4/22 at 10:10pm

Marway44 said: "I thought it was nice how they gave him a moment during curtain calls. Plus, when Ronette asked him about his jacket was priceless. I will miss him in the role. Andrew has some big shoes to fill in many different roles."

Just went to catch Tammy Blanchard’s last show (i love her take on Audrey). Andrew Call is definitely no Borle. His face is just not as expressive. He did well nonetheless and the death scene was a lot shorter!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 9/4/22 at 10:28pm

I saw the show twice and both times Blanchard was out. I’m really sad I missed her Audrey. I think she is just an exceptional actress on every level. 
 

I know she nailed Judy Garland but I’d also love to see her play Connie Francis. Her actual speaking voice is exactly the same as Connie. She’d be marvelous. 

[ivy3]

Posted: 9/5/22 at 7:41am

Marway44 said: "I thought it was nice how they gave him a moment during curtain calls. Plus, when Ronette asked him about his jacket was priceless. I will miss him in the role. Andrew has some big shoes to fill in many different roles."

Can you explain “when Ronette asked him about his jacket “ moment?

[Marway44]

Posted: 9/5/22 at 8:50am

Ronette asked him if she could have his jacket since he was leaving. It was a little ad lib, and he played it perfectly in character by replying “no”. 
 

Her exact words were, “since you’re leaving, can I have your black leather jacket?”