MEMPHIS - What A Difference a Pascal Makes!- Page 2

[anmiller07]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 9:36am

I think that it's hit or miss with Montego. Seems like sometimes she hits it out of the park, other nights she struggles. It does seem like as the run continues she and Chad began cheating on a lot of the difficult notes.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 9:49am

I tried watching MEMPHIS on netflix and got through about fifteen minutes of it. Should I keep watching? Is there anything there worth seeing?

[tazber]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 10:09am

Some of the choreography is pretty good (especially in the Act II opener). It's very anachronistic given the period (there are some very modern moves in there) though.

[anmiller07]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 10:13am

It has moments that I like, especially "Some Day," and "Colored Woman," moments that are surprisingly bad, like "She's My Sister," and "Scratch My Itch," then there are the moments which could be great but it's just not all the way there like "Say A Prayer." I would definitely give it a try as everyone has differing opinions on this show.

P.S. I liked "Say A Prayer" much better on Netflix than on the OBCR.

[newintown]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 10:13am

Henrik, missing Memphis will have no impact on your life. It's truly the Velveeta of theatre - entirely artificial and processed.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 10:46am

With Adam in the show, I WISH I could find a chance to catch this!

[Rentfan931]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 10:54am

I'm planning on returning to the show soon to see Adam as Huey. Does anyone know if Montego will be out of the show soon? Would like to catch Dan'yelle as Felicia if possible.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 11/16/11 at 12:56pm

Dan'yelle is absolutely fantastic. When she starts her solo in "Underground," you wonder how she's not playing the lead full-time.

And for those who are "disturbed" by my finding Chad Kimball sexy during the kiss scene, sorry 'bout it. I thought it was pretty hot how he grabbed her.

[kikki327]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 12:33am

I really don't understand why everyone hated Chad's performance. I absolutely loved every choice he made and I think he embodied everything Huey is. I saw Chad's understudy perform once and could barely sit through the show...

As a fan of Adam and knowing his work, I am having a hard time picturing him as the goofball that Huey is. And the age thing gets me too...I know he isn't that much older than Chad but Chad looks a little more youthful to me.

and ShbrtAlley44 don't apologize! I would let Chad Kimball hockadoo me anytime.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 12:47am

I think anyone who thinks Kimball is good should check out Netflix. I saw Memphis almost a year ago now and saw Chad's understudy (sorry...his name is escaping me), which apparently happened frequently. I thought the understudy was fine in the role, not a standout but no complaints. Montego, I thought, was phenomenal, but that's a separate story.

This thread persuaded me to check out Memphis on Netflix and Chad is almost unbearable. The accent, the mannerisms, even the way he walks. He doesn't play the role like a "goofball," he plays it like a ten-year-old who for the first time was asked to try the corniest, most over-the-top Southern accent they could manage and they were given 10 minutes to prepare.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 10:32am

My God, it's like a different show! I know this means virtually nothing coming from me, but I'll say it anyway -- Adam was fantastic. Better than I even thought he would be. The part is a perfect fit for him. He was lovable and goofy and I felt like I was rooting for Huey much more this time. I thought Chad was good and have nothing against him, but had the typical questions about his performance -- the accent and why "goofball" manifested as "slightly special needs." Adam got rid of all of that for me. And everyone saw this coming, but I want to go back. I'm only here for a few days, but I might let myself do it.

[MotorTink]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 11:08am

I, too, am prejudiced because I think the world is always better with more Pascal in it, lol, but I had severe reservations going in to see it. I love his voice, but his acting sometimes worries me. He proved me wrong. I saw it a week after he started and he blew me away! I could not have been more proud of him. My take on Huey is not that he is mentally disabled, just uneducated and socially awkward, and Adam played him that way. I will definitely have to see this one or two more times before he leaves.

I thought the show, overall, was cute and ejoyable. If not for my Pascal fandom, I probably wouldn't go back again but it was enjoyable and I would recommend it to others. I adore Derrick Baskin too and he did great!

Oh, and I saw the Glover understudy and she was fantastic! Great chemistry with Adam.

[sally1112]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 3:51pm

I am an Adam fan too. So glad to hear these positive comments about him and his performance in this show.

[kikki327]

Posted: 11/24/11 at 3:30pm

I guess I just fell in love with Memphis the way it was the first time I saw it.....seeing today's performance on the parade confirmed that I will not be seeing it again with Adam as Huey. For me, Huey is supposed to be exactly the way Chad played him. His goofiness, stupidity and stubbornness is what made me love him and I don't get the same vibe from Adam or even Kevin Massey and Bryan Fenkhart. Nothing against them, they are all incredibly talented actors and they do a wonderful job with the role, but Chad just made the show for me.

[lovepuppy]

Posted: 11/26/11 at 1:38pm

How long is Pascal appearing in the role? I just took a trip to NY this summer and I doubt I'd be able to return til next summer, and something tells me his run isn't that long.

I just saw the tour cast with Bryan Feinkart and Felicia Boswell in Chicago, and they were fantastic. I knew Pascal would be in it on Broadway, so I was surprised that such a skinny, lanky, "hick" type was the way he played the character. He was great, in voice and performance, but I found myself wondering how Adam would be just...a different portrayal. Boswell is FABU, btw! What a joyful show.

(That said, I didn't like the ending. She comes to see him and he reluctantly goes to see her act, knowing she's got a fiance, and he clucks out a reluctant "hock...a...doo..." and doesn't look happy at all. They're not..."together," yet they sing this joyful finale that didn't gel with the tone of the scene it grew out of. So, that part didn't make sense to me.)

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/27/11 at 10:28am

At the moment, six months.

I saw it again last night, had to go back one more time before I leave town. I wish I could be around more often.

Updated On: 11/27/11 at 10:28 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/27/11 at 10:36am

Mmmm Hmmmm

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/27/11 at 10:42am

I know. I surprise no one.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 12/15/11 at 11:32pm

sorry for the bump but Dan'yelle is on as Felicia until Christmas. She's fabulous--go see her.

[classicalprose]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 12:18am

I won't even go into my feelings re Adam but I will say that commenting about how Montego is "cheating" high notes is utterly ridiculous to me. I saw the show a fair amount of times and, yes she doesn't always go for the high notes in Colored Woman, but I never once heard her falter on the even higher notes she hits in Undeground and Stand Up. Her singing voice when she's sick is better than most people's healthy singing voice. You try hitting those notes 8 times a week and then get back to me.

Also semi related. Dan'yelle is absolutely wonderful so go see her if you can!

Updated On: 12/24/11 at 12:18 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 12:24am

I could care less if she hits a note or two at every performance but I gotta say I've always found the argument "you try hitting that note 8 times a week" or "you try singing that song 8 times a week" such a ridiculous, laughable argument. You guys do know there are people in this world who do things much more difficult than singing a song or hitting a high note 8 times a week, right? Why there are some people who do hard manual labor exhausting every muscle in their body for 12 hours a day 6 days a week and they do it. So someone hitting a note or two once a day really isn't something too difficult.

[random person 112]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 12:34am

*Yes jordan it may not seem that way but add the added pressure of performing and doing it well for a paying audience, making good and fresh acting choices, getting the lines right, taking care and singing every song as the score demands, then theres how much emphasis on notes or on certain words, then there are notes that are not in your natural notes and actually cause physical pain to hit. Top on that over two hours of doing this while you mentally critique every moment, don't let it show to your paid audience, i think maybe we can give her a tiny break.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 12:36am

Yeah yeah yeah, I know all that. And I wasn't giving her a hard time for it, either. I was just saying that people do a lot more strenuous things than that and they're not "given a break". That's all.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 1:51am

But hitting those notes 8 times a week is what they get paid to do. Just like Jordan said some people do more strenuous things. They may not want to, but they do it because that is what they are paid to do.