Matilda / Kinky Boots - My Thoughts (And Nance)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:02pm

Sorry to start another thread, but just wanted to jot down my thoughts.

Kinky Boots - I liked it, but I didn't love it. I felt like the whole thing was at a 7 and I wanted it to be a 10. The music was fun, but the melodies just didn't quite work. They just weren't enough to be catchy, but not so bad that it was embarrassing. Billy Porter is great in the role. He really steals the show and gives it some life when he enters. His voice has sounded better - he sounds like he just smoked two packs of cigs before he went on stage. When the burly worker was freaked out that he was a man, I was like, "Really? He sounds like a coal miner. How'd he not know that was a man?" But whatever. I'll suspend my disbelief. His acting was okay but at the same time I just wanted to see a real human side from him. Even in "Not My Father's Son" I still felt like he had his guard up.
The choreography was pretty bad. I was really letdown. I wasn't sure if they were suppose to be "over it" or if they were just half-assing it? The angels I mean. Some of them were ON and some of them were preparing their grocery list for later. Stark Sands was fine, but I think the "rocker edge" some of the reviews said he brought to the role is just because his voice isn't up to the challenge of the music. The staging was a little ho-hum. The set wasn't as clever as I wanted it to be. It didn't seem like a super expensive musical.

Matilda - Amaze-balls. I was just in heaven from beginning to end. It reminded me why I love musical theater. The choreography was so interesting and brilliant. I loved it. The music was just melodic enough but still kind of eery to keep with the story. I loved it. The set design/lighting? Perfection. Always interesting and surprising. I've never seen a show that literally used ever effect in the book. From lazers to confetti cannons. Just awesome. And Bertie Carvel? C'mon! Freaking brilliant! Just give him every award. I honestly wanted him to have more stage time. There really wasn't anyone that was lacking.

I wouldn't give the Matildas the Tony though. She was fine, but to me the other kids were just flat-out brilliant. I get that Matilda is a large role to take on at that young age, but she didn't blow me away or anything. When she was on stage with the other kids, I often got confused as to which one she was. The execution of the choreography to their distinctive choices. Just awesome. Especially compared to the kids in Annie who are just hamming it up like crazy.

Updated On: 4/18/13 at 04:02 PM

[roadmixer]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:24pm

Oh great! Another thread about how GREAT that British import at the Shubert Theatre is. Wonderful!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:41pm

Sounds like Kinky Boots improved a bit. I would have given it a 6 when I saw it in Chicago. Haven't seen Matilda yet, but I find it interesting that it turned into such a provocative show. So many really get upset that many people and critics seemed to enjoy it or just flat-out love it.

Oh great! Another thread about how GREAT that British import at the Shubert Theatre is. Wonderful!

I guess you missed the "Am I the only one..." thread? Because apparently, only one person didn't like Matilda. But looking at the first page of the main board, this is the only other Matilda opinion thread and it was combined with Kinky Boots.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:47pm

Why didn't you enjoy Matilda? I haven't read any of the threads about it. I was so excited to see it - I love the movie/book - and was trying to go in with a clean mind.

I really wanted to like Kinky Boots, but to mean it's like 9 to 5. Not a horrible effort, but nothing groundbreaking or all that interesting. I think it needed to open with a drag queen number to get the audience engaged. I felt like the show didn't actually start until Porter came on the stage. The rest was just exposition. And that first song is pretty terrible.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:49pm

No honey. (MR MATT) More than a few people did not like it. But you are hilarious. You poke your head in a thread about people that did not like it and get all defensive...WHEN YOU HAVE NOT EVEN SEEN IT!

Rippedman.. I was glad to read your reviews. And very happy you started another thread. I don't mean that as a slam. Sometimes another thread is needed so peple actually read what you have to say.

Updated On: 4/18/13 at 04:49 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:52pm

I wanted to put my thoughts down and I also like hearing why people like/dislike stuff. I'm not trying to slam a show or anything. I enjoyed both shows and glad I saw them both. Seeing THE NANCE tonight. Figured I'd just have a gay ol' two days of theater.

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:53pm

Ripped, thanks for posting.

People may be annoyed you started another thread, but at least you posted an actual critique. (Unlike all of the the Am I the only one who didn't like threads, that contain a single sentence).

Kinky felt about the same to me. The audience was losing their minds, but I was kind of bored. And I agree, Billy Porter's character should have a bit more meat.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 4:59pm

Can I ask the (perhaps naive) question of why it matters where a show originated? Not to be all Miss-America--peace-on-earth about it, but isn't the point of all of this to keep Broadway alive and thriving with ticket sales? I mean, obviously we want the best quality shows out there... but at the end of the day I don't really care if a show originated in London, LA, Borneo, or Mars. If it makes people - especially tourists - want to buy tickets to see a show, it's a win in my book.

FWIW, I have Matilda tickets for June which I'm super excited about (CANNOT stop listening to Tim Minchin's genius lyrics on the LCR), and while I admit that I haven't been that excited to see Kinky Boots, I'm going to try to find a discount ticket to at least be able to judge it for myself. I couldn't care less where each show was written.

Updated On: 4/18/13 at 04:59 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 5:03pm

I was hoping for some better book scenes. But oh well.

Slight Spoiler?* * *

I was surprised the audience gasped when Lola was singing at the retirement home and they wheel an elderly black man out and it's revealed that it is his father. I mean, not to be racist, but....I mean..c'mon. How'd you not know that was him. If it was suppose to be a reveal, they should have had more people on stage. I also think it would have been funnier if the whole song was done low budget as opposed to this big lighting effect. I mean, he's singing at a nursing home...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 5:47pm

No honey. (MR MATT) More than a few people did not like it. But you are hilarious.

Oh sweetie, I know that. I was being facetious. Am I the ONLY ONE who thinks "Am I the only one" threads are silly? Obviously, someone out there believes one person ever disliked Matilda.

You poke your head in a thread about people that did not like it and get all defensive...WHEN YOU HAVE NOT EVEN SEEN IT!

LOL

I just comment on the unusual trend of being so irritated that other people enjoy it. I also participated in a discussion on the story of the show (as did several others). So what? I comment on a lot of stuff. I don't defend the show because I haven't seen it and I have never commented on my opinion of the show other than having listened to the CD. At any rate, there is absolutely nothing more ridiculous about my comments than the comments I'm commenting on. I guess you just enjoy commenting on my comments commenting on comments.

Updated On: 4/18/13 at 05:47 PM

[Sweet_Henry]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 6:13pm

RIPPED MAN: Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There's been a lot of venom directed at MATILDA on this board, but, like you, I loved it from start to finish. I haven't seen the B'way production yet, just the London one with the original adult leads. I thought it was so far from being just for children; the writing is so literate and clever. I saw the show just as Brantley saw it, am baffled by the people who think the score is weak. Frankly, it restored my waning love of musical theater (I was a NYC-based musical theater actor from ages 14 to 32, now I'm 60).

That said, I respect the opinions of those who prefer what I regard as more formulaic fare, and wish that more people on this board would learn to express their personal preferences as thoughtfully and gently as you've done.

As for those who comment a lot just to comment.... well, I find that far more irritating than a new thread here and there.

JUDY DENMARK: I share your opinion that it doesn't matter where a show originated. I'd rather watch DOWNTON ABBEY than DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES any day, and (for me personally) the same goes for MATILDA versus ANNIE.





Updated On: 4/18/13 at 06:13 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 6:22pm

I didn't think the score was mind blowing, but in the moment it totally worked. I don't think I'm going to sit on the train and listen to the tunes, but I loved seeing how the choreography spoke to the lyrics and vice versa. It was so much fun to watch and hear and listen to. I loved the repeating of Naughty throughout, etc. I thought the underscoring when they first mentioned Trunchbull was brilliant. Just a great show. Go see it. The balcony is a perfect view.

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 6:29pm

Could someone please explain WHY we needed yet another thread on these two shows?

"Why didn't you enjoy Matilda? I haven't read any of the threads about it. "

You haven't? Where have you been hiding? There have only been about 47,621 posts about it in the last two minutes!

And if you haven't read them, how about trying to use the search engine?

But thanks for starting a new thread to let us know how much you enjoyed it!





Updated On: 4/18/13 at 06:29 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 6:42pm

Whenever I see After Eight's handle as the most recent commenter on a thread, I know I'm in for a post full of sunshine, rainbows, and positivity.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed both shows, RippedMan! Who did you see as Matilda?

[DAME]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 7:02pm

After Eight. It must be happy hour already.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 7:21pm

I'd agree with the OP if he downgraded both scores by 2 or 3 points: I'd give Matilda a 7 and Kinky Boots a 4 (being generous with KB). But if the OP is seeing The Nance tonight I hope he loves it as much as we did (twice). For us that's the true 10 of the bunch.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 11:35pm

Wickedrocks, I saw someone with a B-name? I can't remember what it was. Baily maybe? She was great.

I saw The Nance tonight. I'll be totally honest: I'm not sure I quite liked it or even understood what Beane was trying to say. The first act went along nicely. I wasn't sure if it was trying to be a portrait of a man/ character study or a history of The Nance character. The ending of the play really through me. I wasn't sure what was happening or why? I thought Lane was brilliant, though. Solid. The rest of the cast was great except for Ned. He just wasn't interesting to me as a character. I mean he's a gay man coming from Buffalo who is getting use to the gay thing, but that's sort of glossed over. And the actor playing Ned was just boring. He had no subtext or anything going on underneath it all. The design was great, and the direction was great. I

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 11:55pm

I'm sorry you didn't like Orsini in THE NANCE, RippedMan. I saw it last night and thought he was excellent!!

I saw Bailey as well, when I saw MATILDA in early previews, and she was fantastic!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 11:36pm

Maybe I was too harsh. He wasn't awful or anything. Just not...interesting. That could have been a poorly written character and his playing the character as a bit of a ditz.