Michael Arden and Katherine Kingsley to Star in London Revival of ASPECTS OF LOVE- Page 2

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 4:45pm

"The UK's revivals have sucked harder than the American revivals."

At least we got rid of Kevin Spacey.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 4:46pm

"I noticed on imbd that Aspects of Love was on Broadway for less than a year. Does anyone know why?"

I'm sure the plot and story also turned away much of the audience. It's a lot of sleeping around, including the implied lesbian affair between Rose and Giulietta, and of course the whole Alex/Jenny thing which borders on incest and pedophilia (though, if I remember correctly, he never does anything with her, he sure does consider it and several other characters assume that he does).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4eTZPvtSsQ

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 4:53pm

"including the implied lesbian affair between Rose and Giulietta"

Implied? You call one woman grabbing another and passionately kissing her on the lips implied?

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 4:58pm

Well, poo. I always wanted a revival in which Michael Ball could play George... I thought that would be cute, since he was Alex in the original cast. But since he's so busy with other stuff, that's never gonna happen.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:09pm

Much of Aspects of Love is derived from the actual lives of the Bloomsbury Group of authors and artists, including the Alex/Jenny relationship.

I've never understood since I joined this board why you guys dislike Kevin Spacey?

[jennafan]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:14pm

I agree that the revivals have not been great. I just don't see a producer spending the money for Aspects to be revived when it lasted less than a year on bway before.

I might like the music in Aspects more that Love Never Dies, but the story seems kinda blah.

[Weez]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:17pm

I enjoy Michael Arden. I can't STAND Aspects of Love and nothing will induce me to sit through it ever again short of casting at least four of my top ten performers (and very few of them are MT bods so it's HUGELY unlikely to happen, thank goodness!).

It's not unreasonable to guess that this one has a possibility of transferring, as it is a Menier Chocolate Factory musical revival, just like Sunday in the Park with George, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music, and Sweet Charity. Like 'em or not, the fact remains that three of 'em transferred and the fourth still might. :P They had that article in the Guardian recently about the Chocolate Factory on Broadway actually, lemme dig it out...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2010/may/10/menier-chocolate-factory-west-end-broadway

And yes, you may - nay, SHOULD! - laugh at the random imbalances peppered throughout. The rest of the article mostly stands up in spite of 'em. XD

Updated On: 5/17/10 at 05:17 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:22pm

I've always liked Kevin Spacey.

And as for the Brits do revivals better argument, I'm not sure I can go there. The scaled-down Brit revivals are certainly in vogue right now. But I think both HAIR and SOUTH PACIFIC are the two of the best revivals of the past decade. And I think PAJAMA GAME justifiably beat SWEENEY TODD for the Tony. In fact, this will be the first time since 1998 that a Brit import has won the Revival Tony (assuming it goes to LA CAGE or NIGHT MUSIC).

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:47pm

Call me a snob, but I think the British actors are better. They are much more character driven rather than star driven.

Who in America compares to someone like Judi Dench who has been successful on stage, in film and tv?

Who has the character depth of Emma Thompson (her moments in "Love Actually" and "Remains of the Day" are heartbreaking).

Who can out act Maggie Smith, Brenda Blethyn, Julie Walters or Helen Mirren?

Who can carry off "outrageous" as well as Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.

[jennafan]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 6:05pm

I guess I should correct something I said earlier. I guess A Little Night Music lasted just over a year on Broadway before, and it got revived. So, this could very well be brought to Bway.

Of course, I don't know if people are really seeing A little Night Music because of the show or the stunt casting.

[jennafan]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 6:08pm

Gothampc,

British TV shows are better, too.

[Princeton2]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 6:16pm

lol im British and NO WAY is our TV better than the US. Granted the US has SO many networks there is a lot of crap on them, but there are gems in there too.

All we get are soaps and reality tv.

Id say 90% of what I watch is US tv. YOu have the budgets, creativity and take risks.

As for the UK vs US theatre argument its just stupid, I think both sides go through phases and are equally great. For every South Pacific there is a La Cage, for every Hair there is a Night Music. Hell, I dont give a flying fig where the theatre originates as long as its good!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/7/10 at 11:00pm

http://www.whatsonstage.com/board/index.php?showtopic=23385

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/7/10 at 11:05pm

I like Aspects of Love and I love Michael Arden. I'd love to see it.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 7/7/10 at 11:26pm

"British TV shows are better, too."

"lol im British and NO WAY is our TV better than the US."

Jennifer Saunders addressed this on the Daily Show some years back.

"We have crap shows, too. We get your best shows, you get our best shows, 'cause there's so much crap that happens on British television as well. It's no different."
WONDERFUL interview all around.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 4:24pm

Gee, 2 previews and not a word here or on the London board. Are the Brits not excited about this?
I can't wait to jump the pond and see it in August!

[jennafan]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 4:30pm

I was reading the reviews on the board LizzieCurry posted a link to. Granted, they were just from seeing a preview, but it wasn't good.

[bryan2]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 4:32pm

I sat down to a performance of Aspects of Love on broadway when it was here and thought I would be bored simple .but i really liked it it was right after Phantom and I think people were expecting to much but it was a very good show....I also saw Whistle Down the Wind in London and really liked that so I guess I am a ALW fan ...though Dangerous Game and Women in White I didnt like at all.
I loved the sets of Aspects and the music !!
and I saw the Understudy to Michael Ball
Don Goodspeed who was really amazing
where the hell is he now?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 5:32pm

I enjoy listening to this show but to be perfectly blunt, I did this show at my college and it was a miserable experience.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 6:08pm

Thanks for that heads up jennafan, the first opinion was mostly positive, just that one guy with that one sentence sum up who didn't enjoy it.
Hope to hear more soon. Anyone know the general feeling about the Menier these days?
Do people feel they are pandering, now that they have had some hits?
Did the "Prince" experience sour them much?

[jennafan]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 6:22pm

Well, from what I read it seems the Menier almost expect their shows to go on to Broadway because so many have.

I don't think the preview reviews carry much weight. We'll see what happens after opening.

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 8:57pm

Wel, if anything, we know Mike will sing the hell out of the role.

[sopranobiz]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 4:57pm

It won't transfer. People are bored to tears by this show.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 6:14pm

I agree with soprano. Like I said, I was in this show and we all had to find out how people felt about this show the hard way...in fact, I was the only guy who was actually excited to do this...so I had to find out the hard way...BY WASTING THREE MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!

[D2]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 6:23pm

I saw it this afternoon. It's a lovely production of a lovely, if flawed, show. Arden is terrific, and Kingsley is perfect. They make two unlikable characters sympathetic.