My Thoughts About XANADU- Page 2

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:03am

Look up munk's review of the show. It's deliciously scathing.

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:49am

I thought this show was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than legally blonde, high fidelity, etc. It knew exactly what it was and did it. I had a huge smile on my face the entire time, and anyone that could sit through that and not crack a smile should question whether musical theater is for them. It reminded me much of Ashley's Rocky Horror revival which I also loved. Too easy on it? I think critics and people on this board were WAY too easy on Legally Blonde, which I thought, after a promising start, turned into a sloppy mess.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 2:12pm

I definitely enjoyed it more than Legally Bland. I just think that the middle section needs a lot of work. Updated On: 6/3/07 at 02:12 PM

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 2:56pm

Yankeefan, I agree with every one of your points. Kerry Butler does have that elusive star quality that Laura Bell Bundy so sorely lacks, and the whole time I was watching Xanadu I kept thinking "this is how I expected to feel at Legally Blonde!"

To me Xanadu is an initial workshop of a show that could eventually be a huge hit. Somehow it ended up in a Broadway house a little too soon. It has a great score, and it is so unusual and refreshing to hear modern dance music being accurately rendered on Broadway. This really sounds like 1980s disco, although I thought the drum sound was a bit flabby. In contrast, the Legally Blonde band sounds nothing like the highly produced techno tunes the score lamely tries to imitate.

Perhaps things already have changed since the May 26th preview I saw, but there just wasn't enough show up there. It seemed like they hadn't finished writing the thing. Why not flesh out James Carpinello's search for Mt. Olympus? The show can't quite decide if it's just a camp-fest or if it really wants to tell a love story. I think they should take their story more seriously, the whole proceedings will still be ridiculous enough regardless.

And let Jackie Hoffman ad-lib more!

When I go to see a musical comedy I want to laugh, be told a story and hear some enjoyable songs. I think Xanadu already pulls this off better than anything since "Hairspray". Why are we being too easy on it?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 3:05pm

Yes, I agree. Xanadu is in great shape as it stands now....but as an out-of-town tryout. I don't think going directly to Broadway was the best thing for the show, but, assuming there are money constraints and time constraints on the rights, they did what they could.

I sat across the aisle from Chris Ashley, who was diligently taking notes during the entire performance (and heard him tell his associates "meeting, NOW" as he was running out of the lobby). From what I've heard, Doug Beane's been there a lot, too. It's a good thing to see how hard they're actually working on it, as opposed to "well, we want it to suck, so let's leave it this way and freeze it now." Regarding fleshing out the story, there's just so much they can do without it getting TOO campy.

I got the impression that they don't want to go for the love story aspect - they were going for camp, pure and simple. You could tell the people who've seen the movie millions of times - they're the ones laughing their asses off through the entire show.

The cast couldn't have been more gracious, and seemed genuinely thrilled about the audience's reaction. Carpinello kept screaming "come back, bring your friends!" Kerry went as far as to say that yesterday afternoon's crowd was one of the weaker ones. I can't even imagine what they must be getting at night! Still, this is the most filled I've ever seen the Hayes.

As I said, it's about 65-70% there. Updated On: 6/3/07 at 03:05 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 3:20pm

I am in awe of these comments. Shocked.


LEGALLY BLAND? Please. LEGALLY BLONDE looks like SWEENEY TODD when compared with XANAXPLEASE.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 3:34pm

Munkustrap - Do you think Legally Blonde has a better score than Xanadu?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 3:35pm

I passed by the Helen Hayes Theater at about 1:30 yeaterday. The line for the show went all the way to 8th Ave!

[Dark_Angel]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 3:59pm

XANADU has a huge cult following and although many trash the movie it is actually a very charming film with a hugely popular score that still holds up today. I see people flocking to this for the nostalgia factor.

I'm headed to NYC in a couple of weeks and I'm seriously considering going to see it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 5:08pm

Tech: It's different. LEGALLY BLONDE is a theatre score, XANADU is pop/rock not originally intended for the stage.

It's like asking which is better: HAIRSPRAY or The Rolling Stones. Impossible to compare.

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 5:20pm

Yankee- I just read your review of Legally Blonde then I read some of your posts about the show and you seemed to have liked it less and less the more you talked about it. At first it seemed like you were really excited about it then the more time passed you found more and more flaws with it and your opinion became more and more critical.

Updated On: 6/3/07 at 05:20 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 5:25pm

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. My initial opinions change all the time, especially when I give it more thought. I think part of the problem is the excessive flaunting of "OMG it's sooooooo good," by the show's diehards, who refuse to believe that someone else's opinion is as valid as their own.

It's well known around these parts that my main problem with Legally Blonde is the star.
Updated On: 6/3/07 at 05:25 PM

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 5:47pm

Munkustrap, I see your point, but in my opinion Xanadu manages to be a better theater score than Legally Blonde without even trying.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 6:01pm

Forgot to mention how much I love the new seats at the Hayes. Just thought I'd add that.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:41am

Well, let's just put it this way:

Which CD can I play on repeat all day long? XANADU.


But it's just becuase it's a great, guilty pleasure, rock score.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:47am

This season has quite made me hate musicals. The dramas completely rocked the musicals, in my opinion.

Each day I am less and less excited about the musicals and more and more excited about the plays. I have never seen so many plays in succession and the only "new" musical I have left to see is LEGALLY BLONDE and (partly due to its rush) I really am not as excited for it as the plays.

I think I may even see XANADU before LEGALLY BLONDE - but that's because it intrigues me - and Mary Testa.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 1:30am

My guess for the onstage seating is so the producers can make more money off a tiny theater. It just works to their favor to have the show selling well instead of having all these empty chairs on stage.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 6:45am

Yeah, yeah, but it's still got one ugly MF of a poster...

[kafkaesque]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 8:12am

I saw the show Friday night. Never saw the movie, read the mixed reviews. You'd never know from the audience that their had been mixed reviews, they were boisterous and loudly laughing throughout. I enjoyed it (but I happen to like goofy musical entertainment now and then, which is probably why I also liked Legally Blonde, in spite of sitting in cheap seats so far away, I could barely see that little dog.)


Ellen

[Rypm25]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 9:58am

(some spoilers)

I was at the sunday matinee yesterday, and I have to say I pretty much loved every minute of it. I agree the middle needs some work, but on the whole, I also smiled and laughed through the entire show. A feeling I wanted to have in Legally Blonde as well, but didn't get. I was in the mezz, and could see only two empty seats. I went in just expecting to laugh and be entertained, and that's what I got! Loved Mary Testa,(especially as Medusa, and loved her Les Miz line) and Jackie Hoffman! I think my favorite part was Kerry Butler, clad in roller skates and leg warmers singing "Suspended in Time" while riding a pegasus through the clouds. Some people don't like it, but I had a good time!:)