My Thoughts on THE LITTLE MERMAID (Long)- Page 3

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 12:06am

Sherie's "Poor Unfortunate Souls" money note is a high D.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 12:11am

During "Sweet Child" they are firing the kids in the show.
This is gonna be an interesting ride for all involved, people will buy tkts but the critics are gonna have a field day.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 7:26am

Nothing happens during "Sweet Child." That's one of the easiest cut songs...along with "Les Poissons."

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:17am

Am I the only one who noticed that the Poissons song borrowed quite a few bars of the song "L'Accordeoniste" made famous by Edith Piaf?

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 2:47am

"Tituss Burgess is an atrocious Sebastian"

I'm glad someone finally said it.

To me he came off like a later day Caribbean Stepin Fetchit.

Get rid of the accent, give him a kerchief and he can play Mammy in Trevor Nunn's Gone with the Wind.

Just embarrassing.

Updated On: 1/2/08 at 02:47 AM

[misschung]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:17am

owch.

Is it just me, or did he seem out of breath and sort of unable to keep up with the stamina of Under the Sea? That's supposed to be Sebastian's Mama Rose moment!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:33am

Send him over one block and let him standby in THE SEAFARER.

That accent is Irish, and he plays it like he's 85 years old on the brink of death.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:37am

I'm glad other people thought he was... less that impressive.

I typically enjoy him, I have no idea what is going on at the Little Mermaid but there were times I was so embarassed for him I wanted to cover my face.

[misschung]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:38am

Well Jamaican Patois does sound a bit like the Irish accent, but I know what you mean. He seemed tired.

I have to say that my only qualms about the production were a) Flounder's costume and b) certain orchestrations. I didn't think Fathoms Below or even Under the Sea were as powerful as they could have been. In the original recording, Fathoms Below has that great horn instrumental in the beginning that gives you chills - I didn't really feel that in this show.

Also, did anyone else miss the dog?

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:48am

The costumes were so vague at times, I'm not sure that there WASN'T a dog.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 12:26pm

Titus unfortunately keeps getting roles that dangerously border on minstrel show portrayals. He played the flaming cowardly lion in the Wiz revival at La Jolla ....

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 12:33pm

What I don't get is that he had no vocal difficulty screaming his lungs out (and I mean that as a compliment, because he was always on target) in JERSEY BOYS, yet here he is out of breath singing "Under the Sea."

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 12:49pm

Well it may be that he keeps PLAYING them like he is in a minstrel show.

I know my earlier post was harsh. But his performance was so disgraceful. The character in the film has such dignity, intelligence and heart.

Now he just another shuffle along darkie... I'm not kidding I actually saw him shuffle!

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:02pm

I saw him give a really moving performance in Songs for a New World - his "King of the World" was FANTASTIC. I don't get why... this just really isn't working for me at all. Poor direction?

[misschung]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 2:13pm

That's what I'm saying - people adored him in Jersey Boys. I was really surprised that he couldn't keep up with the tempo.

I did, however, like his crab walk.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 2:32pm

Tituss is an AMAZING person and a good friend of mine..... It seems to me like you either love him or hate him in the show. Personally , from what clips I have seen from the show,I think Mermaid is just a start for him and will see him in bigger better things in the futer....

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 2:34pm

I have no doubt he's a fine performer. Strong in Jersey Boys, was the only one who wasn't bland in Good Vibrations.

He was just wrong for Sebastian.

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 5:33pm

Disney should have done everything in their power to keep Matthew Bourne on board as Director/Choreographer. Once you start developing a show based on a director's vision, it's really tough to change directors and choreographers and have the material work.

The show now playing isn't cohesive, the relationships are irrelevent, and the choreography is insulting. It succeeds only the strength of the film elements.

I'd actually like to see Twyla Tharp take a stab at it.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 3:57pm

"I saw him give a really moving performance in Songs for a New World - his "King of the World" was FANTASTIC"

Do you know if there is a recording of that??

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:09pm

Not as far as I know, though someone could make my day by telling me otherwise.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 8:52pm

I think we all agree that Titus is a fine, fine performer but he needs a strong director that will "pull back" his performance...

To comment back at those who said Linda Woolverton should be called to be the script doctor...HELLO? You obviously have not seen Lestat...her book was a disaster.

Despite the critical drubbing that Mermaid will likely get, it will still be a HUGE commercial hit. Kids (especially little girls) will want to see the show and parents will take them to see it.

As for Zambello, she will see the box office receipts as vindication and will be able to bring LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE to Broadway. I can already envision her "concept" for the show- a neo-Brechtian cross between PAINT YOUR WAGON and CITY OF MAHAGONNY.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 9:09pm

There's no "pulling back" necessary. It's a replacement that's necessary.

Woolverton's work is much more successful than it isn't - she's got Aida, Beauty, and Lion King under her belt. I think she knows a thing or two about adapting a Disney movie.