My brief Lennon review...

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 7:50pm

I wanted to wait until the actual S.F. reviews were printed out of respect, but now that they are, here's my take.

I wasn't miserable and the cast is very good, problem is that I felt any ten people could have been in the show. I don't feel they are utilizing the talent to the best of their abilities and that fault lies with the book or rather lack thereof.

Scardino strikes me as a sensitive and passionate director but he can only do so much. It left me cold and a bit down, if you will. It's not a happy ending as I'm sure you all know, no spoiler here and for those ardent Beatles fans, there is not much in the way, musically, of any tried and true Beatles, aka, McCartney/Lennon compositions and I definitely missed those songs. I felt the same way when I saw "Ain't Nothin' But the Blues" years ago. Good enough show, fine talent, but so what.

The book needs work and a more cohesive through line, otherwise, it does become the cliched Juke box musical without any elements of *fun*. Particularly moving was Chuck Cooper. For my taste Murney was a bit hammy.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 7:55pm

I didn't realize there was another thread, apology for starting a new one. Pretend this is on the other one.

[teth]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 7:57pm

How was it a "cliched" jukebox musical?

Regarding the Beatles thing, I guess it really depends on the person's expectation. And I believe that lots of people will go in expecting Beatles songs.

I agree the book could be stronger though. I think, if anything, they need to make the audience really care about John Lennon, the character.

[Shawk]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:00pm

Chuck Cooper has the most fabulous voice. I was very impressed by him.

I think that I liked the show better than you did, overall, but it's fairly obvious that the show is far from perfect. I don't know, I don't think this show was shooting for fun, at all. I suspect it was going for something kind of metaphysical and not quite getting there for a number of reasons. It'll be interesting to see how it develops through the SF run.

There is a bit of a feeling that any 9 good actors could be plugged into the roles, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I think the individual talents of these actors were put second to the offbeat approach, which is just sort of how it is.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:00pm

Just curious what the audience response has been in general so far. Standing O or polite applause?

Al Dente, thanks for your comments. I think I can understand how it can be perceived as a "cliched" jukebox musical, which is my biggest reservation about the show.

And this is just directed at Al Dente, but is there a lot (or any) choreography in the show, or is it mostly singing and emoting?

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:01pm

Is there a Yoko Ono character in the musical? and if so who is she played by?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:02pm

In the sense that you don't care and are just waiting for the next song bc the story is so disjointed. I agree with you, there is so much *strangeness* going on, that you wind up not caring about the central figure the story is based on. I do feel there is going to be a great deal of disappointment over there being no Beatles Hits. Not many people know, or care about "Woman are the N*** of the world".
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 08:02 PM

[teth]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:04pm

Yoko Ono is played by Julie Danao.

For the show I went to, the audience reactions were pretty typical. Laughing at certain parts...clapping for all songs...cheering for the really good ones...and standing ovation at the end. One woman even jumped up to clap and flashed the peace sign and all that after "Give peace a Chance".

Updated On: 4/20/05 at 08:04 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:06pm

Julie Danao(sp) is Yoko. Not much in the way of traditional choroegraphy. Lot's of band at Mic sort of staging. Guitars around the women's necks, etc...

[Shawk]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:10pm

Well, there was some weird psuedo-sign language at one point.

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:11pm

I'm curious how much influence Yoko has had over the book? Has anyone heard wether she's been overly demanding? How involved is she with staging?

[teth]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:14pm

I don't think she was really involved with staging. But from what I've read so far, she would tell the actors specific insights (like what they really felt like when Yoko and John met...etc). I would imagine she has a HUGE influence over the book.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:14pm

I'll agree with the poster that said it was going for a metaphysical slant and I'm not sure how well that will go over with the general public. You can't be that sophisticated or esoteric and I don't mean that to be offensive.

[Shawk]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:16pm

^ At the same time, I was sitting next to some women who apparently just liked rocking out to 60s protest songs, so who knows?

It's sort of like performance art, and really hard to describe performance art, at that.

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:19pm

Will middle-america buy performance art on Broadway for $100 a ticket?

[teth]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:22pm

If they loved John Lennon and the whole 60s peace movement, then I think so. (although it may not be what they expect it to be)

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/21/05 at 12:24am

My concern is whether this is truly John's story or if it has become Yoko's story of the woman behind the man.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/21/05 at 12:30am

Act II does shift focus and Yoko narrates more and more as the story goes on, but I suppose any type of entertainment medium (a musical or not) having to do with John Lennon anymore will not escape her scrutiny before it's made public.

Posted: 4/21/05 at 9:57am

I don't feel that Beatles music has a place in a show titled "Lennon". If the show used Lennon/McCartney tunes it would be "The Beatles", not "Lennon".

There are songs from the Lennon repertoire that illicit strong reactions. "God" is one. Robert Hurwitt, SF Chronicle Theater Critic, had a strong reaction to another.

'"Woman Is the n* of the World" is much more
clearly a feminist statement as sung by an African
American woman. And a vibrant Marcy Harriell
delivers it with a potent, bluesy intensity that
brings down the house.'

As always, it all depends on your perspective. Some things need to be said and there will always be people who do not want to hear them. But that was Lennon. He said what needed to be said regardless of whether people wanted to hear it or not.

I think any musical bearing his name should do the same.


San Francisco Chronicle Review

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/21/05 at 4:10pm

I didn't have a problem with the use of the word "n*" or the song itself -- it's just that is placement or even its presence didn't seem like it fit.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/21/05 at 5:25pm

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_review&reviewID=VE1117926858&categoryID=33&cs=1


Phil Gallo from VARIETY, was less than thrilled with the show or the actors.