My review of Little Shop- Page 4

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 1:46pm

Balladeer, Sometimes "different" does not mean "better" it just means "different". And in Kerry's case, all the Ellen Greens "ism's" in the world OR lack thereof, will NOT save her performance. This (again) is NOT her role.

As for my reference to the producers and they're "favor" to Kerry, I stand behind my assumption. People, especially producers of Bway shows, are LAZY. They probably figured, since she was such a stand-out in Hairspray, she would be able to repeat the magic. They were wrong.

I quite enjoyed you giving kudos to miss Daisy for many of the things I had said repeatedly, so as not to have to agree with me. It was very amusing.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 1:59pm

Al Dente....you need to read carefully. I did not agree with daisy just disagree with you. And there is a a difference between what one would associate with "growing" into a role rather than "settling" into a role. And both Hunter and Kerry have no issues when coming to the "former". I find all of your criticisms to be unfounded and irrelevant. You really DON'T have a clue. And furthermore, I have better things to do than to argue with you on a message board. I have something called a life.

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 2:10pm

Cheers.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 2:10pm

Cheers.

LOL

[Jack42]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 2:58pm

Al Dente writes "As for my reference to the producers and they're "favor" to Kerry, I stand behind my assumption. "


Stand, sit, doesn't matter one iota to me. Your ASSUMPTIONS are exactly that. (the following should be read sarcastically)

I am sure the producers didn't give one lick as to who would be right for the role of Audrey

I am sure they just handed someone the role even though they weren't qualified

I am sure they didn't have extensive casting sessions for the role

I am sure they don't care one bit about their production nor their finances, but would rather just cast someone as a favor

(end of sarcasm)

Al, I've stated it in a private message to you and I will state it here for everyone. What you are posting are your opinions, not facts. YOU think the producers were wrong in their casting of more than just Kerry. You also think the production is crap. We all KNOW your opinion now quite clearly.

As I also stated in a private message to you, you seem to have this internal need to slam anyone down for simply enjoying something. That's being a bully. Whether it's someone who enjoyed Little Shop (and there are 1,000's of people who have seen it and don't agree with you) or someone who showed excitement over Rob's website being the first to have Broadway on Broadway photos.

You want to have your opinion? Great.. more power to you. You want to post on every thread how much you hate this or that, whatever (I find it annoying, but that's just my opinion)..

But don't think for ONE SECOND that your opinion matters more than anyone else's on the planet to ANYONE but you. Whether or not you intend it, your posts stink of arrogance which frankly, based on your assumptions/opinions rather than facts, are hardly worth that level.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:15pm

However, they were clearly worth a few lengthy responses and diatribes from you. Also, The *fact* that you felt the intense need to reiterate your portions of our P(private) M's to everyone makes you a needy, attention starved, asshole, which in my book, is far worse than a "bully". To quote a dear friend of mine, it's sad that you don't even realize that posts of an individual are, de facto, their "opinions". It should go without saying (and saying, and saying) that ALL of what I write here is MY OPINION. When it's a *FACT*, like was the case when I posted about Britney Spears losing her Pepsi contract and *why*, I'll point that out.

[Jack42]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:26pm

Dear Al

Resorting to name calling is the very highest level of maturity. I commend you for showing us all how intelligent your arguments are.

Your posts, whether indended or not, come off factual. When you say "They lipsynced" - that's not an opinion. If it was an opinion, one might say "I think they were lipsyncing". But I'm not here to give you lessons on semantics.

When you point the finger at someone, three fingers point back at you. So, feel free to point in MY direction indicating that I might be a "needy, attention starved asshole" - because clearly no one here thinks that of you based on your plethora of posts.

As for being worse than a bully. I could argue that. Ask anyone that's been bullied if they would rather deal with someone who's just an "asshole" or someone that belittles them to make themselves feel better.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:34pm

I don't know why you're wasting your time here Jack, when clearly, your talents belong as the professor of psychology 101 at some University. And to clarify, the "three fingers pointing back at me", are not fingers I respect or admire. I'm much more interested in the 10 or so, intelligent, mature, adult fingers, that I not only share "opinions" with, but have lengthy, wonderful converstions on P(private) M with, which shall REMAIN, private. I'm nonplussed by the likes of you and Balladeer, and the "three" more of you who repeatedly show disdain. I know where it comes from... I took psych in college too, in fact, it was my minor.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:44pm

Can't we all just get along????

[Jack42]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:47pm

LOL.. as did I Al, so we have that in common at least...

And since you're a smart cookie, you'll realize what you admitted that a few people's (or one's) opinions are just that and not even important - especially when the source comes from someone you don't respect nor trust. That was exactly my point about the few negative posters about Little Shop.

As for wasting my time. I enjoy reading the boards and will continue to do so. And you know exactly why I am "wasting" my time with you... you aren't an idiot

By the way.. the quote "when you point your finger, three fingers point back at you" refer to YOUR hand. You DO realize that when it's YOU pointing, the three fingers are your own that point back at you. Clearly those three fingers are from a person you respect and admire..

Updated On: 9/10/03 at 05:47 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 5:54pm

oyyy, now THAT post just made me dizzy. I'll have to go have a drink, or something.

[sheekala]

Posted: 9/10/03 at 6:06pm

Well ain't this sweet, don't be pickin' on my Al, or Sheekala gonna git angry! And I'm hungry....(by the way-I'm enjoying the discourse, it's lively, informed and opinionated.)

[diorai]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 7:20pm

I have no idea where this message will go. This thread is so long...

Anyways, I'm new, so hello. ^^;; What I have to say about LSOH:

I live in Miami and I saw the Coral Gables production of LSOH, before it was butchered by Zaks. Yes, this is my opinion about it--I really wish Jerry Zaks didn't change the entire cast. But then again, I've never seen the Broadway production. My friend has, she said it was great, but it's just so hard to understand why the cast was changed...I don't know much about Broadway (this thread was very informing for me) so I guess these things happen sometimes.

We (that is, me and Mom) were devastated when we heard Reg Rogers was replaced with Doug Sills. I kept checking Google.com every day for updates on LSOH, until it was announced. We didn't understand HOW on earth he could have been replaced. I didn't even see the show once, I actually saw it four times. Reg was just hilarious (and he's a very nice guy to boot!).

I hope LSOH does well on Broadway, (despite everything, yes) but ya know, from an audience member like myself, I just had this bond with the original cast. At least Hunter stayed...and Reg is gonna be on TV!

~Diorai

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/13/03 at 9:19am

I wouldn't worry about Reg Rogers too much. He's had a great film career and will continue to do so. It was yet another huge mistake in a sea of huge mistakes when it came to the (IMO), unecessary re-casting of this show. Reg is a very funny man and Doug Sills was NOT great.

[diorai]

Posted: 9/13/03 at 10:02am

Yeah...even though I never REALLY knew Doug (I heard he was good, and mostly about The Scarlet Pimpernel) I just felt that Reg was perfect for the part. I really hope he gets the spotlight he deserves, especially on "Miss Match."

~Iris
Simplicity: The Unofficial Reg Rogers Website

[magruder]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 9:42am

Can someone who has seen the Broadway production of Little Shop answer the following? The final scene between Audrey and Seymour, with the "Somewhere That's Green" reprise. Is it actually being played for laughs, as I read elsewhere? I'd really hate if they made that choice. It wasn't played that way in the Off-Broadway original, or in the deleted sequence in the movie. (It's a heartbreaking moment when a tear trickles down Ellen Greene's cheek as she is about the begin the song, and she and Moranis play that whole scene so beautifully). I've seen productions that go for laughs in that scene, and I've hated them. It's the one of the few moments in a camp show, where suddenly you realize you care about these characters and what happens to them.

Updated On: 9/14/03 at 09:42 AM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 2:58pm

Of course, everyone who dislikes my "views" on LS, will disagree JUST to disagree but they are getting laughs at that moment. In defense of the actors(don't gasp too loudly), I think it's a directional flaw. That being said, many of Audrey's moments that were never played for laughs before have been hammed and cheesed up by Kerry Butler. Again, it could be her fault or the directors'.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 6:15pm

I do remember laughs in that scene, but I think it was the people realizing that being in the plant would be being somewhere that's green. I don't think they were laughing so much at hammy acting, but more at the clever Ashman lyrics. That was one scene I don't remember being overtly played for laughs, unlike most of the others.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 8:14pm

I will defer to you Menkenfan.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 8:18pm

That's how I feel about the show---that the actors shouldn't play the camp--the writing does all the work. (This is true for probably everything). =)

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 8:19pm

darn dupe

Updated On: 9/14/03 at 08:19 PM

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:05am

Actually, I do think it was played for laughs, however, I agree with Al Dente, that it might have been a directorial flaw. It just seemed too contrived for it to be the actors' choice.

Cheers,
The Balladeer

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 12:13pm

It WAS played for laughs and it WAS a terrible directorial flaw.

The scene does have inherent laughs in it. But what makes the scene fly is the absolute commitment to the moment and their characters. Instead of investing fully in the action of the scene and allowing the laughs to be there naturally (because Ashmand did his work brilliantly), they played a VERY vulgar, cheap laugh and brought an element of sex that was totally inappropriate to the scene.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 1:53pm

I remember just two laughs in the scene from the Off-Broadway production:


SEYMOUR: Audrey, are you ok?

AUDREY: Yes...No!


and


AUDREY: When I die...which will be very shortly...


The rest of it was played with total sincerity, and you could have heard a pin drop through the reprise of "Somewhere That's Green". The deleted scene in the movie seems to take the same approach, and of course, it's where the movie test audiences lost their minds and turned against the film, so I know it must not have played with laughs on screen. (Frank Oz mentions in the commentary track that David Geffen told him and Ashman that the show ending would never work on screen. It's one thing for Audrey to be eaten by a puppet. It's another when a much more realistic looking creature is swallowing up the heroine. Ashman and Oz shot it anyway, and lost the audience in the process, though Ellen Greene's performance during that sequence is lovely, and the ending "Don't Feed the Plants!" footage was quite spectacular).

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 3:53pm

Magruder...is this footage all on the DVD?