Pirate Queen 7:30 October 24, 2006 Review..... — Page 2

I paid 100% for my ticket, I should expect a 100% show. I know things change in previews, but what I saw needs a MAJOR overhaul in the book department. That is not just cutting a number or restaging the opening. I wish there was MORE of the Irish history in the show. To me it could have been set ANYWHERE, including "under the sea". And I agree, if Block's family is reading the boards looking for glowing reviews they should accept that some are not going to be glowing. (Although your Daughter is wonderful, Mr. and Mrs. Block.)

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I hope you are right for the sake of everyone involved and especially for the sake of everyone paying big bucks to see it.
However your positive attitude isn't going to help those who have already purchased tickets for the rest of the Chicago run. If anything can be done to save this show it will have to be done between the Chicago run and the New York opening.

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Wow, this is quite an impassioned discourse going on here! I personally feel that critiquing is fine. I love that people have strong opinions on this show. I sense that even the unkind posts come from a place of frustration wanting to see this show do well. It's being well rooted for so that is nice to see despite the harsh words. I do feel that some of us (myself included) sometimes get caught up in the anonymity that message boards allow and say things in a more extreme manner than we would if we were face to face with someone, regardless of whether they are connected to the show or not. It takes a lot more effort to be tactful when you have a screen name to hide behind. There certainly is a lot of distaste and disappointment expressed here, but also a lot of praise for the talent and other elements of the show.

Sueleengay, did you not think that most of the "fixing" would be done after Chicago and before NY to start off with?

To both SG's...thanks for your hope that PQ turns out to be a fantastic show. As I stated...I believe with all the changes they plan on making it will prove to be just that.

However, I do believe, SorryGrateful, that having great performers is half the battle. If this was a wonderful book and the performers where awful the review would be even worse! You can change staging, verbage, scenes, etc., etc. But, becoming these characters as these actors are portraying ( according to so many board comments) IMHO, is a more difficult thing to do. The talent that PQ has is beyond run of the mill people. They know what is needed to be done for NY. And, I know for a FACT that it will be done. So, everyone be cool and let's wait out the ride. We are all going to be very surprised. And, "That's all I have to say about that" (quote from Forrest Gump)

Updated On: 10/25/06 at 03:40 PM

And during the re-write, please put even a little bit of humour! A fop, something to take the edge off.

In reference to the two recent smash hits that started in Chicago, after the performances of The Producers and Spamelot - I was overwhelmed with excitement. For PQ, I just wanted more out of the show. I will see it this weekend and report if the changes made are helping.

(I will add that I love Stephanie and I hope that my wife does not catch me oogling her during the show.)

Updated On: 10/25/06 at 05:26 PM

So, Lady Italy, do you think that if all those people hadn't expressed their critical opinions of Wicked during its initial previews that it would be the smashing success that it is today?
What if everyone had been concerned about hurting Kristen's family's feelings? Criticism is a crucial element of developing a show. (Not that I think my individual opinion matters, but taken together we all are part of the "buzz", which in The Pirate Queen's case is decidely negative.)

This is a theater opinion board. It's very odd to be told I shouldn't express my opinions here, or that I'm not doing so in the proper fashion.

Although I'm not a professional reviewer or Irish history expert I have long been fascinated with how Broadway shows are developed. Chicago is a great city for this, I've watched early versions of Aida, The Producers, Sweet Smell of Success and many others. The producers of The Pirate Queen obviously want this to be a worldwide smash that runs in NY for years and tours everywhere. I've never seen a show manage to do this without having a few great songs in it.

I heard the inital demos for Aida, Ragtime and Hairspray and for all of these shows it was obvious that the raw materials for a hit were present. "I'll Be There" is an okay song. I don't hear anything else promising in PQ. At this point my opinion is that 2/3 of The Pirate Queen is completely unuseable. Songs like "My Grace" "Here On This Night" and "What Does She Have I Don't Have" sound to me like French elevator music. The entire first 45 minutes and last 45 minutes of the show have to be rewritten. That's not a good place for a show to be in just before an out of town opening.

You are welcome to disagree with me on this, but in a few days you will also have to disagree with lots of actual professional theater critics as well.

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You'll have to let us know what you think, Eileen. And have fun in Chicago! It's a great place to visit or live.

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Lady Italy, I have to disagree with you once again. If there is a problem with the ACTORS they can be replaced with minimal inconvenience to the rest of the company and creative crew. If there is a major problem with the MATERIAL, however, EVERYONE is involved with the changes that must be made. I am sure any producer would rather have to find a new leading lady than to find a new, and better score/book at this point in the process.

Oh, and I just want to add, because I don't think I said it before, that Hadley Fraser has a beautiful voice.

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I was in a group of 8, and every one of us had the same reaction: "meh." Not horrible, but kinda boring, nothing spectacular (expected in a B/S show), and a hard-to-follow story (partially due to not being able to comprehend large stretches of lyrics).

Our seats were good and close, so we were able to see the actors' faces, but all of us still had trouble figuring out what was being sung (especially as others said: Balgord).

However, the pirates made for some seriously appreciated eye candy. Sad thing is that they were the most interesting part.

Another thing all 8 of us agreed on was that we weren't quite sure what could be fixed/tweaked to make it better.

SPOILER ALERT:

We did get a kick out of the scene of Block getting up and kicking ass in a mssive group sword fight about 90 seconds after giving birth.

Thanks Suleen.
At the prices that Broadway (and big cities like Chicago) are charging for these shows, we should be blown out of our seats. If "The Pirate Queen" is not doing that, then it should be ashamed to be charging people and opening on Broadway in the spring.

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I referenced this once before, but the PQ Castcom's claim that it's the first theater video log of its kind keeps throwing me off.

Wasn't there a similar video diary kept during the preparations for Lestat?

"Well, a woman I volunteer with saw the show last night and really enjoyed it. So apparently someone I know personally does like it!"

Now SG, the show is only in previews. It's merely a work in progress. I trust that you'll tell your friend to calm down. After all, she might very well hate the finished version that goes to Broadway.

(just kidding, I'm glad to hear she had a good time there.)

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