Pirate Queen Official Reviews- Page 2

[lds19]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:16pm

What a horrible review! And I mean the review is bad, not the opinion expressed in the review. Hedy Weiss just doesn't get it and she never has.
Someone else has already commented on her saying Linda Balgord steals the show (someday but not until they fix the singing to make her intelligible - although note that I saw it all the way back on 10/7). So I'll comment on her comparing Donal to Javert. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Donal is the villian of PQ and Thenardier, not Javert, is the villian of Les Miz. Donal knows he's bad as does Thenardeier but Javert honestly believes he's right (he can't see that he's wrong about Valjean but that's very different). That makes Javert a tragic character but not a villain.
At the start of her review, Weiss says "too much Les Miz and not enough Riverdance." Well, my thoughts, the more I've thought and read comments, is "too much Riverdance and not enough Les Miz". PQ is clearly a book show and yet I've increasingly believeing the PQ creative team doesn't understand that. The producers' main experience is with Riverdance, a mostly visual, non-book show. So long as you can see what' happenning on stage and heare the music, that's all you need for a non-book show.
But for a book show you need to understand the book and for that you need to understand the words. If this were non-book, Balgord's high but unintelligble voice would work since the actual words wouldn't be important and the singing style would convey all that's needed.
I get the feeling that with their Riverdance experience, they started with the idea of let's find something to feature more Irish dance (even though the Irish dance craze came and went almost 10 years ago) and then let's find a story to put around it. I've only seen Riverdance once but Lord of the Dance (LotD) several times and while LotD has a story, understanding that story isn't really important to enjoying the show. Understanding PQ's story is very important.
Hmmmm. On second thought, maybe Weiss is right. Turn it into Riverdance II and make the actual story so unimportant that it doesn't matter if you can understand anything. But that is not Broadway (and is so "not Broadway" that I believe Equity considers shows like Riverdance and LotD to be outside its jurisdiction).

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:20pm

lds the story in TPQ sucks. It's boring. They need to start over.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:26pm

While I may have put a little nicer than our fiery Irish boy, Ciaron, I do think they need to start over. This show is in big trouble. I feel horrible for the people in and working behind the scenes in this show because this is not going to do well without a major overhaul. But I guess that's the theatre for ya.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:38pm

I certainly recognize the plot weaknesses, but I must be really out of touch with almost everyone - I loved it! The second time so much more than the first. I found the pace tighter and there must have been cuts, because in my initial thoughts I stated that it was "too long." My wife also loved it, not just like the show. I plan on going at least one more time before it closes.

[Dancinqueen123]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:47pm

I'm going to see it on Thursday and now I'm nervous to go see it because of all these negative things I'm hearing. I don't want to go into the show with a pre-judged notion of what it's going to be like, but that's probably what will end up happening.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 1:53pm

Don't go with a pre-judged notion, Dancinqueen! That's the worst. Just ignore these threads from now on and enjoy yourself as much as you can at the show. Don't let these threads ruin something that you may very well enjoy.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 3:35pm

And get the earphones if you can. If only so you can understand what the hell Queen Liz is saying. Oh and a pillow.

They do need to redo this show. I am not bashing the people who are working in the show (well except for Liz). I am bashing the producers and the composers! I am a HUGE Les Mis fan. I really want them to be able to make another hit. I don't want them to fail, but this show will not make it on Broadway the way it is.

[Popular]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 3:35pm

DancingQueen - I agree with SG. Go with an open mind. And if it's not your cup of tea then it's not, but be open to it and don't let these comments sway your opinion one way or another. Even the good ones. Make up your OWN mind.

By the way, The Daily Herald updated it's site with the more detailed review. And since I'm apparantly not allowed to put up the whole article, here is a "shill" quote for those who have hopefully figured out by now that I have a sense of humor!

"Set during the 16th century against the backdrop of Ireland’s struggle for independence, “The Pirate Queen” is a romantic tale about a woman who sacrifices her personal happiness for the good of her country.

It centers on the fiercely independent, sea-loving, proto-feminist pirate Grace (a spirited Stephanie J. Block, who will surely turn heads come April when the show opens on Broadway)."

The rest is as mixed as they have all been thus far, and yet more hopeful than the others have been, beginning with "New musical from ‘Les Miserables’ team shows promise in its pre-Broadway run ".


Daily Herald - FULL ARTICLE

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 6:38pm

Dancinqueen, I happily paid to see this show a second time, even though my first impression was as negative as that of the major Chicago critics.

If you love theater there's a lot in this show to enjoy. Stephanie and Hadley deliver world class performances, the entire cast sings and dances terrifically, the band sounds great and there's lots of eye candy. (None of this changes my oft stated opinion that this thing in its current form is one of the biggest flops ever. The book and score still do matter.)

A few others on this thread have mentioned that the producers need to start over. I strongly agree, and I so have my fingers crossed that we'll hear an announcement soon that the Broadway previews of The PIrate Queen have been delayed or cancelled. If they bring it in in March 07 it will flop hard and fast.

lds19 speculated that the producers with their Riverdance background didn't have enough sense of how to tell a story. My own guess is that John and Moya were just too awed by the idea that the guys who wrote Les Mis were writing a show for them. They couldn't look at the work objectively.

I have no idea what happened with Galati. He certainly has some experience putting up decent shows and telling stories. From watching the Castcom clips it looks like the whole scene there was one big mutual admiration society. What they really needed was someone like Hal Prince standing out in the house shouting at the top of his lungs "That ef ing sucks, I'm not gonna put that *(&*&^%*&%** on my stage!"

Does anyone know if Hal is busy at the moment? Could he maybe bring David Caddick along?

Updated On: 10/31/06 at 06:38 PM

Posted: 10/31/06 at 7:30pm

There are three months between closing in Chicago and previewing on Boradway. Isn't that enough time to re-tool?

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 7:47pm

>There are three months between closing in Chicago and previewing on Boradway. >Isn't that enough time to re-tool?

No.

At the very least they need a new book writer to do another story treatment, and then they need to restructure the show and score around this revised story. (A few new songs and an additional dance number wouldn't hurt either.) One reviewer said something quite profound about how the PQ score would probably sound better if there was a meaningful story surrounding it. Currently the climax of the story is Queen Elizabeth realizing that "It's a woman in love who has all" and then apparently settling England and Ireland's disagreements by having a two hour chat behind a screen with Grace. This is what Boublil and Schonberg spent two years coming up with.

Do you remember the old Peanuts comic strips where Lucy would hold up a football and Charlie Brown would run to kick it, only to have Lucy pull it away time after time? If these producers trust this creative team to come up with a viable show in three months after what's happened in Chicago they will be just like Charlie Brown, only they'll be losing millions when they run to kick the football.

Just ask anyone involved with Martin Guerre if three months is enough time to straighten out a wrecked B&S operetta.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 10/31/06 at 9:55pm

Exactly, TechEverlasting. The show got the kind of out-of-town reviews that in past times would've kept a show from coming to Broadway till the creative team figured things out. Most reviews agree that the show revolves around two *potentially* interesting characters but that ultimately the creative team decides to fill the show with mundane stock characters and a cliche ending.
I believe they should bring a doctor of the likes of Tommy Tune or Hal Prince who is not afraid to throw out the material and start from scratch. They have an impeccable cast (according to the reviews) and a potentially appealing story, now they need to figure out how to tell this story. From these type of reviews, it seems like Stephanie J. Block will walk out with all the reviews but that won't help the show turn a profit.

[bdwybug55]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 12:31am

This is very sad to me. I think Stephanie Block is a major talent and I was truly hoping that this would be something that would really make her a star. I suppose things could change before it hits Broadway...

Posted: 11/1/06 at 1:06pm

Well - that is a summary? I read both - that's a summary like Fox News or CNN Bias - you left out all the negative - I am taking friends 11/5 - will be interesting

[Popular]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 1:53pm

This is a pretty nice review for the show from The DailySouthtown

"Those expecting another "Les Miserables" or "Miss Saigon" from composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg may be disappointed. But for those who take this stirring swashbuckling epic of Irish pride, passion and daring on its own terms, the rewards are enormous."

And I think they wrote this last line just for Ciaron McCarthy (our 100% Irish poster who disagrees)

"This show will thrill anyone who has a drop of Irish blood coursing through their veins, and its larger-than-life grandeur will also sweep many others off their feet."

This rest in the link below...




Daily Southtown Updated On: 11/1/06 at 01:53 PM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 5:15pm

Looks a rare nice review, other than Stephanie and me.

I love this show and will see it again before the run ends.

[NYLG]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 7:41pm

First...remind me never to go to a Wednesday matinee again. I was younger than almost everyone (except the four-year-old girl a few seats away...what were those parents thinking?) by at least 30 years...if not more. Reminded me of the time I went to see BEA ARTHUR ON BROADWAY...more of the same. It took a half-hour just to exit the theatre. Sheesh!

That being said...I am exhausted, so this is the abbreviated version. I will cogitate more about PQ, and hopefully post something intelligent tomorrow.

My initial impression was that someone ingested MISS SAIGON, LES MIS, RIVERDANCE AND SPAMALOT...and then vomited all over the stage. No character development, book was hollow, the Queen scenes were cheesy, Linda Balgord, who sounded like she had a mouthful of marbles, was more annoying than Ethel Merman, etc, etc, etc. Oh wait, that's a different show that has a king rather than a queen.

I listened to the audience reaction very carefully. Apparently I was the only one who wasn't blown away and amazed. As an aside, I think I was the only non-Irish person there. Every Chicagoan, with the smallest droplet of Irish Blood, is making a pilgrimage to this show...much the way NY Jews flocked to FIDDLER.

Updated On: 11/1/06 at 07:41 PM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 11:06pm

That's racist!

[Dancinqueen123]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 11:08pm

I'm going to see the show tomorrow! Yay!!!!!!

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 11/1/06 at 11:18pm

My wife just tonight was saying that she did not understand all of the negative reviews. (She is a talented AEA actress!)

[NYLG]

Posted: 11/2/06 at 12:29am

brdlwyr: I wasn't trying to be racist...just an observation about the composition of the audience.

About those negative reviews...I think some of them were spot-on. The show was replete with special effects, lavish (although often garish) costumes, and big dance numbers. Unfortunately, underneath it all, there was very little substance.

Another problem for me is that I didn't feel like the characters had any connection...either with the audience or each other. They just seemed vacuous to me. The one exception was Stephanie J. Block, who was excellent, and possibly Jeff McCarthy as well. But...I didn't feel as much as I might have had the other characters been developed more.

The music...some of it was pretty...although I didn't understand the presence of an electric guitar. I also wanted to kill the four women behind me who yammered during the overture and entr'acte. Oh, one more thing...the music smacked of LES MIS and MISS SAIGON far too often.

I left the theatre feeling empty, and wanting much more. Today was a very big disappointment for me beause I desperately wanted to love this show as much as I love LES MIS. Instead I got the CliffsNotes of musicals...just enough of a summary to get away with a passing grade.

Updated On: 11/2/06 at 12:29 AM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 11/2/06 at 12:37am

I left the theatre feeling empty, and wanting much more.

That is how I felt the first time I show. I wanted it to be "better". But after the second time I wanted to see it again.

NYLG, you know that I was joking about the racist comment!!!!!!!!!
Updated On: 11/2/06 at 12:37 AM

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 11/2/06 at 12:39am

I saw the show tonight, was well, and really, really enjoyed. I just posted a more complete review.

[NYLG]

Posted: 11/2/06 at 12:40am

I know you were joking brdlwyr...I saw the smiley face. Just covering myself...like any good lawyer should.