Priscilla Queen of the Desert - WTF?!- Page 2

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:16am

For those who care, The CR is the theatre. The cast hadn't even seen it and were fawning over it at the stage door.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:22am

alterego, the original poster is FrontRow, not FrontRowCentre a long time regular poster. FrontRowCentre is an intelligent theatrephile who would never post anything so basic.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:47am

Great to hear the cast recording is being sold! The thing about the costumes is that the costumes in the movie were very theatrical to begin with. Why would they change them? They worked well in the movie, and they work well with the show. And, as someone already said, it is the same designer.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 2:41am

Ive brought friends to see the London production... young, old, gay, straight, dating, non-dating, camp, boring, weird, Asian, white friends... all sorts and ALL of them LOVED the show.
If your friend is jobless and still find the show not cheering enough, maybe he should find a job first and then visit the show! If this show doesn't cheer you up... maybe you should stay jobless!

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 5:56am

A couple questions to any and all who've seen it:

- How much does the CR go for?

- Is there 'audience participation'? If so, to what extent?

Thank you!

Best,
- M

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:08am

You got "joyless" from this show? Really??? 'WTF' indeed.

And it has "little or no creativity" says someone who HASN'T EVEN SEEN IT.

Oh well, the dozen or so people I've taken to see the show (none of us devotees of the film) and the multitudes I've seen grinning from ear to ear at curtain call must all have different definitions of 'joy' and 'creativity' - lucky for us!

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:21am

There is one segment with audience participation. A few lucky audience members will be asked to join the cast members onstage. Is it the song "Go West"? I could be mistaken. Also, I met two very funny and friendly people at the Palace/Priscilla Gift Shop. They are so nice and dedicated to the show. A big "hi" and "hello" to Shawn and Ami! from RC in Austin, Texas

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:42am

Mike,

The 'audience participation' number is 'Thank God I'm a Country Boy' - perhaps up to a dozen people plucked from the side orchestra seats to dance on stage for 1-1.5 minutes max. And the cast recording was being sold inside the theatre for $30 (is that the current benchmark price on Broadway? It seemed a little steep to me).

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:52am

When you say 'side orchestra' ... Whattaya mean?

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:58am

Sorry, in terms of the actual seating plan I have probably used the wrong term - I meant the centre orchestra seats, but the 'volunteers' are picked from those nearest the outer aisles rather than the central one.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:02am

Oh, Lord... That doesn't make me feel any better considering I have a seat on the aisle. Can you opt-out? LOL

Thanks so much for the info, btw!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:20am

I haven't seen this (yet) and I never saw the movie -- and I totally knew that it was not original music: part of the point of the story.

While I'm sorry when anyone doesn't enjoy their (expensive) theater experience, I have no problem with people's varying opinion. HOWEVER, to deride both a show as well as those that DID like it -- when one hasn't SEEN the show -- is ridiculous.

I do have a question: if the queens are lip synching -- what is the convention for when they actually DO sing? Any info is appreciated!

[egghumor]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:52am

I just saw the song list for the fab-gay-Broadway-enterprise known as "Priscilla, Queen of teh Desert," and whew, talk about tired! The only thing it's missing is "We Are Family!"

Quite a few posters are annoyed by the fact that I haven't seen the show (and never will). Hello! This is cyberspace folks. I could have claimed to have seen the show, assessed the performances, etc., and everyone would have likely believed I had been there.

The three videos on which I am largely basing my assessment -- along with video interviews, rehearsal videos, and other readers comments -- are used as promotional tools to sell tickets, and all I'm basically saying is that based upon those three performance videos: "Go West," "I Will Survive," and "MacArthur Park," well, if those were the highlight moments selected by the producers, director and marketing folks to try and sell me a ticket, they failed spectacularly.

My reaction is no different from how LOTS of people feel after seeing a film or theater commercial. No thanks, I'll keep my money.

[mee.who]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:53am

I don't think any convention is used (but I'm just a casual musical theatre fan, so I might totally be wrong here!). When the actors are lip syncing it's part of a drag performance. When they're not performing they just sing as characters in a musical generally do.

egghumor - I LOVE this show and have already seen it numerous times (going back for opening night, tonight!), but I have to agree that those promotional videos do make it look pretty lackluster, sadly. Updated On: 3/20/11 at 07:53 AM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 8:06am

the way i took the concept of lipsynch versus live singing for our three leads is:

a) when lipsynching to the floating divas they are in drag performance mode (some exceptions made for Nick's character, the Guy Pearce role from the film, which may also point out to the newer breed of drag queens who sing live)

b) when singing live outside of the context of a "drag performance" we are seeing introspective moments where a character relates inner self through song (though the line gets blurred when, for instance, the trio invades a hick bar and sing with the customers....are they "doing" a drag show? or revealing how their interior selves picture their interaction with the real world?)

[alterego]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 8:22am

LimeLight Mike, you could opt out but then you won't be able to tell your friends, in years to come of "the night I danced onstage at the Palace".

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 8:43am

This show is pure joy.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 10:48am

The audience interaction can go pretty far back- from personal experience, I was in the house left-most aisle in the mid to back orchestra and was pulled up onstage. Not exactly willingly, but I went up anyway for that reason alterego just stated above- haha. I'm pretty sure I embarrassed myself into perpetuity with my complete inability to polka.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 11:15am

Yeah, I thought it was fairly awful too. Cool that it's faithful to the movie, boo that the original movie wasn't very good to begin with.

[once a month]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 11:40am

I loved the show, and have never seen the film. The audience ate it up last weekend, and after having sat through Spiderman and Book of Mormon, Priscilla is the only one I'd see again. Spiderman left me bored and feeling ripped off, Mormon, while funny-left me with a bad taste in my mouth and I consider it to be a sour show, and Priscilla is the only one I'd send family and friends to.

LONG LIVE PRISCILLA-my 331st Broadway show!

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 12:39pm

Egg... no one is begrudging your choice to not see the show. But to post JUDGEMENT on a show you haven't seen is a bit, well, ridiculous. How can you judge something you haven't seen?

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:42pm

any review with "wtf" in the title is bound to be chalk full of amazing and thought provoking analysis. bravo.

it doesn't really matter what people say on this board, it's selling out and people are dancing in their seats...nit pick away...it won't do much...spinning your wheels in the mud...

good luck to everyone involved.

[nuckyblue]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:43pm

The Divas would be worthy recipients of a Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Tony. If Karine Plantadit can get a nomination last year, why not a Diva?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:50pm

During the audience participation one of the audience members actually did a split when they bowed. lol
Updated On: 3/20/11 at 01:50 PM