REBECCA opens in Stuttgart

[philly03]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 3:43pm

If anyone was curious what Rebecca will look it (largely the same as previous versions), this highlights video from the Stuttgart production featuring direction by Francesca Zambello (whose co-directing on Broadway) and the same design cast.

The production also cut the ridiculously bad song "We Are British," which was I guess you could say commented on British society at the time.

Pia Douwes sounds great by the way, as does Thomas Borchert. None of the "I"s sound alike, so I'm sure Sierra will bring something much new to the piece as well.
Rebecca Stuttgart Preview

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 3:51pm

God, I wish I lived in Germany!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 3:51pm

I'm happy to see they have kept the vogue-ing chamber maids and I dig Mrs. Danvers new hairstyle homage to Gary Oldman's beehive in Dracula! Super camp!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:03pm

My best friend lives in Stuttgart and I hope she takes the opportunity to see it. Wish I could be there!

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:05pm

so do I. Really looking forward to this opening in New York, Although I fear it will not run that long.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:13pm

Looks Hot.

Not much difference than other productions, design-wise.
I wish we were getting Pia, this season needs some Diva excitement.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:18pm

I too imagine the critics will have a field day with this one. I'm willing to bet at least one review opens with "Bonnie and Clyde, come back - all is forgiven..."

But to flop connoisseurs, it looks irresistible. We haven't had a piece of such large-scale, unabashed tomfoolery on Broadway since, maybe DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES.

You look at a show like this now, months ahead of the sets and costumes having been built, the cast rehearsed, the publicity begun and have to wonder why on earth are they actually going to go through with it.

But for people who can appreciate shows like CARRIE and ROCKABYE HAMLET, this is going to be one of the most fun and entertaining evenings of the Broadway season.

[philly03]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:22pm

I don't expect the run to be too long on this one either, but this is actually a serious piece of theatre (and a great story). The dances/sequences with the house keepers are out of control, but Michael Blakemore did not work on this production (who is co-directing with Zambello).

The automatic flop status will be when they announce whose doing orchestrations: If Slyvester Levay (who did them in every other production, he's also the composer) is doing them again, this will flop once the reviews come out. He's way into the "Euro-musical" sound which you can hear on all of the recordings of REBECCA, Elisabeth, Mozart, etc etc.

I'm surprised they never worked with the European Koen Schoots, whose the great orchestrator of Frank Wildhorn's Count of Monte Cristo, for example. Updated On: 12/13/11 at 04:22 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:44pm

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but I think this show does have some decent potential on Broadway. It may not be a hit, but I don't think it's going to be so quick to close as others may assume. At least, I hope so. If I have to miss Bonnie & Clyde, I hope I get to see Rebecca.

It's hard not to invoke Dance of the Vampires when discussing another Austrian import, but DOTV was so far removed from Tanz der Vampire that it's really not fair. I loved Tanz der Vampire in Berlin. LOVED. IT. And it was a tragedy to see what Broadway did to that show. The worst revisions since Jekyll & Hyde.

philly03 - I agree about the orchestrations which will be key in the Broadway production as well as the English translation of the lyrics.

[philly03]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:54pm

And also for the transfer of DOTV, Michael Kunze (book/additional lyrics) was largely sidelined if existant.. He has a huge factor in this one (as he should).

[philly03]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 4:56pm

The biggest design change is the staircase, which will not spiral in and out of the stage. Instead, all three levels are exposed at all times. As you can see, the entire thing will still light on fire!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 5:03pm

Matt, I maintain something like DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES would NEVER have succeeded on Broadway, even as it was performed in Germany. The tastes in Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe are totally removed from what Broadway audiences and more importantly American critics are ever going to embrace; particularly when they take an elegant highly regarded (English) piece like the novel/and or film of REBECCA and adapt it with a rock score worthy of a Berlin disco circa 1989. They just don't stand a chance.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 8:09pm

Tanz never succeeding on Broadway just means I need to move to Europe ASAP. I suppose I am just not built for American theater?

That being said, Rebecca on Broadway is simply a treat I cannot afford to miss, whatever may become of it after it opens. Perhaps I should break my rule and just go see it in previews.

Looking at those clips, I'm still not sure I can wrap my head around Thomas Borchert as Maxim...

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 8:31pm

Large scale open fire work like that?

Not in NY. No way. Fire marshall's head would explode.

[broadway7117]

Posted: 12/13/11 at 9:07pm

I also prefer the big European musicals such as Tanz Der Vampire, Elizabeth, Wildhorn's european work, and especially this show! Sadly I agree it won't last long here. Routing for it!

[philly03]

Posted: 12/14/11 at 2:58am

A curtain is dropped before the fire erupts, so I think it is plausible (IE: a fire-wall curtain, which are used anyway) with the projections providing more of an effect. I'm assuming that's also why it won't spiral in and out of the stage.

Thomas is OK as Maxim IMO... I much prefer Uwe Kroger, but I've always liked him.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/14/11 at 12:19pm

Not to my taste at all, but it reminds me of PHANTOM in scope and schmaltz, so it may play to busloads of tourists for years.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/14/11 at 12:59pm

"...rock score worthy of a Berlin disco circa 1989."

What rock score?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/16/11 at 5:08am

As a fan of Eurodisco--which condemns me to many already--Sylvester Levay and Kunze were basically famous for imitating the superior Giorgio Moroder/Cerrone style of European synth producer driven disco. Afer Moroder deservedly (scoff if you want :P ) won awards for Midnight Express, American Gigolo and Cat People, Levay basically got derivative b-movies. Not that I think Moroder could do a decent musical (though apparently he's been trying for years), but that combination of talent always seems so bizarre for a musical based on Rebecca (or their myriad other projects--though I suppose none have featured Fly Robin Fly yet).

But I actually like some parts of Rebecca, and I love the design. I wish it just dramatically could be the true EuroPop cheese fest it seems to want to be--I found huge chunks of it either so wrong headed they were almost, but not quite, camp, or dull. If there's a last gasp attempt for this style of musical on Broadway though, this is it--one point in its favour is they didn't ask the useless Kretzmer to do the new lyrics.

[DeNada]

Posted: 12/16/11 at 7:23am

I would think that with Blakemore co-directing and new choreography and costumes they'd be looking at "decamping" the show. Much of it just won't fly musically or dramatically with an English audience.

I am a bit worried about what happens with Danvers. Pia Douwes is just SO campy in the Stuttgart EPK, all bug eyes and caked-on makeup. Susan Rigvava-Dumas was just sensational that maybe no-one can live up to that

[egghumor]

Posted: 12/20/11 at 4:54pm

Whoa, daddy! A musical created with Ken Mandelbaum in mind. Just visited the show website and heard "She's Invincible." After I got over the initial shock, it sounded like it should have been used as the theme song for the Sarah Palin infomercial released into film flopdom months ago. This one sounds and looks like this generation's ANYA. Blakemore's involvement gives me a some ray of hope, but ultimately this show is what it is, and he can only do so much. Can't wait for the threads this one will generate next year.


Updated On: 12/20/11 at 04:54 PM

[watchmesoar]

Posted: 12/20/11 at 5:05pm

I´ll be seeing it on Dec. 30th in Stuttgart! So excited and happy to see Pia Douwes after many years again on stage. The last time I saw her live on a stage was in 2005 in Berlin, where she played the role of "Milady de Winter".... she was gorgeous!

[philly03]

Posted: 12/20/11 at 8:06pm

DeNada, I think that is more Pia's specific acting types, as I didn't pick up on the "bug eyes." Susan was phenomenal though, especially with her power house voice. While Karen Mason has a fantastic voice, I don't think we'll be getting the same power as that.

I really don't think this show is as campy as people are saying - It has been pretty successful where ever it has played in the world, but I really do think the orchestrations will pose an immediate problem.