Rocky Previews- Page 11

Posted: 2/15/14 at 10:23pm

hang in there blaxx!!
Updated On: 2/15/14 at 10:23 PM

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/15/14 at 10:46pm

^ agreed... after all, you're going to be the tie breaker and tell us the true real definitive voice on whether or not Rocky is good.

(yes, I'm teasing. please don't take me seriously - although I am curious to read your review)

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 2/15/14 at 11:09pm

""You didn't like a musical version of a movie you DID like."

I liked Ghost…I don't like Ghost: The Musical."

You're repeating my point, but making it seem contrary?

Again, the original inquiry was someone saying if you didn't like the source material (aka the movie), you probably wouldn't like the musical version of the movie you didn't enjoy. And you're the second person to "disprove" this theory by saying you did like the source material, but not the musical.

The only way to disprove the original point was that you hated the Rocky movie but adore the Rocky musical (or substitute in Ghost or whatever).

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/15/14 at 11:13pm

Just gathering my thoughts.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/15/14 at 11:15pm

^ now that is how you build suspense...

Come on, blaxx, we're waiting for your thoughts.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/15/14 at 11:31pm

We're waiting....

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:33am

Here are my thoughts based on the 3rd preview.

My question was if this show was good or bad. The truth is that it is the LAZIEST Broadway production I have memory of, hands down.

It made me SO mad because the show barely tries to accomplish anything. I rather sit through a Wildhorn show, at least he puts effort into it. I rather sit again through 9 to 5, or The Wedding Singer or Cry-Baby than this.

If the show needed another title, it would be: “get in and enjoy this, as it has lights and sets and the Rocky theme and... just give me your money, stupid tourist!”
I would like to separate the musical and this production of this musical currently running at the Winter Garden.

First of all, Ahrens and Flaherty. Shame on them. You would not ever believe this is the same team that brought us Ragtime. I remember when I forgot an assignment in high school and completed it the night before. This is what the score is like. It sounds like nothing, like they put it together with songs they didn’t use before. Actually, I take that back, as songs like “Get Down From the Tree’”can be glorious. This is barely music, you could struggle trying to find a melody in there. The lyrics are by Ahrens. As in, Lynn Ahrens’ 10 year old niece. Yes, the first song is about “at least I don’t have a broken nose” sang to the wall and his turtles; there is also a “I have the body, you have the brains” love song, and an “I’m the evil guy and look at me how evil I am” song, etc. Not so long ago I started a thread calling them sell outs. I stand by it. Their pay cheque better be fat. If they ever have a tribute for this duo, who know what they will use from this show, if anything.

Second, dear Mr. Stallone; the fact that you have power and money DOES NOT make you a playwright. No, we don’t need 307 scenes that last 2.5 minutes each like in the movies. Especially transitional scenes. This is theater, your audience has the potential to imagine things, put things together with, yes, their brains. On top of that, we don’t need a set change that graphically depicts each scene’s location. How embarrassing that you feel like exploiting a franchise in this manner.

The production of this musical (shocker) is a LOT better than the material. Without it, however, I don’t see it have much future as a show produced elsewhere. As I mentioned before, there is a set for every single thing. There is a set for when Rocky says hi to the hobos. For when he is crossing the street. There is a set for the set. No wonder it gets stuck. It all looks like a huge parking lot moving cars around automatically. If not pretty, at least it serves the purpose of the show’s lazy book.

Andy Karl starts with a pseudo impersonation and by act 2 he loses it all and he is just Andy Karl. Margo Siebert is a good performer.
The rest have little to do.

The thing this show has in its favor is that it so damn bland that anything that raises above its blandness starts feeling like a theatrical masterpiece. If audiences are so cynical as to eat this up, just give them the Rocky Theme for 2 hours straight and take away the nonsense. It only works as a spectacle when nostalgia is brought in, but these moments are so far and in between.

As a passionate Broadway enthusiast, shows like these make me mad. Shame on the Tonys too, if they decide this one is the best musical of the year.

Updated On: 2/16/14 at 12:33 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:36am

Ouch.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:43am

Well hot damn. Now I'm even more excited to see it given the vast differences of opinion.

[Goldenboy2]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:44am

Girl it ain't never that serious. Shame on Ahrens and F? What music do you write or have you written? The show is loved by the masses thus far and was not by any means lazy. Girl bye.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:50am

Girl it ain't never that serious. Shame on Ahrens and F? What music do you write or have you written? The show is loved by the masses thus far and was not by any means lazy. Girl bye.

^ This is for those who wonder who the show would work well for.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:52am

blaxx, well written review. I haven't seen the show yet, but I honor your opinion and glad you shared it with us. Surprised that you didn't include your thoughts about the last 20 minutes. Everyone before you - including those who didn't love the show - wrote about the infamous ending sequence. Want to add your thoughts? I'm interested.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 12:54am

One more thought... how high is the stage deck? I just read that the lottery is the first two rows of the orchestra center. I'm open to trying my luck at the lottery as long as I won't be staring at a wall.

Thoughts? Anyone who has seen this?

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:00am

Surprised that you didn't include your thoughts about the last 20 minutes. Everyone before you - including those who didn't love the show - wrote about the infamous ending sequence. Want to add your thoughts? I'm interested.

If the show had any sort of pace, I would say that bringing the audience onstage takes forever. As it has no pace (or not much of anything) we were excited to see some action happening.

Is it an effect that could match the ones from the mega musicals, such the chandelier, the helicopter, the barricades, etc.? My opinion is, not anymore. Compared to, a Vegas show for example, it is not that elaborate.

As I said in my review, whatever works makes the moment look a lot better than it is. The fighting sequence is well choreographed and the whole thing ends in an "up". The show's redeeming factor if they want to make it a hit. To me, it was certainly not worth the other 2.5 hours of blandness.

Also, I must say to be careful with seating in the side orchestra, left or right in the first few rows. Some audience members decided to get up to watch while others were trying to get them to sit down. I don't blame them, as the ring goes all the way into the theater you had to look sideways for the whole finale.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:04am

I have been asking about that for quite some time now.

How high up is the stage deck?

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:09am

Not high. You would see fine. Taking the seniors upstairs though... this lady seemed to have the worst time going up the steps.

If your concern is view related, you'll be fine. Not much happens up stage that you would miss. Most of the scenes happen down stage.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:26am

The more I think about it, I think I was high on the energy of the first preview and in love with the production. I always say, "if only there were a best PRODUCTION of a musical" award. (I felt similarly about MARY POPPINS, though the material itself is an ill comparison.)

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:30am

^ Well, there sort of is/are. The Tonys breaks out the various elements of the production: direction, choreography, sets, costumes, lighting, and sound.

(Not for this thread, but I always thought Best Ensemble was the missing award.)

[ARTc3]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:35am

Oh... and blaxx, I may be old(ish), but I still do stairs quite well. I was only concerned about the sight lines sitting so close.

I am also pleased that you finally cleared up my concern regarding those sitting up close on the sides. It just seemed like this idea made no sense because of the very issue you mentioned. What was the designer thinking? Why couldn't the final sequence been staged onstage? It just seems like a bad idea all around: sight lines, pacing, costs, etc.

Updated On: 2/16/14 at 01:35 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 1:55am

It just seemed like this idea made no sense because of the very issue you mentioned. What was the designer thinking? Why couldn't the final sequence been staged onstage? It just seems like a bad idea all around: sight lines, pacing, costs, etc.

It actually works really well, at least if you're not seating in that area. Some of the other posters here who went onstage said they didn't even know who won the match, so they may not be the best seats.

Plus, you'll miss the view of the ring going into the audience, the most effective trick of the whole sh-bang.

Updated On: 2/16/14 at 01:55 AM

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 3:29am

"Girl it ain't never that serious. Shame on Ahrens and F? What music do you write or have you written?"

The "you can't criticize the people who wrote the book and the music for a Broadway Musical unless you've written the book and music for a more successful Broadway Musical" argument is really so played out.

Updated On: 2/16/14 at 03:29 AM

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 4:20am

"I have been asking about that for quite some time now."

To be fair, most of the time you were asking about sight lines for the finale were all in advance of the first preview. It's not like people refused to answer. They just had to wait until there was actually a single performance before they knew the answer.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 6:16am

I'm with Fisherman on this. Most (if not all) critics haven't written a score or a script or directed but they are qualified to have an opinion. Heck anyone with a ticket stub is qualified to have an opinion.

I'm not a chef, but even if Morimoto served me sh$t on a shingle -- I wouldn't need Bobby Flay to verify that it was sh$t. I have an opinion.

You loved the show, that's great. Send people to see it. Other didn't, so be it.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 6:49am

"Heck anyone with a ticket stub is qualified to have an opinion."

This is my favorite thing I have read on here. I am putting this in my signature, dramamama!

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 2/16/14 at 9:01am

"The show is loved by the masses thus far and was not by any means lazy"

Three cheers for the ROCKY shill! Only someone working for the production would claim the show is "loved by the masses" less than five performances into the preview period...

Blaxx - thanks for your reasonable, well written, and thought out review. Finally someone else is speaking the truth about this incredibly mediocre musical.