SING STREET @ NYTW - Page 4

[Owen22]

Posted: 11/29/19 at 1:10pm

I haven't seen much mention of this, but in the movie...my biggest takeaway was that it was a love letter to older brothers. Is that still there?

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/29/19 at 1:48pm

Sunday is looking like a travel nightmare, so I already have a request in to have my front row, aisle, 7 p.m. Sunday pair of tickets canceled. But if anyone wants to buy them for the $148 they cost, they said as long as I put the tickets in someone else's name before they get approval to cancel them (assuming they will let me cancel them), you could get in pretty cheap... Individual tix for this performance are already $99 plus fees, and not the $70 plus fees I got them for...

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 11/29/19 at 2:15pm

Owen22 said: "I haven't seen much mention of this, but in the movie...my biggest takeaway was that it was a love letter to older brothers. Is that still there?"

There is a clear bond between the two, as they talk often and the older brother says "the best part of my day is talking to you," so, in that sense, you know they get along and are close.

I've not seen the film, so others can best compare, but I didn't feel a heightened intensity to their relationship. It just seemed like two regular brothers who care about each other. No more, no less.

If they did heighten that relationship, the ending might have much more impact.

[Ledaero]

Posted: 11/30/19 at 12:46am

Owen22 said: "I haven't seen much mention of this, but in the movie...my biggest takeaway was that it was a love letter to older brothers. Is that still there?"

It's absolutely still there. Taichman frames the show around the older brother. Won't say anymore to avoid spoilers, but there's more focus on the older brother than I anticipated going in.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 12:43am

Got home and as a fan of the movie, I have lots of random thought with SPOILERS, so beware:

1) There needs to be a more dramatic moment leading to intermission. Maybe the brother forbidding him from performing at the concert? The relationship between Rafina and Conor, while lovely, is not the center of this story. It’s the music - it’s what gets Rafina, connects him to his brother, and ultimately enables him to get the nerve to get up and leave. That’s why I think if it ends with him not being allowed to perform, audiences will feel that struggle.

2) People have said they didn’t like Rafina’s voice, but I did like it. She’s not in the band. She doesn’t need to be perfect. It serves her character more that her voice isn’t perfect. It’s beautiful but shaky, like her.

3) Connor’s voice was good, but not as strong as I wanted it to be. He’s the leader of this thing, so he needs to shine.

4) Other characters were good. Didn’t love the actress playing the mom. The rest were fine. The bully felt more developed in the movie, and I liked making him the roadie. They went for a more LGBTQ-inclusive route here by making him seem like he was a bully because he liked Conor and really wanted to play the piano, but so many musicals/movies/TV shows have already done that. Keep it the way it was.

5) I agree with people saying the kids need to really play the instruments.

6) The energy was great. It’s choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, who was watching and taking notes. There’s not much “dancing” but there’s lots of high energy movement.

7) The placement of “Drive It Like You Stole It” wasted the song. I get that they couldn’t do the Back to the Future dream on stage, but it should still be the centerpiece. They need to figure out a way to make it more of a “wow” than just stringing up a couple of signs and wearing “Sing Street” t-shirts.

8) They added a song after DILYSI that is sung to the schoolmaster. It has a lot of potential, but it needs to add some differentiation between high notes and low notes because it all felt too in the same pocket.

9) The brother is still the best character in the whole thing. The actor playing him did a great job, and I loved that he ends the show. Beautiful.

10) I really enjoyed it and the audience seemed to as well. Wishing it lots of luck!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 12:53am

@DramaTeach:

Regarding point #8 and #9 in your post:

#8) I completely agree that Drive it Like You Stole it was a total wasted opportunity. One of the only big disappointments I had while watching the show. I love the dream sequence in the film, and while I don’t necessarily think they should replicated it full on, they could have done something to heighten that number and give it more of a storytelling purpose.

#9) which song are you referring to? They add the song “I Will Dream For You,” but while the schoolmaster also sings his psalm in that number, I didn’t interpret Conor’s song as being directed at him (also, I loved this song! One of my favorite moments in the show!) Unless you meant “Brown Shoes” which IS directed at the schoolmaster, but isn’t an added song. It was in the film.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 12:58am

^ It was the song that came right after DILYSI. Maybe it was from the film and I didn't remember it. 

[mpkie]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 2:57am

Was lucky enough to win the lottery! I don't know anything about the movie. I went into this cold and I loved it. I love how the show kicked off and was immediately endeared to Conor and the rest of the gang.

I will never, ever stopped being impressed by a person who is acting who is singing who is playing instruments, especially multiple instruments, and doing a bang up job of it. Because doing any single one of those things well is already impressive. Meanwhile I am a useless waste of space.

I was quite impressed by Brenock O'Connor (Conor), so I had to look him up and just found out he played Olly in Game of Thrones! Dammit, Olly.

[ZackSabbath]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 4:32am

The movie is one of my all time faves so bear in mind that’s why I’m extra critical here.

I enjoyed the play, but here’s my wishlist for when it transfers to Broadway:

1. They need a live feed to the video camera. The music videos were a big part of the movie and this is a chance to make each number feel unique by changing up the scenery.

2. Cut the non original songs. Give us a fleshed out version of Connor singing his parents fight like in the film to open the show, continue his stream of consciousness lyrics intercut with dialogue to get him to school and meeting Raphina. Get to Riddle of the Model faster. That’s when the movie and play take off.

3. Drive It Like You Stole It needs to be as big as it was in the movie. You can build the elaborate fantasy and finish small like in the film. This should be the biggest number in the show.

4. Bring back all the style changes from the film. Riddle of the Model outfits were perfect, but the band got better style as they evolved in the film. Here they still looked like they weren’t on the same page at the end.

5. Find a place for one of Connor’s best lines from the film: “Maybe you're living in my world, but I'm not living in yours.”

6. Eamon needs more of a presence. His role is reduced too much here to make more room for Barry and Connor’s sister.

7. The Battle of the Bands plot never pays off, so cut it. Making Barry less of an antagonist makes his turn feel less rewarding, and Brother Baxter was enough of a dick in the film without needing the extra plot here.

8. The very end of the film felt kind of off and the ending did here as well. The last song performance by Brendan was good but low energy. Everyone in the audience around me seemed shocked that there wasn’t a big encore with the entire band playing. Perform a medley of songs from the show, or do a bigger version of Drive It Like You Stole it with Brendan and the band. This is such a joyous musical that it’s a shame not to send the audience home on a high note.

I really did enjoy the show but with a few changes it could be absolutely magical.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 9:28am

ZackSabbath said: "The movie is one of my all time faves so bear in mind that’s why I’m extra critical here.

I enjoyed the play, but here’s my wishlist for when it transfers to Broadway:

1. They need a live feed to the video camera. The music videos were a big part of the movie and this is a chance to make each number feel unique by changing up the scenery.

2. Cut the non original songs. Give us a fleshed out version of Connor singing his parents fight like in the film to open the show, continue his stream of consciousness lyrics intercut with dialogue to get him to school and meeting Raphina. Get to Riddle of the Model faster. That’s when the movie and play take off.

3. Drive It Like You Stole It needs to be as big as it was in the movie. You can build the elaborate fantasy and finish small like in the film. This should be the biggest number in the show.

4. Bring back all the style changes from the film. Riddle of the Model outfits were perfect, but the band got better style as they evolved in the film. Here they still looked like they weren’t on the same page at the end.

5. Find a place for one of Connor’s best lines from the film: “Maybe you're living in my world, but I'm not living in yours.”

6. Eamon needs more of a presence. His role is reduced too much here to make more room for Barry and Connor’s sister.

7. The Battle of the Bands plot never pays off, so cut it. Making Barry less of an antagonist makes his turn feel less rewarding, and Brother Baxter was enough of a dick in the film without needing the extra plot here.

8. The very end of the film felt kind of off and the ending did here as well. The last song performance by Brendan was good but low energy. Everyone in the audience around me seemed shocked that there wasn’t a big encore with the entire band playing. Perform a medley of songs from the show, or do a bigger version of Drive It Like You Stole it with Brendan and the band. This is such a joyous musical that it’s a shame not to send the audience home on a high note.

I really did enjoy the show but with a few changes it could be absolutely magical."

If they changed it so that all of the Kids no longer join Brendan for a rousing chorus during the final song I will be really sad about it. That was an absolute high note for me. 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 10:27am

^ I agree. That was the most emotional and beautiful moment of the whole thing. There's lots of fun before it, so let this moment resonate.

[willep]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 10:51am

Agreed, I loved the ending. I didn’t feel the need for a big encore medley, and that didn’t even occur to me until ZackSabbath mentioned it, but I don’t think it is missing that at all.

[jvoom]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 11:51am

Who is Anne L. Nathans character? I don't remember her in the movie

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 12:04pm

jvoom said: "Who is Anne L. Nathans character? I don't remember her in the movie"


She’s Eamon’s mother. The part has been expanded somewhat for the stage version. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 12:42pm

haterobics said: "Sunday is looking like a travel nightmare, so I already have a request in to have my front row, aisle, 7 p.m. Sunday pair of tickets canceled. But if anyone wants to buy them for the $148 they cost, they said as long as I put the tickets in someone else's name before they get approval to cancel them (assuming they will let me cancel them), you could get in pretty cheap... Individual tix for this performance are already $99 plus fees, and not the $70 plus fees I got them for..."

Bump, show is tonight, and the producers refused to cancel them for weather. Anyone? Price isn't going down, since the box office said I would potentially be able to past date them... but rather just get out cleanly today.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 1:12pm

Weather doesn’t look bad. Why not just go?

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 1:52pm

Was already able to cancel my matinee, and the weather in the city is only part of the equation, since I also have a 2.5 hour drive to and from the city, so no telling what that may entail. So I'm already not in NYC today at this point...

[smidge]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 4:38pm

Good Luck Haterobics. I was over 2 hours late getting into the city with the weather. Missed my Sound Inside matinee and hoping to past date it next week.

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/1/19 at 5:24pm

I have friends there who can past date it during the week at some point, if I can’t use it this Saturday, so we shall see... thanks! I did flip the weekend and came in on Friday instead, so got a last minute Moulin ticket at like 7:55 on StubHub, but yeah, I rarely lock in advance tickets during the winter months for this very reason

[dave1606]

Posted: 12/2/19 at 4:06pm

I saw this last night and really enjoyed it. 

The young cast is fantastic. It was really refreshing to see such talent onstage. 

I think for the most part they have done a good job of adapting the film. I think that the sister could be cut entirely to give the brothers a little more focus. 

However, I think the show could use a bit more color if it were to transfer to Broadway. I don't think the English Channel is necessary for the entire show's backdrop. I completely agree about projecting the filmed videos that would be fun!

Overall this will be one of my favorite musicals of the season (not that there have been that many!)

[willep]

Posted: 12/2/19 at 7:11pm

Yeah, when I saw it I was wondering why they didn’t have that camcorder connected to the projection screen for the music videos. I didn’t love having the Irish Sea back there the whole time, and the waves only moved during the scenes that actually took place by the water, it didn’t really work for me aesthetically.

Updated On: 12/4/19 at 07:11 PM

[mpkie]

Posted: 12/2/19 at 9:19pm

Agree with the miss on the projection of the music videos. I didn't even think about it but at the very beginning thought they were actually going to use it more interactively. Nope. I spent most of the time confused about what was being shown (the clouds looked like dirt smudges and I thought the sea was wood grain) because they were indoors most of the time.

I also thought the ending was great, emotional and poignant. Did not need another more bombastic number.

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 1:13pm

Anyone have a song list?

[ggersten]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 1:45pm

Whatever water is projected should not be the English Channel. The Channel is between the southeast coast of England and Europe (France). The water between Ireland and the UK is the Irish Sea.   I now return you to discussion of the merits of the show.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 2:06pm

Hamilfan2 said: "Anyone have a song list?"


After I saw the first preview, I made this list of songs from memory, so it might be flawed or out of date. It also doesn’t include all of the short reprises or snippets of songs during transitions. It’s just the main numbers plus a few of the short reprises that I could remember. But for what it’s worth’s:

 

ACT 1:

Just Can’t Get Enough 

Riddle of the Model 

Up 

This is Planet Earth / Rio 

A Beautiful Sea 

ACT 2:

On my Way to Find You 

Girls 

I Will Dream For You 

Drive It Like You Stole It 

Up (Reprise)

Brown Shoes

To find You (reprise) 

If you don’t go now