SPRING AWAKENING - 2/19/07 - Review (with Spoilers)- Page 5

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 3:47pm

it's about unlocking ones self. stripping off the layers of youth and stepping into a new phase of life.

Posted: 2/20/07 at 3:48pm

The point is, although this interpretation has altered much of what Wedekind wrote, it is still the same basic story, and changing characters to a great extent would create an entirely different production...something that they did not set out to do.

Right - what I've been attempting to say is that I think that the creators should have taken it upon themselves to take even more liberties with the original story. They might not have set out to do that, but I feel as if it would have improved the show greatly. That's all.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 3:51pm

Thanks!

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 3:59pm

oooooo! what good arguments! how fun! it is so refreshing to read concrete criticism on this board instead of bitchy kvetching. thanks all for your great contributions to this thread. truly fantastic to see so many eloquent critiques.

[Marlene]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:02pm

Goodness, why are people trying to hinder intelligent discussion?

Thank you for your original post, and your many responses to the constant flow of rebuttals, siamese. Although I don’t agree with you on the same level many of the points you made, it’s always fun to hear things that are different from your own views. Frankly you hit on some of things that I wasn’t thrilled about, but I was not so strongly deterred by these aspects as you were.

I would pull source material card on you, but you’ve been beaten over the head with it, that it’s sort of futile this late in the discussion. And then there’s always the argument of why couldn’t it be loosely based on the source material. (Wicked is unfortunately the first thing that comes to mind, godforbid if it followed Maguire’s novel directly, whatever is in the musical would be lost.)

The only thing that really stuck out in your criticism of the musical was the juxtaposition of pop/rock/punk score with the setting of the play. I found that to be a great factor of allure. Emcee already point this out, but I’d just like to reiterate that rock is attributed to rebellion. The genre generally has a raw edge, leaving perhaps a more biting impression for the viewer. The modern day colloquialisms, was something I found utterly amusing. I liked that aspect a lot even if it takes away from the book and a plot. Personally if you changed the score and lyrics to be of period, I think that you would shut out a level of attraction to perhaps its intended further reaching target audience. I certainly didn’t see it as being pretentious, almost inviting in a way.

I could not agree with you more on the Song of Purple Summer. I really wish that the show ended on different note. I personally was impacted by everything (sans Melchior’s character in the graveyard scene) but that song. It just felt neat packaging to me. It killed some of the show’s dynamic drive because it was too metaphoric.

Overall, I am an avid fan of the show, and do plan on seeing it again on many future occasions. I feel that many of my personal criticisms are outweighed by the show as a whole.

One thing I’ve been meaning address: the underdeveloped characters are a “flaw” of the source material. I found the vignettes to be effective in Wedekind’s play, and siamese sees other wise. And the world still goes ‘round.

[edit]
The very first part of this was written way back when you all were kvetching and hence how it doesn't fit in the thread now.
Updated On: 2/20/07 at 04:02 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:03pm

I also could have done without the nudity - twice.

But then again, I just came from THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED.

I'm not a prude - I just directed a show in fact with a long nude scene between two actors walking around the stage.

It just seemed pointless. If the idea was to show them completely rebelling, they could have made it a much bigger thing. Maybe because I knew it was coming, but I felt there was nudity for the sake of being progressive.

Next time I see it, I hope to sit stage right so I can see the Georg at the piano scene. That was getting a lot of laughs. Can anyone say what he was doing there?

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:04pm

um...i can...

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:06pm

^^
one word. motorboat.

stagegrrrrrl, i couldn't tell if your post before had a hint of sarcasm. i much prefer well thought out criticism and debate to the common "Oh my g-d, I love Jon Groff...like what seat do you need to be in to see his but. And like, I stagedoor every week, and we always chat about like haircuts, and life and stuff. Oh, this play is so good...and they are soo good looking. I wonder how long it takes them to do their hair, and like if they're single" or the opposite "This play sucks, and is just for those kids who like Rent and ****. The music sucks. The acting sucks. Those microphones suck. The Knicks suck. Ashlee Simpson sucks. Panic! at the Disco sucks. Most contemporary hip-hop sucks. Trey Anastasio is a washed up coke addict."
Updated On: 2/20/07 at 04:06 PM

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:07pm

well ashlee simpson DOES suck...but i digress

[bobbystrong]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:08pm

Yeah I know its demeaning.

This is one of those shows though, that I think if you strongly dislike/hate it - you don't "get it" (and possibly have a limited sense of musicality).

I am aware that is totally unfair though.

[Marlene]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:08pm

It could have worked very well without the nudity. I found it effective for the finale of Act I, but then I'm like heeeey, why are we continuting with the nice view of a certain someone's rear on house right again? Oh now they're doing it on a moving piece of the stage, what fun!

Dear Stage Manager of the O'Neill,

Is the stage available for rental during the late night hours? We have an affliction with swings, switches, and moving slabs.

Love,
The Members of Craigslist

[snl89]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:08pm

I just have to join in on saying, thank you Siamese for actually stating your opinions very articulately and respectfully debating the issues that you have with the show :) I love when we're actually able to have some intellegent conversation on here instead of just "YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY THIS SHOW SUCKED" and then a bunch of "YOURE SO WRONG!!"s in response

about the nudity thing, I actually didn't mind it. I mean, the nudity itself may have been somewhat unnecassery, but I felt like the sex scene as a whole was handled really well. Again though, this is in large part due to the fact that I really liked the acting in it. But I also just felt that the staging and direction of the scene was really beautiful

[Marlene]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:10pm

I was on stage right during that scene, what happens on the other corner you can't see in obstructed seating. I think I lost out the full Georg and Piano teacher experience, because I was trying to figure out what was going on in the upstage corner I couldn't see.
Updated On: 2/20/07 at 04:10 PM

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:10pm

it is so refreshing to read concrete criticism on this board instead of bitchy kvetching. thanks all for your great contributions to this thread. truly fantastic to see so many eloquent critiques.

I'm not sure if this was sarcastic, but if even if so, I really enjoyed reading your opinions and thoughts even if I necessarily did not agree with them. It's refreshing to see opposing opinions that aren't just "you didn't get it!"

Marlene, I feel like I've made responses to your response at other points in the thread. As for the score/period piece juxtaposition, I personally feel that the same effect of rebellion via rock music could have been accomplished by setting the story in a modern-day sheltered town, deeming the modern-day colloquialisms unnecessary. You found them amusing; I found them out of place. As for the underdeveloped characters, my main problem with them is that I feel like the show is asking the audience to truly feel for these characters without giving the audience adequate justification as to why they should. I don't feel quick vignettes work when the story is dealing with extremely serious events such as suicide, pregnancy, beatings, self-injury, etc. - I think those types of issues need to be handled with more care.
Updated On: 2/20/07 at 04:10 PM

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:13pm

stagegrrrl and siamese dream, defitely pick up Wedekind's "Musik," the Lulu plays, and Gittleman's bio of him. it's really neat stuff that i think you guys would dig, and would help you get more insight into wedekind's ideas and morals or amoralities that he placed in his works...i love the library. on a side note, i wish more people listened to the following bands. however, please ignore the list and return to this debate about spring awakening.

Frank Zappa, Umphrey's McGee, the Benevento/Russo Duo, Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing, Les Claypool, Skerik's Syncopated Taint, Critters Buggin', Wes Montgomery, the Dead Kenny G's, the Roots, Muse, Cake, Phish, Garage a Trois, Keller Williams, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Garage a Trois, Charlie Hunter Trio, Galactic, MMW, the Disco Biscuits, the Doors, the Who, Ray's Music Exchange, Ali Baba's Tahini, Adam Deitch, the Adam Deitch Project, John Ellis, Akashic Record, BB King, Beck, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Benny Goodman, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Bootsy Collins, John Zorn, Eric Dolphy, Buffalo Springfield, Charles Mingus, CSNY, Dizzy Gillepsie, Marc Ribot, Charlie Parker, Dr. Dre, Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Fatboy Slim, Foo Fighters, Grateful Dead, Tin Hat Trio, Group X, Harry Chapin, Hot Tuna, Jaco Pastorius, James Carter, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Deninzon Stratospherius, North Missippi All-Stars, Robert Randolph, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Led Zeppelin, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Mos Def, Neil Young, Newgrass Revival, Gomez, Nirvana, Neville Brothers, Oshe, Outkast, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Psychedelic Breakfast, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reel Big Fish, Robben Ford, Santana, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Stanley Jordan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, String Cheese Incident, Talking Heads, Tenacious D, the Akashic Record, the Beastie Boys, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, the New Pornographers, Calexico, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the John Scofield Band, Kaki King, the Frames, the Littlest Man Band, Victor Wooten, and the Wailers.

Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Ed Palermo (ringleader of the Zappa Big Band)
Updated On: 2/20/07 at 04:13 PM

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:13pm

so for the record fraulein grossebustenhalter rips open her jacket to reveal a lacy corset underneath. georg pulls her onto his lap and there is much breast kissing and ear licking. it is all very ridiculous at it is supposed to be georg's fantasy.

[Marlene]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:15pm

I didn't mean for you to respond directly (despite my address to you, I just assumed you wouldn't continue to read the thread as much). You have basically covered the points I brough up again but I just wanted to throw in my two cents.

I can totally go back and cite your last 4 lines to a previous post.

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:16pm

motorboat.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:17pm

Thanks stagegrrrl. Next time I'll try for a house right seat.

http://broadwayabridged.com/scripts/springawakening.shtml

JONATHAN GROFF
Oh, Lea and John... You're dead, and I'm so sad! And Lea...
You even gave up being the return Eponine for this!


Singing is heard.


LEA MICHELE
(looking very silly coming out
of grave)
TAKE MY HAND
AND LEAD ME TO SALVATION
TAKE MY LOVE
FOR LOVE IS EVERLASTING


JOHN GALLAGHER, JR.
(looking just as absurd)
AND REMEMBER
THE TRUTH THAT ONCE WAS SPOKEN


LEA MICHELE AND
JOHN GALLAGHER, JR.
TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON
IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD
AND... Um... SH*T BITCH F*CK!!!!!

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:17pm

I can totally go back and cite your last 4 lines to a previous post.

Oh, I'm completely aware that I'm repeating myself - I just wasn't sure if your post was directed at me or not and opted to respond.

Brainpolice, I enjoy a number of singers and bands from your list, although I do think your list is lacking in female presence a bit.

[Fantabulous428]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:17pm

I personally feel that the same effect of rebellion via rock music could have been accomplished by setting the story in a modern-day sheltered town, deeming the modern-day colloquialisms unnecessary.

But if you found the story unbelievable in 1890s Germany, how could it possibly be deemed realistic set in a "sheltered town" today? Now that, I would have major issues with.

[stagegrrrl]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:17pm

no. you'll know hopefully when i am being sarcastic. it's usually pretty obvious. brainpolice you are a dear but string cheese incident? a dead cover band? oh my sweet misguided boy!

[Marlene]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:18pm

broadway abridged is gold. oh what they did with piazza...

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:19pm

But if you found the story unbelievable in 1890s Germany, how could it possibly be deemed realistic set in a "sheltered town" today? Now that, I would have major issues with.

Again, I feel like I'm repeating myself, but I've said time and time again that I think the story needs a lot of work in the first place, especially the pregnancy subplot. I won't rehash the reasons here. Of course I wouldn't suggest that same subplot be transferred, especially as is, into a musical set in modern day.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 4:20pm

Why do you keep saying motorboat?