Schele Williams-directed AIDA Revival - News & Discussion Thread- Page 2

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 11:22am

This sounds like a total book rewrite that didn't get a total overhaul of the score to go with it. People whisper about this, but I'm not going to mince words here: Elton John writes a score once. After that, the lyricist can play with the words, they can try to shift things here and there with the book and build them around the score, but he writes his theater scores like he writes his pop songs -- the man doesn't look back once he has finished a melody. The rest is your problem. This is amply illustrated, funnily enough, with Aida, viewing its song lists from rehearsals at the Alliance in Atlanta to the final Broadway version; he'll throw you a song here and there, but you don't get massive reworking like a typical theater composer.

Based on what's described, to the extent it's accurate, it sounds like Schele is going for a tonal shift that -- in a typical situation -- would lead to maybe some new songs or more substantial changes than just lyrical to the existing ones, but her hands are tied by Elton considering it done after Draft 1, so she's just trying to do the best she can with the score she has, and the creative team (including orchestrators or arrangers) is doing their best to deliver what she wants with what they have, which is unfortunately not much.

Updated On: 5/2/23 at 11:22 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 11:35am

Thanks for the detailed review. This sounds like an absolute mess.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 11:59am

I’ve waited twenty years to see this show again and this sounds absolutely abysmal.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 12:18pm

Sounds dreadful but thanks to the detailed review I think we’ve at least got a good sense of what they’re going for. Aida can be a warrior and a woman with agency within the confines of the original opening number. The new opening sounds drastic.

[Seb28]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 12:23pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "This sounds like a total book rewrite that didn't get a total overhaul of the score to go with it."

Even without the score the rewrites are unacceptable. The character-arcs are butchered. I think the director is fully blinded by her tunnel vision, her focus on power for the character Aida. And wanting to erase any thought of a woman like that being submissive to a man. She is willing to slaughter the whole show including all other characters, storylines, logic and quality for that. She even tries to bend history in interviews, making up a whole new dynasty where females have all the power. I have read a lot of articles about ancient Egypt, dynasties and societies and the consensus is not like how she portrays it. It is all very unprofessional. She could and should have done more with the existing score.

Also, the score has changed very much, and various songs are deleted. Every song has changed arrangements. Many of them have extra drum/street- dance breaks. Tempo changes, pauses in strange moments, different rhythms, different countings, completely newly written parts in songs, new key changes, people are cut from songs, some songs are sung by different characters, often the arrangement is replaced by african drum r&b beats only, different tempo's (mostly slower) and various songs are cut from the show entirely. There are about 3 songs that sound reasonably similar to the original. The new songs (the Hymnes) are probably written by someone else and do not have lyrics.

I do agree that the show would benefit from more music, especially during acted scenes, in my opinion this would be a great show for being sung-through.

[DrewJoseph]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 8:06pm

Seb28 said: "The new version of Aida just premiered in the Netherlands. I have watched the show and like to share some opinions. I believe this version will be the new blueprint for all upcoming versions worldwide, including Broadway and London. It is very much hyped by the creators.

I have loved the music for many years and I have seen the Broadway, German and Dutch production of the original version, 20 years ago.

They have made a lot of changes. Not only in casting (whole black cast, which isn’t historically accurate at all), but also in the music, the story, the staging, the sets, the dancing, basically everything has changed.

The show opens not with music, but with a very long, dry, acted scene of a fight between 2 armies, with Radames in the army on the left, and then Aida walks on from the right in a costume that looks like a knight’s amor, with iron pieces, and she talks, fights, acts like a man and whips Radames’ ass and makes cool jokes in the process. Lines like “say that to your mum, will you”, right after a kick in the gut. Suddenly out of nowhere, in the middle of the fight, they start a conversation about their dreams and the armies walk away, and they walk to front center stage, so within 30 seconds they are in a friendly conversation. From fight to a conversation about “and what do you feel, what are your dreams” in the blink of an eye, really coming out of nowhere. This sudden, dry, strange shift left the audience confused.

So we are 10 minutes into the show now, and haven’t heard any music yet, only some incoherent african drumming during the fight. Suddenly they sing 3 lines acapella/drums only accompaniment. Lines which are part of the song “Enchantment passing through”. Lines like “If I could leave this place then I’d go sailing”. But the song doesn’t pick up and just fades away after 3 lines. Into nothing. Everybody thought that finally a song would start, but nothing. They walk away in silence. At this point it is starting to feel like a low budget primary school musical.

So basically the 2 opening songs, “Every story” and “Fortune favors the brave”, which are Amneris’ and Radames’ powerful introductions, are completely deleted from the show.

Then Aida walks on again and sings “The past is another land”. The lady who played Aida has a wonderful talent, both in singing and acting, so this was a beautiful moment. But there wasn’t any set, introduction, backstory, no scene with Radames before the song where she washes his back and explains her story, no argument between the 2, those scenes are all deleted too, so she basically sings the song after she just met a man in a fight and a nice but short conversation after that. Which makes us wonder what the song is about. It’s not like she’s being treated poorly in any way.

So basically, Aida is in power at all times, there are no scenes anymore where she is of a serving nature. Which is odd, she is described as a slave but all these scenes are removed and now she acts like she is Radames’ master/equal warrior who is on top at all times. She actually belittles him at several points in the show. We also have no idea what her past is now, because the scene where she explains that is also removed. Maybe she doesn’t want to be in love and longs for the time before that?

The next scene is “How I know you” between Mereb and Aida, which is basically the same as in the previous version, but confusing, because now we must suddenly believe she is a slave. They also make up a new name for Aida, “eriondella” or something of that nature, so he can call her that without people finding out she is Aida. Now she is brought in to Amneris’ “residence”, which is just an empty stage with a big, black curtain. No set anymore. The swimming pool is gone. Some of the other serving maids have props, like a chair or a scarf. This is the introduction of Amneris. She is not a funny character any longer, but as explained in interviews “based on Michelle Obama”, a strong, independent, smart woman. Aida comes in and of course is on top of the situation again and she changes Amneris’ dress and gives her tips and she is immediately promoted to be her main maid. The dress was supposed to look funny (pink and very round) but nothing else was actually funny so the scene fell a bit flat. Then Aida walks off and Amneris sings “My strongest suit”. The song and lyrics do not fit the portrayal of the character at all anymore. Also, they changed the whole arrangement. It doesn’t flow anymore, it felt like they changed it just because they wanted to change it. The far fetched rhythm gave me cardiac arrhythmia. The song and scene were very annoying to me. Especially the instrumental part where the “fashion show” takes place. It really sounded terrible. The actress is a good singer though, she deserved a better version of the song. The scene of her wanting Radames to come to her sleeping quarters is also cut. So there is no attraction between them whatsoever. No sign of her wanting him at all. It's like female characters are no longer allowed to say they want a man. Male roles must only serve female roles nowadays.

The next scene is the song “Build another pyramid” between Zoser and his son Radames. The actor playing Zoser sang above the note the whole time and this was a weird scene. The song suddenly had a drum dance break in the middle with an unpleasant rhythm and out of nowhere Radames started doing a dance/twerk break in the middle of the conversation with his father. Why?At this point I couldn’t take the character of Radames seriously anymore. They have reduced him to a submissive laughing stock.

Then, out of nowhere the song “enchantment passing through” starts. The actual conversation between Radames and Aida, and the actual proper timing for these words. This time they actually do finish the song and the words make a bit more sense now. Then there’s “my strongest suit reprise”, which was a beautiful little moment.

Then the “Dance of the robe” scene started, no set anymore, and 10 minutes of noise, african drums, unnecessary dance breaks, count changes, everything clearly had to be changed, at this point I was starting to mourn that I actually paid money to see this. And then at the very end, really coming out of nowhere, in the middle of an added break-dance break, Aida starts the line “with no expectations”. Unfortunately the beautiful leading into that melody is no longer there. But those last 30 seconds were done very well. She and the ensemble sounded great, she did the last high note beautifully and with passion. And suddenly, after 45 minutes, the audience woke up. The (original) ending of that song gave everyone chills. This is what the show could be and should be like. Cheering applause.

After that there was a new scene with ensemble ladies and Aida sitting on stage doing some traditional hymnes acapella. Reasonably beautiful, but unnecessary, but after the bombastic previous moment and just waking up it was a welcome moment.

Then the song “Not me” started. Since everything had to change, this has suddenly become a solo for Radames now. Amneris' and Aida’s parts are completely cut. I was actually wondering where Amneris is at this point. Because this is the song where she usually starts to doubt Radames’ feelings. But perhaps because the romance between Amneris and Radames isn’t shown anyway, they felt they needn’t to show the doubt either? The show really does a poor job in making the romances believable, we as the audience have no idea what the 3 of them actually want from each other and why they are together.

So because Radames is now gullible, naive and submissive, they used the song “Not me” as a solo for him to run around in the streets, and gives all kinds of pots and pans and his possessions to people in the streets. He is not in any way involved in what both ladies want. And by no means an army captain. His singing wasn’t the strongest either.

Then the song “Elaborate Lives” started. The duet between Radames and Aida. But as this show is all about what Aida wants, it is no longer Radames’ song with Aida joining at the end, but this time it’s Aida’s song, what she wants, with him just joining at the end. It made sense, because with the way this new Radames is, it wouldn’t fit for him to make a statement like this. And it wouldn’t make sense for Aida to listen to a man for 2 minutes. But this song was beautiful. It actually was the best live version of this song that I have heard. Little tweaks in the arrangement and it gave me goosebumps. Also because of the way she sang it. This was the 2nd moment in the show that I enjoyed.

Then act 1 ended with “The Gods love Nubia”. They really butchered this song. All the beautiful chords were removed, it was made lower so they could add a strange modulation with dry drums and a beat, it sounded like an acoustic jam session in a local pub. Some parts had no accompaniment at all, except an african drum on a weird r&b beat. And then, the last 20 seconds were back to the original and the whole ensemble sang that little part (without interruptions in far fetched rhythms and counting), and miraculously, at the very end, goosebumps again. So that was the 3rd moment I enjoyed. Intermission.


I was very confused at intermission and when I spoke to people who have never seen the show before they said that the first 50 minutes were dragging, boring and confusing too.

Maybe I would have left at intermission if it wasn’t for those 3 little beautiful moments.

The second act started.

Again, not opening with a song, but with a dragging, boring acted scene without music. Radames suddenly calls her “Aida”, I think they just forgot to add the scene where he actually finds out that she is Aida. Very weird.The scene is with Amneris, Zoser, Radames and a bunch of ensemble people in what looks like a conference room/court. But it was hard to tell because it was just an empty stage with a curtain. They decide to kidnap Aida’s mother.

Then the song “A step too far” starts. Black staging with 3 spots, which looked and sounded terrific, they added extra music at the end of the song, so the 3 part harmony is now extended. Not necessary, not bad either. I kind of enjoyed it. The 2nd act should have started with this song.

Then there is a very messy couple of scenes with the letter to aida, another cut song, Radames doesn’t sing the letter out loud anymore, and Aida visits her mother in her cell, and her mother is angry with Aida (very poorly acted scene) for having an affair with the enemy. Then there is a fight between Aida and Radames on an empty stage where she scolds and belittles him with lines like “Why were you just standing there like a fruit”, “you weak softy”, etc.And then Radames walks off and says: Don’t worry Aida, I will save your mother”.

Then Aida sings “Easy as life”. We are not sure what is easy or what she is up to, the song is about her having to let him go, but in the scene before she sent him away anyway. Wonderfully sung though. Very well acted. Another goosebumps moment.

Then the song “Like father, like son” started. Again, off key. Annoying and unnecessary dance breaks. Then Mereb and Aida come on and Mereb stabs Zoser and he dies, and this whole scene seems to come straight out of a primary school play. All without music, but with a lot of moaning and sounds, made by the actors. People were rolling with their eyes. So at this point all characters are mad at each other.

Then there was another moment with hymnes, acapella. Unnecessary but more soothing than the 2 scenes before.

The following 3 songs: How I know you reprise, Written in the Stars and I know the truth” were basically the same as the previous version, musicality and staging-wise. I especially enjoyed “I know the truth”. She sung it very loudly (which I normally do not like), she added a lot of stuff and high notes. But she did it very well and it was impressive. It became a show-stopping number. Goosebumps. Big applause from everyone.

Then there is the ceremonial scene with the death sentence. We don’t know when Amneris actually spoke to Radames in the entire show, we don’t know what’s going on with the mother, one moment Radames and Aida are in a fight, the next moment they sing a love song, so much has changed and shifted that the whole story and character-arcs are butchered.

They are sentenced to death, buried together, which is beautifully done with a sort of hour glass projection. They sing an acapella version of Elaborate lives, but they do a line each, taking turns per line. And then they are suddenly in the present time with modern clothes, but without music again.

I think I enjoyed the 2nd act a little more. But I was still very confused afterwards. I think the show has a very, very bad director and that the production should get its priorities straight. In the program booklet there are several people hired such as: Ethnic profilation coach. But what is actually the point if the show is not good? I think that A LOT needs to be changed in order to put this on Broadway or West End.

Has anyone else seen it?"

I have seen it as well. Have been waiting years for this to come back but have never been this disappointed in any show I’ve seen in my life. And I’ve seen over a 100. I totally agree with almost everything you have said. I’m happy you found some positives, I literally did not find any. A few of my thoughts:

The original designs are what started my fandom for Bob Crowley. What happened?! Every single change is for the worse. There are a few little design nods to the original, like the reflecting palmtree skyline (which is now used like only 2 times) and the three white palms at the end. But those few great nods just reminded me how butchered this whole production is. Everything looks cheap. Even the pre show curtain, which used to be beautiful. Act two showcases a big war map on the back wall which my little niece of 2yo could’ve painted better. The wings are black curtains during the whole show, save for the little courtroom scene at the very end where everything turns red for some random reason and then immediately black again. And don’t get me started about the video screen Aida and Radames for the finale. I just could not handle it anymore at that point.

They sucked all the life out of the story. Dont have to say much more about that. Everything in the post above is spot on and theres even more bad than that.

Any and all character development out of the window. And just weird lines and changes that don’t make sense. For instance, they’ve made Aida a very religious person, but then left the starting lyrics in Easy As Life which just don’t work with that. They could've worked if they showed her losing faith in the gods, but ofcourse no one in this creative team felt the need to make anything make sense. Or they make a big fuss about the warrior queen being called the kandake, and Zoser jokes about it: ‘why not just call her queen?’. They all laugh while they literally also use a different name for their king: Pharaoh. Just many weird little things like that.

Cutting the opening and ending songs for bad stage fighting… yeah

Oh, and that beautiful huge robe they put on Aida during dance of the robe in the original production? Thats been reduced to a little scarf.

Literally every single change has made the show worse. I hate to sound so negative and I have never thought so badly of any production before, but it's just unbelievable how they managed this.

The costumes look cheap. Amneris' red iconic and regal outfit is now a yellow/brown snake-pattern sparkly sequins lightweight version. And so much more of these examples which I won't write down unless someone's really interested.

The killing score has been put through the grinder and glued together by a toddler. And again, the few moments they left intact makes you yearn for the greatness of the original even more.

After this show, the UK Beauty and the Beast tour and Hercules I'm starting to wonder if Disney has lost it's touch. Maybe someone new has to take over and create magic again. I am also convinced that bringing back the original creative team to redesign their show does NOT work. See BatB and Aida. It's like they don't even understand why the original worked in the first place. Please excuse the negativity, I am usually a very positive person. I can elaborate more on the show if anyones interested, but yeah, it's really that bad. The reviews over here are also not good and word of mouth is terrible. I don't see it running long with how they're selling tickets now. I went the first show after the premiere and they had to close half of the theater off to not make it feel empty. It just opened! 

What a waste.

[ChiDoc]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 8:15pm

Woof.  I’ve always wanted to see Aida on stage, and this does not sound like it at all.  From the descriptions above, it seems as though a misguided vision has absolutely kneecapped the show.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 8:38pm

Aida is one of my all time favs. No one can ever top the OBCs chemistry. No chemistry the story won’t work at all. The show was just perfect. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

[HausOfSharon]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 9:41pm

I unfortunately have to second, and third, all the things that have been said about the production by those who have been (un)fortunate to have seen it. How brave are we.

Most of it has been said, but I want to weigh in regardless. 

Let me first state that I sadly never got to see the original production of Aida, aside from a few slime tutorials, but I have been to both concert versions that were staged in the Netherlands. One being a 20 years anniversary concert by the original cast (minus Chaira Borderslee, the OG Aida, probably because she has left the musical theatre world and has a reputation of being extremely difficult to work with), and the other a staged open air concert with April Darby (the current Amneris) starring as Aida. Those two shows prepped me into getting really, really excited for the shows return to the Netherlands. Although the reported 'new take' on the material made me nervous, especially when you look at 'new takes' on beloved material such as Les Mis and Phantom. 

Boy, let me tell you... I thought it to be an absolute nightmare.There I was in my seat, eager to finally hear Every Story Is A Love Story live within a proper production. But there was Amneris walking around in present day clothes inside of the museum together with Aida and Radames, which instantly made me confused on how everything would transition with Amneris not being part of the museum's antiquities. And did we transition. But at the type of warpspeed that would make the Millennium Falcon jealous. I knew all about the original book of the show, but this opening left me grasping at straws of reet so flimsy you wouldn't find them anywhere near the Nile delta. It's like we were plunged into Egypt without a warning, explanation or any clue as to what we were witnessing. To put it mildly, this was as DIY musical to figure out if I'd ever seen one. The cutting of Every Story and Fortune Favors is the type of atrocity that will have Elton John spinning on his yellow brick road.

Speaking of atrocity, the completely changed musical arrangement of My Strongest Suit is even more confusing. Where there already was a complete lack of pace within the first act, they decided to slow us down even more with a Beyoncéfied/Mariah (didn't) Carried rendition of the otherwise very upbeat and funky tune. Also I am not one to say that the costumes in the original production were anywhere near historically accurate, but in this version Amneris' handmaidens are running around with silver iridescent cowboy boots as options for her to wear. I repeat: SILVER. IRIDESCENT. COWBOY BOOTS. i seriously wanted to give up at this point.

A side note and side eye is also directed to the choreographer who decided to add just the single impromptu interpretive dancer who twirls around a still standing Aida while she delivers The Gods Love Nubia. It is highly distracting and takes away any sentiment within the song. 

The love triangle doesn't get any room to play out properly, in any sort of way. Aida doesn't need Radames, which she makes abundantly clear ; Radames and Amneris are now childhood friends who seem to be forced towards the altar by Zoser so there is no romantic liaison between them; and nobody wants one another badly enough for the audience to be on their side. 

I'm just going to fast forward to the ending of the show, where the two lovers are buried within the tomb together. Which in the original was played out on stage by both actors. (This sentence matters and will smack you around the ears when you read the following). 

Within this production, there are no actors on stage to act out the reprise of Enchantment Passing Through. Aida and Radames step onto an elevated platform surrounded by a tube of beads hanging from the ceiling and as soon as that is done, they switch to A VIDEO PROJECTION OF THE TWO. Whilst they are singing the tube 'fills' with sand as they get buried alive together. The sand fills the tube up to their waistlines, they embrace and the video projection turns into a museum's statue of two lovers embracing and Aida and Radames are already roaming the museum in their modern day clothes. 

Tbh, I found the use of video projection during a moment that is so critical and highly emotional to the musical nothing but insulting. It feels lazy to watch a projection of the two main characters, whilst they are backstage changing into another costume. It even makes you questing if the audio was live or pre-recorded. 

 

 

 

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 9:36am

B-Roll: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-an-All-New-Trailer-For-AIDA-in-the-Netherlands-20230512

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 11:35am

Schele Williams isn't it. Overrated. There's a big reason Michael Grief is a co-director on The Notebook.  She needs one on Aida, if retained, for appearances.  The Wiz too.

Updated On: 5/16/23 at 11:35 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 11:40am

How was her work on Mandela received? She directed that by herself, so I’m curious if she just wasn’t right for this specific material.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 12:18pm

"the staging by director Schele Williams (“The Notebook&rdquo is routine when it needs to be powerfully imaginative.... To succeed, it’s going to need much more than production tweaks."

https://variety.com/2022/legit/reviews/mandela-review-musical-1235459538/

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/dec/09/mandela-review-musical-young-vic-london

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 12:30pm

So disappointing and so wrong for the show. I hope they don't plan on bringing this to Broadway. Kinda scared for her The Wiz now...

[Kad]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 12:40pm

How is Schele Williams getting these high profile gigs…?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 1:17pm

Kad said: "How is Schele Williams getting these high profile gigs…?"

1) For AIDA, Disney wanted someone pliable who knew the original production & defer to Schumacher, instead of a true visionary.

2) She's probably great in a pitch meeting.

3) When you have zero track record, you get work by people projecting potential on to you (see point 2).

4) She's a Black woman, and there's a dearth of those directing in commercial theatre right now. There are plenty of mediocre white men who get big directing jobs all the time...now the tables may be turning :)

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 2:46pm

I mean frankly this is not unexpected. I don't think I've seen a single review of the original production that didn't rip the show to shreds. They all essentially focus on Headley being unmissable (and I think the idea that she was pushing the show over the edge is what helped her at Tony time in a very stacked year). So Disney was always going to try and fix it when they revived it again but it's unfixable. It's a Disney animated movie on stage trying to be high melodrama. It's never going to be "good" in the traditional sense. You have to focus on strong performances and balls to the wall spectacle. No one wants to sit through a production of Aida that's trying to be Serious™️.

[silent]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 3:18pm

I saw the presentation of Mandela when they did it in NYC and it was well put together. 
 

I think the issue with Aida is that she’s trying to “fix” it. 

[Seb28]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 4:46pm

Kad said: "How is Schele Williams getting these high profile gigs…?"

I think she has a dominant way of expressing herself. Very self-righteous, complacent. Some people around her might be fooled by that. This problem, combined with her visions on women and men and desire to erase history turned out to be a toxic situation for this show.

She was interviewed by a journalist on the red carpet, asking her about the show. She immediately started a speech about women empowerment, making up a new dynasty, downgrading men, "improving the show" and making it current. That in her dynasty people could be slaves in a profession of choice, sometimes for 2 months, and then choose another profession of choice but that they always had all the power. So the interviewer asked "So no handcuffs for Aida anymore?" This question shook her a bit, she looked a bit dazed, went silent for a moment and said" Oh.....oh no, they are still there"....and then she walked away in silence. It was like she was confronted with reality for a moment in spite of her desires and dejected that she wasn't able to damage the show to her liking even more.

The show really is a big mess and the characters arcs are butchered. Every choice made is wrong. Someone mentioned the original version, the pacing, the character arcs, the way the music was woven in with the storytelling in the original version really was majestic compared to this.

 

 

 

 

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 4:52pm

If you ask me the biggest single flaw in Aida, it’s that the first ten minutes of the original version set the show up to be a classic sung-through mega musical with all the delirious excess of Chess… and then it isn’t that. 

[Seb28]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 5:03pm

darquegk said: "If you ask me the biggest single flaw in Aida, it’s that the first ten minutes of the original version set the show up to be a classic sung-through mega musical with all the delirious excess of Chess… and then it isn’t that."

That's a good point, I think this show would benefit enormously from being sung-through. It falls flat with the (poorly) acted scenes. They added a lot of those in the new version. They even removed songs for it. It would have been a much better direction to compose some more music and put the scenes on that. An extravagant sung-through journey with moments of seriousness and moments of fun.

Updated On: 5/16/23 at 05:03 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 5:38pm

I guess I feel silly for expecting this to be more of a visual reimagining than an actual butchering of the book/show overall. I was really looking forward to this because I loved the original production and was looking forward to a new visual journey. What a mess.

I hope there’s enough people involved with The Wiz to not let it be ruined.