Shows you have seen in foreign languages- Page 2

[philly03]

Posted: 1/5/15 at 6:57pm

A few productions of Jekyll & Hyde (Spain, Germany, etc).. Great thing about Jekyll is its different everywhere. And no doubt some of the most talented singers globally have sang the score (Raphael, Marta Ribera, Lyn Lychty, etc).

[evic]

Posted: 1/5/15 at 8:47pm

The revival of "Nine" in Buenos Aires before it came to NY. It was better there- more Italian in feeling and a better cast. Elena Roger was one of the minor characters. Chicago in Utrecht in Dutch. Brilliant cast. Show can be seen on youtube.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 1/5/15 at 10:39pm

Year ago, I saw A CHORUS LINE in Swedish in Stockholm. Since I had worked for two months with the international company, I knew the show by heart and wasn't distracted by the Swedish.

But it was interesting to see which cultural references would translate for the Swedes. Would they get "Suicide in Buffalo is redundant?" They did. The line got a big laugh and a smattering of applause. I asked a Swede about it later and he said, "We don't know where Buffalo is, exactly, but we know it sounds like a place where suicide might be welcome."

[forgetmenotnyc]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 4:56pm

I saw a production of CHICAGO in Greek. I think the only words that translated the same in English were 'Jazz' & 'Cellophane." In the 2nd Act, when the show was dragging somewhat, nothing could express how loud the din of audience members worry beads became to the point of drowning out the show sound.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 5:00pm

I saw the Mendes/Marshall production of Cabaret in French at the Folies Bergere in Paris back in 2007. A great experience, and the live recording is worth checking out.

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 8:32pm

I saw a production of Blood Brothers in Dutch.

[Esther2]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 8:51pm

While in Amsterdam in 1990, my brother and I saw Sweet Charity in Dutch. We wondered how Hey Big Spender would translate. It translated to "Hey Big Spender". It was the only English in the show, and made us smile. We don't speak Dutch, but thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Somewhere in the bottom of a box, I have a souvenir program.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 9:00pm

I have distinct memories of seeing a Hebrew production of THE ROTHSCHILDS in Tel Aviv in 1971. The TV ads for it at the time were so proud of their duplication of John Bury's elaborate Broadway set designs that they played a 30-second clip of every single set coming on and offstage in succession (and believe me, that's a LOT of set changes to run through over the 2 acts). It wasn't till I got back to the States a few months later that I could finally play the OBC (English) cast album and understand what the lyrics were saying.

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 9:42pm

Tanz der Vampire in Germany. Better than its Broadway counterpart for sure.

[Buddy's blues]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 10:30am

Living in Spain I have seen quite a lot in Spanish ranging from Evita, Barnum and A Chorus Line to in the last couple of years Follies and Les Miserables. I also have a couple of cast recordings in Catalan. Sweeney Todd and Night Music. I saw Sweeney in Spanish which was very good but didn't get to see a Spanish versión of Night Music.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 3:53pm

While vacationing in Spain several years ago, my husband and I caught a Madrid production of MAMMA MIA. I know a little Spanish and my husband just about none at all, but we were not all confused as to what was happening in each scene. That's probably why it's such an international success. Do the book scenes really matter in a show like MAMMA MIA? Seems not.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 4:04pm

I've seen HAMLET performed in Swedish at BAM, in a production directed by Ingmar Bergman with Peter Stormare in the title role -- a revelation, one of the greatest experiences of my life. Swedish is close enough to English for me to be have been able to follow along, and even recognize that "To Be Or Not To Be" was moved from its regular spot to follow the Advice To The Players.

I saw another Bergman production in Swedish, this time of LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, and despite a fine cast, including the great Jarl Kulle and Harriet Andersson and Stormare, the magic didn't happen.

I saw a Japanese production of MACBETH, in Japanese, also at BAM. Pretty good -- lots of cool samurai costumes and a very impressive Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 4:30pm

Following the BAM theme, Angels in America in Dutch this past fall. Loved it, though I was certainly grateful for the subtitles since the play was edited down a fair amount.

[ampi2]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 10:07pm

I actually did Les Mis in spanish, last year in college.