So I'm officially apologizing for all the nasty things I said about "WOTV" - Page 2

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 8/23/11 at 8:12pm

There's no artistic rule that a show needs to have a protagonist or that every song has to further the plot. I agree that if a show doesn't meet typical audience expectations, the execution better be well-nigh perfect if it's going to please. Clearly Women on the Verge didn't succeed in that department. As with Sondheim's trickier shows, familiarity with the score is helping the audience get on this show's wavelength.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/23/11 at 11:39pm

I still think it's horrible. But it takes a really big person to apologize on a board FULL of faux ethics piranhas so I give HUGE props for that.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/23/11 at 11:47pm

Faux ethics piranhas? Did you make that up yourself or are you a Scientologist?

I liked the show just fine when I saw it. And I saw the first preview they got all the way through. I thought the songs were really good. I like the cast recording.

Strangely, I thought "Microphone" was great in the show because it demonstrated what influences contribute to a boy growing up to be a cad. I thought "Invisible" was the song that, while performed beautifully by an actor I love, didn't tell us anything we hadn't already seen by that point. And from a character who was kind of the opposite of invisible. I know why the song was there, but I thought that stopped the show just when it should have been galloping toward the finish line.

I will also say that I never went to the mat for the show on these boards because that dork Kyle and such a relentless Reidelness about him it made discussion futile and no fun.

The show was fine and I'm glad I saw it and I had a feeling eventually people who hadn't would wish they had.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/23/11 at 11:56pm

"Faux ethics piranhas? Did you make that up yourself or are you a Scientologist?"

Excuse me. Faux ethics piranhas AND the immature elite. Thanks for saying something to prove BOTH points.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/23/11 at 11:58pm

How could we ever forget kyle4... His review just said "I feel bad for Patti" in between every paragraph.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 1:16am

Is Kyle4 officially dead? Hope so!

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 1:59am

i second that emotion. kyle4 is a diseased vagina.

So anyway, very big of you BettyBoy. The production definitely had problems that an out of town try and better writer and director could have remedied, but the score is absolutely gorgeous. Sherie is singing her ass off. So much more soulful than her performance on stage.

[tazber]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 7:49am

I like Microphone too. I think it's an important song in that it demonstrates why women fall so madly in love with Ivan.

I also like that it gives us a moment between Ivan an Carlos. I don't recall those two even having a scene together in the movie.

[Jimbob2]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 8:38am

Kyle would never recant in the way that you have - he'd do something more practical. Indeed I hear he's currently making atonement by staging a one-man version in Sacramento using sock puppets from behind an upturned crate. Who said this show wouldn't rise again?

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 8:46am

I really enjoyed the show, it was sweet and zany, but I hadn't seen the movie when I saw the first version (First week of previews, the overhaul happened just after I saw the show), but I thought it was very fun and had a lot of heart that could have been a bit more apparent.

I wish it had been received better.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 8:49am

My hubby and I loved WOTV and couldn't process all the negativity about it. In fact, I saw it twice--once during early previews and once towards the end of its much too short run. Yes, it was more fluid and came together better on my second viewing, but the essential elements that made it a good show--several knockout numbers, energy, the great performances--were all there from the start.

I still think it artistically superior to MEMPHIS, especially regarding the score.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 2:24pm

I actually liked Microphone not only because it told us a little more about Ivan's seductive charisma, but it also gave some insight to his relationship (or lack thereof) with Carlos, which never occurs in the film. It helps to explain Carlos's indecisiveness and attitudes towards love and relationships. It was cute to watch and also showed off their voices rather well.

And as for the song of Madrid being crass. LOL Madrid IS crass! And the way they express themselves and their colloquialisms are often crass. The song captures that aspect of Madrid (and much of Spain) and the character very well. The transition from screen to stage was a task I wasn't sure was worth the risk, but I thought it was done almost as perfectly as possible. In my book, it was the best score and best musical of the season.

Updated On: 8/24/11 at 02:24 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/24/11 at 8:09pm

One of the reasons "Microphone" is in the show is that, I'm guessing, the authors loved this surreal moment in the film where Ivan seduces a line of women, which they use as part of "Microphone's" staging.

"Madrid" is a great song. As fantastic as Danny Burstein is (as he proves nightly in "Follies") he was a little bit wrong for the role. Or the song was wrong for him (imagine Ricky Martin singing it). It should have set the show up better, but for some reason it didn't. I thought Danny was delightful, but perhaps he was the reason...

Sher is a great director, he needed a little more time. I still believe Jack O'Brien should have directed it. Just by his natural inclinations as a director (and history with the writers) he would have started way ahead of Sher and probably would have found the show by previews.

I'm certain the show will have a life eventually. Any regional productions planned?
Updated On: 8/24/11 at 08:09 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/25/11 at 3:58am

Haven't heard/read about any regional productions yet. I can't wait for them to start happening. The staging/set will need to be simplified quite a bit for regional theaters. I can't imagine a regional theater using a rotating bed, an on stage fire, and hanging its actresses by ropes. Will be interesting to see how it plays. I'd assume there will be several book and possibly score tweaks done for the licensed script/score.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/25/11 at 10:23am

I can't imagine it needing much tweaking other than settling on the finale. And the show definitely lends itself to creative variations on staging. The original direction and sets/lighting really captured Almodovar's style, but Sher did a brilliant job of capturing the theme of the piece (which is NOT simply Pepa's story). For me, the saddest part of seeing the original close so quickly was losing that magnificent cast. I don't know if I'll have the opportunity to witness something like that again and I'm so thrilled I got to see them all together. It will remain one of my all-time favorite Broadway experiences.