Sondheim and Ives' HERE WE ARE at The Shed- Page 39

[MrBroucek]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 2:23am

Thanks for posting. So does it end on a song? Or how does it end musically ? 

Thanks 😊 

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 3:37am

Balcony2 said: "
My immediate reaction to the songs is that Sondheim had indeed developed a late style notable for its concentration, tartness, refinement, and lightness. It’s interesting to compare Sondheim with other great composers who pared down their style after a “heavier” earlier period. A sort of sophisticated simplification with no loss in potency.

"

So do you think it shares a sound with Road Show then?

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 8:12am

Balcony2 said: “
My immediate reaction to the songs is that Sondheim had indeed developed a late style notable for its concentration, tartness, refinement, and lightness. It’s interesting to compare Sondheim with other great composers who pared down their style after a “heavier” earlier period. A sort of sophisticated simplification with no loss in potency. "

Thank you for this perfect description of the score’s style/sound. It is spot on. 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 8:38am

Jordan Catalano said: "You’re (i think) the fifth person I’ve seen/spoken to who said they heard “Passion” in the score. I didn’t notice that last night but will definitely listen for that when i go back next week."

I heard a lot of Passion, Pirelli’s music from Sweeney, and came out whistling Merrily, which I’d seen the night before.

[BJR]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:15am

binau said: "If Anyone Can Whistle felt like it was written by rebellious students at the back of the class taking the piss, then Here We Are feels like it was written by rebellious faculty at the front of the class trying to challenge the students (us) and 'give us more to see'. It may not always work, but we have been given more to see. And that is exciting!"

I love this. And how appropriate.

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:23am

IdinaBellFoster said: "BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Right which means Sondheim didn't think it was finished to his standard but got talked into it by other people and at this point he is dead so who knows what is actually the real story"

But why does it matter? As long as it works (which we will know soon enough), it won’t matter. Sondheim shows often have broken from the standard form over decades and his final one may do it again."

It matters because it does, in fact, feel unfinished. There are a number of places throughout the second act where a song is telegraphed—you even get music underscoring the dialogue— but sadly, no song materializes. The ending, in particular, sets up an Into the Woods type ensemble final number, but nope. 

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:33am

Impeach2017 said: "Is this an expensive production to put on, or more bare bones?"

It looks terrific and just right regardless of how much it cost

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:39am

Georgeanddot2 said: "I imagine that they could've brought someone in to write the score for the second act and made it a collaboration, but unfortunately I really don't think there's anyone working in the industry right now that could even begin to be at the level of Sondheim. Honestly I'm not sure there ever was. The older I get the more I start to realize that Sondheim kinda towers over every other musical theater writer ever and kinda goes as far as to transcend the medium that he's working in. He's just always on a completely different level."

I think someone could flesh out out the music that’s already there, but i think the insurmountable hurdle would be creating lyrics to come even close to what Sondheim might have written.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:41am

Cast is STACKED, as noted earlier with Rachel, Denis, and Micaela being standouts.  Lots of glorious Sondheim melodies in act one, and act two being too light on the music….. i get what they were going for while locked in the room, but why have underscoring here and there (especially piano) if the music was supposed to be dead? I agree that act 2 can be trimmed a little, and could use a reprise or two to completely flesh it out. But otherwise a great night of theater that I hope to revisit again soon

 

Updated On: 9/30/23 at 09:41 AM

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:55am

trentsketch said: "I've not seen the stageshow, but I have done extensive research on the films. I don't think watching either film will help you understand what's happening in the show (or the films for that matter). The films are absurdist fantasies with a dark sense of humor."

Totally agree. Buñuel didn’t explain anything. He left it all up to the viewer to make of it what they will. All that seeing the films first will do is spoil some of the quite surprising and funny plot twists, especially in Act I.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:56am

Back in 2021 when Lane/Peters did the reading, The Telegraph published a line of Buñuel lyrics:

If it isn’t the sun it’s the birdsong
If it isn’t the air it’s the view.
I’m completely undone
By the endless abundance of life,
Aren’t you?

Does anyone who has seen the show recall if these made it in? (And if you’re referring back to, oh, you know, documented memories of Thursday or Friday… lemme know. 😉 haha.)

[bekk99]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 10:23am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Back in 2021 when Lane/Peters did the reading, The Telegraph published a line of Buñuel lyrics:

If it isn’t the sun it’s the birdsong
If it isn’t the air it’s the view.
I’m completely undone
By the endless abundance of life,
Aren’t you?

Does anyone who has seen the show recall if these made it in? (And if you’re referring back to, oh, you know, documented memories of Thursday or Friday… lemme know. 😉 haha.)"

I was waiting for this lyric as well, and I did not have to wait long to hear it :)

 

[StylishCynic]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 10:24am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Back in 2021 when Lane/Peters did the reading, The Telegraph published a line of Buñuel lyrics:

If it isn’t the sun it’s the birdsong
If it isn’t the air it’s the view.
I’m completely undone
By the endless abundance of life,
Aren’t you?

Does anyone who has seen the show recall if these made it in? (And if you’re referring back to, oh, you know, documented memories of Thursday or Friday… lemme know. 😉 haha.)"

Yes, the lyric is in the very first number of act one. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 10:24am

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The lyric is sung in the opening number by Rachel Bay Jones. 

 

[binau]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 10:35am

If anyone happens to have any…documentation…of the show they can share do PM me :). 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:13am

would it be insane of them to end it with a Sondheim trunk song? Something deleted from any of his previous shows that works for the moment?

They do this for R&H all the time it seems.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:18am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
would it be insane of them to end it with a Sondheim trunk song? Something deleted from any of his previous shows that works for the moment?

They do this for R&H all the time it seems."

It would stick out like a sore thumb. This is a completely original Sondheim score and sounds different than much of his catalog, so it wouldn’t make sense. What it needs is a song that ties up the score he wrote for this show, but alas.

That said, I think the final moment is very effective and exciting.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:35am

I think it’s just worth mentioning again that to appreciate this show you really need to just accept it for what it is and also what it’s not. I personally can’t imagine them plopping in a song that wasn’t part of Sondheim’s vision. We all knew this show wasn’t “finished” and we are exceptionally lucky to get this, just as it is. 

[halfhourcheckwithmerman]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:47am

Well put. 

Can't believe I have to wait until December to see this... I don't know if I've ever been more excited for a show.

Thanks to everybody for the wonderful reports -- much appreciated. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:48am

Yeah, a trunk song would be completely out of place. There’s not much in his canon that would match the light and breezy feel of the score. The sound is very specific to this show. 
 

While the ending is great, it desperately cries out for a reprise of the “Perfect Day” theme. I also think that would make up for the long period of no singing, and allow the score to feel more “complete.” 

[Balcony2]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 11:58am

EricMontreal22 said: "Balcony2 said: "
My immediate reaction to the songs is that Sondheim had indeed developed a late style notable for its concentration, tartness, refinement, and lightness. It’s interesting to compare Sondheim with other great composers who pared down their style after a “heavier” earlier period. A sort of sophisticated simplification with no loss in potency.

So do you think it shares a sound with Road Show then?"

Yes, but: Sondheim said when he was composing Road Show that he was trying not to reference his previous music or to repeat previous patterns. For example, I think he even avoided “comfortable” keys while composing, to keep his hands from reverting to a certain muscle memory. In Here We Are, I detect no such self-prohibition. He just let himself write, and let the songs go where they needed to. So there’s a whiff of previous Sondheim. This is not unwelcome. ONLY Sondheim could have written these notes and lyrics. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 12:02pm

I can’t stop thinking about and wondering how these songs will be recorded. They’re mostly so broken up with dialogue that I’m fascinated to hear them when put together as “complete” songs.

[PianoMann]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 12:06pm

ljay889 said: "While the ending is great, it desperately cries out for a reprise of the “Perfect Day” theme. I also think that would make up for the long period of no singing, and allow the score to feel more “complete.”"

I haven't seen this yet, but is there any reason why Mantello and Tunick couldn't implement this while keeping with their (appropriate) goal of not altering Sondheim's score? As long as they don't change lyrics, I can't imagine adding a reprise would greatly affect that intention.

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 12:09pm

^ The theme is reprised often throughout the show. I think it would be quite simple to make it work in the finale, without altering lyrics. I really hope they consider this. 

[PianoMann]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 12:12pm

Thanks! They do have ample time before the show has to be frozen, so maybe they'll consider something like this.