Sound Design: Matilda- Page 3

[ARTc3]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 1:56am

laughing... I sort of took issue with the idea of being suggested to rent the assisted listening devices. I have a dear friend who is an audiologist and she says everyone is offended when they're offered hearing aids. Because of this friend, I have recently had my hearing checked and she informed me my hearing was excellent and I was long away from needing aids, hence my gut reaction. Truth be told, had putting on one of those devices made the dialogue any clearer, I think I would have opted to doing so. I just think that if I, patron with excellent hearing, sitting orchestra center, can't understand what is being said, then the production has a problem.

Updated On: 1/11/14 at 01:56 AM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 2:38am

A very fair observation.
Unfortunately, you may just sometimes end up in a dead spot that, for whatever reason, soaks up sound no matter WHAT the design and board op try. Better to leep the headset handy than brood thru a show, unable to hear. :)
I would also mention a growing trend that might make you feel better: the silent concert. Some acts and venues are now introducing silent concerts, where there is no speaker array... All audience members wear headphones. It allows the band and board op to perfectly control what the audience hears without the distortion of blasting the spund, allows concerts in areas, especially outdoors, with sound prohibitions, etc.
jump on the band wagon. :)

[Wickedmonkey332]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 10:31am

The new Matildas that have performed so far (Paige and Gabby) both use a weird accent with most of words sounding British but others (such as water) sounding awfully American. As a fanatic of the show: I find it detracts from the British identity of the piece, and the accent is quite difficult to listen to if you know what a British accent should sound like. However, the words are much easier to understand and for a first time audience member: I think the show will be more enjoyable. Many of the ensemble kids are being replaced in early March, so I will be looking to see if their accents are remodeled as well!

[ARTc3]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 11:15am

From reading broadwayguy2's posts, I wonder if the decision to crank up the volume also contributes to the issue. I actually like listening to music - and Broadway shows - loudly, so I didn't take offense to the volume. However, if playing the show at that volume dramatically adds to the distortion, its a poor choice for the creative team. As much as I understand the themes of Matilda, I do believe it is paramount for a Broadway musical to be experienced with the ability to both hear and comprehend the spoken and sung word.

I think Wickedmonkey332 makes an interesting point. As they recast the children, they can over time change the "accent" of the show and work towards improving the audio.

One last thing... I did enjoy Matilda. Despite how frustrated and annoyed I was, I thought that the show was good. I agree with those posters that believe its "good" and not "the next coming". I admit, I was expecting it to sweep me away. It did not.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 2:08pm

The idea that someone with excellent hearing in an excellent seat should need to get a hearing assist device to be able to make out dialogue and lyrics is ludicrous. I would make a fool of myself a million times over to a house manager before doing that. It's nothing to do with any stigma about hearing aids or listening devices, it's just completely unacceptable that such a thing be necessary for someone who has even below average hearing.

I haven't seen the show (though I will in about a month) so I can't pass judgement, but it sounds like the production has serious problems.

Edit: Not to mention the other inherent problems with hearing-assist systems. If an audience member is 70 feet away from the stage (an average distance, I'd say), the sound from the PA will arrive at that seat roughly 62 milliseconds AFTER the sound from the listen-assist headphones. This can be extremely disorienting and could actually make intelligibility issues worse. The only way to reduce that problem is to turn up the headphones to the point where you can't hear the PA anymore, which is both a dangerous listening level and a distraction to nearby audience members.
Updated On: 1/11/14 at 02:08 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 2:20pm

I can't say that I disagree.
Im only offering a solution for once ART is there and has no recourse other than suffering through a bad sound experience.
A designer worth their salt and salary should have the show sounding appropriate and pleasant from every seat in the house.
I *DO* hope this topic does make everyone look more highly at the awards for sound designers. I remember many people brushing the idea aside when the Tonys began honoring sound

[VotePeron]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 2:35pm

I saw the show again last night from the rear mezzo. The sound was very hollow, and every time a kid sang, they sounded so light and whimsical that I felt like I was listening to a recording through a glass or something. This is frustrating because I know they are singing full out in songs like "Revolting Children" and "Bruce." Out of all the times I've seen the show, this was the only instance where I was angry at the sound.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 2:54pm

I saw the original cast in London with my English ears. It still sounded extremely muddy, the live voices and click track were very poorly mixed and some cast members weren't even singing when their voices were coming out of the speakers.

Matilda has one of the worst sound designs I've ever heard in London!

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 1/11/14 at 3:06pm

I personally think it has nothing to do with the accents and if someone thinks that is a quick fix, they are mistaken.

Yes the rear of the theater is the worst - At times I felt like I was listening to the show underwater. Its echoed and muddled.

I like Matilda more each time I see it = partly because as I became familiar with it, I knew some of the words/songs so the sound was less bothersome..but no one should have to see a show multiple times to fully appreciate it.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 12:17am

Accnts are NEVER a fix. But a sloppy one can compound a problem.

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 8:07am

Agreed but then there's Kinky Boots where the sound was not too loud, at least for me, but the accents were truly atrocious. I wished I couldn't hear all the words!
When I could hear Matilda, the accents were excellent.
Go figure.
Apropos of nothing, BOM had good sound, mostly, but the voice-of-god was inaudible from where I was sitting.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 8:27am

^^I agree that accents are never a fix but sloppy ones can enhance the problem..but for me, the accents in Matilda were not sloppy and not part of the problem.

With all due respect, comparing this to other shows IMO is sort of meaningless. You have a good sound system or you don't.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 12:10pm

I have several very close friends who hail from various corners of the UK, so I never really have issue with understanding a British, Scottish or Irish accent. I always forget that it isnt the case for some other people and it is a severe reality check when we are out and someone stares at them as though they have two heads and asks me to translate - whether due purely to a thick accent or use of British English.
:)
I see both sides of the accent debate. Ha ha.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 2:04pm

I would also mention a growing trend that might make you feel better: the silent concert. Some acts and venues are now introducing silent concerts, where there is no speaker array... All audience members wear headphones.

I find the very idea of that repugnant.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/12/14 at 2:50pm

The accents did not bother me at all when I saw the show. It was the fact that 90% of the time I felt like I had ear mufflers on. The fact that this problem seems to be an issue for a majority of the audience and nothing has been done to fix it is slightly irritating.