THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Musical - News & Discussion Thread — Page 19

Variety’s Review


More of the same, but not quite as vicious

“So the question here is a simple one. Can John, Shapiro, et al. — some of the most talented artists at work today — set niceness aside, and channel their inner Miranda Priestlys?”

pethian said: "Ke3 said: "Forgive me if I’m incorrect, but isn’t it pretty rare for the NYT’s to review the out of town tryout of a musical aiming for broadway?"

They've done it before for some 'high profile' shows though not all that often. And they've certainly reviewed London shows that are Broadway-bound. In this case it appears a whole slew of major papers were there from coast to coast. I wonder of the producers had any control over it at all."

It's a matter of technicality: If a show has announced a Broadway theatre/dates, the NYT generally will not review it. So they reviewed shows like MOULIN and JAGGED and this because a Bway house hadn't been announced when they opened out of town; TOOTSIE and PARADISE SQUARE were already announced for Bway by the time they played Chicago.

Which specific shows get reviewed out of town all depends on the producer inviting the critics, the paper having money for the travel (the production cannot pay for the critics' travel), and the editor/critic making a case for the show being worthwhile to cover.

Opening in London or another foreign country pre-Bway is, to my knowledge, a different situation.

Updated On: 8/9/22 at 12:20 AM

At the Tuesday, August 9 performance, it is evident that more lipstick has been applied.

There are subtle changes to the choreography before the arrival of MIRANDA’S COMING.

Later, when Miranda and Emily begin their walk into the Runway offices, the arc walk on the rotating stage has been moved entirely downstage.

There have been several Ensemble absences during the Chicago run, and it is great that the swings have always been ready.

In Emily’s enthusiasm about Paris, there are 2 dancing couples again, instead of one. The drummer has returned to the musician trio IN YOUR TWENTIES.

At the end of the TWENTIES number, Andy and Christian exit the opposite side of the stage, to help tighten this slow scene change.

The color red has oozed in excessively. The red proscenium outline is lit from time to time. In Miranda’s hotel room, the white flowers on the end table have been replaced with red ones. At the luncheon, the lighting alternatives between soft light and demonic, blood red.

Near the end of Act 1, the roommate threesome of Lauren, Kayla, and Nate had been positioned at the 10-0-10 stage markings for most performances. The roommates have been tightened to the 4-0-4 markings and have been rearranged so that Nate is the middle.

Beth Leavel still dashes quickly off stage to change from a yellow to blue dress in Act 1.

At the entrance to The Ball, the order of the red flying skeleton drop and the parting red curtains has been reversed.

Gentle underscoring has been added to Nigel and Andy’s final conversation at the luncheon.

Updated On: 8/10/22 at 11:31 PM

Balcony Club, They are making little more than superficial changes. This will not solve the problems with the show. It needs a new book, new music, new lyrics, new costumes and new sets. By all means, apply more lipstick, but this show is a corps.

The reviews were kind, seriously.

Positives: Taylor Iman Jones, what a powerhouse, and Javier Muñoz, just a class act. That's all.

This is such a waste of time, money, and especially, talent.

Poor Beth.just isn’t big or bad enough. And do not get me started on the costumes and the horrific score.

There is just no reason for this to be on stage.

Can't wait to se how Working Girl does with the same premise.

If you have any interest in seeing this show, do it now. This most likely will be your only chance. What a train wreck.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Alexis Soloski found very little to enjoy. These are nightmare reviews for a producer.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/08/theater/the-devil-wears-prada-review.html"

I wonder what David and Kevin said to Elton about the reviews?

Lola Getz2 said: “... Could someone who has seen it please explain the opening number of Act II? It literally was a jaw-dropping moment...”

Emily is in a hospital bed after being in a car crash between an Uber driver and a Prius. Her nurse administers morphine, Emily sarcastically bids the unseen Andy a Bon Voyage.

Emily jumps out of the hospital bed. Four candy stripers and 6 nurses wiggle and dance.

It’s a classic novelty number to start Act 2 whilst the audience settles back into their seats.

In hindsight, YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED from Annie was a much better novelty number to open its second act.

I love seeing Broadway tryouts in Chicago, so I automatically got tickets to this one. I'm not sure I'm adding anything more to what most have said, but it's a miss, for sure. But the thing is, the audience was DYING for this. By far the best-dressed audience I've seen at a Chicago theater, and people in the audience were mouthing the dialogue from the movie. So many international tourists, too, which isn't usual for a show here, I don't think. So I believe there is a built-in audience for this, especially among the LGBTQ community, which was out in force last night. So the creative team needs to either lean in a lot more to that, or blow it up and make it completely different, and they don't do either. I think the source material hasn't aged well, but neither have a lot of other musicals that get revivals. If they did this really almost note-by-note from the movie in look and feel, they would have more success, I think - treat it as an arch period piece. I loved the cast, and they all worked hard. I didn't like the score, or the costumes, and I would ditch the 2 friends of Andy's & just have her "former" relationship be with her boyfriend. I would also give Emily a lot more to do and build a relationship between Andy and her - like the movie does - so that we actually feel bad for Emily when she doesn't get to go to Paris. But the gigantic problem is Miranda. The actress is probably miscast but the material they give her doesn't work. Meryl is iconic and I think this needs to really emulate her at the center of the show. Why didn't they give Beth the Meryl hair? Why weren't her costumes stunning and perfectly fit? Why did she look like she was sucking a lemon the whole time instead of being totally, boot-shaking withering? The main problem is that character, and until they solve it there is no saving this show. Again, I say lean in - there's no copyright on how a character looks in a film and other Broadway movie-to-musicals haven't steered this far away from the look of the iconic characters (Beetlejuice, for example.) Why they chose the sad red wig and ill-fitting clothes and give Miranda weird patter songs, and not give us that wonderful moment when Andy sees her at home, as an actual person with an actual messy marriage, is beyond me. They give a hint of that moment later in the show but by then it's far too late. And for the love of God, why don't Andy and Miranda sing together? There's only a brief moment at the end, the two voices were lovely together but again - too little, too late.

But as I said, the audience last night was THERE for it, voguing in front of the logo, dressed to the nines, and just desperate to have a good time. And they seemed to, which is the puzzling thing.

I would generally agree with you, except that I believe it is even better than you suggest. Does it need some work? Yes. In a few areas, but it will survive even if nothing was done. The audience loved it. People next to me thoroughly enjoyed it. And I must tell you that when riding home on the bus with about 20 people who have just seen the show, the reviews ranged from OK to very favorable. Virtually all enjoyed. And I know of at least 6 people who are Broadway veterans who gave a general thumbs up. And I respect their opinions much more than the likes of that arrogant and often ignorant, Catey Sullivan.

Updated On: 8/12/22 at 11:19 AM

I caught this today, and while the show is definitely flawed, I did not find it anywhere near the disaster most others on here and the critics did. I have definitely seen far worse shows make it through the Lincoln Tunnel and onto the Broadway stage. I do not think the show is unsalvageable by any means in its current state, but there is definitely a lot of work that needs to be done...

The cast is great with standout performances from Taylor Man Jones and Javier Munoz. Beth Leavel is good, but very understated and never quite comes across as intimidating enough. The set was a mixed bag. I liked the scaffolding pieces on either side of the stage that eventually become the Eiffel Tower - very clever. The Runway office set was very basic with a cheap looking sign, two window paneled walls, and desks making up the entire office. It really bothered me that they didn't track on more of the set pieces and had the cast and crew moving around the walls and furniture. Put some grooves in the deck and make these scene changes more graceful!

The costumes were a total miss for me. They looked cheap, and oftentimes, outlandish - especially Emily's costumes. For a show about the fashion industry, the costumes sure did not stun or impress as the should have.

The score has some fun bops, but also has a handful of outright duds that need to be cut or replaced. I really loved the act one finale which is set in a Faustian-like ballroom complete with a massive blood red staircase that fills the entire stage. Andy’s character is making a deal with Miranda - aka the Devil. A very effective act one closer. I also really liked Andy's big act 2 song, "Who's She?". Emily's material, especially the bon voyage song, were pretty abysmal. The boyfriend and friend characters, though, are saddled with the worst material for sure. Think Geek Chorus from Spider-Man TOTD 1.0.

The book is very much the movie script with a few minor tweaks. All in all, it works for the most part. I think the biggest problem here is the direction and choreography. It is VERY evident that this is Shapiro's first outing directing a musical... the blocking is and pacing are awkward, and the choreography ranges from erratic and jerky and standing in place and barely moving.

The show is so much fun, and I think there is definitely potential with what they have, but the whole show needs to feel more "high brow"... I want to see the elegance of the fashion industry reflected in the design, I want Miranda to have more "bite" and actually be scared of her instead of barely intimidated. The show lacks a cohesiveness that seasoned directors like Jerry Mitchell, Jerry Zaks, and Bartlett Sher has given us with their work. The lack of cohesiveness amongst the various elements in the production is ultimately WHY this show is not working in its current state.

I saw this tonight and I think my overall feeling is supreme disappointment. The comparisons to "Pretty Woman" are pretty fair, but I'll give the edge to "Pretty Woman" for at least never being boring. I've skimmed the reviews so far and a lot of them are spot on, calling the show ugly and cheap. The costumes truly are heinous but they probably wouldn't have been considered ugly in 1986 - where they belong. I can't be the only person who sees the "fashion" as being 40 years out of date. It's insane.

The cast fares better, but only slightly. Taylor Iman Jones is quite good, working with what she has to work with. This Andy, besides saying over and over "I just need to work here for one year" and a couple references to her wanting to be a writer, has no stakes here. We see absolutely nothing keeping her in this job except for her all too fast transition into a "fashion girl'. Everything around her is so poorly written that it's just easy to zone out and not care.

I have to talk about Miranda. I'm not even going to talk about Beth because Beth is amazing and deserves so much better than what she has here. She does her best but Miranda in this musical is a supporting character you completely forget about when she's not onstage (which is a lot). When she is onstage, everything that makes Miranda "Miranda" is gone. There's no bite to the character. There's no "devil" there whatsoever. She says a couple shi*ty things but then she's nice (or at least polite). This was the most baffling thing to me. Miranda has a huge character arc late in the story where we see her as a real person. That shouldn't come in the first part of act one. Again - it makes Andy's journey (if you can even call it that anymore) confusing and again, boring.

Munoz I think comes across best and has a pretty nice song about growing up gay reading Runway while sitting with Andy under the Eiffel Tower...while there's a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower behind them. Jesus.

The music is a totally new low for Elton John. Lestat had better music than this. I think the song Miranda has at the end was sort of decent but I can't remember any of it. There were so many "Who am I/Where am I going/What's my goal" songs I was like "Find something new to sing about!"

Anyways, I just don't get why this needed to be a musical. Maybe there's a team that can make a musical out of it but it shouldn't be this team. Just boring as all hell. Thank God it's relatively short for a musical.

Think of this show like a pie contest. A group of people make a pie but accidentally use salt instead of sugar and the fruit they used was rotten. Sure they used some fresh ingredients that on their own would be good, but they’re completely masked by everything that’s wrong. They can decorate the outside to try to "fix" it but the pie is bad and needs to be thrown out and made again. That's what this musical is. To quote The Witch - "Wrong ingredients!"

Updated On: 8/18/22 at 08:49 AM

The show needed a Jerry Mitchell-like director from the get go. Like I said earlier, Shapiro's direction lacks cohesion. The book, score, design elements, and performances all seem like they are from completely different productions. She is not solely to blame, of course, as the individual elements themselves aren't flawless, but I do think a great deal of the problems with this show stem from her direction.

There are so many little minor directorial blunders that anyone who has taken a directing 101 class would have known not to make (the two Eiffel Towers, awkward blocking, etc). Sure, Pretty Woman may not have been the best show, but at least it was a cohesive production.