Tales of the City: The Musical in San Fran- Page 5

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/5/11 at 8:42pm

Eric, how was the Kylie concert?

(Somewhat on topic, since she's recorded a couple of Jake Shears tracks!)

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:15pm

The Kylie concert was incredible--but she's pretty much my top (non disco or musical theatre) musical obsession so... It was a great weekend in general to get to see a new musical and her concert.

Hest, I think your comments make sense. I agree that we should have gotten more Brian stuff--and I think that could help strengthen Mary Ann's story.

I'd actually kinda love the chance to see Pamela as Judy--if only to hear her voice sing some of those songs.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:58pm

Glad the Kylie show was great - I loved it too!

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:28am

Did you go in San Fran?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 1:30pm

No, I saw her back in March in Europe. Once wasn't enough.

Posted: 6/8/11 at 8:30pm

You got the full show then with the waterworks, etc, which were missing from N America although to partly make up for it, we did see her in much more intimate surroundings. And I definitely agree once wasn't enough... At least the DVD is out soon.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:38pm

Yeah, I was wondering why the American leg was re-named...I figured it might be toned down a bit. The waterworks were amazing live - I kept myself in the dark before seeing the show, so I was really bowled over. I guess the 'splash zone' should've given me a hint though...but you're right, I'm sure the increased intimacy made up for it.

Did she perform Too Much in the US? One of my faves from the record. Okay, enough Kylie...back to Tales in SF...which I'd love to see.

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:29am

Too Much was one of the few Aphrodite tracks not played (see, this is on topic, since Jake Shears co wrote the track... lol). Otherwise the setlist was the same, except Closer was cut (since there was no B stage to fly on the angel to) and Better Than Today was added back in. The request song in San Francisco was Your Disco Needs You--which pleased me to no end.

Abd ok, we can go back on topic

[choitoy]

Posted: 6/10/11 at 1:10am

Just got back from SF today, saw "Tales" on Tuesday night (with the audience talk back afterward).

For being a long show, I wish it went on longer.

I was at first unsure about Wes Taylor's casting as Mouse (I loved Marcus D'Amico's version in the first book's miniseries, Paul Hopkins not as much in the other two minis), but he ended up being a charming mixture of the two, with his own spin.

The songs I really enjoyed (and could definitely tell they were written by Jake Shears), but I felt it was a touch ballad heavy at times. I think they needed one more comedy type number.

I thought the set was interesting, though I did miss seeing Brian a few times because of the sightlines. Wes I believe said that the director kinda liked it because it was a lot like San Francisco, where things can look different from any angle you look at the city scape from, and that he actually liked that you couldn't see things all the time, which made it even more "voyeuristic".

I agreed that poor Mary Ann was kinda boring, and kinda relegated to the background halfway through act one. I think that if done right, her character should be more of a link to the show if this show starts playing outside of San Fran, because we are all technically strangers to that world but by the end, want to be included in that world. I don't know how to fix Mary Ann's current state of her character in the show though.

Jon and Beauchamp (and I always thought his name should be pronounced the French way "Beau-schamp", but everyone kept calling him "Beeachum" in the show?) were almost like cameo characters. Jon needs to be in the show more, and Beauchamp I'm not sure what to do with.

Oh, and to anyone curious about the D'orthea thing, the Artistic Director who was moderating the talkback, mentioned D'or was in early versions of the show, but was cut out by the time rehearsals for the show started.

I'm sorry if my thoughts are scattered (I was just in DC last week to see "Follies", and then was home for two days before rushing off to SF to see "Tales"). I'll try to get them more organized for a proper discussion soon.

[Hest882]

Posted: 6/10/11 at 2:10pm

Choitoy I'm so jealous you got to see Follies!

I don't have my book with me, but if you read the first Tales book Beauchamp's pronunciation is clearly explained as Bee-Chum. Not the French way, but the British way.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/10/11 at 3:42pm

Saw the show last night---loved it! Wish they had the souvenir program in stock that was listed as "coming soon" though.

Posted: 6/10/11 at 7:02pm

Seems a bit late to get a souvenir program out now... (I assume they never did publish the script despite the program saying you could find it in the lobby?) But if one is coming out, I want it, so I hope someone keeps us informed! (Maybe I can order it from their website). They did publish a special edition of their Words on Plays magazine devoted to it--it's very thick, with a lot of pictures (from the rehearsals and of the designs, not the show) with great interviews, etc.

Posted: 6/10/11 at 7:13pm

choitoy -- loved reading your thoughts (and I too m jealous you saw Follies--seems like a good period of theatre trips for you).

I think I pretty much agree with everything you said. Re the sightlines--where were you sitting? We were in the center of the orchestra, but the very last row (which I was worried would be too far away, but actually the theatre is so small it felt pretty close up to me). I had read online some comments about being uncomfortable in the mezanine, and I'm very tall, so we opted for the best last minute seats we could get in the orchestra (which were on the aisle which was nice). Anyway, from there I don't remember any real problems with the sightlines.

Thanks for clearing up the D'orthea thing--

I agree that for a long show, it really flew by. And as much as I loved the music, I do think there were a couple too many ballads that didn't really go anywhere (my friend the musical theatre novice admitted he was a bit antsy during one of Anna's, as great as Judy is).

It's true Beauchamp (as a French speaker I actually never knew how to say his name until I saw the miniseries--which confused me) kinda fades away after the first 1/3 or so, but I didn't see that as a huge problem, he kinda does in the books too (though of course he comes back). Although without much of him, and no D'or, that also leaves Deedee a bit high and dry later on. I don't envy the people writing this show--it's pretty close to impossible to evenly juggle all the characters.

Jon prob should have been used more, but it didn't bother me too much either--I thought his relationship with Mouse was sufficiently explored. But yeah, there's the Mary Ann problem. I'm sure the creators are aware of it, but I also don't really know what can be done (one critic said to just cut the whole Norman subplot--which didn't work for me as I said, but it's tied into too many other things for them just to drop it without writing something else).

Anyway, nice to read your thoughts!
Updated On: 6/10/11 at 07:13 PM

Posted: 7/9/11 at 3:12am

Two kinda old clips of full songs (two of my faves) from the Pride performance (Wesley, I appreciate your pride but what are you wearing?)

OK kinda full, annoying hoots from the crowd and they cut the pretty intro to Paper Faces along with Kaye's bit in Love...

Love Comes Running http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfrLRb8Qc9g

Paper Face http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3KJYxk6N7U


Updated On: 7/9/11 at 03:12 AM