The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Excitement Level? — Page 3

RE: The playbill song list...

In the original production, I'm pretty sure the songs stopped after "Don't Quit..." -- as that's where the show 'stops'. Is it the same here?

I was offered a last minute ticket to tonight's performance, so I did a double header after last nights' dress rehearsal. It was a delight seeing the show really come to life in front of a full audience.

I am not as cross the board in love with the production as Whizzer and Lee, but agree it is a lot of fun and that the cast is uniformly excellent. I doubt you will ever hear a production of DROOD sung so well!

My minor issues are with the direction and the choreography which I think at times aren't quite as clever as they could be (and pale in comparison to the original work by Wilford Leach and Graciela Danielle, though Scott Ellis and Warren Carlyle are very much following their blueprint). While this is a great production by Roundabout standards, it still has tinges of that summer stock recreation vibe that often permeates their productions. Since it can't really compete with memories of the original. I wish they had gone with a little more of a daring and unique reinvention of the material.

But as it is, a very straight forward retread of a somewhat mediocre musical (that I do indeed have a soft spot in my heart for), its in quite good shape. Minor quibbles about staging, etc. will hopefully (and no doubt) improve throughout the run.

I do think most people seeing it are going to be coming at it with totally fresh eyes (most probably having never seen a production of it before) so keep my old jaded perspective on it with a grain of salt. I probably know the material too well for my own good. Some moments which felt like a faded xerox of the original to me, are no doubt going to be surprising and wonderful to those having never experienced it, and that is as it should be.

For those wondering, this production utilizes the revised script from the London production with a few changes.

The Moonfall quartet has been restored
Ceylon/British Subject are combined as one song
England Reigns has been replaced by An English Music Hall (cut from the Delacorte production)
Settling Up the Score replaces Private Investigation in Act 2.

As in the London production Off to the Races now closes Act 1 and Moonfall Reprise is in Act 2 before Dont Quit While You're Ahead.

The show also features a number of new jokes which are a hoot.

Updated On: 10/20/12 at 12:41 AM

Do the Music Hall Royale performers greet you and take you to your seats, or do they mingle about once you're seated?

The cast was excellent, the staging apt, the design expert. There were some sound issues, but overall, the production is fine.

The problem is the show itself. The narrative itself is airless, and fails to engage. Really, one doesn't care about the plot, whether there was a murder or not, or who may have or may not have done it. The score is mediocre, but some of the music-hall numbers come off well. That's when the show comes to life.

I assuming that A Man Could Go Quite Mad is in, correct?

This is one of my favorite shows. I was excited to see it before, but now I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!

Whizzer, I always trust (and usually agree) with your critiques. So your rave has me chomping at the bit.

I mean, even After Eight didn't hate it. How rare is that?

Also, just a side note: I have a playbill from the original production and the song list does stop after Don't Quit While You're Ahead.

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After Eight, I agree with you that the plot is totally unengaging, but I think that's on purpose and contributes to the strangeness of the show.

The only reason I can see a production existing is for a cast to show off their talents. If the cast had been merely good or fine I think Drood would have become quite a chore to get through. Luckily, and shockingly, Roundabout has assembled the perfect cast and they're already firing on all cylinders.

I think Drood has more in common with [tos] than Kiss Me Kate to be honest. Though it's a show-within-a-show, it's all about the nerdy love of theater and the egos/eccentricities of performers.

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This makes me want to see this so much more!! Hope audiences like the show; I really want this recorded and extended into mid-May, at least. Is this show worth calling my "first Broadway show", if so?

MKunkel, I was out the door at 10:45, it did start about 7 minutes late, so I would say the run time was about 2:35.

As always, great reviews by the veteran posters. I never saw this and really enjoyed it, my only complaint, at times I had a hard time hearing some of the words. Could have been just where I was sitting.

There were definitely sound balance issues last night, but audiences have always had a hard time hearing the lyrics to DROOD. Most think that's really more due to the way Holmes structures his lyrics, often accenting syllables contrary to the way the same word would be spoken in conversation, etc.

I've been involved in various productions of the show: some miked, some not, and one that was a complete recreation of the original production with the Broadway sets and costumes- and audiences mentioned not being able to understand the lyrics every time.

Updated On: 10/20/12 at 10:40 AM

Some if the tempos in this revival are also a little faster than usual, in particular all the Reprises of Moonfall which are probably the most difficult lyrics to make out in any production. I think the production team is aware of the length of the show and are rushing some of the musical material which I wish they wouldn't do because of that lyric issue.

How large is the orchestra, and how does it sound? Holmes did new orchestrations for this if I recall, right? (The original sounds very synth-heavy).

Is the orchestra in the balcony boxes like in some other Roundabout shows?

"Edwin Drood is a pretentious piece of musical theatre that is too clever for its own good. "Oh my God.. the audience picks the killer." BFD."

Goldenboy, I'm curious. Can you think of a better way to end a musical based on an unfinished mystery novel?