Michael Musto of the Village Voice dedicated a post today to the stage musical GHOST. Voice readers are clearly not as impressed by the promo (or the concept) as many BWW readers.
Formulaic and expected are the two words that first come to mind.
Forgettable "power ballads" is next. Cool, high-tech effects that can be trumped by any Cirque show. Hunky guys with generic tenor voices who usually remove their shirts. Gospelly African-American women who belt to the rafters and can be replaced by six other gospelly African-American female belters at the drop of a hat. It's cookie cutter casting at its finest.
I see no originality or innovation. I see no people (or "dead people" in this case). Just a slick cold machine in motion, trying to make a buck.
Now hit me with 'BUT YOU HAVEN'T SEE THE SHOW!" and I'll fire back with "If this is the best you have to offer in your trailer, you're an EPIC FAIL!"
But that's the expected banter on BWW.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
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Well i will fire back with 'you have not seen the show' and could not disagree more about the music, visulas etc. The show is incredible and the word of mouth during London previews is brilliant. I guess it's each to their own though
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
The reason the "but-you-haven't-seen-the-show" argument doesn't work in this (and many other) situation(s), is the fact that my reaction is based solely on the PROMOTIONAL video created by the producers -- no different than previews we see at the cinema or on DVDs. It's trying to sell the show, and in this case, we're not sold, and have no interest in purchasing a ticket to see more.
I was taken to task for having a similar reaction to promotional performance videos (developed and released by the show's creators and producers) of PRISCILLA and HOW TO SUCCEED... Based on those videos as well, I would not purchase a ticket.
Might we a bit different if saw the entire show? Perhaps, but I'm not going to buy a ticket (at today's prices) to find out that my suspicions about the show were true. Once I purchase a ticket, the producers don't give a hoot if I like their show or not.
Musto's post as some fair points, but I don't get what seems to be the main point of his post--that the very idea of Ghost the Musical is beyond ridiculous. I don't even really like the movie, but it doesn't strike me as any more ridiculous than half a dozen other musicals.
I do appreciate that the show looks ambitious--particularly considering that the West End got away with awful movie adaptations like Dirty Dancing. A lot more thought obviously went in this. I find the actual design, which so many seem to love so much, looks--on the online videos--just odd, and kinda confusing. I admit, if I were going to London I'd go see it, though that's partly more due to so little there I have any interest in seeing.
It's certainly a very good trailer, as trailers go...whoever made it did a fine job. The actual show on the other hand doesn't see so amazing...it seems that the composers (and they're not the only ones) don't really know what genre they're in. Pop? The single release seems to support my conclusion that it's not really written as musical theater, just a string of so-so songs with no real connection.
Based on two and a half minutes, granted.
Beyoncé is not an ally. Actions speak louder than words, Mrs. Carter. #Dubai #$$$
Jay Lerner I think that's true--having now heard about four songs, I think they are ok--two of them I find quite catchy, and I do respect Dave Stewart for his pop work, particularly with the Eurythmics (I'm much less keen on Glen Ballard, but I suppose at some point I'll forgive him for inflicting Alanis Morisette on us) but the lyrics are all beyond generic, stuff that would work fine on top 40 radio but doesn't strike me as theatrical. I mean say what you will about the scores, but both Jake Shears with Tales of the City, and further back Pet Shop Boys with Closer to Heaven--among other pop composers, knew how to at least make lyrics that did things most of us fans take for granted--like expand character nad advance the plot...