The Pirate Queen (2007)

That dreadful opening staging with the heave-ho choreography of the ship, the fab abs of the dancers and the truly boring staging

Updated On: 12/11/19 at 08:23 PM

"The Woman That I Was" - In Chicago Stephanie Block sang a 'Defying Gravity' style anthem midway through act one. It was too soon, and I believe the song was cut, but I still remember the lyric: "Where has it been writ, my life should turn to $hit?"

"Boys'll be Boys" - The villainous fiance sang a song that was a cross between "Gaston" and "Master of the House." The lyrics were dull but it had a different energy than the rest of the score.

"Woman to Woman" - The most important part of the story, the two queens negotiating the truce, was held offstage. The chorus listened at the door and gossiped. I felt this was quite cowardly of the writers to avoid writing about the one thing that the show seemed to be building to.

Riverdancing. The wedding procession had an endless, plot stopping, Irish step-dancing break.

Concert in London 2020

https://www.londontheatre1.com/theatre-news/boublil-and-schonbergs-the-pirate-queen-charity-gala/

SouthernCakes said: "Agreed. It needed something special. But I think there’s some pretty music! Much like Martin Guerre"

I adore Martin Guerrre. I don’t understand all the revisions. I like the original London cast recording better than the revisal cast album. It’s practically unrecognizable save for a few melodies.

I also saw this in Chicago near the beginning of the run. Almost half the score was really good (standouts being Woman, Here on This Night, I'll Be There, A Day Beyond Belclare and Sail to the Stars) but the rest was either banal or seemed completely out of place. All of which included the stylized grab-bag of orchestrations running the gamut of musical theatre pop, ethereal Celtic Woman, Riverdance, baroque and rock (Boys Will Be Boys was the worst song I've ever heard from that writing team and should have been either replaced with a new number or cut from the show). Poor Linda Balgord. She performed well, but the music written for her was just deadly. Other than the ship set near the top of the first act, the staging was trite and dull. It was something of a shock to see a Boublil/Shoenberg show that was so misguided, hackneyed and flat-out boring. Even the cast recording is something of a chore to get through the whole thing. I will say however, I did return to see it again towards the end of the Chicago run just to hear Block and Fraser sing. Hadley Fraser's performance of I'll Be There was sensational. He has one of the most extraordinary tenor voices I've ever heard, though the effect of hearing his performance simply can't be captured on the cast recording.

One thing that really drove me nuts: During A Day Beyond Belclare, there was one ensemble actor who would conspicuously tap his foot and bob his head to the beat of the music like he was privately jamming out to a top 40 playlist on his headphones. It was so wildly out of place, I thought for sure the director or stage manager would fix the problem, but when I saw the show the second time, he was still doing it. This lack of detail, lack of occasion and lack of cohesion summed up everything that was wrong with this show.

Riverdancing. The wedding procession had an endless, plot stopping, Irish step-dancing break.

Honestly, I thought it was one of the highlights of the production. Yes, it was jarringly out of place, but it was also one of the only moments in the show with any energy and drive.

Does anyone happen to have a copy of the broadway book/script? I can only find an early script online.

Updated On: 12/15/19 at 10:36 PM