#1
Posted: 11/2/06 at 12:34am
Okay, first off, a disclaimer: I haven't been reading most of the reviews posted here, so I apologize if I repeat things already said. This isn't going to be a complete review of all the characters and songs or anything, just some main things that I thought about the show for anyone who's interested.
The Short: I liked it. A lot. It needs some work, but I really, really, really liked it.
The Long:
First of all, the theatre is absolutely STUNNING. Wow. I mean, really, just gorgeous. We had tickets for Row S, but were able to exchange for Row L, which was fabulous. The show starts out with a scrim (I think that's what it's called) painted with a boat, among other things. As the overture begins, lights play across the scrim, and the audience sees waves crashing and rolling over and around the boat. The waves are coordinated with the music, and the sun rises. It's really quite beautiful, musically and visually.
The opening is incredibly exciting and really fun to watch, which gave me hope after some of the negative things I'd heard. The score overall is beautiful, in my opinion, with some really great songs, “Here on this Night”, “The Woman That I Am”, “She, Who Has All” among them. I can't remember the names of the other songs I really liked. Some definite parallels to Les Miz in this show, musically and plot-wise. I've never even seen it and I could tell that.
The sets, costumes, and lighting are all great. I loved the starry background for much of the show. The costumes are quite beautiful, especially Elizabeth's and her entourage's. The one complaint I had was that they sometimes seemed to be pushing the British into caricature. However, Elizabeth's Act II opening dress was absolutely incredible.
STEPHANIE. J. BLOCK. WOW. Just, WOW. I'd never heard her sing before, but I was expecting good things from her reviews as Elphaba. She was absolutely incredible. Her voice is gorgeous, her acting superb. Man, is she FIERCE as Grania. As an example, and this may be a bit of a spoiler, so be warned, at the opening of Act II, after she gives birth and then the British attack their ship and she immediately hauls herself up and fights, I could FEEL her pain in my uterus. Seriously. My stomach is still aching, two hours later. It makes my head hurt to think about it, she was just THAT good. Wow. I spy at the very least a Tony nom.
The rest of the cast was great, as well. I wasn't a huge fan of the actor playing Tiernan's voice at some points, but at others he really sounded fantastic. The little boy playing Eoin was so freaking cute. He broke my heart in his first interaction with Grania.
The dancing was tons of fun. I'm a big Riverdance fan, so it was fun seeing that sort of dancing live. The ensemble is incredibly talented.
Okay, so that was the good. Now, on the the “needs improvement”. Not bad, needs improvement.
The biggest problem I had with the show was the end. It needs to end with more of an emotional wallop. I'm not sure how they would do that, but it sorely needs it. After Act I, I was all excited because I thought the show was great and it was really exciting and emotional. I was expecting Act II to be even better, and while it was good, when it was over I was like “That was the end?” I did feel for the characters and I cared about what happened to them, but something was missing, and I think that something was a real emotional punch. They were obviously trying for it, but didn't quite succeed.
The other thing that bothered me plot-wise was that I didn't entirely “get” Elizabeth's motivations for her actions. I didn't understand why she would give up Grania, queen of the pirates, for Tiernan, basically a nobody, as far as I could see. I mean, I get that she was supposed to feel a womanly bond with Grania and all that, but it wasn't enough. It felt a little hokey. In general, they should flesh her character out some more. I think that would really help.
I general question to anyone who has seen the show: Who the hell was Evleen? I didn't understand what her relationship to Grania was, nor her purpose. Please help!
So, in general, I thought that the show was very good. Not without its flaws, of course, but very enjoyable nonetheless. I didn't find it boring at all, and, in fact, wished it could have continued. I'm hoping to see it again next week with some of my friends. I hope that sufficient changes can be made so that it will succeed on Broadway. If you're in Chicago and haven't seen this yet, go. Don't let the critics turn you off. My aunt and uncle read the reviews and thought it was going to be just awful, but they enjoyed it just as much as I did. It's visually and musically pleasing, and Stephanie J. Block...well, all I can say is “Owwww, my uterus!”
The Short: I liked it. A lot. It needs some work, but I really, really, really liked it.
The Long:
First of all, the theatre is absolutely STUNNING. Wow. I mean, really, just gorgeous. We had tickets for Row S, but were able to exchange for Row L, which was fabulous. The show starts out with a scrim (I think that's what it's called) painted with a boat, among other things. As the overture begins, lights play across the scrim, and the audience sees waves crashing and rolling over and around the boat. The waves are coordinated with the music, and the sun rises. It's really quite beautiful, musically and visually.
The opening is incredibly exciting and really fun to watch, which gave me hope after some of the negative things I'd heard. The score overall is beautiful, in my opinion, with some really great songs, “Here on this Night”, “The Woman That I Am”, “She, Who Has All” among them. I can't remember the names of the other songs I really liked. Some definite parallels to Les Miz in this show, musically and plot-wise. I've never even seen it and I could tell that.
The sets, costumes, and lighting are all great. I loved the starry background for much of the show. The costumes are quite beautiful, especially Elizabeth's and her entourage's. The one complaint I had was that they sometimes seemed to be pushing the British into caricature. However, Elizabeth's Act II opening dress was absolutely incredible.
STEPHANIE. J. BLOCK. WOW. Just, WOW. I'd never heard her sing before, but I was expecting good things from her reviews as Elphaba. She was absolutely incredible. Her voice is gorgeous, her acting superb. Man, is she FIERCE as Grania. As an example, and this may be a bit of a spoiler, so be warned, at the opening of Act II, after she gives birth and then the British attack their ship and she immediately hauls herself up and fights, I could FEEL her pain in my uterus. Seriously. My stomach is still aching, two hours later. It makes my head hurt to think about it, she was just THAT good. Wow. I spy at the very least a Tony nom.
The rest of the cast was great, as well. I wasn't a huge fan of the actor playing Tiernan's voice at some points, but at others he really sounded fantastic. The little boy playing Eoin was so freaking cute. He broke my heart in his first interaction with Grania.
The dancing was tons of fun. I'm a big Riverdance fan, so it was fun seeing that sort of dancing live. The ensemble is incredibly talented.
Okay, so that was the good. Now, on the the “needs improvement”. Not bad, needs improvement.
The biggest problem I had with the show was the end. It needs to end with more of an emotional wallop. I'm not sure how they would do that, but it sorely needs it. After Act I, I was all excited because I thought the show was great and it was really exciting and emotional. I was expecting Act II to be even better, and while it was good, when it was over I was like “That was the end?” I did feel for the characters and I cared about what happened to them, but something was missing, and I think that something was a real emotional punch. They were obviously trying for it, but didn't quite succeed.
The other thing that bothered me plot-wise was that I didn't entirely “get” Elizabeth's motivations for her actions. I didn't understand why she would give up Grania, queen of the pirates, for Tiernan, basically a nobody, as far as I could see. I mean, I get that she was supposed to feel a womanly bond with Grania and all that, but it wasn't enough. It felt a little hokey. In general, they should flesh her character out some more. I think that would really help.
I general question to anyone who has seen the show: Who the hell was Evleen? I didn't understand what her relationship to Grania was, nor her purpose. Please help!
So, in general, I thought that the show was very good. Not without its flaws, of course, but very enjoyable nonetheless. I didn't find it boring at all, and, in fact, wished it could have continued. I'm hoping to see it again next week with some of my friends. I hope that sufficient changes can be made so that it will succeed on Broadway. If you're in Chicago and haven't seen this yet, go. Don't let the critics turn you off. My aunt and uncle read the reviews and thought it was going to be just awful, but they enjoyed it just as much as I did. It's visually and musically pleasing, and Stephanie J. Block...well, all I can say is “Owwww, my uterus!”
"Blow out the candles, Robert, and make a wish. Want something. Want something."
Wishes come true, not free.
Wishes come true, not free.
