While I didn't love it, I thought the show has potential. I found it captivating from the wedding to intermission. Some numbers need to be trimmed down, others need to be cut, some simply shuffled to a more effective spot in the show. There's not much of an emotional hook.
It would help, for instance $spoiler$ to discover that the husband's a jerk after the wedding, instead of before. Establish more emotional connection for the audience to Grania and Tiernan's relationship. Give us a reason to care about Grania. Find out just why we should be rooting for Grania before the 4th song. Stop telling us about her balls. Get the bad guys to be a really really bad guys. Get an 11 o'clock that doesn't lull you to sleep.
The fight scenes could use more polish, more grit, less apparent choreography. So many elements strive for realism, the fight scenes seem comical in contrast.
The talent of this cast is mindboggling. The choreography is stunning, and I wish there was more dancing. The sets and lighting are terrific. The costuming is eyecandy, historically accurate. Worth bringing binoculars to see the details, no matter what row your seats are in. The leather coats are to die for.
There's a great musical somewhere in here, if a proper book can be written. Right now, it's OK.
Princess Bride fans will note that QE's evil henchman bears a striking resemblance, both in appearance and demeanor, to the six fingered man, which pulled me out of the musical and into the movie, awaiting the arrival of Inigo.
Updated On: 11/6/06 at 09:44 AM
