The witches of eastwick

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 10:58am

Saw a production of this in Melbourne the other night, while it was too big of a show for the company thta did it. It was funny, had moments of brillance and with the right cast ( London ), and some tweaking to act 2 it should and could be a hit.

Why has this never opened on Broadway.

Looking back on some of the stuff that has opened on Broadway since the London production closed ( Lestat ) this would have been a better choice, don't you think?

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:05am

Not sure why it did not come to Broadway, but I know Signature Theatre in the Washington DC area is going to be having the American premiere in 2007.

I plan to get tickets as soon as they are on sale to non-subscribers.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:07am

I have no idea why Witches of Eastwick didnt fly. The replacement cast of Clark Peters/Earl Carpenter, Jo RIding, Robecca Thornhill and Josefinna Gabrielle was amazing. Plus the transfer to the smaller theatre helped a lot as the Lane was perhaps too big. Anyway I think perhaps Mamma Mia overshadowed it and the broadway transfer just didnt come off. Shame really as its one of the best film musical adaptations.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:16am

Maybe if the Signature Theatre production is a hit it may transfer.

As kringas said it is one of the best film musical adaptations.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:23am

Saw it in london & really liked it

Mac Shane as the devil was great. He than did himself one better playing Al Swearengen in Deadwood

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:24am

I really love this show, Lucie Arnaz signed my C.D. after the last show of DRS yesterday. I will definitely go see it in Virginia. I think it really is a nice story and from a movie, a great adaptation.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:26am

"I wish i may", just might be one of the most beautiful songs ever wriiten for a musical.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:28am

I love hearing Maria sing "Words words words"

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:36am

The poor girl who sung "words" the other night forgot to breathe, so half way through the song she lost where she was up too.

But thankfully she got back on track and brought the song home..Maria does such a great job and makes it all seem easy.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:50am

I remember at Maria Friedmans last night in Witches she took Words faster than ever and the ovation completely stopped the show. It must have thrown her a little as well as she completely messed up her next line.

The show has flaws, and it's not perfect, but everyone has their own 'Drowsy Chaperone' and this is mine. Loved the show to bits in London and I've already started saving my pennies so I can get to America for the Signature production just to see what it's like done on a smaller scale. Hopefully, it'll form a part of a planned coast-to-coast road trip...

Anyone hear of any possible casting rumours?

[algy]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 3:04pm

I'm so miffed I missed this in London. I saw it done in York last year as one of the earliest licensed productions and went straight home and ordered the CD. I love it. And I'm still kicking myself that I didn't see it in London (I was old enough to have been solvent enough to buy my own ticket, but my musicals obession hadn't kicked in.)

[mrcacou]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 3:23pm

This show totaly changed my perception of musical theatre. I was used to hearing sing through musicals and had no real knowledge of book musicals if that is you have to call them. The blend of this three women's voice was just wonderful. The flying was great as well. I will always remember Joana flying over my head looking at me in the eyes and saying : It is a great way to save your airmiles !". This show was really funny and all a real critisism of the USA and the WASPs. I am not sure it could work well over there.

[tophertilson]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 3:26pm

It's a mystery to me why things like WEDDING SINGER and TARZAN are permitted to see the light of day and WITCHES OF EASTWICK never made it to NYC. I loved it in London (moreso at the Prince of Wales than the Drury Lane).

There was a rumor on the other board that Marc Kudish was playing Darryl in the American premiere. Hope it's true.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 4:30pm

I would love that!

[Sant]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 6:09pm

I saw it three times in London and I have to say I enjoyed it much more the third time. First two times was with the original cast in The Dury Lane and the third was with the new cast in The Prince of Wales.

The biggest problem for me was Maria Friedman. She is a great singer, no doubt, but she sure cannot play a comedy part!! She made Sukie a complete bimbo with an IQ lower than her shoe soles. Such amateurish(sp??) acting. I saw her also play Roxie in CHICAGO and it definitely proved the point. She may be great in dramatic roles (haven't seen her in one yet), but comedy just isn't her strongest area.

The second cast (Rebecca Thornhill/Joanna Riding/Josefina Gabrielle) was much better, though it was a bit funny that Gabrielle's Alexandra was supposed to have a teenager son, when she looked not much older herself. :)

When the show moved to The Prince of Wales they had revised it a bit and it worked much better with the revisions. The new song for Daryl Van Horne in Act II was a lot better than the original.

The score is not bad at all. A lot of good tunes, a killer opening song ("Eastwick Knows") and fabulous three-part harmonies for the leading ladies...

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 7:39pm

When it moved theatres was that when the song the "Glory of me " was added ?

The production i saw the other night had that song in, also "Something and Dance with the devil" where both in Act 1, but on the C.D. both songs are in Act 2.

Lets hope they record the new cast next year.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 8:03pm

Maria Friedman does not lack in the comedy department at all. Sukie is supposed to be incredibly dumb. Maria played the part that is Sukie. She is a great actress, and yes, she might be better dramatically, but she is strong in both sections.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 6:28am

I love Maria Friedman usually, but have to admit that I didn't buy her performance as Sukie. However, she wasn't nearly as bad as Ian McShane who appeared to be phoning the part in. On a bad line.

'The Glory of Me' replaced 'Who's the Man' when the show moved into the Prince of Wales in March '01, along with overhauled lyrics for some of the existing numbers. I believe that 'Something' had been moved into the first act whilst the show was still at Drury Lane. Further minor changes were made for the Australian and UK amateur productions, so it'll be interesting to see if they alter it again for the US premiere

[JakeB]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 7:26am

I saw it five or six times; it was wonderful. One of the best musicals around; small town setting, gossipy chorus numbers, three big star parts, charismatic male lead, special effects, intimate, funny, touching.. the list goes on. A really magical show, but at the moment one that feels like a well-kept secret. Nothing on Broadway in the last two seasons has persuaded me to make a trip there; Witches in Washington is one show that might just trip that up.

[Sant]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 7:48am

Sukie is NOT supposed to be "incredibly dumb". Naive yes, but not dumb. But that's how Friedman played her - incredibly dumb. And that's what was wrong with it! She just wasn't believable, she seemed to try too much to be funny which resulted in the lack of credibility. Rebecca Thornhill was so much better as Sukie. She played her as a childish/naive woman, a PERSON, not an idiot.

Joanna Riding seemed to have a lot of fun during the flying sequence. The first time I saw the show, during "I Wish I May"'s flying - wearing those long dresses - she screamed "NO PEEPING!!!" with a huge, mischevious grin on her face!

[devonian.t]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 8:17am

The Drury Lane production seemed very flat. The cast was trying hard- perhaps too hard. The comedy seemed forced and as a result, irritating.

I never gave it a second chance at the Prince of Wales, though many friends told me it seemed cheap.

Shame- I love the film.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 10:22am

But, you would think it is a different experience in the Drury because of the size of that theatre. Things must be overblown to some extent.

[Sant]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 10:32am

I thought the smaller theatre (The Prince Of Wales) suited better for this show. The flying was more impressive in the huge Drury Lane as the Dress Circle is farther away from the stage so they were able to "fly" longer distance, but the rest of the show just seemed more 'comfortable' on the smaller stage.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 10:55am

That's why I'm looking forward to the American production being on a smaller stage - it was too overblown in Drury Lane. I didn't find it as forced as most other American musical comedies (The Producers, Mille, Anything Goes etc), but it had a tough time reaching the back of the balcony. Drury Lane really needs huge emotion and spectacle (Miss Saigon, and the forthcoming Lord of the Rings).

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 11:24am

Signature did a respectable job, supposedly, with the other Rowe/Dempsey flop, The Fixx. I love their work. Only saw (and loved) Zombie Prom. I'd love to see them succeed here in the US.