Trip of Love

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/29/15 at 10:04pm

Just saw this campy, tacky, gaudy s cruise ship schlock. From the looks of it, they've spent a pretty penny getting this up. The sets are huge. And just when you think you've sen it all, they wheel out a new locale. The cast works very hard, and for the most part they are all very talented. Some fun choreography at times, but never anything riveting. 

(Oh, and for those who are shameless like me.... The chorus boys are often shirtless - and that's the best part of the show. And sadly the only thing that held my interest. Some amazing, beautiful bodies.)

Can't see this lasting very long. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/29/15 at 11:23pm

I'm terribly excited for this. As long as it's not boring, I'll be entertained regardless of quality. I haven't been able to figure out if they actually wrote a story to tie everything together. Did they?

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/29/15 at 11:35pm

^

I wouldn't get too terribly excited about it. It really is pretty boring. There is a trite story line, but no dialogue  --- just a succession of songs of the period, chosen fairly randomly. 

 

It's a soggy mess.

 

[Bradway2]

Posted: 9/30/15 at 12:13am

Thanks all!  I decided to see it when I didn't get any responses.  While I definitely didn't hate it,  I can't refute any of your posts.  lol. 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/30/15 at 10:43am

There's a story-line? If there is, I wasn't able to follow it.

There's a bizarre chanteuse who, while she has a lovely voice, is forced to parade around in hideous costumes and sing random ballads that stop the show cold. Really bizarre.

But looking at Kyle Brown shirtless is pretty worth it.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/30/15 at 3:13pm

Sigh... I was hoping for Good Vibrations + Hair. Oh well, I'm going to try and enjoy it anyway. I'm going in mid-October so I'll report back after I've actually seen it.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 12:58am

Sooooooooooooo bad... that it's good? I think this might fall under that category, though my partner disagrees. He just thought it was terrible. 

There is a certain level of camp here that is almost unattainable by the highest level of Queen because the cast and creatives aren't in on the joke. The audience around me was laughing throughout the show but knowing that it wasn't supposed to be funny we all had to hold in our laughs. At one point a singer comes into the audience with a spotlight, but it was brutally awkward because people who were sneaking out got caught in the spotlight and the entire audience laughed. 

Laurie Wells and Dionne Figgins were both outstanding. If Laurie Wells does a solo show at 54 Below it would be well worth going cause her voice is stunning... too bad that the schlock she was given made the audience break out into laughter every time one of her songs came on. 

The audience had to fake clap after most numbers and refused to clap at all several times. They should cut the intermission cause half the audience left... also trying to give a plot to a bunch of songs that are unrelated, without having an actual book, just made the thing that much worse. When the lead character's husband dies in Vietnam she breaks out into a dance filled rendition of DOWNTOWN... because after all, when you are down and life is making you lonely you can always go downtown....

Still this thing oozes sex sex sex. The chorus boys were so hot, as were all the girls in thongs. This thing could actually sell well to the older crowd based on the nude painting scene alone. 

I DEFINITELY recommend this show to anyone and everyone who loves SO BAD IT'S GOOD theatre and really effing sexy chorus boys that are more than half naked throughout the show. This thing was just unbelievably awful. I just can't understand how they made the decisions that led them down this road to NYC. Hats off to the tremendous cast for giving it their all. 

 

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 10:19am

The more I read about it the more I want to see it. So I guess I'm that kind of theatre gay...

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 3:54pm

Oh my God, MadonnaMusical. Thank you so much for that review. My excitement was waning (especially since there are other events that I just found out about that I'd like to go to on the same night I have a ticket for) but now I'm back on board.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 5:23am

What's the nude painting scene?

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 6:42am

Joey Calveri, who I'm actually a big fan of, paints a really hot woman in a nude thong using neon paints... I thought the old men in the audience were going to have heart attacks...

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 9:53pm

I might need to rush this than hit a happy hour and see this a little tipsy. 

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 6:21pm

It isn't as bad as people are making it sound. It's cute. Not much of a story at all but not boring either. Kelly Felthous is adorable as "Caroline". The audience were mostly older(probably 20-30 years older then me) guys that were drooling at the Venus number someone mentioned previously. The half naked hot bodies kept peoples interests too. 

 

I don't see it lasting long though as it's too expensive for off Broadway. Thank goodness for the $19.60 tickets I got. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 6:29pm

"Kelly Felthous is adorable as "Caroline"."

Oh, if only "Caroline, No" was one of the songs in the show. I still remember that song and "Help Me, Rhonda" from Good Vibrations as being some of the best/worst songs crammed into a jukebox musical.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 1:10am

I loved it. It was exactly what I wanted it to be. I feel like a lot of people had comp tickets though, either from Goldstar or some other means. It felt like a different crowd. I would like to see it again when people don't show up a song or two before the first act ends. I'll have more to say later.

[Tag]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 1:13am

Anyone there when the vespa drove into the orchestra pit?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/24/15 at 2:57pm

I hate to be the lone voice, but I had a great time. Gorgeous voices, greats sets, wonderful choreography, and classic songs sung beautifully. Yes no story but I had a lovely afternoon. It's a well done revue. Tons of talent and money on the stage. This would prob do better in Vegas. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/24/15 at 2:59pm

Costumes are out of this world too-stunning. 

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 10/24/15 at 11:41pm

I didn't realize they renamed the Little Shubert. That venue always felt like a Nightclub to me anyway.

I loved the original "SHOUT"... those girls were awesome....  It sounded like it might be something like that. Nothing seems to work in that theatre. I remember Dracula there! That was really awful.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/25/15 at 12:49am

It's a fairly large space for Off-Broadway. They need to try and sell it to a non-profit. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/25/15 at 12:35pm

I'm not sure exactly what it was but the theater feels a lot more like a movie theater than a theatrical venue.

[Up In One]

Posted: 10/25/15 at 12:38pm

They should gut it and create an Old Globe for this side of the pond. Loved that experience up at the Armory a few years back.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/25/15 at 11:21pm

Most modern theaters feel like that. I hate it. 

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 4:57pm

Well I just snagged a couple of tix for tomorrow night and this old hag is pretty excited to see it .  Anything 60s related is up my alley.  I read this was originally developed in Japan in 2008 ay in 2nd was intended for Broadway 2009.  

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 11/12/15 at 5:00pm

"Well I just snagged a couple of tix for tomorrow night and this old hag is pretty excited to see it .  Anything 60s related is up my alley.  I read this was originally developed in Japan in 2008 ay in 2nd was intended for Broadway 2009."

 

Have fun! Do not try to follow the "plot." It's a waste of time and will probably hamper your enjoyment.