UNMASKED: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber @ Papermill

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 1:08am

Mild spoilers ahead....

Andrew Lloyd Webber deserves so much better.

Just back from Papermill, where Sondheim On Sondheim has become Lloyd Webber on Lloyd Webber, with far less success and far more tedium.

I was really looking forward to this, because, often I love Lloyd Webber's music even of I don't care much for the show it's in.

I'm struggling to find good things to say about this aimless and directorless show, but it just has no idea what it wants to be.

The show uses the same structure as Sondheim on Sondheim, where Lloyd Webber is on video providing narration to his music. He has a very droll and dry humor, which I very much like, but his scripted words don't enlighten as much as I might have hoped. A segment on playing Rachmaninoff backwards made me wish the rest was equally as fascinating.

I guess I should get the casting issue out of the way. I'm trying to be kind, but it's difficult. The women fare infinitely better than the men and that's not saying much. My companion looked at me at intermission and this is a direct quote: "Did they find this cast at Starbucks?" One company member, I hope was under the weather. The person simply cannot sing.

For example, the Jesus Christ Superstar material was crucified, particularly Gethsemane, my favorite song from that show. Many in the cast cannot hit the notes in song after song. I kept having Elena Roger flashbacks.

The choreography, if you choose to call it that, was less interesting and less complex than what I did in high school. It added nothing to the production. I mean, what is added by having a cello soloist who is center-stage picked up and turned upside-down by two male dancers, while playing. It's kinda neat, but it's cheap, cheesy and pointless. The balcony of the Casa Rosada is a small staircase of 5 steps with Eva on the 4th step. Community theater at $130 a ticket.

While on the cheesy subject, it might be nice if the MUSIC of Andrew Lloyd Webber had a full orchestra playing his MUSIC. The orchestra is slight and has difficulty transitioning from Lloyd-Webber playing piano on film to their playing live.

If a director is going to eliminate applause breaks, then do it. It they want them included, then include them. The whole evening is a series of not knowing if or when to applaud, so the applause is often, here and there and all over the place. It's a bit unfair to the cast and the musicians.

2/3 of the first act is so awkward, that I cringed for the cast and actually felt bad for them. The whole exercise screams for a director who has a clue what they're doing.

If this wasn't ready 2 years ago, I can't imagine what it looked like back then, and with the talentless John Doyle at the helm.

This desperately needs to be trimmed by half an hour. The acapella medley that opens the show is excruciating. Several lesser known/original songs must go. And, why conclude the evening with Stick It To The Man from School of Rock, which many in the audience may not have seen. Then, an encore from Starlight Express that most people probably have never heard or have forgotten is just so weird and out of place, it needs to go.

At 2hrs 45min, it feels much longer. Act One is almost 90 minutes.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's music deserves so much better. There are some good moments (mostly Phantom and Love Never Dies), but not enough to warrant a trek out to Papermill. 

Updated On: 2/1/20 at 01:08 AM

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 2:39am

You summed it up nicely. I was there as well. Throughout the evening, I couldn’t stop thinking that if this ever gets to Broadway, this cast and the set will definitely not be transferring. It was still great to hear Webber’s hits in one night, though. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 5:29am

Thank you Wolfwriter for sharing your detailed thoughts.  I had high hopes but you saved me a tedious shlep and $35 in tolls.

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 8:11am

bwaylyric said: "You summed it up nicely. I was there as well. Throughout the evening, I couldn’t stop thinking that if this ever gets to Broadway, this cast and the set will definitely not be transferring. It was still great to hear Webber’s hits in one night, though."

Indeed bwaylyric, I kept thinking they saved so much on the set that they could have filled out the orchestra.

This needs a big-name or three in the cast. Like Sondheim on Sondheim had Barbara Cook, Norm Lewis and Vanessa Williams, this needs a few performers of that caliber.

I can’t imagine this will move to Bway, if that’s the plan. I kept thinking “cruise ship” and my companion said the same thing on the way out.

I certainly didn’t hate it. I’m just disappointed.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 8:23am

This looks pathetically cheap from the production photos they released.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:08am

Those two new songs were utterly unnecessary and atrocious.  I wished they showcased two other numbers instead. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:16am

This reeks of The Prince of Broadway.

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:31am

bwayphreak234 said: "This reeks of The Prince of Broadway."

Prince of Broadway was better

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 10:33am

I find it hard to believe if Hal Prince really approved that final version of Prince of Broadway. Especially those eyeglasses props!

[zainmax]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 6:31pm

Agree with everything re. Prince of Bway.

Thanks for review of the show.

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 8:54pm

I agree with all of the previous posts. It really is a very cheap, embarrassing looking evening of community theater. I will also add that while it is quite common in the UK and Europe to have the same designer do both scenery and costumes, here it seems to be done to save money. The costumes are quite atrocious and look like a combination of being hurriedly pulled from a community college stock room and an after Christmas sale at hot topic. It is always so disappointing when shows like this have a developmental period that seems to have gone unused.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:13pm

This sounds awful, and I don’t think Webber has the prestige to get one of the non-profits to pick this up. But could def see it on a cruise ship.

[Cfried]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:55pm

I agree entirely. I was at the first preview and found this production to be a mess. Uninspired and uninteresting...weak performances...there was no direction or vision. However, I adored Mamie Parris.

[Cfried]

Posted: 2/1/20 at 9:55pm

I agree entirely. I was at the first preview and found this production to be a mess. Uninspired and uninteresting...weak performances...there was no direction or vision. However, I adored Mamie Parris.

[jakethesnake]

Posted: 2/2/20 at 3:55pm

I haven’t seen it, so can’t share thoughts. But almost every actor in the show has multiple Broadway credits. I’ve seen some of them myself on stage. It sounds like the show is a mess, but I wouldn’t blame the actors here. It sounds like poor direction and concept.

[amoni]

Posted: 2/3/20 at 12:27pm

My friend saw it and loved it. But he is like 99% of the world who go to see shows to be entertained which he was. He doesn't see shows with the purpose of destroying it, analyzing every moment, song, dance step or painted flat.

[TNick926]

Posted: 2/5/20 at 10:56am

I think you guys are being way too catty...these video clips (see link below) just posted look and sound terrific to me!  I'm looking forward to seeing the show on Feb 22, and can't wait!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/VIDEO-First-Look-at-Footage-From-UNMASKED-at-Paper-Mill-Starring-Mamie-Parris-Alex-Finke-and-More-20200205

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 12:52pm

The OP stated that the male performers are weak, which makes me wonder about Bronson Norris Murphy, who is a swing at Phantom Broadway and played the lead for most of the Love Never Dies U.S. tour. We saw the tour twice, and although he reads too young for the part, we were pretty impressed with his vocals.

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:15pm

Lot666 said: "The OP stated that the male performers are weak, which makes me wonder about Bronson Norris Murphy, who is a swing at Phantom Broadway and played the lead for most of the Love Never Dies U.S. tour. We saw the tour twice, and although he reads too young for the part, we were pretty impressed with his vocals."

Sorry. That’s my fault. I should have been more specific when I said the good parts were mostly from Phantom and Love Never Dies.

Bronson Norris Murphy did most of that material and he did really well with the it. He very much outperforms everyone else on stage.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:19pm

An evening of Lloyd Webber? I'd rather chew glass.

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:26pm

wolfwriter said: "the good parts were mostly from Phantom and Love Never Dies.

Bronson Norris Murphy did most of that material and he did really well with the it. He very much out performs everyone else on stage."

Thanks for the clarification. I don't really know any of the other male performers, but I expected a solid performance from Mr. Murphy.

 

[chernjam]

Posted: 2/22/20 at 1:49am

 

 

 

Just returned from seeing Unmasked this evening.  What an absolute delight.  It was amazing to me that the show ran over 2 and a half hours, didn't include all of ALW's works - and moved at a brisk pace that the whole thing just flew by.  Was a bit concerned going in having read some reactions and then seeing the list of musical numbers - but the pacing, the ALW narrations and the absolutely incredible voices made for an incredibly joyful, memorable event.

One unexpected highlight was "Amigos Para Siempre" - explaining how it happened, noting that in the US it was one of the few places it didn't become a hit and the singing and staging of it concluding with a seamless cut to Carreras/Brightman singing and then returning to the live performers was amazing.  The orcherstra of 10 sounded much, much larger then that.    I know it's only playing till March 1 (don't think they can extend) and tonight was sold out - but if you have a chance definitely would recommend checking it out.  Since it's billed as a World Premiere - I'm curious if this is being prepped for a US Tour.