Uh...WOW!

[dramarama2]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 5:54am

WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH A NEW MUSICAL...THAT IS VERY GOOD!!!
Sorry bout the caps, but I can't get over how good The Pirate Queen is. With lots of new musicals out there this would have to be one, if not the best, musical of them all.
To me, this is one of these few musicals where there is pretty much nothing wrong with it. The book is good, the music is good, the cast is good and even the set(which still isn't the best)is pretty good too.
Some might remember me posting my review of Legally Blonde last week, and I have to say that The Pirate Queen makes Legally Blonde look like absolute garbage (Don't get me wrong, I still like LB). If the Pirate Queen is still eligible for the Tonys, which I hope it is, I think it will absolutely "wreak havoc!"

I would recommend this show to anyone!

Just out of curiosity, what did everyone else think of it?

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 05:54 AM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 5:57am

I really like it. I saw it Easter Sunday and then again on Wednesday night (student ticket...able to move to front row side at intermission), and I have to say it seems to have gotten better since Easter. Though...and this may be blasphemy I know...I actually prefered Kathy's Grace to Stephanie's. Not saying Stephanie was bad...there was just something about Kathy (who was on Easter b/c Stephanie was sick) that I liked more.

[kec]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 6:45am

Welcome to the boards. Glad to hear you enjoyed Pirate Queen; sad to say not everyone agrees with your assessment, including the critics. But such is life...

One thing... you might want to make a correction in your message. Last time I heard, there is no show titled the Pirate "King," unless Mark Kudish has taken his recent stint in that role at NYC Opera's Pirates of Penzance and created a new, one-man show about the character!

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:12am

"To me, this is one of these few musicals where there is pretty much nothing wrong with it."

This thread is either a joke or you took some illicit drugs before entering that theater.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:17am

I'll agree with the "Uh..." half of the assessment.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:22am

Thanks for pointing that out kec.

And to colleen_lee - I'm clean I swear!

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 8:38am

The Pirate Queen is eligible for the Tonys this year. I just wanted to point that out, since you might not be able to tell when the nominations come out next week.

The show was universally panned by the critics (did anyone find one positive review after the NY opening?) but with Stephanie Block, Hadley Fraser and lots of Irish step dancing it does appeal to a lot of audiences. Pirate Queen is like Jekyl and Hyde in that people seem to either loathe it or think it's the most brilliant show they've ever seen. Check out these reader reviews on Broadwaybox.com.

This show evokes strong reactions, that's for sure.
Bway box PQ reader reviews

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 9:47am

Those idiots are paying half price. No one is going to spend full price on this, which is why it will never recoup.

From one of the negative reviews on BroadwayBox:

"THE STEPDANCING WAS FAKED! Step dancing sounds were pre-recorded and piped in over the speaker system, while the performers (in soft-soled footwear) tried to keep up."

Is this true? If so, it is laughable.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 09:47 AM

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 9:57am

A lot of people are also getting half price tickets for Grey Gardens and Company these days.

Here's another review from BroadwayBox. I didn't see one neutral, so-so mild review in the bunch.

"Best Show on Broadway
my daughter and i saw pirate queen last month and thought it was one of the best shows on broadway!! i can't wait to see it again!!!"

When I saw Pirate Queen I didn't detect anything fake about the step dancing, and I didn't notice any soft-soled footware. the dancing was very loud, and I've heard that some of the shoes have microphones in them, which could make it seem that the dancing sounds are piped in.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:01am

"To me, this is one of these few musicals where there is pretty much nothing wrong with it."

*silence*

[Shakespearean]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:24am

*chirrrrrrrup*


*chirrrrup*


*chirrrrrrup*


Cue: Tumbleweed.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:25am

A lot of people are also getting half price tickets for Grey Gardens and Company these days.

You could produce COMPANY 15 times over and still not spend as much as THE PIRATE QUEEN costs to produce once. You could produce GREY GARDENS 10 times and not spend as much as THE PIRATE QUEEN costs to produce once.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:31am

" You could produce GREY GARDENS 10 times and not spend as much as THE PIRATE QUEEN costs to produce once."

Sure, but Grey Gardens doesn't have any step dancing!

Seriously, so what?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:35am

"THE STEPDANCING WAS FAKED! Step dancing sounds were pre-recorded and piped in over the speaker system, while the performers (in soft-soled footwear) tried to keep up."

Riverdance did the same thing.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:46am

Seriously, so what?

My point was that it's hard enough for an insanely expensive show like PIRATE QUEEN to recoup on full price tickets and that they can't exactly afford to be tossing out half price tickets and expect to recoup.

GREY GARDENS can offer discounts and still meet their nut every week because it is a lot less of an expensive show to keep running.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 10:46 AM

[Kringas]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 11:05am

Riverdance did the same thing

So did the original production of Follies although, to be fair, it was tap dancing and not step dancing.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 11:05 AM

[bardolator]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:52pm

The step-dancing isn't fake; several of the dancers are world champions. Only a few of the performers are even wearing soft shoes.

It's probably a delay involving the sound system vs. live sound.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:59pm

I believe the tapping in the original FOLLIES was actual people tapping in the basement to mics.

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 2:01pm

Oh dear shill..it's so sad, and borderline funny.

As if someone would suddenly just apear from the depths of nowhere with such a title, and then claim we have been "blessed" by this perfect musical...ha ha ha, maybe someone is into the occult, and "blessed" means "cursed" in an odd way?

I love desperate Pirate Queen shill, it is realy amusing..keep them coming!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 2:06pm

Whether you want to believe it or not blaxx, there are really people who have enjoyed the show.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 4:35pm

have they enjoyed the show because they paid a lot of money for it and so they feel as though they MUST enjoy it? cause i would never wanna feel like I paid over 60 bucks for something that will go down as one of the worst reviewed musicals so far this century.
with a horrible book, bland lyrics, and music that is just so banal, you barely remember any of the songs in the show.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 4:35pm

have they enjoyed the show because they paid a lot of money for it and so they feel as though they MUST enjoy it? cause i would never wanna feel like I paid over 60 bucks for something that will go down as one of the worst reviewed musicals so far this century.
with a horrible book, bland lyrics, and music that is just so banal, you barely remember any of the songs in the show.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 4:52pm

I saw it once with a $60 seat and once with a student seat and did really enjoy it. Both times.

I paid more for Talk Radio (didn't know they had student rush...got the cheapest I could find in the balcony to do a friend a favor and get something signed by Stephanie March because I refuse to just wait at the stage door) and have no problem admitting I hated it.

[FriedmanFan]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 5:02pm

I'm glad you enjoyed the show dramarama2. I did as well but unfortunatly we are in the minority on this board.

About BwayBox's audience reviews...
The same guy who said the step dancing was fake said that the swords are plastic. That just simply isn't true and takes away all the validity of his post. He even states that the sword "clashes" were piped in and didn't match the plastic sword fighting onstage. As castcom has showed in the past these swords have been specifically made for The Pirate Queen and each of them is real. As for the step dancing...The step dancers have microphones on their feet. Each dancer has a microphone on each foot. If anything the sound may be sweetened so we in the Hilton can actually hear it but there is no doubt that their feet are making noise and that these world champion step dancers are really dancing.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 5:06pm

"have they enjoyed the show because they paid a lot of money for it and so they feel as though they MUST enjoy it? "

That must be what it is. Any opinion that differs from yours couldn't possibly be valid.