Unnecessary Characters- Page 2

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 6:14pm

When I saw Flashdance in February, I couldn't understand the purpose for having a secondary couple (whose names escape me). They contributed nothing to the overall story and weren't funny, though it was clear they were supposed to be the comic relief.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 6:15pm

Is Bonnie necessary in APPLAUSE, except to give the lead's voice a rest between "Who's that Girl?" and "Hurry Back"?

I'm not even sure Duane moves the plot. I think he's just there so the show will seem hip and modern (for its day).

[newintown]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 6:33pm

Thus far, this appears to be a thread for people who can follow 2, maybe 3, characters in an evening, and get confused if any more come into the story.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 10:59pm

That's ridiculous, newintown. "Necessity" as a theatrical element dates back 2400 years. And, as some of the posts here have pointed out, there are other reasons that never occurred to Aristotle why a character may serve a purpose in a musical.

But just because a character appears or wanders through a show or even sings the title number doesn't mean that character is really necessary to the evening.

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 11:19pm

I could never understand why we had to suffer an unnecessary character, Petra, singing an unnecessary-- and ugly--- song that seemed to come out of nowhere. Just to make us suffer an unnecessary character singing an unnecessary, ugly song?

How very nice, truly.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:01am

^^^Because the song is gorgeous and the lyric is one of the most brilliant ever written. That's why.

Besides, she's needed in several verses of "Weekend in the Country".

(To be fair, A8, you are right that Petra is not needed to move the action. She "comments" on the action and is the only character who can offer that point of view.)

It's Frid who really isn't necessary (though his roll in the hay helps to set up Petra's solo), but George Lee Andrews (the original Frid) was Len Cariou's understudy and was retained when the part of Frid was virtually eliminated. (Prince must have liked Andrews: the latter was cast as Fredrik in the national tour and later, of course, in PHANTOM.)

The last time I saw ALNM, Frid was used to push Madame A around in her wheelchair.





Updated On: 7/11/13 at 07:01 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:16am

The Fodors exist in Crazy for You for one reason only: the creators of the show wanted to use "Stiff Upper Lip", and they needed someone British in the show to justify it.

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:17am

"Because the song is gorgeous and the lyric is one of the most brilliant ever written."

Except it isn't. In fact, far from it.

And even if it were, that would not make the character any less unnecessary, or justify her being given a solo.

Moreover, a long, slow evening is coming to an end. We want to get out of there already. The last thing any of us wants is to have this character no one has known or cared about all evening long suddenly come forth and rail at us with some ugly, bitter diatribe as an 11 o' clock song.

[onedaymore]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:25am

Marta in COMPANY. I mean, I know that show is filled with one-song characters...but hers seems a little useless to to Robert's story, besides the fact that she's his "young friend" that he brags to his friends about.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 9:13am

I'd argue that Kathy is more unnecessary. Marta represents an archetype: the free spirit

As for A Little Night Music, I personally find Petra to be generally necessary, but The Miller's Son to be generally unnecessary Updated On: 7/11/13 at 09:13 AM

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 12:42pm

The Mistress in “Evita.” I enjoy having her character in the musical to show another victim in Eva’s “path of destruction” (if you will), but, technically, the show would remain the same without her.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 12:49pm

The character may be unnecessary to the plot but she does give Eva a chance to rest.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 1:25pm

I think the mistress in Evita also gives another woman's voice. The show is heavy with men and there's not a lot of chance to hear a woman's voice other than Eva. I always thought that they should have written in a fuller woman character, either to counterpoint Che or maybe a rich woman character to balance Eva.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 1:33pm

The mistress is necessary. She's a foil for Eva, and illustrates what easily could have happened if Eva wasn't so viciously ambitious.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 4:00pm

The last thing any of us wants is to have this character no one has known or cared about all evening long suddenly come forth and rail at us with some ugly, bitter diatribe as an 11 o' clock song.

"And a person should celebrate everything
Passing by."

There is nothing remotely bitter about "The Miller's Son", After Eight. Actually, it's a far more sophisticated version of "The Real Love of My Life" and Petra is a more realistic and wiser version of Meg.

On a personal note, they say doing crossword puzzles or learning a foreign language is a good way to keep one's mind from deteriorating with age.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 4:06pm

"Just to make us suffer an unnecessary character singing an unnecessary, ugly song?"

Well, minus the singing, that's what you've been doing here for years.

[mikem]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 6:27pm

In addition to what's already been said, Max in the movie version of Sound of Music also serves as the Baroness's sounding board so we know about her evil plans. Without him, she would have to be writing in her diary or some other contrivance.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:06pm

Max is essential because his political views go against the grain of Georg's, and allows Georg the opportunity to express his beliefs. It's more evident when the song "No Way to Stop It" is included. And he not only creates The Trapp Family Singers, he facilitates their escape, knowing that he's sacrificing himself in the process.

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:41pm

I didn't remember Max as helping the Von Trapps escape in the movie. As far as being a sounding board for the Baroness, at least in the movie, we see her being very uncomfortable with the kids. She could easily say something like, "Wouldn't it be wonderful, kids, if you were off in boarding school and could have a bunch of friends who were like brothers and sisters?"

If Max were the Baroness's brother, I think the whole thing would make more sense -- he could push her to marry Georg for his money, so that Max could benefit.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 7:46pm

Max does encourage Elsa to marry Georg ("And it wouldn't do me any harm, either.") I may be paraphrasing but that's the gist. And Max stalls during the festival awards to give the family time to get out, knowing he'll take the fall. So what seems to have been a somewhat selfish character comes through selflessly when the chips are down.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 8:08pm

"he could push her to marry Georg for his money, so that Max could benefit."

The Baronness already has money. That's what all of Max's little jabs in the song "How Can Love Survive?" are about.

Elsa: No rides for us on the top of a bus, in the faces of freezing breezes.

Max: You reach your goals in your comfy old Rolls or in one of your Mercedes.

[NoName3]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 9:42pm

I didn't think I would ever agree with After Eight, but though I *adore* ALNM, I just wince through The Miller's Son until the show can resume. Sorry, Gaveston.

[DWalk]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 9:53pm

I'll give a second to the secondary couple in Flashdance. I saw it last month and the first comment I made to my friend was that those roles only purpose seemed to be to extend the length of the show.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 10:22pm

Sorry, Gaveston.

No apology required, NoName. We can agree to disagree.

The second act of ALNM becomes increasingly farcical (in the theatrical sense; I'm not saying it isn't believable). "The Miller's Son" is the break in that action that reminds us the show is about more than mismatched couples being put right.

So, yes, it is an interruption of sorts. If one loves the song (as I do), one doesn't mind. If one doesn't love the song, I can understand that it seems a waste of time.

Personally, I find the sheer craft of the song thrilling, but I also love Petra's clear-eyed realism contrasted with the romantic follies of everyone else.

***

But what makes you "wince"? Is it that Petra suddenly seems smarter and more educated than lawyer Fredrik? I think that's probably a fair criticism, but I love the song so much I don't care that Petra suddenly seems to have come from Noel Coward's cocktail party.
Updated On: 7/11/13 at 10:22 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 10:55pm

And not to mention that it presents an interesting class perspective: the folks with money and titles are the ones unable to realize the easy answers for their lives, with Petra and Frid, the lowest-class characters in the show, are able to easily find happiness.