WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN begins previews TONIGHT!- Page 6

[heo1128]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:11am

Updated On: 1/22/18 at 09:11 AM

[mikem]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:19am

Someone said several weeks ago that Sher tends to do a lot of his work during the preview period, so it's very possible that things will get much better over time. If the actors haven't had a chance to work on their comic timing and the pacing/tone are thrown off by inefficient set changes, I'm hoping that things will get better. I'm not sure they did themselves any favors by not delaying the start of performances again, though. It doesn't sound like they were really ready.

Do you think that it's important to see the movie or at least know the plot before seeing the show, or is the story clear to the total novice?

[theaterdrew]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:40am

A lot of the comments seem to be comparing the book to the movie, which leads me to wonder if seeing the show without having that fore-knowledge might make one less resistant to the way the book unfolds?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:44am

Mikem- I'm sure much work will be done over the preview period, but the problems lie neither with actors working on the comic timing (you actually need comic material to time if you want that to happen) nor with the tone being thrown off because of the sets. The problems were with the book and score.

Take the character of Ivan (Stokes Mitchell). His character is barely in the movie, but they are obviously going to flesh it out because they landed such a star in the role. All well and good, but if you're going to add a new person to the mix have a reason for it. Why is Ivan singing his songs. They aren't moving the plot forward or telling us anything about his character we don't already know. He just kind of walks on, sings, and leaves. He sounds AMAZING, but that's not reason enough to give him those songs. Why is he there? What is the presence of his character adding to the story?

You don't need to watch the movie to understand the musical. Should you watch the film because it's just an awesome movie? Absolutely.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 11:06am

From all these comments, I'm actually glad I'm not seeing it until November 6 -- the day after the reviews come out. Sounds like I'm either going to be at another Nick and Nora or, if they can "fix" it, maybe it will be the experience that many of us hoped it would be. Here's hoping for the best to all concerned.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 11:09am

Wonder how Patti is dealing with all this...we all know how she felt about the Sunset Blvd. set issues according to her Memoir. And she kept saying how "Women...." was going to be a great show because of cast, director, and material in most of the recent interviews she gave.

I haven't seen it, hopefully seeing it around Christmas, so I'm sure a lot of the problems will be worked out. A lot of great shows have really terrible previews.

How long is this expected to run? I know it's a "limited engagement".


EDIT: And I am a HUGE Stokes fan, so I'm glad to hear he is in great voice and doing a decent job with the material given. Updated On: 10/9/10 at 11:09 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 11:41am

It's scheduled to close on January 23, 2011...with each passing review killing my hope of extension more and more.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 12:03pm

I'm just as disappointed as you to read that the show is not in good shape, but it was the first preview. They have almost a month until opening night to work everything out.

ETA: I just read something on ATC that helped put it in perspective for me. They reminded us that previews are often a time to try out different ideas, and that anyone who saw the first preview of Grey Gardens at Playwrights saw something very different from what eventually opened. I hope this is the case for Women on the Verge.

Updated On: 10/9/10 at 12:03 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 12:12pm

Eh, wonder if this will be able to be fixed at all. It sounds to me like they completely missed the tone of the movie, and honestly one of my worries about the show with it's 100% Anglo cast and creative team was that they would entirely miss Almodovar's delicious Spanish essence that truly informs all of his films. The original film has a great ensemble but really it's such a great showcase of Carmen Maura's acting (who should have been nominated for an Oscar and sadly wasn't), it's a real shame someone like Candela walks away with the show, WTF? (though I adore Benanti so I love that she's once again giving another great supporting performance, I like how she can easily go from one great role to the other regardless of size and knock it out of the park).
Would someone mind talking a little about Candela's number? And what are some of Pepa's and Lucia's songs like?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 12:14pm

This is astonishing...and yet not. Having seen some of Sher's non-revival works throughout the years, I can say that developing new material is not his strong point.

There was also the problem that the (delightful) film has no plot to speak of; it's all style, quirks, coincidences, and non-sequitur asides. I'm surpised that people are unanimous that Benanti walks away with the show when her character, at least in the movie, is, like most of the characters, rather extraneous. The movie is a lark, a whim, a flight of fancy...perhaps loading songs onto it gave it a weight it just can't support.

Here's hoping they can pull it together, though.

[eileen6]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 3:31pm

I had tickets for last Sunday afternoon they cancelled and rebooked for tomorrow. I enjoy all of Almodovar's work and if someone could give me an honest opinion how was it? If it truly is not worth it I will dump the tickets on my sister. Particulary given the fact that this is being adapted from film and book, I got an iffy feeling. Can someone answer me please.

Great cast but that does not impress as much as how they are going to swing this.

[heo1128]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 3:38pm

Updated On: 1/22/18 at 03:38 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 3:41pm

^ I agree. It will probably be a lot smoother by tomorrow.

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 4:36pm

Anyone have a pic of the show curtain?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 4:40pm

I second the request for a show curtain picture... please!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 4:48pm

Current Avatar Molly Shannan in Promiss, Promises!.

jamiekennywicked -- her name is Molly SHANNON (not Shannan) and the title of the musical is PROMISES, PROMISES (no exclamation point!).

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 5:10pm

Ray-

Benanti's number is a series of voice messages left to Pepa. She has the phone in her hand as she goes through a series of fun situations (dressing herself, modeling, etc.) It's very fast, quirky and clever. 

Updated On: 3/28/22 at 05:10 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 5:17pm

I just find it so hard to believe Yazbek has written a bland score. Bland is the LAST word I would ever use to describe Full Mounty and Scoundrels.

But I haven't heard Verge, so I cannot judge for myself yet.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 5:20pm

ljay-

Let's just say there's no "Here I Am" in this score. I am a huge fan of the "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" score, but Yazbeck seemed to be pretty focused on the more Spanish sound and it just doesn't seems to be working.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 5:51pm

I think the main problem is that they don't take advantage of what they have. They have 4 of the best Broadway Performers with 4 of the best voices and I know at least 3 of them have impeccable comedic timing (Not sure of Stokes Mitchell) and with all of that they have a mellow score and not so funny book. Laura is the only one who has a developed character. Everyone else is missing the essence of the characters. I am not blaming those actors but the book and direction. Also Patti, Sherie, and Laura have some of the best voices ever! And their songs don't show them off.

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 7:20pm

I'll disagree with the highly negative first reactions posted here and say I found it an entertaining show. The cast is wonderful. And contrary to what has been proclaimed, it's in remarkably good shape for a show just beginning previews.

The score is serviceable, no more. It's as good as Yazbek's previous ones, probably better. Nice orchestrations. I think it could use more dancing, but being fairly long as it is, it probably won't be adding any.

Is it as good as the movie? I'd say no. But so what? Film is a much more adept medium for handling this kind of material. It's not the movie, and what it is is fine.

And I must say I am so irritated by these "nattering nabobs of negativity" who write doctoral thesis-length criticisms on this board after seeing a show just once. And I'm not criticizing their intelligence or taste here. Just their approach. How could they have any time to enjoy what's going on on stage if they're so busy listing in their minds every picayune detail that they're going to nitpick to death?

[kyle4]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 7:35pm

ok, i just got home from today's matinee.... i am stunned... i need to decompress... i need to shower... then i will sit down and try to wrap my brain around this tragedy. hopefully, i will get it out of my system... take a breath and then move on with my life! back in a few!

[kyle4]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 7:42pm

oh... and before i come back and write about it... i need you to know that i am 46 years old, born in the bronx and (starting with 1975's THE WIZ) i have seen just about every important musical that has ever been on broadway... i care about broadway, i support broadway, i believe in broadway... i have a very good breadth of knowledge when it comes to the great white way... ok... i just didn't want to mention all of that in my report about today... since this is one of my first posts here (i have had other id's, but i always lose the info)... i want to lend my words some credence... ok, now for that shower.... wow... that was bad... really really bad.. ok, breathe.... let me cleanse, then i will purge!!!

Updated On: 10/9/10 at 07:42 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 7:55pm

Looking on the bright side... does the theatre look fabulous?

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 7:55pm

^
"i have seen just about every important musical that has ever been on broadway... i care about broadway, i support broadway, i believe in broadway... i have a very good breadth of knowledge when it comes to the great white way... ok... i just didn't want to mention all of that in my report about today... since this is one of my first posts here (i have had other id's, but i always lose the info)... i want to lend my words some credence..."



Kyle, I'm glad you've gotten to see so many Broadway musicals, and I don't in the least dispute your knowledge of the form. But this kind of proclamation, in my opinion, does not, as you maintain, give any credence to your words. One could see every Broadway show that ever opened, and know every statistic about them, and still have terrible taste. In fact, there is one poster on these boards to whom this unfortunately very much applies.

Now, I too have seen a good many shows, and go back further than you. And I feel I know more than a little about the theatre. But that doesn't mean that either my taste or judgment is any good either.

And I disagree with you about this show. And will be eager to read your thoughts about it.