Whats the deal with Bombay Dreams?!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:18pm

I havent seen it yet, and heard it sucked, yet it is doing better than three great revivals (Wonderful Town, Little Shop, and Fiddler), filling like 78% of the theater each week. Isnt it like Romeo and Juliet meets Cinderella? (Forbidden romances/rags to riches). Is this show good or not? I was suprised that an Andrew Lloyd Webber produced musical would get such awful reviews (especially since it was also produced by the Very Useful Theater Company who has great taste in musicals...(ie: Phantom, Cats, and I think Les Miz)

[Plum]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:27pm

Its reviews have been...mixed. I imagine it sells well with tourists because it's shiny and pretty, with high production values and lots of dancing. And I know that a lot of my Indian friends rushed over to see it just because of its Bollywood influence. But really, how a show like that stays open while Assassins closes on Sunday is beyond me.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:27pm

the REALLY useful group has only produced the musicals of andrew lloyd webber (yes, phantom, cats, sunset...) but not les miserables which is produced by cameron mackintosh
apart from bombay dreams, they produced the gruffalo

Updated On: 7/16/04 at 01:27 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:31pm

Bombay Dreams didn't suck completely.......at least I didn't fall asleep in it. It needs a lot of work, plus I think that my lack of familiarity with Bollywood caused for some of it to go over my head (I'm hoping thats the case, because if its not then the show just sucked.) Some of the group numbers were entertaining but the ballads need some serious work, aside from The Journey Home. When I saw it I have to say about 70% of the audience was Indian, and whenever I walk by the theater there's always a large crowd of Indian people outside buying tickets or waiting to go in. Thats a large demographic to play to, and I don't blame them for wanting to see a show that represents something they're familiar with in their lives.

Still, its one of my least favorite currently running shows, but its worth seeing if you have a discount just because of the enthusiasm the cast has for it.

[zoran912]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 3:11pm

I enjoyed it in London. I heard that the rewrites for Broadway made it even more stupid. I thought it was fine the way it was.

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 3:27pm

I just got back from the commons and its little skit there was pretty good. I would go and see it now. They were asked some type of question and the cast said they were doing pretty well. So i don't know.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 4:42pm

The show was a disaster! Didnt like it at all, yet it was sold out when i went.

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 5:01pm

The skits that they did, they put in a lot of eefort. I feel bad for the actors sometimes, they try so hard but sometimes its the plot of the musical and stuff that makes it a disaster. When I saw them today they were pretty good. What I didn't understand was why one of the actors liped sang.

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 6:21pm

Do you know what, I really felt with Bombay Dreams that you should just watch it. It's not there to be analysed or criticised, just watched. It's not deep, it's not life-changing, it's not the shape of things to come. It's just something you can escape with for 2 hours and perhaps come out with the cast recording because it's poppy and catchy. Throw all the popstars you want at it, I like it.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 6:32pm

BOMBAY DREAMS is worth seeing. It does not suck. It sells very well because of it's attraction to tourists and the Asian culture. Agian, there were many Indian/Asian people in the audience when I saw it. Mayby it's weak as far as book or doesn't make any sense, but it is fun and exciting and nice to look at and sometimes people feel like just that.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:07pm

I am sure it was like Flower Drum Song. There were a lot of Oriental people in the audience also. They could relate to the story. I loved that show!!!!!!!!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:15pm

I was there, Broadwaygirl4life. It actually kind of made me want to go see it... I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it, but it looks like fun.

[Thoroughly Modern Cara]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:16pm

Broadwaygirl4life-I was at the commons today too! Umm they lipsinked because they always do for Shakalaka Baby. We had a thread on this and they explained it at the 3pm show becuase a guy asked about it. It's supposed to be while they're filming a movie and that's what they do, they film along with a track. Also, since there is the fountain and the water during that scene they didn't really want to be electrocuted when they had to use the microphones and all.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 8:21pm

I LOVED IT in London. I haven't seen it on broadway, but the London version rocked.

[Hank]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 10:06pm

I agree with JakeB, this show is not deep, but it's a lot of fun, none the less.
And Broadwaylady, "where've you been, the term is Asian-American". (Ave Q)
Oh, and I liked Flower Drum Song too.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 10:11pm

I am sure it was like Flower Drum Song. There were a lot of Oriental people in the audience also.

Broadwaylady, where've you been? The term is "Asian American"! I know you are no intending to be...but calling me "Oriental" -- offensive to me!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

In regards to the first post: Andrew Lloyd Webber has never really been liked by critics (not post-Evita, anyway), so it was no surprise that Bombay Dreams was panned. Ironically, its current success seems to be fueled (in part) by ALW's name -- he's become a theatre brand, you could say.

And Les Miz was certainly NOT produced by the Really Useful Group -- I shudder at the thought!

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 10:17pm

Thoroughly Modern Cara- OHH i heart you so very much! GEEZ i totally should have asked that question. My mom was like ask a question but I asked my mom why they did that. LOL omg thanks so much. And it all makes sense. Hm they had a thread about this on bww messageboard? anyways thanks. do you plan on going to the other shows in the commons?

LubtheEmcee- Yeah me too, I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it either. Or try to get the best seats.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 11:10pm

ALW didn't write Bombay Dreams, though- his company just produced it. Or at least that's what I thought was happening.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 7:45pm

LEMIZ is connected to the Really Useful Group through Cameron Mackintosh though in a way. It's all same big club: Mackintosh, ALW, Schonberg, Really Useful, Trevor Nunn. The British invasion millionairs. Funny, how Browadway is an Amrican tradition and exists in this country yet the 3 most successful Broadway shows ever are British musicals produced by the same person with 2 having the same director and another 2 having the same composer. Weird.

[sean martin]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 8:02pm

It's a head-to-toe gorgeous hoot. Overpriced, but isn't everything on Broadway these days?

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 7:32pm

I saw Bombay Dreams today and it was adorable. I had such a great time and so did the audience. The dancing is fabulous. I was so prepared to hate the show and I was delightfully surprised. It was a very nice experience. The male lead is fantastic!!

[NYBroadwayNY]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 7:36pm

I agree. I went to see this, just KNOWING I'd hate it and seeing it would only confirm my hatred. Surprisingly, I found myself semi-enjoying it. The choreography and costuming is great. The water dance is quite something!

It didn't change my life, but it was fun.

[sean martin]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 7:43pm

Besides, look what you're comparing it to: a lackluster revival of WONDERFUL TOWN and an even more lackluster revival of FIDDLER.