Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier "Minimalist" Take On?- Page 3
Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier "Minimalist" Take On?
lotiloti
Broadway Star Joined: 1/23/06
#50Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 2:00pmIn these days when it seems,only the so called 'franchise' productions seem to make it to the West End & Broadway. When producers like Mackintosh (Who now appears to be just a landlord). Has given up on producing anything remotely new or daring. I'm grateful to have the Menier, to at least give me the chance to see shows. Which have little or no chance of being produced in the West End.Frankly, I think on the very limited budgets& space of the Menier,what they have produced over recent years is truly astonishing. As for people like Roscoe who wishes the Menier to disappear off the face of the earth, I nothing but contempt. If the Chocolate Factory does nothing else it keeps many actors & technicians in work, for which they should be applauded. I for one,feel very grateful that I have been able to visit this little goldmine. Remember, big isn't always better,its just bigger!
#51Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 2:41pm
From Previous threads on the Broadway Board, I know a lot of you guys like your big spectacular sets, don't get me wrong, the original Sunset was jaw dropping in places. But I also enjoy seeing the creative imagination when a set is scaled right back to its bare bones and observing a show work on a minimised notion.
Well here is another clip from the Watermill production of Sunset Boulevard showing the set this time and yes that was the set in its entirety.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z69L0GPj_TE&feature=related
#52Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 2:55pm
I still regret not seeing this production when its in London... the timing and mainly my wallet just won't allow me to do so 
#53Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 3:07pmThough the Sunday in the Park revival originated at the Menier, it was produced on Broadway by Roundabout. Roscoe is hysterically hyperbolic about everything. His statements should be dialed down about 90% before taken seriously.
Roscoe
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#54Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 3:29pm
Way to split hairs, Matt. The atrocious SUNDAY IN THE PARK revival was the Menier Chocolate Factory production, wasn't it? Tweaked a bit for Studio 54, and all that.
But hey, if you insist, I'll scale back my desire for the Menier to be destroyed in an earthquake etc.
Bulldozing the building will be quite sufficient.
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#55Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 3:35pm
In all seriousness I'd love to see N2N in a British style.
The show already has a minimal set and 6 cast members. How "minimalist" would you like it?
#56Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 3:51pm
Way to split hairs, Matt.
Had the production not been transferred to Broadway by Roundabout, you probably would not have seen it or even been concerned about their production.
Bulldozing the building will be quite sufficient.
In all fairness, I wouldn't be surprised to hear if most Broadway and Hollywood film producers and directors shouldn't wish the same on your home. They probably don't, but they should just say they do just to sound interesting.
#57Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 4:38pmRoscoe, I am slightly bemused on your comments on the Menier, can you elaborate on your statement, why the place should be bulldozed?
#58Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 5:09pm
I wouldn't be surprised if the Menier was a listed building. It's a rather elegant piece of industrial architecture.
John Doyle's Mack and Mabel was probably the best actor/musician production I've seen. Now there's a Broadway musical whose atrociously written and rewritten book couldn't be disguised by lavish sets and tap dancing chorus lines. But in Doyles hands, previous incongruities seemed to form a coherent whole.
And the reason the Watermill's stage is small is because the building was a watermill. Like, y'know, you can go outside and feed the ducks and swans on the stream at the interval.
Updated On: 5/12/10 at 05:09 PM
#59Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 5:49pm
There is a great deal of sarcasm on this thread, maybe deserved. But I would just like to say that I saw LA CAGE last Friday, never having seen it before, and found it to be an exhilarating night at the theatre, minimalist or not. Cutting down the number of Cagelles from the original production does not make it poorer in conception. I have rarely been in such an enthusiastic audience--it was a love fest with rhythmic clapping--and Douglas Hodge was simply magnificent throughout.
How about a minimalist production of BAJOUR, getting rid of most of the score, but retaining Chita Rivera?
Roscoe
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#60Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:07pm
Since you ask, I saw the Menier production of SUNDAY IN THE PARK (as transferred via Roundabout, as if that really matters) and found it horrific. Badly cast, badly directed, with a set consisting of an overgrown Powerpoint presentation and a band of 5 musicians that somehow managed to sound like a band of two musicians, just in general one of the worst productions I've ever seen.
The Menier Chocolate Factory is also responsible for the horrific current production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, another of the worst productions I've ever seen, miscast in major roles and with an obscenely reduced orchestra that ruined one of the great scores in musical theater.
Two horrifying revivals of major works.
Bulldoze the place before they do more damage.
Never fear Matt, your home is safe from bulldozing. Nobody will ever accuse you of trying to sound interesting.
#61Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:15pm
^ I've never seen you post about any production that you've actually liked.
Updated On: 5/12/10 at 06:15 PM
Roscoe
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#62Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:22pm
Ho hum. Another "Roscoe Hates Everything" post. The thread is about which musicals I'd like to see Menierized, and the answer pretty clear is NONE.
#63Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:26pm
...just in general one of the worst productions I've ever seen.
Oh, aren't they all, Grumpy? For you, that's more of a mantra than it is an opinion.
Nobody will ever accuse you of trying to sound interesting.
Using your extreme negative persona as a barometer, then it is a sure sign I'll be complimented on sounding interesting profusely by hundreds, maybe thousands of people. What am I saying? You think Chicago is the worst film ever made. I meant millions of people! Let the love begin!
#64Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:37pmI'd like to see this thread minimalized by Menier.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#65Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:40pm
In defense of Roscoe, whom I have locked horns with on occasion myself, I have definitely seen him post about shows and films that he has liked and loved!
... and when it happens, we usually get six more weeks of winter.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Roscoe
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#66Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:43pm
The Menier Chocolate Factory is God's gift to theater. Their productions will live on in eternity long after all other works are dust. They will outlast Shakespeare and the Bible and Cervantes. Daniel Evans' performance of "Finishing The Hat" has been known to cure cancer and elevate T-cell counts.
Menier is the new Lourdes. The aisles are littered with crutches and wheelchairs and canes after every healing performance, as the lame are restored to mobility and the blind are restored to vision!
All hail MENIER!
#67Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 8:00pm
I've seen Sunday..George in London, can't speak for the Broadway production, but I found it absolutely splendid. Sitting first row made the whole experience even more magical and it was just one of those performances you'll never forget (in a good way).
As for Little Night Music, I saw in the Factory, I enjoyed it... did not love it, did not hate it either. I think it's a fine production but I don't think it's really the Factory's fault that the production is what it is... I mean, I think it's more trevor nunn's fault. I think I'm saying this because I've also seen La Cage which I've loved loved loved. But hey... who's going back to that whole love/hate big/small productions argument again??
On a funnier note... can you all imagine Cats done on a actor/musican style... that would be so funny!
#68Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 8:20pmCats would make more sense than some of these other Partridge Family Band shows.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Roscoe
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#69Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?
Posted: 5/12/10 at 8:57pm
This whole minimalist thing is a mixed bag: when it works it really works, when it doesn't you're praying for anyone but Trevor Nunn to have been at the helm.
There have been two "minimalist" productions that I've enjoyed, specifically John Doyle's SWEENEY TODD and COMPANY. Both took established classics and made them live onstage in interesting ways, and I never felt the lack of a bigger orchestra the way I did in the horrific SUNDAY and NIGHT MUSIC revivals.
Another minimal musical, not a revival, that I found admirable was ADDING MACHINE, directed by Douglas Cromer. A fascinating and thrilling production, with a band of 5 musicians (I think) who managed to produce a far more thrilling sound than the sadly anemic musicians on SUNDAY.
But of course, these productions had intelligent directors, which the revivals of SUNDAY and NIGHT MUSIC didn't.
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