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Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier "Minimalist" Take On? — Page 3

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#51

Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?

Posted: 5/12/10 at 2:00pm

In 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!
#52

Which 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

#54

Which Musicals Do You Want to See the British/Menier 'Minimalist' Take On?

Posted: 5/12/10 at 3:07pm

Though 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.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#55

Which 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.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
#57

Which 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.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#59

Which 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

#60

Which 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?
"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

Updated On: 5/12/10 at 05:49 PM

#61

Which 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.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
#63

Which 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.

"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
#64

Which 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!
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#66

Which 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.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#67

Which 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!
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
#68

Which 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!
All That Jazz Check out & support my drawings @ www.facebook.com/felixdrawings
#70

Which 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.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

Updated On: 5/12/10 at 08:57 PM

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