Which shows did you really want to like, but...

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 8:19am

If this topic has been brought up, apologies.   

But which musical did you go into really wanting to like, or thinking you would really like, but left not really as into it as you thought you would be?

And if you've ever seen a show that you weren't sure about, but saw it anyway out of curiosity, which did you find most surprising with regard to how much you liked it?

[artscallion]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 8:29am

Book of Mormon.  I really thought I would like it.  And it's not that I didn't like it. It was good. But I was underwhelmed.  Probably my expectations were too high because of all the hype. Hype is a double edged sword.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 8:35am

If/then - I was so excited when i heard this was happening. Idina sang one of the songs at her concert (Learn to live without) and i loved it. I finally saw the show and i was left cold. I really like the score but the book and the concept are very flawed.

- The curious incident of the dog in the night time. I liked it but didn't love it as much as i wanted to.

-Follies - Everyone on here worships it  like the damn bible and I thought i would like it, but the score does nothing for me. 

- Matilda. What a mundane show. Everyone praised how dark it was, but i saw no darkness whatsoever to this show. It was very cartoonish.  Besides the song "When I grow up", the the show has nothing deep or profound behind it.

 

Updated On: 5/8/15 at 08:35 AM

[Alex M]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:18am

I really wanted to like On the Town and really was not impressed 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:21am

Any show I've ever disliked.  I always WANT to like, even LOVE what I'm going to see....that's why the disappointment is so great.

 

I always think the more interesting question is: what show did you have LOW expectations of that blew you away.

 

 

 

 

[Patash]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:23am

I went to Bridges of Madison County convinced I would love it.  I had heard enough of the score, knew enough about the cast, and familiar enough with the story that I was sure so many critics and audience members were wrong -- that I'd love it.   I found myself sitting there listening to the lush orchestrations and beautiful sound of the score, but there was nothing else for me.  I've never quite understoood why, but the show had not one ounce of emotional "grab" for me.

 

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:26am

Something Rotten. Tried too hard; I sometimes felt insulted.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:30am

On the Town, I left at intermission. I just found it very boring

[Kad]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:32am

Agree with Lizzie for Something Rotten. Went in excited from the word of mouth, the premise, and the cast, and left sorely disappointed by nearly every aspect of the show.

[newintown]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 9:59am

Add me to the Lizzie/Kad group. I really thought I'd love Something Rotten, and wound up thinking it was nothing more than annoyingly juvenile, like 5-year-olds giggling over the word "pee-pee." I've loved all of Nicholaw's work up until that.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:09am

"I always think the more interesting question is: what show did you have LOW expectations of that blew you away."

 I didn't necessarily go in with super low expectations, but I did not expect to love Paint Your Wagon nearly as much as I did. 

 

As for a show I was a little disappointed in, I would also have to say Something Rotten. I WOULD be interested in seeing it again, though, since I only saw the second preview. The biggest disappointment for me would almost certainly be The Anarchist. 

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:09am

I'm on the Something Rotten bandwagon. I was more or less enjoying it until about forty minutes in when it became clear that there was only going to be one joke in the entire show.

Oh, oh, and Side Show. I went into the revival expecting something kind of challenging and interesting, based on its reputation and the subject matter. I found it almost unspeakably bland. The real elephant in the room, for me, is that the lyrics are so incredibly juvenile and generic and on-the-nose that it is impossible to take the show seriously. 

[rjm516]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:12am

Agree with "On the Town" & "Follies".

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:25am

I don't get the point of this thread. Its only purpose is to spread negativity, and give people ANOTHER opportunity to bitch about the shows they didn't like. It's not like we're giving anyone a useful answer to a practical question, or sparking any kind of fruitful discussion or debate; it's just one of the many threads devoted to pure negativity, in which people will post their own complaints, then agree with some posters and disagree with others, and that's it. I don't mind when people post negative opinions of shows, but threads like this just seem so pointless to me. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:25am

double post

Updated On: 5/8/15 at 10:25 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:32am

Your opinion has been noted.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:46am

 

For real. What are you? The posting police?

Here's a tip: don't open or post in this thread.

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:51am

Most recently, Hand to God.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:52am

Suddenly I'm the posting police because I criticized the creation of a specific thread? People do that literally ALL the time on this board, and usually just for the sake of being nasty. 

But whatever, you're right. I shouldn't have opened the thread in the first place. Bye! 

[newintown]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 10:57am

"I don't get the point of this thread. Its only purpose is to spread negativity, and give people ANOTHER opportunity to bitch about the shows they didn't like. It's not like we're giving anyone a useful answer to a practical question, or sparking any kind of fruitful discussion or debate; it's just one of the many threads devoted to pure negativity, in which people will post their own complaints, then agree with some posters and disagree with others, and that's it. I don't mind when people post negative opinions of shows, but threads like this just seem so pointless to me."

 I don't get the point of your post. Its only purpose is to create negativity, and give yourself ANOTHER opportunity to bitch about a point of view you don’t like. It's not like you're giving anyone a useful answer to any kind of question at all, or sparking any kind of fruitful discussion or debate; it's just one of the many posts devoted to slamming other people's opinions, in which people will post their own complaints about someone else’s opinion, then agree with some posters and disagree with others, and that's it. I don't mind when people post negative opinions of shows, but posts like yours just seem so pointless to me.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 11:43am

I'll have to join the Something Rotten bandwagon as well. At least I only paid $15 for it, but it's one of the most disappointing shows I've ever seen- such a great premise, but a misfire on almost every level. 

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 11:58am

Just thought of a few more...

 

Aladdin - Love Disney and loved the film but for some reason this one disappointed me. I loved beauty and lion king on stage. I even liked Little mermaid, but Aladdin just looked cheap and bored me. 

Gentleman's guide - Just can't get into it.

Hair 2009 revival - The performances are what made the show so great. I have problems with the book. The whole show could basically be told in 10 minutes. There really isn't much of a plot but clearly Hair's focus isn't really on the plot and more on it's themes so i get it. I was just underwhelmed. The second act is really what brought the show down for me. 

Mary Poppins - It has great moments but it's a very slow and boring show. 

Pirate Queen - I had very high hopes for it. Stephanie J Block was absolutely fantastic in it, she was robbed of a tony nomination that year. But the rest of the show is very uninteresting. 

 

One show that I thought would be terrible and ended up being great was Shrek.

[laurenmwendt]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 12:07pm

Matilda...I don't understand why people love it so much

[laurenmwendt]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 12:07pm

Matilda...I don't understand why people love it so much

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 5/8/15 at 12:10pm

Also Once and Gentleman's Guide. I was already underwhelmed with the cast recordings and was even more underwhelmed with the actual shows. I was falling asleep but stayed because...Tony winners??! But now I've learned my lesson lol