Why did High Fidelity Flop?

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 8:55am

High Fidelity, the 2006 based on the Nick Hornby novel and the John Cusack movie is one of those shows that's history has always confounded me. It was an unbelievable flop, but by my estimation, it's really good. Clever lyrics, fun use of genre in the music, it does a lot to make the main character likable.

It was a tough race that year for musicals (we also had Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde, Curtains, and Grey Gardens come out that very season), but was the show really that bad?

Updated On: 7/2/24 at 08:55 AM

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 9:19am

I saw a regional production. The leading men were smug and the leading lady underwritten. There were two fun songs, "Number One with a Bullet" and "Ready to Settle." But I wasn't invested in the story of an entitled jerk harassing his ex-girlfriend. 

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 10:57am

Nick Hornby wrote the novel. 
 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 11:12am

 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 11:51am

two ladies tickets said: "Nick Hornby wrote the novel.
"

Oops, got my British writers named Nick confused. Just fixed it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 4:24pm

One of the rare times where a show actually should have been at least a partial jukebox musical. So much time spent talking about great recording artists and their top hits, and then you never hear any of that music and instead get som pastiche pieces that are watered down versions of the real music that was being discussed 

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 5:43pm

Poor Will Chase. I saw High Fidelity twice and loved it. Then, a little over two years later, Will Chase opened The Story of My Life, which only ran a weekend. Saw that gem four times and loved it. It's so rare for shows to have this short a run nowadays. KPOP and Lempicka are probably the only two comparable.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 8:42pm

I recall seeing it and enjoying a lot of it. But I also remember not being as impressed as I left the group sales presentation. I also remember finding Jay Klaitz' character absolutely insufferable. 

Updated On: 7/2/24 at 08:42 PM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 9:26pm

This show made me a big fan of Anna Louizos, who was nominated for the incredible set.

I remember laughing so hard during “Conflict Resolution.”

[MezzoDiva47]

Posted: 7/2/24 at 11:42pm

WithoutATrace said: "Poor Will Chase. I saw High Fidelity twice and loved it. Then, a little over two years later, Will Chase opened The Story of My Life, which only ran a weekend. Saw that gem four times and loved it.

the story of my life is yet another show which fits under the category of vanity project

it had no business being on broadway

as evidenced by how long it ran

as to the original high fidelity question

aside from bad timing

the movie wasnt exactly a smash hit but it wasnt a dud

although I personally enjoyed it

the musical did not offer anything compelling over and above the movie

a similar example is pretty woman

which was essentially a flaccid and uninspired carbon copy of the movie

the only reason it even ran for as long as it did is because that movie is a hundred times more popular

once the fanbase ran out it closed

high fidelity did not have the built in fanbase to begin with

I believe one of the reviews said something along the lines of

there arent enough power chords to save this show

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/5/24 at 2:08pm

I did not like this on Broadway but a couple years ago I saw a London rewritten production that returned the setting (of the original novel) to England. For some reason I liked that version a whole lot more.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 7/5/24 at 3:23pm

I think there are some traces of bones for a good musical here. I loved the Hulu tv series. But It felt too overstuffed, with weird masculine energy that just derailed the entire thing. The character of Rob ain’t exactly likable to begin with. 

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 7/5/24 at 7:45pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "High Fidelity, the2006 based on the Nick Hornbynovel and the John Cusack movie is one of those shows that's history has always confounded me. It was an unbelievable flop, but by my estimation, it's really good. Clever lyrics, fun use of genre in the music, it does a lot to make the main character likable.

It was a tough race that year for musicals (we also hadSpring Awakening, Legally Blonde, Curtains, andGrey Gardenscome out that very season), but was the show really that bad?"

I have this same opinion about Groundhog Day. I know its box office was dismal, but I think the score is great and it has a very sweet love story (mostly). I’m glad it’s had new life in the UK. 

[Blindbutlerdeafmaid]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 9:30pm

HeyMrMusic said: "This show made me a big fan of Anna Louizos, who was nominated for the incredible set.

I wholeheartedly second this. It was also the first time that I was introduced to Amanda Green's lyrics, which I found   quite winsome and clever.

To the OP's question: Personally, I remember being more invested in (and smitten with) Christian Anderson and Kirsten Wyatt's romance than the main story. Which, despite great performances, were truly of, just, rather insufferable people on a journey that was hard to care about. 

I do think, though, that it had my favorite opening number and finale of that time period of shows.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 10:28pm

Quinn Wilson said: "Alex Kulak2 said: "High Fidelity, the2006 based on the Nick Hornbynovel and the John Cusack movie is one of those shows that's history has always confounded me. It was an unbelievable flop, but by my estimation, it's really good. Clever lyrics, fun use of genre in the music, it does a lot to make the main character likable.

It was a tough race that year for musicals (we also hadSpring Awakening, Legally Blonde, Curtains, andGrey Gardenscome out that very season), but was the show really that bad?"

I have this same opinion about Groundhog Day. I know its box office was dismal, but I think the score is great and it has a very sweet love story (mostly). I’m glad it’s had new life in the UK."

Very much agree about Groundhog Day. I think it's one of the best movie-to-musical adaptations to ever play on Broadway, and one of the few that improves on it's source material.