Wonderland reviews? — Page 3

#51

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 10:54pm

Songs get moved around -- although I couldn't tell you how frequently. I know there were changes in song order in Spring Awakening (to give a recent example -- which is why the recording has two number reversed) and in the original production of Bye Bye Birdie (to give an example from days of yore -- Put on a Happy Face.)

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If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#52

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:09pm

^ Spring Awakening has two numbers reversed because Duncan Sheik wanted the two songs separated by one that was more upbeat. It was never like that in the actual show.

#53

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:32pm

I feel like this show was so close to being a good show. It like the music, the source material, and the concept of a grown up Alice. It's such a shame the book could not have been more cohesive. Oh well.

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"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "

#54

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:37pm

The show's problem is CLEARLY the book. The score is getting mostly mixed reviews, but that's to be expected with Wildhorn (and honestly doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference in the long run given that you slap "by the guy who wrote Jekyll and Hyde" on it and plenty of people would be ok with it) -- but the book is what's bringing this one down.
So here's a question: it's so OBVIOUSLY the problem - with Spiderman's endless previews, are producers afraid to postpone a show now because of what the resulting press would be?

Yesterday was the only time I saw the show, but I can't figure out how the creators thought THIS could be the best the show could be.

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Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#55

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:43pm

Don't leave the lyrics out of that discussion.

They're AWFUL and just as bad as the book.

#56

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:44pm

^ It's a Wildhorn show. The book will get revised, but it will get revised after the show closes on Broadway. All three of his shows that are available to license from MTI have completely different books than the versions that played Broadway. It's likely that history will repeat itself once again. They might go back to an older version like they did with Jekyll and Hyde or it'll be based on one of the foreign productions as was the case with Dracula.

Updated On: 4/17/11 at 11:44 PM

#57

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:53pm

Corine's Corner:

"Wonderland is a musical. It is good. I liked the songs. They were good too. Alice is played by an actress who is good. The cat is funny. The Mad Hatter is a woman and that is good because women are not represented in musicals hardly ever at all so it was good she was a she and not a he in this show which was good. There were no puppets and that is not good. Frank Wildhorn wrote the music and he also wrote the music for The Civil Wars. They were not as good as this show was since it is for children and also it is for adults to enjoy. All ages were at the show when I saw it. I had comps in the mezzanine. Row M seat 33. I would give this show two and a half puppets."


Favorite BWW post ever.

#58

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:59pm

Corine's writing is up to par with 6th graders I used to teach. Short sentences with no variety of style until she gets to: "The Mad Hatter is a woman and that is good because women are not represented in musicals hardly ever at all so it was good she was a she and not a he in this show which is good." Is that a run-on sentence worth of James Joyce or what? I do think she's obsessed with the word "good", though. Maybe she's the Chuck E. Cheese of writers.

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

Updated On: 4/18/11 at 11:59 PM

#59

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:00am

Oh, wow. I can't even think of any possible pull quotes for them. Maybe they can put "CAPABLE!" under Janet's big Times Square photo.

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"Movies will make you famous; television will make you rich; but theatre will make you good." - Terrence Mann.

#60

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:00am

NY Post is negative (for how negative it is, I am surprised that she gives it 2 stars):


"Most of the first act is taken up with numbers introducing each wackadoo character. This allows composer Frank Wildhorn ("Jekyll & Hyde," "The Scarlet Pimpernel") to write serviceable songs winking at everybody from Danny Elfman to Kander & Ebb and 'N Sync. Can't decide what your favorite musical style is? Wildhorn does them all.

...

These repeated intros feel endless. The White Rabbit has a watch that can turn back time, which may be Cher's dream come true but isn't helping us -- we'd rather Boyd, who also directed, sped things up.

...

At first, the Queen seems faithful to Carroll's creation, albeit with nods to "Evita" and Momma Rose. Then she turns out to be downright grandmotherly. What a cop-out: It's hard to care for Alice's safety if there's no real danger.

This is also typical of the work's misguided approach. Who is a musical about a grown-up Alice for? This show clearly casts a wide net, but it also takes family-friendliness as a license to be simplistic. Come on, "Wonderland," test us -- we're smarter than you think."

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/alice_is_lost_in_blunderland_LWsCv74I2e4RN9iucvexOL

#61

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:04am

Pulled quotes?

Here's one that should go over the marquee:

"All ages were at the show when I saw it. I had comps in the mezzanine. Row M seat 33." (Corine's Corner)

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#62

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:11am

All of these reviews are too positive. The trouble is they are being too nice. Where's the HONESTY? Isherwood, take my example, I said that I would rather "scoop doggie diarrhea into a bowl, microwave it into a soup, and slurp it up than to ever even be reminded of WONDERLAND's existence ever again."

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#63

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:11am

Do you think the closing notice has already been posted for this show?

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#64

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:15am

Dracula got a few months, and that got horrible reviews. And that was back in 2004. So i'm sure they have some money to throw at it for a while.

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"Movies will make you famous; television will make you rich; but theatre will make you good." - Terrence Mann.

#65

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:15am

probably, if not now on may 8th definitely

#66

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:19am

My personal favorite quote from the reviews has to be from NY Magazine: "Molest Your Inner Child."

That would look great on a billboard!

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Scratch and claw for every day you're worth! Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming You'll live forever here on earth.

#67

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:42am

Let us not forget the Wicked reviews and that's done ok for itself. This show could survive on the tourist trade.

I think that Wildhorn is a talented and capable composer, but he works with poor collaborators. I know he's written songs with Maury Yeston, it might be interesting to see what a strong collaborator at that level could do for a Wildhorn show. Many of his shows have the same problem of songs not being organic to the book and forced to "work" when they don't really.

#68

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:45am

If Spider-Man can find pull quote, this one certainly can.

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"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."-Stephen Sondheim

#69

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:00am

Here you go with some one liners...

New York Times - "peppily inspirational musical"

Variety - "Wonderland" stands out"

Theatermania - "splashy, high-tech new musical extravaganza "

#70

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:01am

You can't compare Wicked's reviews to these.

Wicked's reviews hail the show as the second coming of Christ in comparison to these.

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"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#71

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:03am

"Wonderland...is...a...M...a...s...t...e...r...p...i...e...c...e...!"
-The New York Times

#72

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:05am

Here are the Wicked reviews by comparison. They are scathing too, but I agree not as bad.

http://www.didhelikeit.com/shows/wicked-reviews.html

Updated On: 4/18/11 at 01:05 AM

#73

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:13am

Well WICKED's reviews were mixed. Even the scathing reviews offered some positives. So far I dont see a lot of that for Wonderland.

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"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

#74

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:50am

And for the record, BABY IT'S YOU! is a *much* better show than WONDERLAND.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#75

Wonderland reviews?

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:55am

Yikes!

The show is no where near the level it should've been and had potential to. No doubt future productions will be reworked and will be more than likely better. The score is still good, though shame on Wildhorn for letting them take so many of his songs out!