Worst ALW show (besides Love Never Dies)- Page 2

[10086sunset]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:11pm

The Woman in White.

[ggersten]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:14pm

MichelleCraig said: "I know I'm veering off topic here, but are there any fans of "The Beautiful Game" here? I saw the original production in London and loved it... "

Saw the production at the now old Union Theatre in 2014 and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well, I don't know if "enjoy" is the right word.  There's not a lot of happiness in that show.  

On topic, I did see Stephen Ward.  I did not fall asleep.  That is all.  

Updated On: 8/4/16 at 11:14 PM

[Queen of the Night]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:14pm

MichelleCraig said: "I know I'm veering off topic here, but are there any fans of "The Beautiful Game" here? I saw the original production in London and loved it... 

 

"

The Beautiful Game (in its original London version) has a lovely score. "God's own country" is probably the prettiest song, but it does have a lot of emotionally powerful and interesting songs in it. I wish it could have been done here. 

 

Besides LND, the Lloyd Webber show I liked the least was "Whistle down the wind". There were only about 2 or 3 good songs in it. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:24pm

The only album of his that I play frequently is Evita, and that's mainly only for Mandy Patinkin and Patti Lupone.

I enjoy Jesus Christ Superstar and Phantom of the Opera, but I don't love them.  I was just looking at ALW's career and why is he always compared to Sondheim?  Sondheim has had a much more successful career.  ALW has only maybe, 4 major shows (Evita, Phantom, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Cats).  Sunset Boulevard isn't really as well known as the others and School of Rock is campy and hammy as hell.  He really does not deserve all the praise he's recieved over the years.

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:24pm

Aspects of Love followed closely by Cats

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:25pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Marianne2 said: "I'll also admit to almost laughing at an inappropriate moment."

I'm a massive Phantom fan, but I kind of want to know what moment, Marianne...

 

"

It was the end of act 1 with All I Ask Of You. Christine and Raoul leave the stage and the Phantom pops up. It's been a few years since I've seen it, so I can't fully remember. I think maybe it was because I wasn't expecting him to pop up again. I know, I'm odd for thinking this was funny.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:25pm

Sunset is one of his better scores but there's a lot of filler. It needs to be someone who can really belt the score though.

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:38pm

icecreambenjamin said: "The only album of his that I play frequently is Evita, and that's mainly only for Mandy Patinkin and Patti Lupone.

I enjoy Jesus Christ Superstar and Phantom of the Opera, but I don't love them.  I was just looking at ALW's career and why is he always compared to Sondheim?  Sondheim has had a much more successful career.  ALW has only maybe, 4 major shows (Evita, Phantom, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Cats).  Sunset Boulevard isn't really as well known as the others and School of Rock is campy and hammy as hell.  He really does not deserve all the praise he's recieved over the years.

 

"

I think Sondheim is far superior too in quality but if you're going by "major" shows, I would say ALW handily beats Sondheim in terms of broad appeal and public knowledge... look at the 4 ALW shows you listed: two of them are among Broadway's all time biggest hits. What would be Sondheim's top 4 shows in terms of popularity/most well known? Probably Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Company, and maybe A Little Night Music? Those aren't nearly as popular as ALW's 4 major shows you listed, though they certainly deserve to be.

Updated On: 8/4/16 at 11:38 PM

[DSamuels90]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 11:56pm

I actually quite like Love Never Dies. The studio album was very pretty, if clunky in storytelling, and I think the changes made for the Australian production were great improvements.



Considering productions I've actually seen, I'd cast my vote for Joseph blahblah Dreamcoat. After that, Cats, which is a score I don't mind listening to, but as a show you couldn't pay me enough to sit through it again.



Based on albums, it becomes a tie between Joseph and Starlight Express.

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:22am

#catbashing

[Harrisonmlewis]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:23am

I fell asleep the first time I watched cats

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:39am

I'm in the minority I suppose but, imo, "Joseph..." is probably one of ALW's weakest shows. Aside from a few really great "character" moments like "Close Every Door" or "Potiphar's Song" (and of course the happy Brit pop of "Any Dream Will Do", well, I won't kill myself over it. I've heard recordings from Jason Donovan to even Donny O and they sound okay, the show just leaves me wanting more. Lee Mead, also the winner of the UK ALW "Joseph/(Any Dream Will Do)" talent show was very good.  

And...even though "Whistle Down The Wind" and "Love Never Dies" get short shrift at times, they have some incredibly melodic and beautiful and dramatic songs; "Love Changes Everything" also, (that's from "Aspects Of Love", was just one of the fantastic songs from "AOL". I'd really like to see new productions of these shows. (also, if you don't get "Cats" you just don't get it)! You can't watch Elaine Paige or Betty Buckley and not understand what "Cats" is really about. I think it's a great show.

We will always have the Gershwins and Cole Porter and ALW too; you don't always hit it out of the park and you just have to be happy with a triple.   

[Dave13]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 2:48am

Harrisonmlewis said: "I fell asleep the first time I watched cats

 

"

Lmao.  First time ever I fell asleep during a live show was the first time I saw Cats.  I just couldn't keep my eyes open.  Glad I am not the only one.  

[devonian.t]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 7:50am

PT I'm with you on Aspect of Love- and I long for a top class chamber production (much as I adore Maria's original design- oh that mountain range)

The Woman in White was laughable, but I guess brave in trying to innovate with projected scenery.  It just didn't suit the subject matter: a Victorian melodrama

[jo]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 7:55am

I remember the very loud applause when the set showing the glorious Pyrenees mountains came to view on the Broadway stage

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 9:05am

Count me among those who like Aspects of Love. I feel like it's one of Webber's most mature scores; more about motifs than big set pieces, although the few he wrote are often thrilling. Ann Crumb is electrifying on the cast album. I wish I could have seen her perform Rose live. Anything But Lonely really gets to me. 

I have a big soft spot for Starlight Express too. It's far too campy to actively hate (IMO) and that megamix at the end is the granddaddy of all megamixes. 

I guess my least favorite Webber show/score is Whistle Down the Wind. I saw the US tour and it was a real dog. Sure, there were some top tier camp moments (Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts, the snake dance, the kid chorus numbers), but it was mostly just a mess. 

I think ALW gets a bad rap in some Broadway fan circles and really I don't understand where the extreme levels of animosity come from. He has never written a score as boring/painful/embarrassing as Amazing Grace or First Date, the likes of which seem to populate the Broadway calendar season after season, and certainly none of his shows have reached the lows of a Soul Doctor or Scandalous. 

Sure, none of his shows are Company, but how many shows DO reach those heights? 

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 9:11am

I saw Love Never Dies the week it opened in London and actually quite enjoyed it.  Then again I've never been a huge fan of Phantom so I had no problem with where he took the characters.  I did have a problem with the singing gold medusa head chandelier, but that's another story.

 

I would probably rank By Jeeves as my least favorite followed by Stephen Ward.  Never saw Woman in White.

 

As to Starlight Express, I feel like on that one he aimed for a 6 and hit a 5 so it's not as terrible to me as shows where he aimed for a 10 and hit a 7.  It's what it is.  A great show for children with some catchy tunes.

[Princeton2]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 9:58am

The only shows ive not seen is Beautiful Game or stephen ward.

For me its probably Aspects of love as, a bit like miss saigon,there are moments where i just want to say 'stop singing and just talk' , the singing doesnt feel natural, almost comical.

I can understand why people dont like cats but i dont get the vicious hatred for it. Personally its fun and entertaining.

The woman in white had the worst production, i actually like the show but its design really let it down. If theyd have gone the phantom route it may have lasted longer

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:01am

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA...the most boring broadway show i have ever seen...

[tazber]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:02am

Personally I can't stand Phantom.

 

I like almost everything ALW has done, but I never took to Phantom. I even like Love Never Dies quite a bit.

 

Otherwise only score of his I'm on the fence about is The Likes of Us.

 

 

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:39am

I've been listening to "Aspects Of Love" since 6:00am and I just can't figure out why some people dislike it so. Has the ENO ever done "AOL"? What's wrong with the entire score being sung? (those "Hamilton" people do it)...."Anything But Lonely","Seeing Is Believing", "Everybody Loves A Hero" and "Love Changes Everything", "The First Man You Remember", more; so many ALW shows are sung through. Listen to it, I dare you not to get choked up. 

Updated On: 8/5/16 at 10:39 AM

[devonian.t]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:40am

I was there in the first week of LND and audiences actually booed mid-show

[bekk99]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:08pm

I have to say Starlight Express. Still have scarring memories when it was part of my Broadway in St. Louis subscription in 2002

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:19pm

To answer the question: I think it's Starlight Express.

But I'm two messages into this thread and already two of my favorite shows have been singled out for abuse. :) 

(1) Aspects of Love: I love the score very much, though I agree that the lyrics (and the story) leave much to be desired. The assertion about "a 34 year old man trying to screw his 14 year old cousin" is simply false: she spends most of the act pursuing him, but he resists throughout.

(2) American Idiot: Not ALW I know, but it was mentioned in the second post. This is my favorite musical of the 21st century so far. I know this is a cliché, but I really identify with this show. I felt much the same way as the protagonist circa 2005, and even took my own escapist trip to get away from boredom and self-decay (though it was a much more constructive experience than Johnny's). I'm very glad this show was produced, and that I got to see it quite a few times.

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:28pm

LizzieCurry said: "Of the ALW shows I've seen, Aspects of Love is the worst. I saw it at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philly. Beautiful music, but it's a pity he didn't write more than 5 melodies."

I know you may be being deliberately hyperbolic, but I respectfully disagree with you here. I count at least 14 full-fledged songs with different melodies (listed below), which I think is about typical for a musical. Now, it is true that most of these melodies are used multiple times throughout the score, which some might understandably find repetitious. But I don't think it's true to claim that there's such an extreme paucity of different melodies compared to other shows.

"Love Changes Everything"
"Parlez-vous français"
"Seeing Is Believing"
"A Memory of a Happy Moment"
"Chanson d'enfance"
"Everybody Loves a Hero"
"She'd Be Far Better Off With You"
"Stop. Wait. Please."
"Leading Lady"
"Other Pleasures"
"There is More to Love"
"Falling"
"Hand Me the Wine and the Dice"
"Anything But Lonely"