Worst Revival Ever- Page 4

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 12:19pm

I think the most disastrous would probably be the 1985 revival of Take Me Along, which only played one performance.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 2:45pm

Nothing new to add, but saying that I thoroughly hated:

-INTO THE WOODS
-FLOWER DRUM SONG
-THE THREEPENNY OPERA
-LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
-LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 4:16pm

only one that i hated of what people said were Flower Drum Song, L.C.A.F. I loved Little shop and into the woods. 3 Penny was different, that is all i could say about it

[Wildcard]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 5:37pm

Just for the record, I liked the ITW revival. I don't necessarily love the Chicago revival but I see its merits (though after 10 years, despite the minimalist production, it now seems dated). I agree that the last Gypsy was a bore but it had Bernadette so that was good about it. My least favorite revival that comes to mind has to be Grease. The production was so dull, it looked like a High School theater production... not to mention the older-skewed cast.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 5:49pm

Mister Matt, you've just reminded me of Donny Osmond's revival of LITTLE JOHNNY JONES in 1982. It darkend the Alvin Theatre (Now the Neil Simon Theatre) for one performance.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 7:10pm

BECOZ I KNEW YOU- I know. I was just stating that the film was better than the revival on stage, having never seen the original.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 3:53am

So I was going to start a thread about bad broadway revivals, but I did a search and this five year old thread came up my least favorite revivals would have to e the god awful Roundabout productions of Follies and Bye Bye Birdie.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 5:29am

I'll agree with the Birdie reference. UGH. SO nadly directed, I will believe that until the day I die; I thing that cast SHOULD have been wonderful. (well except for the singin of Gine Gershon -- but she should have acted the hell out of it)

[chewy5000]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 6:42am

Gypsy

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 8:15am

Since people have been emboldened here - Chip Zien whiney? Joanna Gleasons's Baker's Wife merely "good" (BLASPHEMY!) - I am going to say something that I'm sure is going to ruffle some feathers.

I hated the last Broadway revival of Carousel.

The Waltz opening was gorgeous but after that with the exception of Audra's luminous Carrie, it was a horrible production. Michael Hayden, a perfectly fine actor, simply didn't have the voice for Billy. The worst part about it was the set, which, far from conveying the supposed dark quality this production was revolutionarily discovering - which was bollocks anyway, Carousel always was and always will be dark - made it look as if the action was taking place at a minigolf park on Cape Cod.

I'm not saying this was the worst revival of all time. I have no idea what that is, but it was very likely the most overrated one.

While we're at it I wasn't in love with Hal Prince's overblown Showboat either.

OK, you can now ship me off on the S.S. American as Public Enemy #!, or at least #13.



Updated On: 9/1/11 at 08:15 AM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 9:26am

You have to admit, Chip's distinct timbre is a tad unpleasant.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 9:28am

No mention of BYE BYE BIRDIE? Hal Prince's '87 taxidermy job on CABARET?

[madbrian]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 9:45am

My personal choices, in order:

Follies (2001)
Fiddler on the Roof (Fierstein/O'Donnell)
Gypsy (Bernadette Peters)
La Cage (Daniel Davis/Gary Beach)

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 10:06am

"No mention of BYE BYE BIRDIE? Hal Prince's '87 taxidermy job on CABARET?"

Birdie was mentioned twice. And seeing as before it's first mention the previous posting was from 2006 I would be pretty impressed if somebody could have mentioned it before.

[massofmen]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 10:31am

company?

[Katurian2]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 11:40am

Really? Company- - in the worst revivals EVER thread? Completely disagree. It seems like peoples' feelings on that production have nothing to do with the actual quality of the show and more with their personal vendettas/feelings about Raul Esparza and John Doyle.

I'll add to the Harvey/Rosie 'Fiddler on the Roof' agreement as one of the worst I've ever seen. And while it's Shakespeare and so 'revival' is a bit of an odd term, I'd also say the Denzel Washington-headed 'Julius Caesar,' as the worst Shakespeare production I've ever seen hit Broadway.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 5:40pm

BYE BYE BIRDIE (Stamos)

MAME (Lansbury) just a lackluster perforemance

SWEENEY TODD (Cervaris) don't get me started

FOLLIES (The Roundabout)

HOW TO SUCCEED (Broderick) Will someone keep him off stage please?

MY FAIR LADY (Chamberlain) I still giggle when I think of those people suspended mid-air during the Ascot scene!

GYPSY (Bernadette) Why?

[mc1227]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 5:54pm

The worst ones I've seen are Grease and last year's Bye Bye Birdie. They were equally painful.

[Acting4Food]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 9:50pm

@Borstal: SO AGREE! 87 Cabaret was like a Museum piece. I enjoyed getting to see Joel Grey in the role but that was it. A total stuffed animal. Including the fake teeth.

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 10:00pm

I actually really enjoyed Bye Bye Birdie...

[dragonlp86]

Posted: 9/1/11 at 10:43pm

Maybe not 'ever', but the recent "Guys and Dolls" revival.

Posted: 9/2/11 at 12:26am

Is the '87 revival of Cabaret xseen as bad? I've "seen"it and find it pretty terrific, though I know it's basically the original production (which has some stunning, forgotten moments like the choreography for Telephone Song), with a slightly more modern script and two song changes--but I think it plays very well, great cast, etc. (Similarly the same year's "taxidermy" revival of Sweet Charity plays well). Perhaps unimaginative, but definitely better than the recent Charity.

Calling Prince's Showboat overblown seems odd to me--have people seen the photos of the original production? I think Showboat needs to be very big.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/2/11 at 12:40am

Worst ones in random order.

- The Rocky Horror Show
- Once Upon A Mattress
- Sweet Charity(2005)
- Guys & Dolls(2009)
- Company(1996)
- Grease(200

[Overkill]

Posted: 9/2/11 at 9:25am

If anymore Chip Zien hate goes on, I'm gonna hafta cut a bitch. That's my man. lol X)

Definitley not the worst ever, but I strongly dislike the current How to Succeed revival going on. I've stated why in many different threads, but mainly, it's just BLAND. Yes, the choreography is nice, but it's so unimspired. There's no motivation. Grand Old Ivy, which is supposed to be a small charm song with only the two leading men, has been changed into an all out football number. He did the same thing in Promises, Promises with "Basketball". A song that was supposed to be just the star, where you really connect with his character, and all of a sudden, here come business men jumping around in the background. No sense AT ALL. Also, in H2$, Daniel Radcliffe is nothing but star casting. He's okay, but the are much more suitable men for that role. The whole thing is just nothing compared to the last revival (minus Broderick) and the original.

So, in my opinion, in no particular order:

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (Harry Potter edition)

PROMISES, PROMISES(I liked a lot about it, but it had the same problems H2$ had)

SWEET CHARITY (Only good thing was Denis O'Hare)

GUYS & DOLLS (I was really excited about this one, but the casting ruined it for me more than anything. I've always thought Oliver Platt always got the roles Nathan Lane deserved in film, and then he tried to play a role Nathan rules and fell COMPLETELY flat. He was just dreadful. And don't get me started on Titus Burgess or Lauren Graham)

GREASE (Can we just let this die? We got the film and a billion community theatres doing it. We didn't need a reality show on Broadway. That being said, we got a good little star out of it.)

CHICAGO (I never liked it, I always thought it was very bland and boring, unless you have a good cast when you see it. I saw it with Brenda Braxton and Rita Wilson. Rita was horrid, but Brenda helped me get through it. lol I'm not a fan of the show anyway. It's definitely not the worst, just boring...)

INTO THE WOODS (Vanessa Williams...ugh.)

I loved the recent Fiddler revival, though I can see why it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

[Acting4Food]

Posted: 9/2/11 at 11:27am

@acl; did you see the first cast of the RHS revival? Outside of Lea Delaria, whom I normally love, it was one of the most fun nights at the theatre I've ever had. Easily the best stage production of Rocky I've seen and getting to "discover" raul in his first broadway role was also a big treat. I really thought they did an overall great job on it from start to finish.


However, opinion is just that :)