elphaba610 reviews Into the Woods CD- Page 5

[Dre2387]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:38am

if you think 610 is being annoying, ignore them. it's not your problem, unless they call you a name or something (not saying that you did 610, I don't know the whole story so can't comment on that). But just leave them alone on this opinion thing. I really don't know why so many people love Rent so much but I don't go bashing them, saying that they are "idiots" or what not (and I am not saying that you guys are, just using it as an example). But just be respectful.

[Calvin]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:39am

"you can always use they."

No, no, no! "They" is a plural pronoun and cannot be used to replace a singular subject. Subject/pronoun disagreement makes baby Jesus cry.

[BroadwayBettini2]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:50am

okay just because you vote Kerry does not make you NOT racist. Plus communism is the most extreem form of librealism. Just a fact.

other than that. Elphaba have fun with Wicked, I love it too. And If you listen to INto the woods again, tell us how you feel. I'm sure after this thread is over people will be more accepting of your oppinion after knowing you listened to it more than once.

peace♥ Bettini

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 6:34am

"I am not a racisit and I have nothing against Koreans. I voted for Kerry for christs sake!"

That...

I...

...

Wow.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 7:13am

Yeah really don't know how to respond to that one.

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 7:29am

You do overuse the term 'get a life' a lot...as if that wasn't overplayed by now.

[Forester]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 7:59am

This is the funniest satire thread ever. I can't believe so many people are taking this seriously.

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 8:18am

okay, even though I, admittedly, am not the biggest Sondheim fan in the entire world, even I marvel at the complexity and utter "mature-ness" that are his scores. Into the Woods is absolutely no exception! if you listen to every bit of music, the orchestration perfectly matches the mood he is attempting to get across, for example, during the "rap," it's very percussive, as is the Witch talking about what happened in her garden. in the scene when the characters are tossing blame around, listen, because the music escalates into total chaos...kind of the point.

no offense to Schwartz, but he is nowhere NEAR the level of intensity and maturity of Sondheim. I do like Wicked, but dear, please branch out a bit for all of our sakes.

[hot_brdwy_diva]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 10:11am

was Kerry korean?!?!? I missed something...

I do not think it is her Wicked fanaticism people are bashing but her immaturity. I rest my case.

...Omg I mean like you guys should get a life cause wicked is so cool even if you don't like it I don't care I just want to annoy the snot out of all of you. And I'm not racist - GO KERRY!

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:37pm

My blood just turned cold reading this. And, by the way, that wasn't a review, sweetie. That was poorly typed ignorance. If you ended up not liking it, that's understandable and that's fine. You can absolutely have your own opinion. But, please, don't dismiss this musical because you didn't understand it. I don't like Follies, but I appreciate it for what it did for the musical theatre. Just keep an open mind, like everyone else is saying, and view this musical for what it is, not for it isn't, namely Wicked.



P.S. Sorry for resurrecting this golden post, but I couldn't let it go by without saying something.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:41pm

I'm trying to be the big one, and ignore the entire post.

And I agree with everything SorryGrateful wrote.

Oy.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:48pm

This thread reminds me a bit of somethingI read in a book called Broadway Babies Say Goodnight. Remember, Into the Woods is my second favorite musical. THIS IS NOT MY OPINION.
The author said that Sondheim let too much of his essence go into the lyrics, and made it more about him than the story. He used this as an example:
"There's no time to sit and dither,
While her withers wither with her."
They actually said his lyrics were too intellectual to be convincing.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:50pm

I've gotten a good laugh out of this thread, mainly b/c I'm taking it as a joke, which it's probably not, but for my sanity I'm forced to believe it is so.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:56pm

But is it really that big a drawback to have an intellectual lyric? To make audiences think rather than having them just take it all in and not work just a little bit? I know it's not your opinion, MFL. I'm just asking in general. There are some musicals that I've seen that I've really enjoyed, but that didn't really have an impact on who I am. And there's nothing wrong with having a little bit of fluff in your life. But I think there's also room for the musicals that widen and broaden your mind in ways. Neither is necessarily better, but I think both are definitely necessary.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:57pm

My Fair Lady:

In response to the book you read...

I always took Into the Woods as a show within a show. So it never bothered me that the lyrics were above the intellects of the characters. The show is a telling of several stories, and features a Narrator to guide things along. I don't think Sondheim's intention was to write a realistic piece where lyrics are specific to intellect (as he does in other pieces. He has openly admitted that his lyrics for "I Feel Pretty" are too smart for a girl like Maria).

Into the Woods is a storybook piece. One author's telling of the stories, and if it is read into as anything more than that (ie realism) than you can run into trouble.

If one digs into the piece deeply, you can see as the characters take more initiative for their actions in the 2nd act, the lyrics become much more straightforward and the melodies become more lush. They are puppets at show's start, and are nearly independent creatures by show's close.
Updated On: 9/9/05 at 02:57 PM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 2:57pm

I think the question with that specific lyric is, "Is Jack's Mom intelligent enough to come up with that?" The lyric seems a little too intelligent for that character to be singing.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:08pm

Well, in the book, that was just an example. There were apparently more cases of that.
Part of the reason why I love Into the Woods so much is because it's not for the dumb/narrow-minded.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:08pm

I totally agree with Bobby Bubby, Into the Woods is experimental theatre, in the same way that Follies , SitPwG, and Company are, in different ways.

The point of the piece is not to advance the plot or explore the characters (although I think both of those things are done and done well) the point of the piece is to explore the themes of selfishness, lonliness, ect in the lyrics and music, to reuse motifs and lyrical devices to advance the listener into the themes, not specific characters.

As far as Elphaba610, I have no idea or interest if she is real or a troll, if these threads are jokes or to be taken seriously, but honestly one of them suggests Bob Saget to play the Wizard in a Wicked movie, it becomes hard to defend someone who says something like that, even as a joke.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:11pm

Didn't Bob Saget write Into the Woods? I'm pretty sure he did.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:15pm

Hmmmm, that is an interesting point. I will take that back to my cave and ponder it awhile, bjivie.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:21pm

Well, it WAS an interesting point, but Bobby's right above mine makes much more sense, and is much more valid.

[Calvin]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:21pm

"I think the question with that specific lyric is, "Is Jack's Mom intelligent enough to come up with that?" The lyric seems a little too intelligent for that character to be singing."

Why would Jack's Mother be singing in the first place? And in a very complicated meter? For that matter, how are any of the characters making up songs on the spot that illustrate their current situation?

It's the same suspension of disbelief required to watch any musical. I've never looked at the complexity of the character's lyrics compared to their social status because, to me, it's just one of those curtains you're not supposed to peek behind.

Bravo, BTW, for interjecting an intelligent conversation considering how this thread started.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:25pm

Calvin, bravo! I am impressed with your answer. You are wonderful. And thank you for this, btw:

"Subject/pronoun disagreement makes baby Jesus cry."

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:25pm

I just think you run into trouble if you try to analyze Woods using traditional theatrical analysis.

It comes from a more Brechtian place, I think. The characters are devises for the author's views. When they question their world, then things run amuck.

But Elphaba90210 is right. Wicked is so much better than this piece of crap.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:26pm

Eh, I have to disagree with you a little bit. The fact that we buy into Jack's Mom singing those lines doesn't come from suspension of disbelief, but actually what Bobby wrote, that this is a show-within-a-show, essentially. You can't have Eliza from My Fair Lady making eloquent rhymes while she is still in "beggar mode" or else her transformation won't work.