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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2016 23:58:21 GMT
This is something I have been curious about for a while now. Is there any lyrics within musicals that are changed slightly depending on where the show is playing.
For example whenever the musical Blood Brothers plays Ireland, the line:
"And we blame superstition for what came to pass, or could it be what we the English have come to know as class"
Is changed to .....
"And we blame superstition for what came to pass, or could it be what we (*pause*) have come to know as class"
There is no class system in Ireland so the line wouldn't make sense.
Does this happen in any other musical or even dialogue in a play depending on the location its playing?
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Post by viserys on Nov 17, 2016 6:22:16 GMT
When Cats played in foreign countries they would sometimes change all the place names to the respective countries. Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat would go to Delfzijl in the Dutch Version or from Paris to Brussels in the French version, Bustopher Jones would haunt clubs in The Hague or along the Champs-Elysees and so on.
When Blood Brothers was done in the Netherlands, they relocted the entire show to Amsterdam with Dutch names (Mrs Johnstone became Mevrouw Jonkers) and local accent. It didn't really make sense then either as the Netherlands have no class system.
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Post by SuperTrooper on Nov 17, 2016 7:27:08 GMT
When BoM opened,the horse meat scandal was still on going. Nabs sang "I bet the HORSE MEAT there is plentiful" instead of GOAT MEAT!
It's goat meat now because the Nabs are from the US.
I miss HORSE MEAT!
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Post by n1david on Nov 17, 2016 7:41:18 GMT
Priscilla was rewritten for the US production with the object of obsession switched from Kylie to Madonna.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2016 7:59:33 GMT
When they do Les Mis in Japan, Valjean's number is no longer 24601 because "ni yon roku zero ICHIIIII!" sounds terrible. I don't remember what they change it to though, it's been a while since I listened to my Japanese recording. But I'd be surprised if that was the only country that made the change.
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Post by broadwayguy1991 on Nov 17, 2016 8:14:41 GMT
When the Australianasian tour of Wicked came to Singapore , the line from Glinda about Elphaba looking like an artichoke was changed to 'broccoli' since Artichoke is not a commonly eaten vegetable in Asia. Also, the line of 'lemons, limes and pears' was removed
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 17, 2016 8:29:58 GMT
In the original Broadway production of "City of Angels" Randy Graff sang "I crashed the junior prom/And met the only married man" in "You Can Always Count on Me". In the originale West End production, Haydn Gwynne sang "I crashed the high school dance/And met the only married man"
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Post by alison on Nov 17, 2016 17:57:05 GMT
In Kinky Boots (Take What You Got), the line about a "laundromat" is removed for the UK production ... which really means it shouldn't be there at all, since we don't use that term here.
Original: Yeah well, now the pub is a laundromat, now the yard is a high rise flat.
London: Well, the places we loved came down with a blast, high rise flats rose up so fast.
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 17, 2016 18:02:09 GMT
When they do Les Mis in Japan, Valjean's number is no longer 24601 because "ni yon roku zero ICHIIIII!" sounds terrible. I don't remember what they change it to though, it's been a while since I listened to my Japanese recording. But I'd be surprised if that was the only country that made the change. Isn't it ni yon roku go san? |
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 17, 2016 18:05:50 GMT
Also, I believe all the non-Broadway productions of Rent changed "And then she helped them find the Circle Line" to "And then she helped them find the Statue of Liberty." And "You can take the girl out of Hicksville" to "Jersey," since Hicksville isn't immediately recognizable elsewhere (it's on Long Island). When Mark says, "Smile for Ted Koppel, Officer Martin," I think they change "Ted Koppel" to CNN in non-US productions.
Jersey Boys changed "If you're ever in Vegas, walk into any casino" to "while you're in Vegas" for the Las Vegas production. Outside the US, "Your wife sits on the can and clips her toenails" became "Your wife sits on the toilet." And I think London (but not Australia) changed "Frankie's okay, but he's no Neil Sedaka" to "Englebert Humperdinck."
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Post by frankanalysis on Nov 17, 2016 18:36:34 GMT
Because I've been revisiting it, I was reminded of some of the changes made to Spring Awakening in London.
"Looks so nasty in those khakis" was changed to "Looks so crowded in those trousers" (which is frankly stupid) for some reason and then changed back to the original lyrics.
A reference to "fall" was switched to "autumn" and I'm sure "Michealmas" was switched for "Christingle" at one point.
There are probably some more but those are the ones I could pull off the top of my head.
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Post by Jon on Nov 17, 2016 19:53:25 GMT
When the Australianasian tour of Wicked came to Singapore , the line from Glinda about Elphaba looking like an artichoke was changed to 'broccoli' since Artichoke is not a commonly eaten vegetable in Asia. Also, the line of 'lemons, limes and pears' was removed The UK production of Wicked has a few localised lines, like Glinda saying 'we went to uni together.' instead of 'we went to school together' and 'do your hair' instead of 'fix your hair.' Not theatre related but I do know that Pixar changed the brocollis to peppers in the Japanese version of Inside Out because kids like Brocolli in Japan. Also, I believe all the non-Broadway productions of Rent changed "And then she helped them find the Circle Line" to "And then she helped them find the Statue of Liberty." And "You can take the girl out of Hicksville" to "Jersey," since Hicksville isn't immediately recognizable elsewhere (it's on Long Island). When Mark says, "Smile for Ted Koppel, Officer Martin," I think they change "Ted Koppel" to CNN in non-US productions. Jersey Boys changed "If you're ever in Vegas, walk into any casino" to "while you're in Vegas" for the Las Vegas production. Outside the US, "Your wife sits on the can and clips her toenails" became "Your wife sits on the toilet." And I think London (but not Australia) changed "Frankie's okay, but he's no Neil Sedaka" to "Englebert Humperdinck." Weird that they changed that dialogue given Neil Sedaka is known in the UK. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 18, 2016 4:07:26 GMT
I thought so too! And I think they changed "put something aside for Uncle Sam" to "the tax man," which is kind of dumb because it's not like "Uncle Sam" is an unknown entity either.
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Post by ncbears on Nov 18, 2016 5:45:05 GMT
Spamalot changed "You Won't Succeed on Broadway If You Don't Have Any Jews" to "Star Song" in the UK with lots of changed lyrics
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Post by d'James on Nov 18, 2016 6:44:40 GMT
Spamalot changed "You Won't Succeed on Broadway If You Don't Have Any Jews" to "Star Song" in the UK with lots of changed lyrics Any hints? |
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Post by loureviews on Nov 18, 2016 7:21:46 GMT
Spamalot changed "You Won't Succeed on Broadway If You Don't Have Any Jews" to "Star Song" in the UK with lots of changed lyrics Not in the original run they didn't. |
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Post by terrylondon79 on Nov 18, 2016 7:44:46 GMT
Spamalot changed "You Won't Succeed on Broadway If You Don't Have Any Jews" to "Star Song" in the UK with lots of changed lyrics Not in the original run they didn't. But if I remember the original run did change 'broadway' to 'Westend' but leave the rest of the song the same. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2016 8:15:15 GMT
Ireland in Legally Blonde was basically re written for London. Also, Positive had a few lyric changes too
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Post by musicallover03 on Nov 19, 2016 3:26:56 GMT
When they do Les Mis in Japan, Valjean's number is no longer 24601 because "ni yon roku zero ICHIIIII!" sounds terrible. I don't remember what they change it to though, it's been a while since I listened to my Japanese recording. But I'd be surprised if that was the only country that made the change. In act 1 "The Confrontation" scene, first lyrics in English is 'Valjean,' but Korean it is 'Jean Valjean,'. But in act 2 "Javert's Soliloquy" scene is 'Valjean' Korea too! I was suprised. The song 'This is the moment, this is the time' of musical "Jekyll and Hyde" is different in Korean. It is 'In this moment, like magic (지금 이 순간, 마법처럼)'. |
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Post by bellboard27 on Nov 19, 2016 17:54:20 GMT
I believe that when Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats is translated into dog its lyrics are quite different. But that's dogs for you - no feline respect.
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Post by synchrony on Nov 19, 2016 18:16:49 GMT
Also, I believe all the non-Broadway productions of Rent changed "And then she helped them find the Circle Line" to "And then she helped them find the Statue of Liberty." And "You can take the girl out of Hicksville" to "Jersey," since Hicksville isn't immediately recognizable elsewhere (it's on Long Island). Hicksville is an actual place?!?!?! All these years I've seriously thought that it was just a slang term for A-Place-Where-People-Who-Are-Hicks-Come-From! Learn something every day  ! |
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 19, 2016 18:28:53 GMT
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 19, 2016 18:39:10 GMT
When I saw Hair in Manchester, England, last week, I assumed that they were singing about the local area. It's not unusual (sorry, Tom, The Musical) to include a local reference in a show. But, turns out, it's a standard part of the show.
I've seen quite a few versions of Spamlalot and they do tailor to the local area and also the celebrity cast. For instance, they reference the Bullring in Birmingham. Although, I was disappointed to find that some of the "ad-libs" took place every night regardless where in the country it is.
In Avenue Q, after they do "the collection", the New York cast always find (and keep) a Metrocard. The UK casts I've seen keep a Tesco Clubcard.
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Post by mistressjojo on Nov 21, 2016 4:27:24 GMT
I know in the Australian version of Tell me on a Sunday, they changed the nationality of the girl to Australian.
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 21, 2016 4:42:24 GMT
In Avenue Q, after they do "the collection", the New York cast always find (and keep) a Metrocard. The UK casts I've seen keep a Tesco Clubcard. When I saw Avenue Q on tour in San Francisco, they got cash and "some Giants tickets." I assume when touring they would go with the local baseball/football team depending on the time of year. |
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