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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 24, 2018 14:14:38 GMT
I’m not feeling very positive about the success of this show. The film isn’t massively known and I’m not sure why it will appeal to the numbers needed to run at that theatre. Unless they get a big name in it, which is unlikely.
Will be interested to see who does get cast in this..
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Post by theatrefan77 on Sept 24, 2018 14:37:25 GMT
Same here. I have the feeling that this show won't have the same appeal here as in the States. A large venue like the Adelphi will be difficult to fill in, but we'll see...
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5,139 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Sept 25, 2018 10:44:36 GMT
Can someone explain to me what the fuss about this show is? I saw it in New York as thought it was middle to poor. Plot wasn't interesting, it felt really slow, and the cast were poor (although I have to give it to Katherine McPhee that her dad had died a week or so earlier).
I just don't understand the hype (and certainly think the Adelphi is the wrong theatre for it).
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2,677 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 25, 2018 11:17:10 GMT
You're not alone. While Sara Bareilles seems a nice lady and a decent singer/songwriter in her own right, the music here is fairly bland and the story makes my feminist toes curl. However, I know enough women for who this will be right down their alley, so I wouldn't underestimate the appeal for that target group/demographic (someone out there is buying all that chick-lit after all, too...)
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 25, 2018 11:30:48 GMT
I’m not feeling very positive about the success of this show. The film isn’t massively known and I’m not sure why it will appeal to the numbers needed to run at that theatre. Unless they get a big name in it, which is unlikely. Will be interested to see who does get cast in this..
There was a film? Never heard of it.
I've heard some of the music and like most 21st century stuff to come from Broadway, found it incredibly bland and Middle Of The Road pop in style.
Sounds like a lightweight, feelgood piece? Am I right?
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494 posts
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Post by ellie1981 on Sept 25, 2018 11:38:05 GMT
I remember watching the film when it came out about 10? years ago. It sounded like a bit of fluff but got some rave reviews. I remember liking it but can’t remember all that much about it at all now.
I wonder if I need to rewatch before seeing this show.
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76 posts
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Post by bingomatic on Sept 25, 2018 11:48:49 GMT
I'd heard of the film only because of the wonderfully talented Adrienne Shelley. Her Hal Hartley films, Unbelievable Truth and Trust, were some of the best films I'd seen during that period of my life (just ending university). I was shocked to read what had happened to her, murdered when she was only 40.
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Post by welsh_tenor on Sept 25, 2018 11:57:56 GMT
I love the hype and it’s a new musical for London which excites me... but I’ve tried listening to the cast recording three times and keep getting distracted and putting something else on! It doesn’t grab me!
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Post by raiseitup on Sept 25, 2018 12:26:36 GMT
Gavin Creel is with Sara at the launch
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 13:40:10 GMT
OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE say we're getting Gavin Creel back to London for a show, I will spend twice as much as my usual per-ticket spend for him!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 13:48:50 GMT
Can someone explain to me what the fuss about this show is? I saw it in New York as thought it was middle to poor. Plot wasn't interesting, it felt really slow, and the cast were poor (although I have to give it to Katherine McPhee that her dad had died a week or so earlier). I just don't understand the hype (and certainly think the Adelphi is the wrong theatre for it). Women like baked goods and Sara Bareillies songs. Honestly I don't know if it has mass appeal. I DO know that I listened to the recording/watched the concert version, and was utterly charmed by it and fell in love. (ok with Sara and Drew too). I haven't seen the film, I only know the plot via the songs. Maybe it fills in my the theatre need for a sweet (pardon the pun) romcom. Maybe that makes me a bad feminist too, I don't know. I just love Sara's music, and find it a lovely charming piece. That said, do I think it's an Adelphi sized piece? possibly not. Would I sell my soul to see Gavin Creel as the Doctor HELL YEAH |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:00:08 GMT
I don't know, man, if you've seen a show and you didn't like it, then you probably don't need anything explaining to you beyond the evergreen "not everyone is going to like every show, and that's okay". Chalk it up as a show you don't need to see in London (so a night off or an opportunity to see another show instead) and leave everyone else to it.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:05:53 GMT
I don't know, man, if you've seen a show and you didn't like it, then you probably don't need anything explaining to you beyond the evergreen "not everyone is going to like every show, and that's okay". Chalk it up as a show you don't need to see in London (so a night off or an opportunity to see another show instead) and leave everyone else to it. ALSO DID WE MENTION (POTENTIAL) GAVIN CREEL AND PIE. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Sept 25, 2018 14:08:30 GMT
Can someone explain to me what the fuss about this show is? I saw it in New York as thought it was middle to poor. Plot wasn't interesting, it felt really slow, and the cast were poor (although I have to give it to Katherine McPhee that her dad had died a week or so earlier). I just don't understand the hype (and certainly think the Adelphi is the wrong theatre for it). Agreed the cast recording bores me |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:20:05 GMT
You're not alone. While Sara Bareilles seems a nice lady and a decent singer/songwriter in her own right, the music here is fairly bland and the story makes my feminist toes curl. However, I know enough women for who this will be right down their alley, so I wouldn't underestimate the appeal for that target group/demographic (someone out there is buying all that chick-lit after all, too...) Ok but I have to take issue with it being anti feminist on two fronts. One that by virtue of being a love story doesn't make something anti feminist. Two I'd argue the main characters (to the best of my knowledge) are women taking charge of their lives, getting themselves out of situations they're unhappy in etc. And then as a piece of work, the first all female creative team on Broadway isn't exactly furthering the patriarchy. I think it's fine to comment 'it's not my style' but I think saying it/people who like it are anti feminist is a bit of a stretch to be fair. |
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Post by talkstageytome on Sept 25, 2018 14:34:21 GMT
The video clips from the launch are killing me 💕 and although I somehow doubt Gavin Creel is going to be in the production (oh my god do I love him though, and he sounds gorgeous!), it's a nice little treat to hear him sing the songs with Sara.
As someone who identifies as a feminist I'm also not really seeing how the musical could be classed as un-feminist overall, although I'm happy to be 'proven' wrong. Not that it'd make me love this show any less. (I think I'm being vague enough to avoid spoiler territory here !!) It presents strong supportive female friendships, promotes female sexuality, presents the female characters as strong women who know their own mind, despite being stuck in situations that limit them etc. They are all very flawed characters who make mistakes and do morally dubious things, but I think that makes them all the more realistic.
I'm on holiday right now and don't really have the energy to write a whole essay on the subject but I'm sure there are articals out there.
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2,677 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 25, 2018 14:42:33 GMT
I never labelled anyone as anti-feminist.
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Post by danb on Sept 25, 2018 14:43:25 GMT
I do enjoy it when people politicize something to try & strengthen their opinion...
It is as lightweight a piece of narrative musical theatre as we’ve seen for years and projecting all sorts of theories onto it does it no favours. It is basically a musical episode of Gilmour Girls where someone actually had sex once. Enjoy, zone out, let it wash over you, pop over to Smollensky’s for a cheeky Grapefruit & Basil Margarita then never think about it again.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:44:40 GMT
As long as you're not implying that lightweight musical theatre narrative is inherently a negative thing, otherwise we'd have to have *quite* the conversation about your Bat avatar. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:46:50 GMT
I never labelled anyone as anti-feminist. You said the piece makes your 'feminist toes curl' or words to that effect (it seemed a bit complicated to double-quote-edit) which by association has implications on those of us who do enjoy it as anti feminist for doing so. You also made fairly derogatory comments about the audience and people who enjoy chick lit. Myself and a couple of people on here I could (but won't) name enjoy romcoms and I'd wager the odd romantic novel. Why does a like of a happy ending and something a bit fun and romantic make us/it anti feminist? Why is thinking love is a good thing (lord knows it's a bloody grim world enough as it is) such a bad thing? Moreover how are pies making anyone's toes curl feminist or otherwise pies are great! |
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Post by danb on Sept 25, 2018 14:49:09 GMT
As long as you're not implying that lightweight musical theatre narrative is inherently a negative thing, otherwise we'd have to have *quite* the conversation about your Bat avatar. Absolutely not. There is a place for everything (including morally dubious old mens w*nk fantasies about kids never growing old set to classic rock). It was more a comment on keyboard warriors who think if you introduce a political subtext to a piece it validates their argument. It does not; it just means that you get invited to less parties 😁 |
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Post by talkstageytome on Sept 25, 2018 14:51:04 GMT
I'm not sure that showing strong supportive female friendships, promoting female sexuality, and presenting female characters as flawed individuals who know their own minds *is* politicizing the musical. I'm just describing the content of the show, which happens to have feminist undertones because unfortunately quite often women are pitted against each other in media (e.g. the good girl vs. the bitchy mean girls, the wife and the evil conniving Other Woman etc.) or painted as two dimensional sidekicks rather than the complex stars of their own story. I'm not picking this stuff out of thin air... it's in the show.
Sorry to hear that even the slightest whiff of feminism (or should I say, choosing to read a piece through a feminist lense) makes someone a friendless keyboard warrior though.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:52:31 GMT
In fairness, everything *is* political in some way or another. Even if you go out of your way to make something as apolitical as possible, that's still a political statement.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:53:51 GMT
Don't ya just love when men tell women to chill out? it IS political because women's stories don't get told often enough, from a woman's point of view. Also Gilmore Girls was a political statement of a show, even if it was fluffy and light viewing. A thing doesn't have to be inherently political in itself to make a statement.
Also pies.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 14:55:10 GMT
Pies are a political statement. A feminist political statement. Just look at Mrs Lovett, a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it, a true feminist pie-based hero for the ages.
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