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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 11:09:28 GMT
So another opening of another show at the Prince Edward... I can't think of another theatre that- for me- has created such excitement with its brand new openings of so many shows over the years: Evita, Chess, Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins... and Martin Guerre.
All went wildly beyond expectation, except the last, which for me was a huge disappointment after Schonberg and Boublil's two previous masterpieces. The story intrigued me and I couldn't wait to see it unfold with those clever tunes
Schonberg just seemed to trot out, one after the other. But... I didn't like the songs. Where were those lush, stirring melodies we'd been used to? I remember not liking the set or the staging. I left feeling let down. I didn't bother buying the CD. And then it closed, and reopened, and I lost interest...
I was aware it was restaged with some new songs, opening at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, and then I heard Maria Friedman sing a new song, So Many Tears, in the Cam Mac celebration, and I loved it. Not enough to buy the new CD though..
A few years ago I saw the scaled down version directed by Craig Revel Horwood at the Watermill and fell in love with it. The touching love story seemed better suited to a smaller venue, and smaller production.
So I bought the OLC recording. It's a grower for sure. I like the powerful sound. I still think it's very much the Bronze Medal of the Schonberg/Boublil collection, but I do like it.
Then I bought the West Yorkshire Playhouse cast recording. OMG! What happened? It bears little resemblance to the original show. New songs appear; old songs gone or reworked beyond recognition. And the performers... (Apologies, Joanna Riding, I usually love you!)... are dreadful, with some of the campest, over the top delivery I've ever heard. The "orchestra" sounds like a school band with Sir on the synth.
Anyone else remember these shows? Any thoughts on the recordings? Am I missing something?
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 11:25:41 GMT
I saw all versions of the show at the Prince Edward (also home to Children of Eden and The Hunting of The Snark) and none of them really worked dramatically. I hope in the new version they are currently working on that they find a focus for the story. Does she recognise him, does she not?? It's not their best score, though the original orchestrations are fantastic.
The original leads were not the best singers, and the Bertande understudy is on the recording. Maybe they were hoping to cast 'actors who can sing' rather than singers, to give it more heft??
I occasionally listen to a few numbers from it, but not much of it. Still, its so much better than The Pirate Queen. Nearly 3 hours of my life that i wont get back.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 11:37:10 GMT
I'd forgotten Children of Eden, yes... Now the staging of that was fantastic! Your thoughts are interesting, tbfl. I'd booked for The Pirate Queen on Broadway, then it closed before I could get there. I'm still smarting at the various Ticketmaster fees I had to pay to buy the tickets but which were never refunded. Only the actual cost of the tickets was reimbursed.  |
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Post by ptwest on May 28, 2016 11:47:35 GMT
I would mostly agree with you about the WYP recording of Martin Guerre but "Live With Somebody You Love" is wonderful.
This show worked well there, but I missed the staging of the original. There was a great show there trying to get out but just didn't quite hit the mark.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 11:49:17 GMT
It gave a young James Cordon his profession stage debut.
Oh my how I fancy James Cordon
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Post by d'James on May 28, 2016 11:50:08 GMT
I'd forgotten Children of Eden, yes... Now the staging of that was fantastic! Your thoughts are interesting, tbfl. I'd booked for The Pirate Queen on Broadway, then it closed before I could get there. I'm still smarting at the various Ticketmaster fees I had to pay to buy the tickets but which were never refunded. Only the actual cost of the tickets was reimbursed. I wish there were more pictures of Children of Eden there to see online. |
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Post by loureviews on May 28, 2016 12:09:56 GMT
The OLC recording and original show were superb. The WYP version was terrible and the lyric changes laughable.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 12:19:18 GMT
I also really liked the staging/choreography, with all the villagers stamping/working the land in the opening, as the sun was coming up.
Thankfully the 3 old crones were cut in later versions.
I also really liked the village idiot character, though ive forgotten his name....
re Children of Eden, the main thing that sticks with me is how they made the effect of the dove flying; the ensemble all stood around the circular balcony and openoing the white side of the glove quickly after one another, it made the 'dove' fly. Very simple but effective.
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Post by ali973 on May 28, 2016 14:22:13 GMT
I was much younger (14? 15?) when I saw the show, so who knows what I would think of it now that I'm an "adult".
I saw either a version in previews or slightly after it opened, so it was pre-major changes. I have to say that there were some things we (myself, mom, dad and my sister) kind of didn't understand and were unclear about. However, I absolutely adored the music and was just ecstatic to see a new musical by the creators of Les Miz and Miss Saigon. (Can we discuss how the original logo was awesome? It's straw sticks making a man's figure but when you turn it around it's a man's face? Love you, Dewynters).
The dancing was powerful and thrilling. I love the music of Martin Guerre, and I much prefer the London version over the tour or the American version. One of the biggest crimes is the When Will Someone Hear coda being omitted from the OLC. It was pure-90s-sing-your-face-off-end-of-scene stuff.
And then I think I saw the new cast and much preferred the alternate cast with Glyn Kerslake and Ma-Anne Dionisio over Hal Fowler and Jenna Russell who I thought absolutely had zero chemistry.
Oh, and need I mention just how sexy the character of Guillaume is?
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 14:43:46 GMT
I actually liked the three old crones' song! The village idiot's name is Benoit.
That effect of the dove flying in Children of Eden is the one that sticks in my mind too! As you say, so simple but it looked breathtaking. I seem to remember all the cast taking part in it, as they were lined up high within the framework of the globe, and the music was picking up as it "took off" and flew...
Interesting that you picked up on the poster design, ali. I believe it was the same chap at Dewynters who designed all the Big Musicals of the mid 80s and 90s. And interesting how many of them featured a face in some shape or form. Perhaps I'll start a favourite poster thread!
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Post by wickedgrin on May 28, 2016 17:42:37 GMT
I LOVED the three old crones! Played by the incomparable Ann Emery, Sheila Reid and Julia Sutton! What's not to love!
Yes this was a huge disappointment after Les Mis and Miss Saigon - I suppose expectations were too high BUT I still loved the original show at the Prince Edward. The amazing wooded staging and lighting (David Hersey) and stomping choreography (Bob Avion).
The problem with the show was the book - no dramatic story telling like Les Mis or Miss Saigon - it was clear it wasnt "him" from the start - so nowhere to go.
The rewrites and subsequent reworkings did not improve the show at all.
Some of the original numbers were stunning - Working on the Land, When will Someone Hear, Bethlehem, The Imposters and of course Martin Guerre.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 21:48:50 GMT
Why do some shows feel the need for 'comic relief' characters?? They feature in all Schonberg/Boubil musicals....
I wasnt convinced by the design. yes the wooden beam structures were impressive, but it didnt help the story in any way.
Thanks.... you've now sent me down the rabbit hole that is YouTube, looking for Martin Guerre stuff...
edit: the complete London and US shows are on there.... thats the next few hours gone,,,,,
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Post by danb on May 29, 2016 5:22:03 GMT
Busy today, but I'll be dusting off the chromecast tomorrow to watch the London recording ont' big telly! Which cast is it?
I eventually loved Martin Guerre in London after seeing it in previews (it was about 13 hours long), then after the recording. There are so many excellent tunes peppered through the show that made multiple visits worthwhile, but as many have pointed out, the story & motivations of the characters were nonsense. Loved Rebecca Lock, loved Jenna Russel, had forgotten about Hal Fowler and yes, Kerslake days were the best! Was he doing Les Mis at the same time or was it Phantom?
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Post by ali973 on May 29, 2016 7:39:41 GMT
Kerslake was doing Enjolras as the Palace at that time and took two days off to do Martin Guerre. His alternate co-star was also alternate in Miss Saigon at the Drury Lane! How exciting were the 90s?!
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Post by danb on May 29, 2016 9:04:46 GMT
What a time to be alive! x
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 9:09:07 GMT
The mid 80s weren't bad either!  |
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Post by wickedgrin on May 29, 2016 11:17:26 GMT
OK, let's not go back any further!!
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Post by horton on May 30, 2016 15:17:36 GMT
ok how do I post up photos and I'll put up everything I can dig out
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 30, 2016 17:23:53 GMT
I must be in the minority of people that lived the original production!
I thought it was a classy production , well designed and well marketed.
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Post by schuttep on May 30, 2016 18:48:27 GMT
I'd booked for The Pirate Queen on Broadway, then it closed before I could get there. I'm still smarting at the various Ticketmaster fees I had to pay to buy the tickets but which were never refunded. Only the actual cost of the tickets was reimbursed. If you booked with a UK credit card you should have taken it up with the card company. I was once refunded the ticket price without booking fees/charges and challenged it. The theatre refused to budge but when I asked for a cash-back from the credit card company the theatre miraculously refunded the charges. If a performance is cancelled you are entitled to every single penny you paid. |
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2016 19:43:54 GMT
I'd booked for The Pirate Queen on Broadway, then it closed before I could get there. I'm still smarting at the various Ticketmaster fees I had to pay to buy the tickets but which were never refunded. Only the actual cost of the tickets was reimbursed. If you booked with a UK credit card you should have taken it up with the card company. I was once refunded the ticket price without booking fees/charges and challenged it. The theatre refused to budge but when I asked for a cash-back from the credit card company the theatre miraculously refunded the charges. If a performance is cancelled you are entitled to every single penny you paid. If only I'd known that ten years ago, schuttep... I felt very hard done by, not only because I'd missed the show, but I'd been done by Ticketmaster. Very rarely have I booked with them since. Only when there has been no other option, or when I've been given Ticketmaster vouchers (which always feels like a poisoned chalice.) |
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Post by ali973 on May 30, 2016 20:14:05 GMT
If it's any consolation, the show was really really not good at all. The score does have some wonderful moments. Visually it was also very pretty, but the story and the book were contrived. And most of all, it was just BORING. In proper Boublil & Schoenberg style, the main songs had multiple lyrics. I only saw it in Chicago where it did its out of town tryouts when I was living there, and the song "Because I'm a Wife" changed into something else by the second time I saw it, and was altogether done and gone with by the time it went to Broadway.
However it does have Stephanie J Block singing for her life, and I discovered Hadley Fraser that night, who simply had the best moment in the entire show singing I'll Be There.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2016 22:41:58 GMT
Whoever made the terrible decision to have the Queen sing in soprano type voice should have been fired. I havent listened to the cd at all. It has only 2 great songs, Woman, sung by SJB and Hadley Fraser's big number, I'll Be There
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Post by Mr Crummles on May 31, 2016 0:06:06 GMT
I must be in the minority of people that lived the original production! I thought it was a classy production , well designed and well marketed. I also enjoyed the original production very much. I was especially fond of the Brueghel-inspired visualisation of the village and its inhabitants, and the stomping dance. If I remember correctly, there was large use of oak in the scenery, that vividly evoked peasant life. I thought the characters were well-delineated and together provided a good idea of a small community in an isolated rural area. I found the way the Martin Guerre story was presented, focusing on how Martin and Bertrande were bullied and manipulated (and Arnaud used), to meet the petty interests of their family, neighbours and co-religionists, touching. The music movingly captured the mood of the story, intensifying its drama. Together with Les Misérables, this was my favourite Schönberg/Boublil piece. |
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Post by ali973 on May 31, 2016 3:00:26 GMT
Whoever made the terrible decision to have the Queen sing in soprano type voice should have been fired. I havent listened to the cd at all. It has only 2 great songs, Woman, sung by SJB and Hadley Fraser's big number, I'll Be There I can see how that was part of the way they envisioned the queen as regal, old school and classical (soprano) vs the more progressive, fiery, free spirited Grace (belt). Works as a basic concept, but the result was a caricature. |
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