| Saw BULLETS last night... | |
| Posted by: | dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Was surprised to read Riedel's column this morning, because my friend and I left BULLETS OVER BROADWAY very disappointed. Maybe our expectations were too high, but our biggest complaint was that it just wasn't funny. Some of the actors felt miscast, and the show moved very. slow. ly. Didn't like the way the songs were inserted to make it a "musical" - it just didn't flow. That being said, it has terrific production values. What a set! What costumes! It felt like a big splashy Broadway musical comedy, which was great. If only some of the performances were as good as the design. Stroman does well with the choreography - but too much of everything else fell flat. | |
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| re: Saw BULLETS last night... | |
| Posted by: | lowwriter 12:39 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | Saw BULLETS last night... - dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I find Stroman's work too heavy handed to be funny. And her dances can go on forever. Though she restrained herself for Scottsboro Boys. | |
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| Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | Chazwaza 11:50 am EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Saw BULLETS last night... - dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I may be wrong but it seems like Stroman has a problem doing comedy. I know The Producers, a straight up comedy and one of the funniest ever on Broadway, was her biggest success... but with laugh-out-loud comedy genius Mel Brooks writing the score and co-writing the book off his movie, and with comedy genius performer Nathan Lane, I think they must have brought it out in her and found the funny themselves a lot, not needing her to do it. When she directed the movie it didn't seem like she had much skill directing comedy... everything that was funny on stage just fell flat. I'm not sure who to blame considering it was the same material and same Nathan Lane, with other funny people in there (I never found Broderick funny in the stage version either so I leave him out)... but surely she takes the bulk of it. Woody Allen isn't laugh out loud funny the way Brooks is, not in the broad way a big old fashioned musical comedy way at least. And this show doesn't have an original comedic score. Anyway, just a thought. | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 05:24 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Stroman and comedy - Chazwaza 11:50 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I do think that the film Bullets Over Broadway is laugh-out-loud funny and perhaps funnier (to me) than most of Brooks's films (with the exceptions of The Producers and Young Frankenstein, and even the latter is iffy for me on this particular comparison). I'm old enough to have seen movies like Annie Hall and Bananas in the theatres on their original releases, and audiences certainly found them extremely funny (at least the audiences with whom I saw them). Obviously, many of Allen's later movies don't strive to be as comedic — some don't strive to be comedic at all — but I found Bullets Over Broadway extremely funny. | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | Chazwaza 06:37 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - AlanScott 05:24 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I agree, Bullets is one of his funniest (without being zany) and best movies... and is funny not just for Woody, I think. I'm just saying that I think Mel Brooks' type of comedy is more the sure-fire laughs kind especially in a big theater or a musical comedy... by it's nature, that doesn't mean it with dictate what the actual show is like. | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - Chazwaza 06:37 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Yeah, Brooks is a different kind of comedy, although some of Allen's earlier movies are actually rather similar to Brooks's movies in being parodies of genres and full of absurd juxtapositions. Even Don't Drink the Water is easy to imagine as an Allen-Brooks collaboration. Brooks certainly could have played the lead. Still, as we saw with the Young Frankenstein and even The Producers as the run went on, Brooks's comedy is not necessarily so sure-fire. FWIW, one of a handful of times that I couldn't stop laughing for a long time at a particular line or moment in a movie was in Hannah and Her Sisters. Maybe being Jewish helps. ;) | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 11:23 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I'm still waiting for "Sleeper" to be made into a musical. I want to to see how the Orgasmatron especially is dealt with and the inflatable costume. It's one of Woody's funniest earlier films, as are "Broadway Danny Rose" and "Radio Days" which came during his Mia relationship. | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | Chromolume 09:47 pm EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - PlayWiz 11:23 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Just imagine the "Cloning The Nose" production number...;-) | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 02:06 am EDT 03/16/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - Chromolume 09:47 pm EDT 03/15/14 |
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| Hmm - "Cloning the Nose" -- somewhere between "Finishing The Hat" and "Ballin' the Jack"! Although if Woody is using pre-existing songs, now that I think of it "Ballin' the Jack" could be used for the Orgasmatron sequence! :) | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 12:15 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Stroman and comedy - Chazwaza 11:50 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| All these dire pronouncements seem to be ignoring the fact that it has had only three preview performances, and no out of town tryout. Comedy, especially, needs time in front of an audience to really find out what works and what doesn't. Can we please give this team of professionals the time to do the trimming and fine-tuning that previews are for before we decide that the show is DOA? How can it be dead on arrival when it hasn't even arrived yet? | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | Chazwaza 12:40 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - MikeR 12:15 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I'm talking mostly about past work, off of what people have said about this show, and just discussing a possibility. There aren't pronouncements and they aren't dire (and least not on my part and not where Bullets Over Broadway is concerned). | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 12:47 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - Chazwaza 12:40 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I used the plural because there are dire pronouncements in multiple threads on this board. My post wasn't intended solely as a reply to you. And my points still stand. Three (I think) previews. Comedy takes time in front of an audience. Let's give it a chance. | |
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| re: Stroman and comedy | |
| Posted by: | FriendofDorothy 05:22 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Stroman and comedy - MikeR 12:47 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I agree. It is sometimes possible to see if a show is great in a few previews, but it is not possible to tell if it won't be great from a few previews. Although Bullets is not one of my favorite Woody Allen films, I think it is good material for a show; I do think Stroman is an inspired director, including for comedy but especially for character; and the cast is top notch. I love the music of the period, but I don't know the specific songs and arrangements they will be using, so the score is a big question mark for me. I would bet this show ends up being quite good, if not everyone's cup o'tea. | |
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| re: Saw BULLETS last night... | |
| Posted by: | mattyp4 11:32 am EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Saw BULLETS last night... - dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I KIND of agree... I thought it was a strong show but I was hoping it would be stronger, if that makes sense. My expectations were pretty high. I loved that it felt like a big old-timey musical, though it probably could have been a little splashier. I kept wishing for a really big production number but it never really came. (I mean, there were some big-ish numbers, but nothing on par with some of Stroman's earlier, stronger work.) The cast was great & I thought the show WAS funny. I mean, it follows the (excellent) movie so closely. Woody left so many of his jokes in verbatim. That being said I wasn't wowed by Helen St. Clair-- they could have done so much more with her. The sets were pretty fantastic. Costumes were good too. I know much has been said about the music & the choice to go "jukebox" with period songs. All I'll say is that some numbers worked very well, others not so much. I agree with dwing-- many of the songs didn't really progress the narrative so it slowed down the pacing. (Of course I still kind of wish it had an original score.) All in all I thought it was an enjoyable night at the theater. It's a strong show that should do well come Tony time. I just wish I loved it a little more. | |
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| Agree.. | |
| Posted by: | Gregv212 10:59 am EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Saw BULLETS last night... - dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I was picturing other actors in a number of the roles as the performance went on. Mazzie had some great moments and Nick Cordero as Cheech steals the show. Helene York, as Olive, should steal the show, but she simply does not. The house staff at the St. James could bot have been nicer. I purchased my mezz seat some time ago. Since then, I had foot surgery and trying to navigate the stairs would have been difficult. I asked if I could be moved to the orchestra and they went out of their way to accommodate me. | |
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| re: Agree.. | |
| Posted by: | NightMusic77 12:02 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Agree.. - Gregv212 10:59 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I was there last night as well, and agree with most of what was said. I do think it had some very funny moments, but there's definitely some trimming that needs to be done. The entire Ellen (David's girlfriend) story line could be cut--we don't need to see their relationship; knowing that it exists is enough to show conflict. Every time we saw David's apt life, the show felt like it came to a halt (and definitely not at the fault of Betsy Wolfe, who was in fine voice). I disagree about Helene York as Olive--to me, she was definitely the highlight of the show. Every time Olive was on, it felt like a big old musical comedy. Her moments on stage reminded me of Katie Finneran in Promises, Promises. I just wanted more of her! Marin Mazzie does a great job, but there felt like something was missing. It's rare that a role cries out for a persona type of actress, but Helen Sinclair would have definitely been helped out by some clever stunt casting. Bernadette Peters comes to mind; she's sexy enough for the audience to believe David is attracted to her, and she would have gone far away from Diane Wiest's portrayal of Helen, whereas Mazzie's Helen is pretty close to what Wiest so brilliantly did in the film. Great work from the supporting cast as well. It's always a treat to see top-notch pros like Brooks Ashmanskas, Lenny Wolpe and Karen Ziemba shine. And Nick Cordero is excellent as Cheech. All in all, I think there's a great show in there. They just haven't 100% found it yet, but I'm confident they will. | |
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| re: Agree.. | |
| Posted by: | mattyp4 12:28 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Agree.. - NightMusic77 12:02 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I agree 110%!! | |
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| re: Agree.. | |
| Posted by: | NightMusic77 12:36 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Agree.. - mattyp4 12:28 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| ...and I agreed with your post as well, specifically about the need for at least one HUGE number (on par with Stroman's "I Got Rhythm" in Crazy For You). Clearly we have similar taste! | |
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| re: Saw BULLETS last night... | |
| Posted by: | hitbycab 10:37 am EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | Saw BULLETS last night... - dwing 10:29 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| don't speak... ....don't speak ......don't speak I have tickets... | |
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| no surprise | |
| Posted by: | colin 12:37 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Saw BULLETS last night... - hitbycab 10:37 am EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Not sure why everyone is so surprised.Even the film was never first rate Allen-- Certainly not the kind of material that could support a full-blown theatrical treatment. It was a quirky gem with a fun sense of period and some good character actors----leave it alone!!!! | |
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| re: no surprise | |
| Posted by: | bwaydiva1 02:01 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
| In reply to: | no surprise - colin 12:37 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| I loved the film very much actually. (It and Midnight in Paris are my favorite Allen films.) I had really high hopes for this...and still do...as I'm seeing it late in previews. | |
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