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re: ZORBA: is the show the problem?

Posted by:	AlanScott 01:05 pm EDT 05/08/15
In reply to:	re: ZORBA: is the show the problem? - B_Rabbit 05:41 pm EDT 05/07/15

Yes, the villagers do hateful things. Worse than hateful. It's not a pretty show. It's not a pretty story. I didn't see the original production. Personally, I question the use of the bouzouki circle. I find the "let's tell a story" setup generally pretty problematic, and I'm not wild about the opening section of "Life Is." But I like the rest of the song, and I think the score is mostly excellent. The book is arguably underwritten. Lehman Engel certainly felt it was lacking, but he seemed to feel that characters in musicals should not be mysterious. I'm told that the second act of the book is very heavily cut at Encores! so that may be making matters worse. Whatever is wrong with the piece, there are some lovely things in it and some really searing, thrilling things in it. It does sound like those strengths may not coming through very effectively at Encores!

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