I'm with you. Although as you say, sometimes shows transfer well. I didn't see Spring Awakening until Broadway and it felt like it was designed for the Eugene O'Neill, so...
I think the English accents were a challenge for a lot of audiences that might have kept people from raving about it and word-of-mouth being more muted. And the subject matter probably led some people to believe it was about capital punishment.
I'm always surprised at how conventional a lot of my (very intelligent, professional, urban) friends' tastes are. I find myself in the position of encouraging them to see shows like Hangmen and they almost always enjoy them but they need a push. I have the impetus to want to see things first and be more in touch with the latest trend than the average bear, which is an immature personality trait, but the upside of it is that I see so much without any preconceived notions or expectations, other than the vague "this is good/important/maybe the next big thing" and the wonderful surprises I've had in the theatre are so valuable and cherished. |