NY POST-By January, you'll find Big Fish on ice at the Fulton Fish Market

[Trish2]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 12:55pm

Always a fascinating read !








‘Big Fish’ seems headed to an early, watery grave Updated On: 10/9/13 at 12:55 PM

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:02pm

As I really loved “Big Fish” in Chicago, I am sad to read this.

Confused on the “Last Ship,” rumor, however. It was just announced that “Last Ship” would be playing its pre-Broadway run in Chicago this coming summer (exact dates have even been announced). Are they looking to head to Broadway early?

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:10pm

GilmoreGirl02-I was at the concert at the Public-and the score is 100% ready for Broadway ASAP. If the book is as good as the score, they could easily workshop it here in NYC and open on Broadway late in the spring. (I'd tell Sting himself to leave the score ALONE-it's great as it is!) I think it could make a clean sweep this season. It's ORIGINAL, the score is authentic (not giving much away) and I LOVED it even without the staging. It has so much potential. (Besides, the out of town tryout in Chicago did nothing to help "Big Fish". Why spend the money?)

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:15pm

I agree with his point about critics being "softer" on the shows during the tryouts, so they can be a destination for more tryouts.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:23pm

I was wondering less about the readiness of the material and more about why the producers would be actively looking for a Broadway house to put the show up sooner when they have just (in the last few weeks) announced the dates for the Chicago run.

Regardless, it’s great to hear the score is in great shape!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:31pm

granted "Big Fish" didn't get great reviews, but it's grosses look good so far. We shall see what happens during the next few weeks to see what kind of $$$ "Big Fish" pulls in.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:31pm

GilmoreGirl-I say strike while the iron is hot! If they can get the Simon, it's a good theater for it (from what I've seen). It really will be amazing. The out of town dates are more flexible, I'd imagine. As I said, the score is really great and I hope they leave it alone.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:38pm

Surely this isn't the same man who composed THE WILD PARTY?

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 1:42pm

Audra McDonald has never recorded a single song by Lippa on any of her five albums. It would be nice if Riedel could publish one column that didn't include a glaring error of fact.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:01pm

Lumping Lippa in the same category as Jason Robert Brown, who gave us the exquisite PARADE score and THE LAST FIVE YEARS seems a bit of a stretch. Neither are the next Sondheim, but JRB has proven himself to be a much more capable and versatile songwriter. I really, really disliked the score to 13, but it's SWEENEY TODD when compared to THE ADDAMS FAMILY.

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:05pm

I mean, it would be two shows at once for Brian Yorkey (If/Then and The Last Ship) but I guess it's possible!

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:07pm

If/Then is likely just about done (or will be very shortly) so he can focus his attention on The Last Ship. It's totally possible for him to have both shows running. (Composers do it, and I think directors have as well.)

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:13pm

Also, perhaps I am feeling a bit defensive of my hometown’s critics, but one of the things I appreciate about Chris Jones, at least, is his ability to note and critique a show’s flaws, yet still admit that he enjoyed the show and feel it is worthwhile to see (as opposed to writing a show completely off it is not perfect).

I also find it hard to believe that critics here would go easy on shows just to try to keep pre-Broadway tryouts coming. I would venture to say that any leniency the critics seem to give to pre-Broadway runs is more likely due to keeping in mind that the show is a work in progress and knowing that things will (presumably) will be changed or smoothed out.

[jv92]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:44pm

Granted, I don't think Lippa is in the same class as JRB, Guettel, Ricky Ian Gordon, et al, but Riedel has never said anything good about any show by any composer under the age of 55, which leads me to believe that he has a tin ear or doesn't listen to 2/3rds of new scores-- or both. Likely both.

And Elisabeth Vincentelli ought to stop reviewing entirely. I stopped considering her a legitimate critic after reading her non-review of THE NANCE which read more like a poorly writtensynopsis with a few lame jokes thrown in.

Posted: 10/9/13 at 2:56pm

I think Chris Jones Chicago review was very constructive- Reidel probably prefers a more "destructive" review.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 3:51pm

Everything he says about Lippa here is true. He sank that show singlehandedly.
I agree with above posters though--- claiming that Lippa is anywhere close to the league of JRB is preposterous. Last Five Years and Parade are beautiful, and while he's not my favorite, JRB is worlds better.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 3:51pm

Everything he says about Lippa here is true. He sank that show singlehandedly.
I agree with above posters though--- claiming that Lippa is anywhere close to the league of JRB is preposterous. Last Five Years and Parade are beautiful, and while he's not my favorite, JRB is worlds better.

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 4:18pm

I know everything he writes is often suspect. However, if he's right that they have only $2.5m in advance and only $60k sold day after opening... yikes! That's rough. Word of mouth must not be much better than the reviews for those kind of numbers. Always sad when people put in that much work and it doesn't work out.

In a theatre season with all the musical houses booked I imagine the Simon is in big demand so I'm sure they are under the gun to stay above the stop clause... Honeymoon in Vegas, Ever After, Second Hand Lions, Fly, and Can Can must all be looking for available Spring theaters, and I'm sure there is 2 or 3 that just aren't crossing my mind at the moment to add to the mix.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 6:51pm

I don't think Lippa can be totally at blame. A musical is like the government - checks and balances. If Stroman didn't like a tune, or the producers didn't like a tune, they should have approached him. If anyone, I'd say Stroman is to blame. She's suppose to bring all the pieces together. The book is strong, the design is strong, but the dancing is weak, the "wow" moments are lackluster, and the score is terrible. I think Lippa's Wild Party is pretty interesting, so I know he's capable of writing a good showtune, but I think he needs to work on passion projects instead of these big blusters.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 6:51pm

I don't think Lippa can be totally at blame. A musical is like the government - checks and balances. If Stroman didn't like a tune, or the producers didn't like a tune, they should have approached him. If anyone, I'd say Stroman is to blame. She's suppose to bring all the pieces together. The book is strong, the design is strong, but the dancing is weak, the "wow" moments are lackluster, and the score is terrible. I think Lippa's Wild Party is pretty interesting, so I know he's capable of writing a good showtune, but I think he needs to work on passion projects instead of these big blusters.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 7:24pm

Good old Michael was exceedingly gleeful about this today, but I can't disagree with his thought that this one's not going to be here much longer.

[RW3]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 7:32pm

Wow, this would be the fifth straight flop for the Neil Simon Theatre.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 7:53pm

True, but before that, they had the musical of the century.

I wish Riedel would publish more factual information and just stop trying to inflate his ego.

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 8:05pm

From Riedel's article:

"He’s one of these young(ish) composers who are all Sondheim and no tunes."

Bravo, Michael! Finally, someone has come out and voiced a truth we all know through painful experience. 'Bout time too! The only thing he forgot to mention is that the same applies to Sondheim himself. If only someone had pointed that out forty years ago! We could have then been spared every miserable, tuneless, ordeal from Pacific Overtures to Fun Home, and our beloved musical theatre wouldn't have been transformed from a lush garden into a barren desert.

[dexter3]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 8:34pm

I haven't seen BIG FISH, so I have no stake in it...

But the fact that he gets paid to write such negative and vitriolic stuff is saddening. Just because he openly admits and attempts to apologize for writing such nastiness in this article doesn't excuse anything. To attempt to exploit a show's failure for page hits is crass and soulless. Even more so when it's in print.

He might as well admit that he's no better than an All That Chat or BWW poster...just on staff at a newspaper. It's the first time I've wished for a newspaper to cut their theater coverage. If it get's rid of Michael, then it's a 'win' for the theater community.

Updated On: 10/9/13 at 08:34 PM