Aladdin Previews- Page 2

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 2:52am

they touched up all all the art work in the theater which looks amazing and they redid the carpeting but to me everything else looked the same.

[lambchop2]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 3:11am

I loved the friends, personally. I think they add a comedic dynamic that hit almost every note when I saw the Toronto previews. Although I wonder how much removing them as narrators has affected their presence in the show.

I think the climax could be improved with just relatively small tweaks, mainly having to do with the rest of the cast's reaction to Jafar. When I saw the show they just kind of... stood there without much of a reaction and, as an audience member, it killed any sort of tension the climax had.

It really needed something to slow it down and build tension. Maybe something like adding dialogue that forces the wedding party to bow before Jafar or having the Sultan's guards switch sides in a more obvious way, showing that Jafar really *is* the Sultan and that this has dire consequences; or giving "sorcerer" Jafar some magic to work with--maybe have sorcerer Jafar unmask Aladdin with 'magic' aka costume work similar to Jafar's costume changes, then the reprise? etc.

"Yup they sure were serious about those changes they were going to implement."

Ehh, considering that they have made some significant changes to the show from the first Toronto previews until now, I don't think it's fair to say they weren't serious about implementing changes. They might not be the changes some people wanted or expected, but I think it's clear they are willing to actually work on the show.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 3:16am

^ the friends are no longer narrators, if anyone could be considered one its now the Genie which it always should have been

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 11:24am

"So this is it: we're now critically reviewing invited dress rehearsals on the internet. Nothing is sacred. The theatre is dead."

LOL! Right because a themepark show on Broadway is sacred.


SPOILERS

Concerning the anti-climatic ending. Disney has always had this problem when dealing with plots that involve killing off a villain. The business at the end of these films just doesn't work on stage. It's the worst part of every Disney show. Aida had a laughable sword scene. Tarzan had the worst ending ever, I don't think the audience knew it was "over" until the curtain call. Beauty and Lion King may get a pass for spectacle but it was still really corny. They also had large spectacle finales.

I also think the climax is the weakest part in Book of Mormon. That said, I thought it was smart-er to resolve the matter with some very funny jokes.

At least with Mary Poppins you get a suitable no-kill climax.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 11:44am

"Ehh, considering that they have made some significant changes to the show from the first Toronto previews until now, I don't think it's fair to say they weren't serious about implementing changes. They might not be the changes some people wanted or expected, but I think it's clear they are willing to actually work on the show."

The glaring issues with the show (the three friends, jokes about missing characters, the planets in A Whole New World, and the ending) are still present. These issues are obvious and could easily be fixed. This seems like Mermaid all over again in terms of a changed ending that is a total cheap out with no spectacle.

Updated On: 2/26/14 at 11:44 AM

[jeffsam16]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 3:45pm

Seeing it Friday night. I hope it's not Tarzan! I prefer more like Beauty & The Beast which was a great Broadway production in my humble opinion.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 6:37pm

I would love to see a costume quick-change for Jafar in the end like Dreamgirls, Cinderella or Drowsy Chaperone once he becomes the genie. And if they don't want to use puppets for his snake transformation (too much like theme park show), then use shadows, lighting or something similar. There are theatrical ways of bringing spectacle into that ending.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 6:42pm

Or they can make the ending about something else.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 6:48pm

Like how they tried that with The Little Mermaid?

[lambchop2]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 7:11pm

"I would love to see a costume quick-change for Jafar in the end like Dreamgirls, Cinderella or Drowsy Chaperone once he becomes the genie. "

There is. He has three (I think it was Sultan, All Powerful Sorcerer, then Genie) quick costume changes in the scene. They looked cool but they really need to slow down the scene to give Jafar more bite.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 7:46pm

I know these boards are very loosely moderated, if they are moderated at all, but I really thought there was some written or unwritten rule that you're not supposed to review invited dress rehearsals. Or is that on that other board? I guess In a way it's not that different than reviewing a first preview but I just thought there was a rule about it. Anyway, interesting comments all the same.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 8:08pm

There are no dumb rules here.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 8:12pm

I don't see the big deal. It's not like the actors weren't giving it 100% or like the show is going to change from last night to tonight. So why can't we review it? It's the same product.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 8:15pm

When I saw this in Toronto, I really enjoyed this, a lot better than The Little Mermaid, Aida and Tarzan, but fully short on being as good or better than Mary Poppins, The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. I agree that James Monroe Iglehart is superb and must be a shoe in for a Tony for best featured actor, however Aladdin does lack that 'wow' moment.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 8:36pm

Can't wait to read reviews from tonight!

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 8:59pm

Strike my comment that these boards are lightly monitored. They apparently deleted the crap out of that spooky Andrew Keener Bolger in his underwear thread.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 9:00pm

"So this is it: we're now critically reviewing invited dress rehearsals on the internet.

Nothing is sacred. The theatre is dead."



I don't think reviewing this show during an invited dress has killed theatre ... but regurgitating Disney cartoons for Broadway has pretty much turned Broadway into a theme park. For real theatre go Off Broadway, Chicago or DC. For mostly crap theatre that caters to Middle America ... go Broadway.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 9:26pm

Looks like it's completely been deleted. What exactly was inappropriate about it?

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 9:30pm

I suspect Andrew or his reps complained, and can ya blame 'em?

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 9:53pm

South Fl Marc - that's an incredibly general, very disrespectful comment. People on Broadway work just as hard as anyone else and just because you have a problem with the "regurgitation" of cartoon characters onto the stage doesn't mean everyone else has to be put under your arrogant, broad presumption.

Anyway - let's go talk about AKB somewhere else because this is a thread about Aladdin previews. If you were that curious you should've read it earlier.

Updated On: 2/26/14 at 09:53 PM

[harris007]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 10:22pm

"I don't think reviewing this show during an invited dress has killed theatre ... but regurgitating Disney cartoons for Broadway has pretty much turned Broadway into a theme park. For real theatre go Off Broadway, Chicago or DC. For mostly crap theatre that caters to Middle America ... go Broadway."

wow What a typical PRETENTIOUS DC comment

[darreyl102]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 10:25pm

So we in Middle America Deserve Crap Theatre???!!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 10:32pm

Actually, reviewing invited dress is sort of building up "Word of mouth" that can possibly save a show and give them a strong advance.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 10:41pm

stop stop stop, **** cant there be one thread on this board without unnecessary drama!

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/26/14 at 10:42pm

I wholeheartedly disagree that two reviews for one performance on an online message board will "save a show" let alone help their advance, but it's a nice thought :)

To me, it spoils the "first preview" buzz from a larger spectrum that we see on social media, on the message boards, etc. But that's just me.