The flop that is Doctor Zhivago

[Musical-Matt]

Posted: 8/11/15 at 11:51am

So having had a digital download of this cast recording for a few days now and my hard copy of the cast recording arriving today, I am totally in awe of this brilliant show. I understand that due to poor ticket sales and lack of tony noms that this show came to its end, but I will never understand how! it has the most soaring score, beautiful lyrics and stunning production values and a wonderful cast. I am praying to god that this show eventually made it to London because apart from one other show ( which also ended up being a flop) never have I rushed out to buy a cast recording quite so quickly. If you haven't heard the score yet and this beautiful show I urge you to! Tam Mutu, kelli Barrett, Tom Hewitt and Paul Alexander Nolan give fabulous performances all the way through the show. any thoughts and opinions welcome.

[Spotlight61]

Posted: 8/12/15 at 4:31am

Based on the strength of your recommendation alone and hearing snippets on Amazon, I have purchased this.

On your head be it!!! HaHa.

[Musical-Matt]

Posted: 8/12/15 at 5:52am

Spotlight I will want your full report!

[Musical-Matt]

Posted: 8/12/15 at 5:52am

Spotlight I will want your full report!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/13/15 at 6:22pm

I really like about 50% of the score, but it does start sounding a bit redundant (which was a common criticism of the score).  One of the most universal complaints was with the physical production.  Apparently, it was often unattractive, static and/or cheap-looking.  It is definitely a style of musical I tend to enjoy and I love the story, so I hope they continue to work on it and bring it to the West End in a newly designed production.  Maybe Lucy Simon will have the reverse experience of the Secret Garden transfer and Doctor Zhivago will run in London for a couple of years!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/21/15 at 6:47pm

One reason it closed was the critics absolutely crucified it.

[Spotlight61]

Posted: 8/27/15 at 3:52am

I have only had a chance to listen to this once, so far.

On first hearing there are some beautiful stand out songs and the orchestrations are lovely but there is an imbalance in the score.

Besides the soaring individual songs, the overall impression I'm left with is uncertainty. As I say a first listen and I will listen to it again but, in truth, I do not feel compelled to want to listen to it again.

However, mood can also affect my ability to hear a score and to connect with it. Perhaps it says more about me that at the moment I am loving  and connecting with Finding Neverland.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/28/15 at 10:01am

My wife and I saw it and enjoyed it.

 

My take was that it was an ambitious project that just missed. The songs brought romance into the story but the book seemed to minimize the love interest. The show was heavy on scenes about the war. Their romance seemed like they just threw it in. Missed the framing device with Alec Guiness and Rita Tushingham as "The Girl".  The scene  in the movie where Lara just walked away was more gut wrenching than anything in the show. Glad it happened as we got a proper recording of the score.

[Nick Murphy]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 11:02am

It was unbearably dull in the theatre.  Aside from being ugly to look at, the material was totally non-involving and we didn't care about anyone or anything in it.  The audience was bored stupid.

[IndyTheatreGeek]

Posted: 9/23/15 at 4:33am

I saw it in previews and also saw the closing performance.  It got much better but still had serious staging and direction flaws.  Some of the design was too precious-a table and chair was onstage throughout and served a multitude of roles such as writing desk and barricade in a battle scene.  It almost became a character and was a distraction.  There was a large moving metal flat that served as platform and rail car, it moved up and down, traveled downstage, rotated and looked very expensive for what it added.  Act 1 had 2 or 3 points that could have ended the act.  Again, some cuts and better direction could have helped.  Also, many songs seemed to be sung from static positions at the front of the stage facing the audience which detracted from the show. 

The score seems more repetitive listened to on cd than I remember it in the theatre.  This is the sort of show that seems to be  so much better done in the West End than on Broadway, I'd love to see what could be done with it.