Anyone seen Paramour post changes?

[lila12]

Posted: 9/7/16 at 2:05pm

I was curious if anyone had seen Cirque's Paramour since they took a brief hiatus at the end of August and made some changes? I saw it on 8/21, right before the hiatus, and my friend and I were both really disappointed. I was interested in hearing what they changed and if anyone felt the show has improved? We noticed that the soundtrack was released on 8/26 so we were assuming there were unlikely to be lyric/story changes - but not sure how that might work.

Interested in any reports.

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/9/16 at 1:05am

I saw it this afternoon. They do Thursday matinees. It was my first time but I went with someone who has see it a few times prior to the changes. What she noticed was a bit of a major revamping. Major book changes to bring the story more into focus. Changes in lyrics also. Different choreography. She said that she knew they were supposed to shorten the rooftop scene. I forgot to ask if it was shortened. (It went on a bit too long for me and dragged. The final "jump" was not visually clean.) She also noticed a costume change. A new dress for Indigo's entrance at the club.

I had nothing to compare it to but here are my thoughts on the show....

There is still no playbill. You have to seek out the fold out pamphlets in the lobby. They are in holders on the wall. I got mine by the 43 street entrance/exit just inside the door. The pre-show projections for cameras and phones were cool but people didn't seem to pay much attention until just before the curtain rose and a voice accompanied them. I found it to be kind of out of place that they thanked their sponsors both vocally and with projections after the camera announcement.

The show is what it is. A Cirque show with a story wrapped around it. Nothing earth shattering book wise. The projections used are top notch. Cameramen running around the front orchestra at times to shoot for the big screen that comes down. We were 10th row center on the left aisle. Perfect seating for the twins. They were good but my favorite scene was the one with the flying lit lampshades. It was beautiful to look at. Also in the club scene, there was just way too much going on all the way down to the bartender stacking bottles in the background and topping them with a rose.

There were a few good songs. The cast sings the hell out of them. I did not know Kushner had such a great voice. I hope to see Ruby Lewis in something else. She is wonderful. The operatic break in the middle of the song the 3 leads sing comes out of nowhere and quite honestly didn't work but it showed off her voice.

Cirque's intentions are good but they just didn't quite get the Broadway theatre and Cirque mix right. Some of the acts just didn't help move the story along. Cirque usually has a storyline to their tent shows that you really can't follow. You can follow this one but the acts don't totally fit in.

Sound wise, a lot of lyrics are lost. A lot. The sound effects are top notch though. The band plays it's heart out.

The cast appears to be having fun and that helps a lot. By the end it was an entertaining afternoon. Just not the right fit for Broadway. And that is just my opinion. The theme of the show is the movies so as we left, credits were rolling on the screens positioned on each side of the stage. This reminded me that I was walking out of a Broadway show without a Playbill.

As far as merch andise! I collect magnets. They have two. One for 10.00 and one for 15.00. The more expensive one is a color magnet. Wasn't crazy about it. The less expensive one is a heavy black magnet with the show title in gold lettering. It is on my fridge right now. The one item that got me that seemed to have no connection with the show was the 90.00 mini back pack. All real leather. Two people in front of me bought one.  My Xfinity X1 Platform bill is less than that backpack. 

 

Also, my friend seemed to be surprised at the projection that have you the number to text to get the program on your phone. I suspect this is new.  He did it and had it on his phone in seconds. I did not do it.

Updated On: 9/9/16 at 01:05 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/9/16 at 1:46am

I think people are judging this on different merits because it's on Broadway. But I haven't seen it yet. I don't think they are trying for a traditional musical.

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/9/16 at 9:31am

In the pamphlet there is a note from the Director. In it he says "...Written with the greatest respect for the traditions of Broadway, by way of Busby Berkeley."

They are trying to mix traditional Broadway with Cirque and Cirque is not traditional circus. I forgot to mention above that they have also included a silent comic character like the clowns in their tent shows.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 9/9/16 at 10:47am

Thank you for the updates! I still think that Mr. Guettel should have written the score for this show. It would have been a perfect fit. 

[10086sunset]

Posted: 9/9/16 at 12:40pm

The new commercial feels like more of a usual, Broadway tv spot...

Gone is the woman singing the title and replaced with footage from the show...