I saw the show tonight (2nd preview) and it's one of the hottest messes I've ever seen - the kind of trainwreck that can only be made by genuinely talented people.
The plot is an indescribable muddle involving three central characters: David Henry Hwang himself, a Chinese media mogul played by Conrad Ricamora, and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (you read that right).
Hwang's script is obvious and pandering, but VERY genuine - partially inspired
Just wondering if row F or G right/left orchestra would be too close or obstructed. The seats I'm considering are about 4 in from the aisle. Seems perfect, and I've seen the production already so I'm mainly going to experience Bernadette's star turn up close. Thanks!
Also, re: its success in Asia - it seems a year after the Broadway closing, the show was mounted in Tokyo and professionally filmed for Japanese TV! The cast was a Japanese band called "Attack All Around."
This sounds like the perfect choice for a 54 Below reunion next year, where the original cast can reunite, sing a few songs, and hopefully dish on what happened behind the scenes.
And Larry, I often have the same thought about Charles McNulty at the LA Times - he softballs most major tryouts, including the recent AMELIE (there's barely a paragraph of minor quibbles in his review) that meet their doom on Broadway.
I remember some people placed the blame on Eric Schaeffer, who got the young/inexperienced cast and creators' hopes up by bringing the show in from Signature when it was clearly not Broadway material.
Did anyone see this show during previews or its opening (and closing) night?
I've always been fascinated by it, being the last 1-performance flop we've seen - and possibly one of the last ever, since recent shows like IN TRANSIT prefer to burn through money-losing weeks in the slight hope of turning a profit.
Was it really as bad as it sounds or just not suited for Broadway? I've heard the score and it's almost embarrassingly amateurish,
I did! Can't remember how far into the run it was, but I'm really, really glad I got to see her. I wasn't a fan of the production, but it was pretty stunning how she went right into the show on such short notice and was basically note perfect.
Keep in mind, I wouldn't say she was giving a deepened, fully fleshed out performance - that would have been impossible due to the circumstances. But she looked, sounded, and danced the part beautifully, was clearly work
Also worth noting - the San Diego production had a 100% original score yet much of the marketing focused on Holland Dozier Holland. I'm sure people were surprised/disappointed not to hear their most well-known songs, so "Stop! In the Name of Love" and others were added in Chicago.
If anything, the score proves that while HWH might be incredible pop composers, they had ZERO clue how to write a musical. None of the songs revealed character or moved the plot f
A few numbers from the San Diego production were on YouTube, but the producers had them removed just before the Chicago run. Maybe it's time for a re-up? I believe the Act 1 finale (with Barbara Walsh's deadly solo) and Sam's Tony-grubbing turn were the highlights.
The cheating husbands in a misguided number at the top of Act 2
Broadway Catastrophes: First Wives Club May 23
2017, 05:59:52 AM
Thank you so much for doing this, BakerWilliams! FWC is one of the highlights of my theatergoing life. I saw it twice in San Diego - when I wrote my initial review, I was gobsmacked by its incompetence and loathed every minute. The second time, I loved the hell out of it. The show itself was just as awful, but it took on a mesmerizing "holy s***" quality that only the greatest flops share.
I also saw the Chicago production and agree - it was bland and forgettabl
Broadway Catastrophes: First Wives Club May 23
2017, 05:59:52 AM