Sorry wasn’t meant as a dig at you! Just everyone always complains about a lousy book but tend to let music slide a bit! Tootsie is the first in awhile that I think people actually praised the book!
Jordan Catalano said: "I caught this in London last night and will add this to the list of shows that just shocked the hell out of me in the best possible way. I walk into any jukebox musical with the same skepticism but this one did it right and they knocked it out of the park in basically every single way.
The songs fit so perfectly into the story they were telling that there was (at least in my memory right now) no instance where I felt a song didn’t fit and was being forced in there.It really was almost as if the music was written for this show. I think since they had such a broad catalog to work with of Martin’s music it was a real advantage instead of a set list of songs from a certain album that they had to make sure fit.
And yes, I knew that it was a show the tweens are loving and I was told it was a “woke” show but this one did it RIGHT. Even the bits that reminded me of “Head Over Heels” was done so much better and without having to hit you over the head while screaming “YOU MUST ACCEPT ALL OF THESE THINGS!!!” and in any other show, I would roll my eyes at a lot of it. But they actually seemed to take the time to craft truly well written characters and dialogue and, to the extent it can be said for a show like this, believable situations.
I also must say that the cast is uniformly perfect. From Miriam-Teak Lee’s powerhouse vocals and lovely turn as Juliet (I think she can absolutely be the next big thing) to Jordan Luke Gage’s hilariously douchy Romeo, Oliver Tompsett’s hilarious Shakespeare, Cassidy Janson as Anne (it takes a hell of a voice to kill a Celine song and she did just that) to honestly everyone else. I just can’t think of anything I didn’t like in this show.
And what a great and rare surprise that is."
So I’m in London and my performance of Ghost Quartet got cancelled so I had a free night. I was avoiding this because I read it was a jukebox musical and I saw the songs. But your review and a few professional ones I read changed my mind and I’m so glad I went.
this was pretty great. It was so much fun. And I feel like this is what Moulin Rouge should have been. It was so so good
It’s a really good show. Heckuva lot of fun with a cast that seems to really enjoy themselves. Kind of like a high quality panto on steroids! I don’t think it’s the best jukebox musical that’s ever been, but for a fun night out at the theatre you can’t go wrong. Shame that Act 2 for me isn’t as strong as Act 1. I’m torn as to whether or not this would work on Broadway. It seems v British audience-orientated to me but idk!
So glad you and others seem to adore this show. I thought it was fun but was cringing maybe more than I have at any show. I thought the David Bedella + nurse storyline and half the songs were so forced as to be painful, not to mention Cassidy’s way too over the top Celine song. It is fun but it still has all the weaknesses and cringeworthiness of a jukebox musical.
I'll be in London next summer and plan on seeing Sunday in the Park With George, City of Angels, Six, &Juliet and probably Jamie. Not sure how much else I'll be able to cram into the trip, but it's definitely shaping up to be a summer of hits.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
joined:3/18/19
joined:
3/18/19
Posted: 12/4/19 at 12:51pm