HEAD OVER HEELS at the Curran - Reviews- Page 3

[shushannahakin]

Posted: 4/14/18 at 10:11pm

I saw it on Tuesday - the first preview performance, and I actually also left at intermission. I sat there thinking to myself "am I going to enjoy watching this more than I am going to enjoy going to sleep," and the answer was no. 

I'm thinking about going again towards the end of the run to see if it's any better, but I was simply not enjoying myself and am getting too old to waste my time on things I don't like. 

 

[antonijan]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 1:59am

Look at today's new insta story and look behind the scenes of HOH and you may get more inspiration to try a 2nd time around

[BroadwayMomma]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 4:31pm

Saw it last night and have to agree with the negative reviews.  I didn't leave at intermission, but seriously considered it.  Hard to believe that this will be on Broadway before Ain't Too Proud.  That said, I've heard from other people who saw it in previews this week and liked it.  

[bwayemma]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 7:21pm

Here's a different opinion for you all. I also saw it Friday the 13th Preview and LOVED IT! I got my ticket through TodayTix Rush and I was Center Mezz Row E and I moved up to 2nd row lodge for Act 2. 

- Bonnie Milligan is a star. She is a reason to see the show alone. Her comedic timing and delivery of lines is incredible, not to mention her amazing belting. Truly one of the shows highlights.

- Alexandra Socha is adorable, her voice is beautiful and did a great job as the younger sister. She actually looked like a 13 year old.

- Rachel York is stunning. So regal.

- Taylor Iman Jones is a great narrator and helps the story move along. She's adorable and also a Bay Area native (woot, woot!)

- The ensemble is FIRE. Great dancers and great energy. I also loved their costumes. 

- The set was eh. Cool, nothing too crazy.

- The live band is all female :) Tom Kitt did a great job helping arrange the music.

- The lighting designer Kevin Adams is the same lighting designer from Hedwig, Spongebob, Next to Normal, Spring Awakening, American Idiot exc. The lighting design gave me major Hedwig vibes.

- Andrew Durand was adorable

- The only person in the cast I didn't care for was Jeremy Kushnier who played Dametas the King.

- Spencer Liff's choreo was great.

- The one major issue I had with the show was overall diction. They talk in Elizabethean language in the order we would say it today but I missed SO MANY LINES because I couldn't understand anything they were saying. A major part of the show is that everytime someone's love interest walks in, the character looks forward and the ensemble sings "Ohh, Skidmarks on my heart!" really fast. I had no idea what they were saying until I actually got home and listened to the soundtrack and realized what it was.

- Peppermint has a very small part in the show, but when she comes in, she's a scene stealer. Her entrance was jaw dropping. Perfectly casted. Her costumes were stunning too.

- Overall, the show is in the perfect city for it's tryout with all of the content included for modern day. They do definently have some things to clean up before it goes to Broadway to make it more cohesive.
 

Updated On: 4/29/18 at 07:21 PM

[Mitch101]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 8:52pm

I was also at the Friday 13th evening performance.  You got the wrong name of the king.  That was Jeremy Kushnier of Footloose fame.  I could have done without all his homophobic gestures to get laughs from the audience.

The songs are the real highlight here.  The duet between Pamela and her handmaid is the highlight of Act One, I thought.  Nothing else really lands.  The show is terribly uneven as far as pacing goes.  Some songs end with applause, others don't end at all.

I think I'm in the minority about the choreography.  It's all second rate Bill T. Jones jerky movements.  It looked like an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance..."  and since Spencer is from that show, it didn't surprise me.  None of the dancing does anything for plot or character.  It just slow things down.

The biggest crime the show suffers is how sexless it actually is.  For a show that aspires to be edgy and sexual, it's pretty tame.  I thought Peppermint's final outfit was as ugly as ugly could be and really summed up the problem.  Everyone is draped in something heavy and beaded.  Even if its meant to be period, it isn't helping tell us anything.  The opening number does nothing to establish where we are or what we're about to see.  The whole "losing our beat" idea feels so shoehorned in it was almost laughable.  But perhaps that is the point?  But to cast such sexless actors in a sex farce seems rather counter intuitive.  Pamela is the only character with real sex appeal and I was appalled they were using her weight and size for irony.  Some people are attracted to large women, why can't she be a star without having to make it ironic?

Finally, they really need to figure out who is the star.  It starts out as Pamela, but then turns into a show about her younger sister.  But maybe its supposed to be about Mopse?  They have a real problem with the script they need to work out.

Bottom line: A Funny Thing Happened did it better.

Yes, I'm new here.  Hopefully my candid comments will legitimize my presence. 

PS- I would kill to have seen the version by the original writer, Jeff Whitty.  I would be willing to bet my life this watered down version is nothing like he intended.  His version was probably much more fearless.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 10:58pm

Count me as a fan. I wasn't expecting it to work, but since an Elizabethan retelling of a Greek myth is already a mash-up and provides ample excuse for cheap jokes and asides to the audience, things are already set for this tale.

From it's superb opening "We Got the Beat" they beautifully set up the conceit [sort of this show's "Tradition"] and introduce the super-talented chorus - and unlike the previous poster, I loved most of the costuming and movement. I bought it all and enjoyed the merry ride through the gay trevails of Arcadia. 

I thought the cast was excellent. Extra props to the always-superb Rachel York and it's great to see Bonnie Milligan get a spotlight - and she leaves no laugh ungotten whether in Elizabethan meter or not. I loved the decision to have an ambiguously-gendered oracle - 'cuz they were. Peppermint chews the scenery with glee and attitude. (Presumably once the lines are nailed down, she'll perfect her delivery)

As would be expected, there's a darling or two to be killed. There's a fight between two characters that seems unearned and shoehorned in (Lust to Love?). The first act seems overlong and seems like it should break earlier. Luckily, during the preview week, the creatives were obviously camped out into the back corner of the theater and I've been told that there have been, and will be changes.

I thought the physical design worked well but wonder why they didn't use the pit for the band, who were hidden upstage.

When I heard about this, I was HIGHLY dubious, but somehow it worked for me. Far better than either Spring Awakening or Lysistrata Jones, both of which I saw in NY.

Updated On: 4/16/18 at 10:58 PM

[bwayemma]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 12:01am

MarkBearSF said: "Luckily, during the preview week, the creatives were obviously camped out into the back corner of the theater and I've been told that there have been, and will be changes."

Were they in the balcony or orchestra?

[Mitch101]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 12:13am

Friday night they were in the back of the orchestra.

If you liked this over Spring Awakening, that is totally fair.  It simply means we like different kinds of theatre.  I loved Spring Awakening.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 12:37am

Mitch101 said: "If you liked this over Spring Awakening, that is totally fair. It simply means we like different kinds of theatre. I loved Spring Awakening."

Totally agree. And, of course, I'm judging them differently due to their different stages of development (Head over Heels is undergoing preview changes and I saw SA in late April 2007, when the show was arguably freshest and at its peak)

Of the three shows I listed, I've enjoyed them all at some level. Of the three, I enjoyed the anachronistic melange most in this one.

[Jayar2]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 1:02am

I saw it last night, and I was underwhelmed. The opening is fantastic-- it gives an impression that we're going to be taken on a ride through the Go-Gos song catalog, but then it just kind of fizzles out. Individually, I think that the performances were nice, but given how new everything is, there was little chemistry within the cast. I also think that this needs to be a one act-- there was a lot of fluff, and I hope that they rethink making it a two act show by the time it gets to Broadway. If I had to sum it up, I would say that it is still very new, needs some cuts, and maybe tone down the dancing a bit. Think Xanadu with hints of Hamilton (costumes at times) and a little bit of RuPaul's Drag Race.

[bear88]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 4:29am

We seem to be alternating between positive and negative responses, so I guess it's my turn to praise the musical.

Like MarkBearSF, I was pretty skeptical that the concept would work at all, so perhaps I walked in with low expectations to the Sunday evening performance. But my wife and I really enjoyed the show. Simple reason: It's a comedy, and I laughed. That made up for a variety of issues, from occasional sound problems to a difficulty in keeping track of the lyrics and dialogue at times.

Head Over Heels is at its best in crisp, comic scenes that build on the show's inherent silliness. It's not for everyone. Shows like it are often not for me. I was underwhelmed, for example, with most of Something Rotten, and I got tired of Kinky Boots in the second act. But I found this show charming and endearing, and the Go-Go's music managed to enhance the fun rather than overwhelm it. It didn't feel like a typical jukebox musical.

The young women shine. Bonnie Milligan steals some scenes with a fine comic turn and impressive vocals as Pamela, the oldest princess. Alexandra Socha, who at 28 can pass for half her age, has a lovely soprano and plays her sister. Taylor Iman Jones, as Mopsa - daughter of the king's viceroy and occasional narrator - does an excellent job. 

Andrew Durand plays the male lead - a lowly shepherd - and has a challenging part, both in terms of dialogue, physical comedy, and songs. Most of it works, and some of it is quite funny. A song partway through the first act, "Mad About You," hits what the creative team is trying to achieve - and sets the tone for the rest of the show. The first act could probably use some trims, but it's a lot of whimsical fun if one is willing to play along. 

The second act has plenty of funny stuff but does a rather perfunctory job of introducing a conflict between two characters and a dramatic song that follows. The show has a tendency to preach, which is overdone and not really necessary. A few sharp jokes make the show's points deftly, with pointed barbs and a light touch. A lot of the rest is neither as funny nor as well-executed.

But I'm nitpicking, and most of the show's flaws can be fixed. It's not cutting-edge theater, nor is it a Go-Go's sing-along (if that's what some people are expecting) but it has some inspired silliness, charming performances from the whole cast, and energetic choreography. I had a lot of fun.

The Curran isn't selling out, but the Sunday night audience was very enthusiastic. It was fun to see and chat with several cast members of Vietgone, which is playing a few blocks away, who spent their evening off at the theater.

Updated On: 4/16/18 at 04:29 AM

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 8:57pm

Can anyone who's attended share the song list from the playbill? I realize shows at this stage change daily and songs will change order or be deleted. But I'm curious as to which GG songs they used. 

[bwayemma]

Posted: 4/16/18 at 9:11pm

PatrickDC said: "Can anyone who's attended share the song list from the playbill? I realize shows at this stage change daily and songs will change order or be deleted. But I'm curious as to which GG songs they used."

The songs are not in order in the program which is really annoying but my friend memorized the actual order:

We Got the Beat

Beautiful 

Vision of Nowness 

Get Up and Go 

Mad About You

Good Girl

Automatic Rainy Day

Cool Jerk

Vacation

How Much More

Our Lips Are Sealed

Head Over Heels

This Old Feeling

Turn to You

Heaven is a Place On Earth

Lust to Love

Here You Are

("Skidmarks On my Heart" is also used in the show but it's a reoccuring theme)

[antonijan]

Posted: 4/17/18 at 3:42am

Check out new production pics here https://www.broadwayworld.com/amp/c.php?url=Photo-Flash-First-Look-at-Broadway-Bound-HEAD-OVER-HEELS-at-the-Curran-Theater-20180416&__twitter_impression=true

Updated On: 4/17/18 at 03:42 AM

[SFCowboy]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 12:25am

Hey, folks. I saw this last night, the last night of previews, and thought I would weigh in. I'm relatively new here (though a long-time stalker), and I'll admit a little intimidated. I love the theater, but I don't always know the right terminology to describe what I'm seeing or how I feel. (Who knew theater could be so complicated?) But I've learned a lot from reading the board, even if I still can't always remember the difference between a standby and an understudy! So here goes …

Overall I thought it was fun! Definitely entertaining – just don't go in expecting anything deep. I'm generally not a big fan of jukebox musicals, and some of the reviews on this board prepared me for the worst. So I went in with really low expectations – and maybe that helped. I think the low expectations also will inform some of my statements here, so when I say "This was really good" I might really mean "This was not as bad as I expected."

I knew a few of the Go-Gos songs, but honestly, even with those, I never paid any attention to the lyrics before. (Catchy music though!) Even without knowing the songs, I enjoyed it, and I think that actually made it seem less like a typical jukebox musical to me.

I thought the energetic opening number set the stage pretty well for what was to come. The excellent all-woman band completely overwhelmed the singing at opening, but this got straightened out quickly. (You don't see the band until the reveal at the end.) The costumes were kind of Elizabethan-meets-punk and mostly worked. I liked the choreography which included lots of coordinated arm movements I found fascinating to watch. The set – well, I guess the cardboard cut-out look was intentional to give it a comic-book fantasy look, but it also just looked cheap to me.

The rest of the show was generally fun and a lot silly, with a plot involving a lot of gender-bending. The plot itself was fairly thin, as you'd expect. It did seem like each scene was just a set-up for the song to come, and that got a bit monotonous, especially in the very long first act. But there was usually something entertaining going on, and many moments where I laughed out loud (which many comedies fail to achieve for me). I think the first act needs to be tightened up – maybe cut two songs, though I'm not sure where.

The acting and singing were very good, though I don't envision anyone winning a Tony. I found it funny to see Rachel York (in the role of the Queen) reminding me of seeing her in a similar role in Kiss Me Kate. I almost expected her to break out into "I Hate Men," Go-Gos notwithstanding. Bonnie Milligan was excellent as Pamela and quite funny in a choice role. I thought Andrew Durand was also a stand-out as the poor shepherd in disguise. Peppermint was cast perfectly as Pythio, the Oracle of Delphi. As good as they were, I felt like they all could have pushed the envelope a little further to draw out the laughs and make their characters a little more farcical. Maybe that will come with time. I also wished Pythio's costumes had been more outrageous. They should at least have exceeded what we'd see on your typical Ru Paul's Drag Race.

The show seemed like a cross between Xanadu, Mamma Mia, A Funny Thing …, and maybe even a little Pippin revival thrown in for good measure. (Except those shows were much better.) It didn't matter too much to me that the silly plot was developed around the songs, or that the songs were shoehorned into the plot, but I could see how that would annoy folks. I had trouble understanding song lyrics to some extent, so I mostly only got the gist of the songs anyway. (I had no trouble understanding the spoken dialog from my center orchestra seat, however, and some of it was quite clever.)

It may sound like I am giving this show a rave, but really it did miss the mark for me in many ways, and I'm not really sure how to describe this better. If it continues to evolve through its run in San Francisco and during previews in New York, perhaps this has potential. As it is now, I'd recommend seeing it, but it's not going to end up on my list of top shows for the year.

Interestingly the theater seemed nearly full last night – a Tuesday – at least in the orchestra, and the audience overall seemed to love it.

[TooManyTenors]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 4:47am

Hey all, first time poster here! I just saw the shows opening night and thought I’d add my thoughts.
The shows pacing is all over the place, the language is hit and miss at times, and the constant reference to “the beat” is awkward at best.
It’s flawed, but that didn’t stop me from having a great time watching an undeniably fun piece of theatre.The entire cast were incredibly energetic, the music was sung terrifically, and the choreography, while not doing anything to advance the plot, was breathtaking (props to the ensemble, they were hitting it everytime I saw them). Bonnie Milligan was a complete standout, she had me rolling in my seat, and I’m calling it now, if this show can last long enough on Broadway she’s getting a Tony nom.
I think, overall, the creative team has a lot of work to do to get this show ready for New York, but if they can pull it off, this could end up being something really special.

[TooManyTenors]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 4:58am

Also, this show was queer as hell and I am LIVING FOR IT!

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 11:52am

Where are the official reviews? Not finding any...

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 12:04pm

Even though ''Head Over Heels'' opened last night (Wed.), maybe the critics hadn't been invited until then. They'd had only one week of previews. Perhaps reviews will start popping up later today ...

Given that it's an out-of-town tryout (that's a month-long), I'm surprised that they're opening so soon; you'd think they might want more time for previews and any revisions, etc.

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 12:04 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 12:55pm

Given the short window between SF and NYC, I doubt they'll freeze the show. Probably keep tuning it...

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 1:04pm

As MarkBearSF has reported, the creatives are still working on it 

But is it wise to bring in the critics after just 1 week of previews?

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 01:04 PM

[Lot666]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 1:05pm

SFCowboy said: "I'm relatively new here (though a long-time stalker), and I'll admit a little intimidated. I love the theater, but I don't always know the right terminology to describe what I'm seeing or how I feel. (Who knew theater could be so complicated?)"

It's not terribly complicated, but lots of folks around here like to play the Board Police so they can make newcomers and others with less experience feel stupid and small. This place can be a nest of vipers, so it's understandable that you feel intimidated.

Welcome, and just make use of the "block" feature if you get tired of dealing with the idiots. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 1:26pm

Lot666 said: "This place can be a nest of vipers, so it's understandable that you feel intimidated."

Deep down, you know we're all just a bunch of sweethearts here... 

[LauraLeibowitz]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 2:15pm

First-time poster here as well.  I was at the opening night performance, and was joking with my boyfriend that I'd somehow managed to mostly shield myself from pop music during the time I was in high school (early 80s).  So I expected to be the least-informed person in the audience about the music of the Go-Gos.  Turns out that social osmosis did more than I realized ("Oh...I've heard that...is that a Go-Gos song?...guess so.".

Yes, the songs are shoehorned into the story (as others have indicated).  But you know that's got to be the case going in, so if you're not up for that, don't buy a ticket.  I have to wonder if this will play better in San Francisco than New York, since lines like "I am non-binary plural" (transgender terminology) will be "gotten" by a larger percentage of this audience.  I didn't have the challenges that others noted about not being able to understand the dialogue, so I'm assuming the speed of line delivery has improved.  Or maybe I just speak iambic pentameter. 

All in all, I had a good time.  My lack of familiarity with the music was not an issue.  My sense of humor can best be described as "ironic," so the juxtaposition of a Shakespearean-style play (probably closest to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with 80s music is amusing.  The cast is energetic and seem to be enjoying themselves, so just give yourself over to the fun and enjoy the ride.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 2:21pm

antonijan said: "Look at today's new insta story and look behind the scenes of HOH and you may get more inspiration to try a 2nd time around "

Do you work for this show or something?