Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
bare_nakedlady
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/05
#0Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:59pm
I am so excited to hear this. I know many on this board don't like this show, but let's have some love for the music, Jim Steinman, and the very emotional story. I can't wait to get tickets. 
I know there were rumours about this in other threads, but I thought we needed a WHISTLE love thread.
Here's the link
"It's like children's theatre for 40-year old gay people!" - XANADU THE MUSICAL
Updated On: 2/23/06 at 04:59 PM
Chrysanthemum62001
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/04
#1re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:25pmHuh? ::scratches head:: I thought this was a big-time flop.
"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL
popcultureboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/23/03
#2re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:28pmIn the US it was, in London it ran for a couple of years though that by no means makes it a hit.
Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#3re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:40pm
I saw it in London. I wasn't that thrilled with the show.
I wonder if they have to pay all those kids in the show Equity scale?
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#4re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:44pmI love the cast recording. I wonder if we will get a new cd.
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
Link Larkin Wanabe
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/04
#5re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/23/06 at 6:09pm
Will there be any major revisions on the show? A new director or creative team?
Akiva
bare_nakedlady
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/05
#6re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 10:12amI was wondering that too. Just a bump to see if anyone knows about new revisions to the book if any? That seemed to be the biggest problem.
"It's like children's theatre for 40-year old gay people!" - XANADU THE MUSICAL
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#7re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 10:13amIt had a limited premiere engagment in the U.S. before opening in London. How could it be considered a flop in the U.S. when it only had a try-out?
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#8re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 11:03am
"How could it be considered a flop in the U.S. when it only had a try-out?"
I wouldn't call it a flop. However, there was a Broadway theater booked and an advertising campaign was begun in NYC. But the producers decided not to bring the show in. Rather than a flop, it should be called a "never was".
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
whatacharacter
Leading Actor Joined: 8/19/05
#9re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 1:57pmI saw it when it played the National THeatre in Washington DC...lets just say I was not shocked that it didn't make it to NY. The book was at time laughable, and the score had very few standout moments. I am not sure how much was changed for the London run...but I feel like it just wasn't a great property to musicalize.
sanda
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/10/04
#10re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 2:00pmI can never understand how they can sell the story? I mean, a 15 years girl believed a man as Jesus simply because that dude said "Jesus Christ". How can people believe that is beyond my imagination.
#11re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 2:14pmI think its sweet...
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
Josh Freilich
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/06
#12re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 2:30pmI liked it. I have some of the songs on ALW collection CD. I have a version of Kyle "Scarpia" Gordon singing "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste." There's also a version with Meat Loaf singing that song. He nails that song, since it has lyrics written by Jim Steinman, and the music as well was written in his style by ALW. Also a haunting version of "No Matter What" that ends the first act. I really liked it, I think, better than DOTV.
"How could she just suddenly, completely disappear into thin water?" - The Little Mermaid
#13re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 2:57pmsanda, there is much more background to the story than that. Maybe you could rent the film or something - it is an amazing show with a BIG set!
"It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance." -
Elizabeth Taylor
#14re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 3:00pmInteresting story, icky score. It's one of those let's bring lots of children in and have them sing annoyingly cloying songs scores.
yr ronin,
joey
joey
sanda
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/10/04
#15re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/24/06 at 3:03pmjimmirae,thanks for the suggestion. I have never seen the show, only listen to the recording. All I know about the story is from the synopsis, which, unfortunately is hard for me to understand.
AuditioningWaitress
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/05
#16re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/25/06 at 8:02amI'm shocked...I totally didn't see this coming...
ThunderCat8
Understudy Joined: 1/11/06
#17re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/25/06 at 12:27pmWhen I saw this show on tour a few years ago, I loved it! I love Jim Steinman anyway, and am a fan of rock musicals. When it started with Vaults of Heaven, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It sorta dwindled a little bit, but the song A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste is simply amazing! Not a bad musical, (one of ALW's best I think!) but nothing amazing. Surprised this is coming back to London, why not Miss Saigon for example?
mrkringas
Broadway Star Joined: 9/28/05
#18re: Whistle Down the Wind preceeds SPAMALOT!
Posted: 2/25/06 at 1:21pm
Its the Bill Kenwright touring version thats opening in town as a filler. Kenwright is infamous in the UK for producing low budget versions of big epic ALW musicals eg- Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph. His tours of the latter two featured 3 woman in the entire ensemble...very cheap and lacking. He also doesnt pay a lot and tends to cast a lot of young freshfaced talent in the ensemble. Oh and did I mention the stripped down sets and orchestra?
Whilst not dissing the professionalism of the performers on stage its a very very cheap production that would never see the light of day on Broadway and its sad that the West End is reduced to this. We dont have tons of exciting new musicals being developed out of town like you guys. So when a slot opens up its a case of "mmm what can we pull from the road and make a quick buck?"
Luckily we are getting Avenue Q, Evita, Sound of Music, Spamalot, Caroline or Change, Dirty Dancing and Wicked to make up for it
