PIRATE QUEEN thoughts

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 10:48am

As I've posted on this board before, I saw this show a few times in Chicago and really saw a lot of potential. I've been pulling for the show to fulfill that potential ever since seeing it at the Cadillac. I have a ticket to see it this Wednesday (tomorrow) and have been very excited for that day to come so I could see what changes have been made and if the show has acheived all I think it could be.

So you can imagine my delight when yesterday afternoon around 5:00 I got a call from a friend of mine who works on a different Broadway show and had an extra ticket for the Gypsy run! I dropped everything and got myself to The Hilton to get in line.

I'd never been to a Gypsy run thru before, and that was an experience in and of itself. Sitting in a theater amongst so many familiar faces from shows I've enjoyed over the years was quite a thrill.

But for the show:

THEY'RE SO CLOSE!!!

For those who saw it in Chicago, I can't tell you how much it has improved. Stories have been focussed, character more developed, INCREDIBLE new musical moments added (Stephanie's opening song WOMAN brought down the house).

A big problem for me at this point (and one that I believe can be fixed) is one of momentum. Every time the show starts to suck you in, there is often a musical interlude of some kind where nothing is really happening and it allows the audience to relax and drop out. There is so much material and information being thrown at us in such a short time, I don't think you can give the audience time to tune out. Also, and this may sound trite, but I wish there were more BIG musical endings to numbers. You have some of Broadway's most incredible singers gathered on one stage and they are singing their brains out, and a lot of times the end of their songs doesn't allow the audience to "reward" the singers for their work. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but I'd love more big endings.

Clearly, and I hope it's as clear to the Pirate Queen creative team as it was to me and seemingly the rest of the audience, the BIGGEST flaw of the show is that there is no real dramatic ending. This was an issue in Chicago, and they are starting to address it I think, but the show never really ends. Without giving too much away, there is a heartfelt reunion at the end of the show, and all of the sudden people start bowing. YOU HAVE TO END THE SHOW PLEASE! We need that one great musical AND visual moment to punctuate the end of the 2 1/2 hour journey for us. LET THOSE SINGERS SING and create that magical picture that the audience needs to leave remembering. There is a great opportunity for that to happen, but right now it doesn't. That being said, it seemed SO CLEAR in the audience that this needed to be addressed, I can only assume the creatives involved know they need to give us a more satisfying ending.

I've read a few other posts where people had trouble following the story. Maybe it's because I've seen it a few times in different incarnations, but I have really no trouble understanding what's going on. I feel the book is nicely streamlined and that the added dialogue scenes did great things for clarity.

The costumes, set and LIGHTING are truly gorgeous and will most likely be rewarded.

The performances, across the board, have only grown since Chicago. I don't know when I've seen a show that is so well cast.

Stephanie- Truly brilliant (and I hate that word). Her singing and acting are pitch perfect for this role. I was trying to imagine various other actresses portraying Grace O'Mally, and while I can assume others would do a good job, Stephanie has already left a lasting mark on this role.

Hadley- What a voice. I'll Be There is a highlight of the show, and he backs up the singing with simple/understated acting. A wonderful Broadway debut.

Linda- I have never been too enthusiastic about the scenes that take place in England, but they've improved since Chicago. Her keys have been lowered I believe, so it was somewhat easier to understand her, although I still had some trouble at certain moments (as did others around me). But she fills her gorgeous costumes with a regality a poise that really works for the character. I just wish they would have rethought the entire England presence in the show, but that's clearly not going to happen. She gives a very solid performance in what is a demanding role.

Marcus- His character has perhaps benefitted the most from the changes in Chicago, and he finds a way to make Donal, a man we should just hate, almost sympathetic. The writers have done a great job at making us understand why he is so terrible in the 2nd act of the play, and we almost end up feeling sorry for him. He backs up a very powerful voice with great acting in a role that could be played as stereotypical bad guy.

Jeff- While looking eerily like Jean Val Jean, he does a great job with his one act role, delivering his trademark beautiful voice and gravitas as leader of the clan. His relationship with Stephanie is a bit more flushed out as well. Very strong.

William- Finds just the right balance between his dramatic and humorous moments. His relationship with Elizabeth has been deepened, and there is almost a sexual tension between the two of them now. He is terrific as Lord Bingham.

The ensemble looks and sounds glorious. Much more dancing has been added since Chicago, and the audience seemed to eat it up. Did I mention I happen to like shirtless pirates!

It was a great night at the theater for me, because it was a clear example of why shows go out of town and have previews...so they can do THE WORK to make their show as great as it can be. Pirate Queen is NOT great...YET. But it's much better than it was, and it is VERY GOOD. But a note to the producers and creatives of the Pirate Queen...IT CAN BE GREAT! We can only hope that they are willing to do the necessary work to get it there by next month. If the work that's been done thus far is any indication, I'm going to trust they'll get there. I'm hesitant to say it because I'd hate to see them give up working now, but already I think it's a show that a lot of tourists would enjoy. BUT KEEP MOVING FORWARD, please!

Personally, I miss the days of the Epic Musical, so I want to see this show succeed and hopefully encourage more people to take on projects like this. After all, these are the kind of shows that jacked ticket prices up to the insane level they're at now! At least with Pirate Queen you can see where all that money is going!

With all the bad press and word of mouth this show has received since Chicago, there were a lot of surprised people at The Hilton last night. Check it out. I think you might enjoy it.

I'll report back after tomorrow nights show to see what changes if any they've made thus far.

And hopefully I won't talk so much!

-QB

Sorry for starting a new thread, but I knew I'd have a lot to say and didn't want my post to get lost in the madness, for those whom I knew might be interested.
Updated On: 3/7/07 at 10:48 AM

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 11:04am

What wonderful thoughts, queenbee. Thanks for sharing them with us!

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 11:17am

My pleasure. I figure as the show is a work in progress until April, I might as well try to be as detaled as I can in my thoughts, rather than make blanket statements like "it's really great" or "it's really not". But sorry if I went on too long.

Looking forward to hearing other peoples thoughts once they get a chance to see it.

-QB

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 11:28am

SPOILER ALERT




Was the scene still in there where Grace gives birth and then fights the British about three minutes later? That scene hurt me deeply as a theatregoer because of its absurdity. I mentioned this on the boards once and was told that I was wrong because it actually happened. However, I don't think that's really an excuse.

Anyway, your thoughts?

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 12:42pm

Sorry G-

Funny you bring up that moment, because I too thought that was one of the more painful moments in Broadway (or future Broadway) history the way it was played in Chicago.

I am happy to report (avert your eyes if you don't want to know) that this particular moment has been DRASTICALLY changed. I won't tell you exactly how it happens now, but know that it is certainly different and much more plausable.

The fights as a whole have been GREATLY enhanced. I can only assume this is the work of Graciella. They are much more stylized and less realistic than before. The second battle especially is a great piece of theater staging. The first one was a bit too stylized for me, but I appreciated the idea. It's almost more of a dance than a fight.

I'm so looking forward to seeing it again tomorrow. I'll see what other new discoveries I can make regarding what specifically has been changed. Just know, if you're one who is pulling for this beast of a show (and it is a big one!), that they are very much working in the right direction.

-QB

[Popular]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 12:45pm

QB- I always enjoy your thoughts. Thanks for sharing.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 12:47pm

QB - great to see an analysis from an unbiased source who has seen the show out of town. I love to read thoughts on how different the show may/may not be.

Haven't read it yet (busy all day!), but will as soon as I get home.

Just wanted to say that.

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 12:53pm

Thanks Yankee.

Wish it didn't take me so long to get my thoughts down, but it was a pretty overwhelming night.

I can only imagine, and apologize in advance, that when I see it Wednesday I will have even more to say. At the Gypsy run I was having trouble focussing on the show at points when I was looking to my right and left thinking "isn't that the guy from Chorus Line" and "isn't that the girl from Lion King". It seemed like I was surrounded by all of Broadway. I felt very lucky to be there.

-QB

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 12:58pm

Any feelings on this:

PQ > Lestat
PQ > Tarzan?
PQ > Woman in White?

[Josephine2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 1:11pm

Possible Spoilers...

queenbee2, great analysis. I, too saw the Gypsy Run, and I think you make some excellent points. I especially agree with your mention of momentum. I think there are a few times where continuity is lost. Along similar lines, I feel like a few moments were a bit abrupt and/or difficult to take seriously (ie- the death as the trap desccends after Grace's 1st "battle" and the birth scene at the top of Act II).

All in all, however, I enjoyed the show. It is visually stunning. Stephanie J. Block is incredible, as a singer and actress. The dancing was wonderful (I also enjoyed the shirtless pirates). In addition, I think that the show does a great job of contrasting the Irish and English cultures...there was great use of the music, costume, and even humor.

Oh, and I did enjoy "The Pirate Queen" more than "Lestat." I cannot speak for the other shows, as I have not seen them.

Updated On: 3/6/07 at 01:11 PM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 1:26pm

Thank you for your thoughts! I have been looking forward to this musical since I heard Boublil and Schoenberg were doing it, and can't wait to see it. I'm hoping to student rush on Friday. I have yet to see a show in early previews and I am really looking forward to that. It sounds like they have made a lot of good changes since Chicago.

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 1:35pm

In response to SayItSomehow-

Even at this early stage and the shape the show is in now, Pirate Queen is a far superior show to the three you've listed. The funny thing is, because of all the negative talk people got into when they did their out of town tryout, I think everyone expected PQ to just be a complete train wreck. It is FAR from that. As I said in my earlier post, it is already a very good show.

Lestat? Completely misguided.

Tarzan? The opening number was interesting and then it was a mess.

Woman in White? I didn't really care for anything about this production.

Heck, for my money, put hit shows like Hairspray and Drowsy Chaperone and Millie and I'd still rather see PQ in it's current state.

I'm telling you, if they are willing to do the necessary work, this could not just be a good show but something very special.

All just my opinions of course.

-QB

[Josephine2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 1:58pm

QB, once again, well said. I, too believe that "The Pirate Queen" is a "diamond in the rough"-- and it was only the final dress. They officially start previews tonight, and I would love to see it again in a month or so. Still, I really enjoyed the show.

Updated On: 3/6/07 at 01:58 PM

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 3:47pm

Just wanted to weigh in and say that I am truly fascinated at the varying opinions people have on this show so far. Some love a song/moment/cast...some really don't love the same song/moment/cast.

Should be very interesting to see how the general public takes to it! (General public as opposed to those of us who spend time at work analyzing these things to death).

Will report back after seeing it again tonight.

-QB

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 4:13pm

Thanks queenbee! Love your feedback

[steven22]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 7:23pm

is there student rush or any type of rush for pirate queen?

[Kringas]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 7:29pm

I think THE PIRATE QUEEN is by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 8:26pm

I must know... DId they keep "she who has all" intact? that was my favorite song in the piece...

[fachedaluna]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 10:09pm

Yes, "She who has it all" is still in the show.

I agree that it is a formidable song and tells the difference, yet similarities, of two very strong women. Both women love and want to be loved. Both express power…only one experiences the joy of love and power, while the other only longs for these experiences. This song brings out a two dimensional insight of what they both long to have.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 10:29pm

Thanks QB for the PQ review. I love the show and will not see it this Spring as hoped.

[commasplice]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 10:50pm

"I agree that it is a formidable song and tells the difference, yet similarities, of two very strong women. Both women love and want to be loved. Both express power…only one experiences the joy of love and power, while the other only longs for these experiences. This song brings out a two dimensional insight of what they both long to have."

I interpreted the song quite differently - for me, it undermined the characters of Grace and Elizabeth. After the book worked so hard to prove to the audience that these were strong women, I had a hard time hearing them say that they valued the love of a man above all else (though Grace mentions her child, the lyrics are "a woman *in love,* it is she who has all"). With all of the things Elizabeth could have envied Grace for (presented in the show: even though she was her clan leader's daughter, Grace legitimately earned her power on her own merits and did not just inherit it; her men genuinely respected her; Grace went out and actually *did* things, rather than sending others to carry out her commands on her behalf; later on, as evidenced in the court scene, Grace genuinely connected to her people and understood their needs), I couldn't understand why she would decide that Grace's having a man to love her was most important, and that Grace would agree. For me, it was a very disappointing song, though the music was pretty.

(And again, this was how it was in Chicago, but if the song and scene still hold, I don't think my opinions are automatically irrelevant. A friend I talked to later, after we had both seen the show, viewed the song similarly, so I don't think my viewpoint is crazy, either.)

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 11:32pm

for me, at least, Grace derived strength from her love... so it doesn't undermine her at all... besides, it is a very human song (i think) because really, beneath our strong ex0teriors, we all just want love of some sort... (I do, at least)

[commasplice]

Posted: 3/7/07 at 11:39pm

I'm not denying that people want (or do or don't deserve) love - it's just the final emphasis on romantic love above all else that left a bad taste in my mouth (even if that makes me sound like an old woman sitting on her porch with a shotgun and a few dozen cats, yelling at the kids to get off her lawn).

(edited because one of my sentences needed a verb.)
Updated On: 3/7/07 at 11:39 PM

[fachedaluna]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:04am

commaslice~

I can appreciate your sentiments. However, in life, without love you are a very lonely person. Oh, you may think that power and status and authority is enough to sustain you, yet as the years go on and one ages, love is the only thing that matters. Take it from me who has worked with the sick and dying, all they talk about is the love of friend and loved ones. (and the man they loved…should he have been a good one)

Now I grant you that neither one of the women, on the stage, are in that predicament. Yet, love is a driving force, whether it be love of a child, family, friend and yes a sensitive/caring man (which is how Tiernan is portrayed IMO).

You can lead a world, yet be very lonely in the process and I believe that is what the creators wanted to convey.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:14am

fachedeluna-- I see your point, but the point of the song is not that a woman who has love has it all. It's that a woman IN LOVE has it all. That's an entirely different thing from just having friends around you.

I agree with you, commasplice. When hearing that song at the show, I just rolled my eyes. Here were these incredibly strong women who did wonderful things, but romantic love was all that really mattered? That's such crap and it really took away from the show for me.

Updated On: 3/8/07 at 11:14 AM