Company or LoveMusik?

[johnsolt]

I am hoping to see both. But which is better, in case I can only make it to one? Also, I know of Company, but how difficult is LoveMusik rush?

[TapTapTapioca]

Company

[BigFatBlonde]

Chances are you'll never see LoveMusik again. Chances are getting slimmer that you will see many original Hal Prince Productions on B'way.

There is always a chance that you'll see a top notch Company some day.

[BroadwayChica]

Yes, but the chances of seeing Raul Esparza as Bobby again are slim to none.

Go see Company. Lovemusik has wonderful performances, but the show as a whole is somewhat of a mess. I didn't care for it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Chances are you'll never see LoveMusik again for a reason. It's a mess. Yes, it's an original Hal Prince production, the performances are top-notch, and the music is beautiful, but the book is awful and the show has a lot of major, major problems. It's far too long, and rather boring more often than not. It could have benefited from some large cuts. In short, it is a failed attempt at something that probably could not only have been made to work, but could have been brilliant.

Company is a gorgeous, innovative (if polarizing) production of a Sondheim classic. I don't have enough kind things to say about the material, nor about the production and its cast. Raul is giving the performance of a lifetime. You won't want to have missed it when it's gone.

[Bwayfan4]

I love company! Raul Esparza is yummy...I am pondering tickes for Lovemusik as we speak...

[BigFatBlonde]

I'm coming for a different perspective. There are a number of Hal Prince "messes" that I wish I'd seen. Even at his advanced age he is the MASTER of musical theatre staging.

There are going to hundreds of hot, yummy, hormone kicking Bobbys in your lifetime. But the chance to see an original Hal Prince production is something that no jaded theatre aficionado can claim to be anything less than "very" important.

[jaystarr]

Company

J*

[Revolutionary]

I promise you, Lovemusik will be the most expensive 3 hour nap you will ever take.

[ashley0139]

Company

[keen on kean]

Company

[jg4892]

Company, for sure.

[luvtheEmcee]

Well, to be fair, while I felt the direction almost... stifled the show at times, it wasn't necessarily the biggest problem. The biggest ones are in the structure and the writing. I'm just saying that personally, I didn't even the most masterfully-directed moments able to redeem those problems. And honestly, pedigree does not automatically good work make. The most I can say for the direction in LoveMusik is that it'll be cool to be able to say I saw a Hal Prince show.

And if anyone who has seen and loved the show honestly thinks that Raúl being "yummy" is the reason to see his Bobby, we have a serious problem. The point about hot actors playing Bobby would work if that were this performance's only merit, but it's not, so it doesn't.

[popular_elphie]

COMPANY.

[shesamarshmallow]

Company.

LoveMusik is a mess.

[little_sally]

Company...it's just an all-around better show

[Bwayfan4]

"And if anyone who has seen and loved the show honestly thinks that Raúl being "yummy" is the reason to see his Bobby, we have a serious problem. The point about hot actors playing Bobby would work if that were this performance's only merit, but it's not, so it doesn't. "


luvtheemcee...relax and get off that high horse or yours. I didnt' see the show b/c Raul is "yummy"...I saw it b/c I was very interested in the story, and knew that Raul had a wonderful voice (and wanted to hear it in person). He's fantastic in the show, as are the rest of the cast.

Is this reason "good enough" for you?

[Born To Reign]

Company.

Raul's performance is brilliant and his being yummy is just the icing on the cake!

[jeffrey1dog]

"Company" - It was awesome - I saw it twice. Sorry to see it's going bye bye ~sniffs~
Anybody who hasn't seen it has really missed out on something special. Hurry - just 2 weeks left - you can still go!!!!!

[n69n]

i say you win either way.

[BSoBW2]

LOVEMUSIK has a fantastic score (which will soon be recorded - and you can play at your own speed).

That was the show I was most excited for this season - Hal Prince, Lenya, Weill, Murphy, Cerveris, Brecht - how can you fail!

And how!

It was, to me, an utter disappointment. Prince tried to do something classy with the show which was, in my opinion, the exact opposite of what he should have done.

I did see the first preview, so I do want to go back to see if and how things changed. But when the lights dimmed for the show to start I had never been so excited in my life. Five minutes later, after the overture finished, I was ready to leave.

If not for Cerveris' performance I think I would have died in my seat.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Bwayfan4, I think Emcee was responding to something BigFatBlonde said. Not necessarily accusing you, lol.



Go see Company. LoveMusik is a complete and utter bore.

[Mr Roxy]

I am so happy we are now seeing it next Sunday

[wickedfan]

If you want to see a Hal Prince original, see Phantom of the Opera. Sure, it's far from a great show. But, the production is absolutely gorgeous and Hal Prince does wonders on the stage. His staging is truly cinematic and brilliant beyond belief. Being an actor who hopes to become a director eventually, I can tell you it was like an advanced lesson in "How to make a masterpiece of a production out of crappy material". That is Hal Prince at the top of his form, and how I'd like to remember him.

When seeing LoveMusik, I just thought, "With all of the talent involved, NO ONE saw these major flaws?" Even Prince's staging is far from great. He has a couple of nice moments, such as Brecht's girlfriends standing as the posts of his boxing ring, holding up the rope. But that is one of few good staging moments in a show that is pretty boring (Uhry gives Murphy some nice one liners, but again, too few to make a difference). If you want to remember the staging genius Hal Prince, skip LoveMusik, it'll only tarnish your perception of his talents. Even Murphy and Cerveris weren't enough to make me appreciate the evening.

Company is closing relatively soon. Yes, there will be a dozen great Company productions in the next couple of years, but this is an interpretation that's not to be missed. I actually much prefer Doyle's staging of Company to his staging of Sweeney Todd. Becuase in this production, the instruments actually are part of the show. Initially, it's all just a gimmick, but Doyle makes it work very well. Not to mention, Esparza, Walsh, and Laws are all truly fantastic (how those two women didn't get nominations is beyond me, but whatever). I highly recommend it.

[luvtheEmcee]

I should've put a winky face next to that comment, but yes, BroadwayGirl is correct. I wasn't accusing you of anything, but responding to what BigFatBlonde wrote after your post, to say that being attracted to Raúl is hardly the only reason to see this performance.