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Post by Afriley on Mar 25, 2024 21:08:36 GMT
This is distinctly that “just ok” sort of thing…
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 25, 2024 21:08:55 GMT
Thank god most of them can sing, that's all I can say.
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Post by lotster on Mar 25, 2024 21:09:54 GMT
I'm only going for Oliver, Jamie and Rachel. Surely they are all good? They are pros.
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 25, 2024 21:11:18 GMT
Jamie hasn't done anything yet! But yes Rachel and Oliver their usual standard.
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Post by lotster on Mar 25, 2024 21:13:11 GMT
Oliver and Rachel are two of my faves and feel like they could sing pretty much anything. What is so bad about it? The score? The staging? The sound? (or all of it)
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Post by Being Alive on Mar 25, 2024 22:14:41 GMT
The second act of this is act 2 of carousel and Rachel tucker is Billy Bigelow and I'm BARELY EXAGGERATING
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Post by andrew on Mar 25, 2024 22:22:14 GMT
I’m sorry but who wrote the book for this and why are they not in jail? World class talent (apart from Eric who was terrible), taking part in what seems to have been written by a 7-year old. Did they blackmail them into doing this? So many questions.
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Post by lotster on Mar 25, 2024 22:30:06 GMT
Do you think it might be any better tomorrow or is it the score/story that is the issue rather than tech?
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Post by normasturban on Mar 25, 2024 22:35:23 GMT
Rachel, Oliver and Jamie are pros as expected but the material didn’t even slightly do them justice.
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Post by lotster on Mar 25, 2024 22:37:06 GMT
Shame. I was hoping for good things, especially when people as good as them (Oliver and Rachel) signed up. These concerts are so hit and miss aren't they!
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 25, 2024 22:37:51 GMT
It's dreadful.
The first act is a bad American version of Eastenders. The second is a bad version of The Twilight Zone, and more of the soap opera drivel.
You know when you've been single for a long time, and your mates bore you to death with every detail of their tedious love lives and you just want to slap them? This is that. With mostly-forgettable Bryan Adams soft rock songs that are all a minute too long, repeat lyrics endlessly, and contain far too many "aaaaaaaaaaah/"oooooohhh" where they don't actually sing anything.
Bloggers will say the usual "fabulous"/"iconic" nonsense that they say with everything new these days, but this is ONLY (barely) worth seeing for Jamie, Oliver and Rachel (and to be honest I felt even she was miscast, she doesn't read as the "carefree arty bisexual" type).
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Post by lotster on Mar 25, 2024 22:39:58 GMT
OK. Well, I'll go in with low/no expectations tomorrow then. I love Oliver's voice especially, so it's always a joy to hear him.
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Post by solangelafitte on Mar 25, 2024 22:41:04 GMT
Oh dear. I originally had tickets to both this and Opening Night this week but work commitments changed and couldn't make the trip to London. Seems I should have been grateful rather than bitter this whole time! 🙈
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Post by capybara on Mar 25, 2024 22:59:40 GMT
Something of an underwhelming night at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for the world premiere of new musical Wild About You. This piece has a long way to go if its producers aspire to mount a full production, that’s for sure.
First thing to say is the company was absolutely stacked. The supremely talented Rachel Tucker, fresh from knockout performances in Sunset Boulevard and Side Show, was joined by an array of West End talent but sadly all were wasted for the most part.
Well, the answer is that Eric Holmes’s book was a disaster and Chilina Kennedy’s score, while featuring a couple of passable tunes, did little to paper over the cracks. Rachel Tucker did Rachel Tucker things and sounded sumptuous, ably supported by Oliver Tompsett and Jamie Muscato (although he doesn’t appear until the second act), but the material was just not there.
Act one was half-decent, following Olivia’s story through a series of flashbacks after she was admitted to hospital with amnesia. What caused it is never explored (‘stress’ is mentioned a few times) and the outcome felt wholly unsatisfying.
The turn of events is utterly bizarre and, apart from Tucker’s Olivia, every supporting character in her life is utterly shallow and undeveloped. Will & Grace’s Eric McCormack was both unconvincing and lacking in vocal ability. However, Allen-Martin provided some lighter moments as Jess.
It is the cast that elevates this sloppy piece to a two star review, I’m afraid. As well as Tucker, who remains on stage for most of the show, Hall brings levity as first a hospital nurse and then what can only be described as God’s PA. And that’s another thing, this fictional family made several references to praying and Christianity but once again, it was totally unexplored and therefore wholly unnecessary.
You won’t be seeing Wild About You on any London or New York stages any time soon. It is forgettable and in desperate need of surgery. In fact, it needs to scrap its book entirely and for someone to write a handful of palatable numbers.
Also, FOH staff told me act one would be 60 mins and act two 40 mins. In reality, act one is 80 mins and act two 60 mins. Not sure why but it didn’t start until 7.40pm tonight.
Two stars.
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Post by esteveyb on Mar 25, 2024 23:06:37 GMT
I have to admit I was curious from the recording - which features Katharine McPhee, Jessie Mueller, Lea Salonga, Alex Newell and many more - but my God, that was a long two and a half hours. Act one is far, far too long, and too clunky. I have so many questions and thoughts. How did they convince so many talented people to be involved with this? {Spoiler - click to view}
So Olivia is in the hospital with amnesia - some memories are returning, ones that seem most familiar to her at first. But why is Olivia in the hospital in the first place? We aren't told, only that she appears to be stressed. Her nurse goes above and beyond in looking after her, enjoying the drama - yes, she had a messy life, including a lesbian love affair at college with Jess. However, she clearly had moved on from that once she met Thomas, whom she ended up having the child with.
Her on-off husband, Michael, is not only controlling - but appears to have told awful lies about her to ostracise her from everyone and prevent her from seeing her son.
So she leaves the son a voice note on her phone, and then, out of nowhere, collapses and dies.
Act two feels like a completely different musical, tonally. Olivia is now in transition, hearing the voice of God, she goes to the 'unfinished business' department, and is now taken back to 'observe' her son and ex-husband, 10 years later when he's 18. He happens to be in the attic where a box of letters she has written him are, so ghost Olivia knocks the box over causing him to discover them, and then confront Michael. He then goes to see Jess, who tells him to see Thomas, and he discovers his real father and more about his mum.
He then gets high (not sure what drugs we were meant to believe he was doing) and she appears to him in a vision, so he returns home, apologies and everyone gets the happy ending. The songs sound like a poorly written Rachel Platten album, if you remove memorable melodies and pop music structure. But the book is just utterly irredeemable. Even the cast can't redeem this for me - they try their best, but even a talent like Rachel was having to screech through some of these songs due to how they're scored. Edit: Apologies if anyone saw it without the spoiler! |
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 25, 2024 23:13:21 GMT
esteveyb You should probably put the above in Spoilers for anyone with tickets for tomorrow!!
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Post by Adalea on Mar 25, 2024 23:19:58 GMT
This obviously needs a lot of work still. I actually liked act 2 much better than act 1. Act 1 was way too long. None of the characters are likeable (and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to root for Olivia despite her downsides?). Songs all feel the same, so much belting. I'm missing quieter moments and some variety. Lots of plot holes an unanswered questions as well.
Maybe cut most of Act 1, turn it into a 90 min one act show. Or rewrite it to be completely from the perspective of the son, I found that angle much more interesting.
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Post by Being Alive on Mar 25, 2024 23:20:34 GMT
I simply can't put into words how awful this was.
The talent attached to this (minus Todrick who simply should be banned from musicals) was obscene and they're handed THIS turkey?
I get it must have been a nice gig for a fortnight but EESH!
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Post by Steve on Mar 25, 2024 23:29:02 GMT
What was the finishing time?
Did Jamie Muscato have much to do?
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Post by Afriley on Mar 25, 2024 23:29:06 GMT
Ok. The vocal talent was great mostly.
The book? Yeeeeeesh. Totally a mess, a musical with no clear identity or genre. Very amateur humour (think 13 year old on Tiktok). I never needed to see Muscato doing the scissoring gesture for gods’ sake…
Pity as the cast is top notch on the whole.
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Post by Afriley on Mar 25, 2024 23:29:45 GMT
What was the finishing time? Did Jamie Muscato have much to do? He is in most of Act 2. 2 big songs. |
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 25, 2024 23:31:25 GMT
Times were 7.40 to 8.50 and then 9.10 to 10.10. It just felt longer.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 26, 2024 0:43:02 GMT
Surprised by the almost total standing ovation at least in the stalls.
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Post by doornumberthree on Mar 26, 2024 0:44:05 GMT
That was awful! Todrick especially was dreadful!
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Post by erik24601 on Mar 26, 2024 1:47:53 GMT
Surprised by the almost total standing ovation at least in the stalls. Even the audience is kind at a funeral… 🤣 |
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