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flynnspeaks · 7 years

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“Frozen” Thoughts

Just got back from my trip and can finish this up from my drafts. Spoilers abound:

So tl;dr thought: Script is basically good, production bad. I think the show, script-wise, is 80% there but it needs some major changes to work effectively as a piece of theatre.

General stuff: - The only things outright cut from the film are Marshmallow, the icepickers, “Heimr Arnadalr” (replaced with a new coronation hymn) and “Frozen Heart” (which is still quoted in the show?? Like at one point a character literally says “born of cold and winter air”, so I don’t know why it’s missing). Every other song and character is represented. - The trolls are changed into sorta mystical ‘mountain folk’, and made into the narrators of the piece (I kinda felt this would happen--the movie has two options for a sort of greek chorus, the icepickers and the trolls. IMO they picked the wrong one). - Lots of new songs - Heavy ensemble--several new numbers incorporate them heavily, and they’re added to “Let it Go” (offstage voices) and “First Time in Forever”

The Good: - Two new songs are excellent additions to the score--a poppy Kristoff/Anna duet called “What Do You Know About Love” and an Act II solo for Elsa called “Monster” (insert Nicki Minaj joke here). The rest of the score isn’t nearly as memorable and there are times where it feels like you’re waiting for a movie number to happen, but it’s still for the most part good. - The score feels a lot more unified than the film--I know people complained about the songs in the film feeling sorta disjointed stylistically, and though that’s not a complaint I subscribed to the whole thing is a lot more cohesive here, both in terms of orchestration, in what the linking material is able to do, and the use of the ensemble. - Speaking of improvements over the film, “Fixer Upper” is vastly better. It loses a verse, and they’ve reorchestrated it to be more rhythmic, fitting with the other musical material the mountain folk get in the show. It’s far less jarring and far less annoying than in the film. - Both Hans and Kristoff get a lot more to do, which is good--less so for Hans, but we’ll talk about that later. - Sven is accomplished really well in an elaborate costume that sorta recalls Lion King but in a more ‘realistic’ vein. It’s very fun to watch, with one drawback--he blinks, and it’s really creepy for some reason. - The climax is really well-staged. It is also the only moment in the show that’s really well-staged, but we’ll get to that. - There were two families on either side of me both with little girls who seemed to be really enjoying the show. That doesn’t actually have anything to do with the show but it was nice. The Eh: - I was actually expecting some of the cut songs featured on the album would be used (”We Know Better”, “Spring Pageant”, “Life’s Too Short”), and they ended up not utilizing any of them. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing except that it often felt like those would’ve functioned better in the show than the songs they actually used--like, the opening number isn’t bad by any means, but it’s probably the weakest number in Act I and isn’t anywhere near as good as what a rewritten “We Know Better” probably would’ve been. “Life’s Too Short” is an interesting one, because I think it was definitely wrong for the moment in the film, but something about where the Anna/Elsa confrontation happens in the stage version feels like it desperately needed that number instead of the “Forever” reprise. - There’s dance breaks added to “Love is an Open Door” and “Fixer Upper”, and they’re not, like, awful, but they’re just sorta there. Here’s a thought: why not dance during the song? - The tone is really slippery in the first half of Act I. I’m probably misremembering, but I don’t remember Anna being this jokey as a kid in the film. It gets better as it goes on (either that or I’m Stockholmed into it by then), but they never quite reconcile the classic fairy-tale stuff with the more modern sensibility, and it jars constantly. - The finale is ok, but also just sort of there. They end on “Love is an Open Door”, which works better than it sounds but is also a really odd song to end on (like, why not just close with a “Vuelie” reprise?) - They try and justify the title of the show in one of the lyrics and it kinda really doesn’t work

The Bad: - Okay, let’s get the worst out of the way: The Act II opening number is the absolute worst piece of garbage I have ever seen committed to the musical stage. It’s an extended comic setpiece called “Hygge” featuring Kevin del Aguila as Oaken (the “Yoo Hoo!” guy, who only appears in this scene) explaining what ‘hygge’ means to the audience, done as a polka. With a chorus in the nude. The entire song exists only to get Anna out of the winter gear she’s wearing into the recognizable winter gear from the film. The audience clearly lost patience with the number halfway through. The song ends with the chorus doing a kickline in the nude with fig leaves covering their privates. It had better fucking be cut before Broadway. - Olaf. Olaf Olaf Olaf. Starting with the script, he’s for some reason far more grating here than in the film, and I think it’s because he’s being written as an iconic character rather than the simply sweet innocent he was in the film. “In Summer” is towards the end of Act I, which is absolutely the wrong place for it--by this point the show becomes a waiting game for “Let it Go” and the song is only an irritating distraction in that context (it clearly needs to open Act II, but we saw how that went). Olaf also gets a second comedic number in Act II that just doesn’t work. It’s not “Hygge” levels of awfulness, but it just falls flat and again feels like a distraction. And then there’s the performance. - Okay, this is gonna be its own bullet point. So the actor himself is fine, but he’s stuck doing a Josh Gad impersonation and can’t really make it his own. But they have Olaf be a puppet, Avenue Q-style with the actor operating him from behind, and it is awful. First off he’s designed to look exactly like the CGI model, which jars immensely with the look of the entire rest of the show. And the puppet itself is actively bad--horribly inexpressive, and the mouth doesn’t appear to actually be able to close all the way??? At first I thought the actor just wasn’t a very good puppeteer but at some point in the show the actress playing Anna has to operate the puppet and the issue persists, so you’re left with this mouth that can only close partway and it looks baaaaaaaad. - Hans. Okay, so I was actually expecting them to do something with the twist--the thing is that worked immensely well in the film, but is also kind of a one-trick pony and in all likelihood the entire audience of the show is going to know the twist going in. So with that I was expecting them to either reveal it a lot sooner, so the audience knows what’s up before Anna does, or else reverse it entirely. Instead it plays out exactly as it does in the film, with the added wrinkle that a considerable amount of material has been added to make Hans more trustworthy and likeable, which makes the twist feel facile and contrived. More than anywhere else this is the spot that needed to be different from the film, and the fact it stayed the same reveals a lot about the show’s priorities. - The set is actually awful. All projections and drops, and very little in the way of actual interactive pieces. It honestly felt like a national tour set--not something you would put together for Broadway. And the “special effects” are laughable--a few moments where they have actual ice shards in the set that are kinda cool, but for the most part Elsa does elaborate hand gestures and they project a swirl of ice on the set. The dress transformation is fun, but the rest of it feels honestly cheap as hell (especially since this really feels like a show that would sell itself on special effects work). - The set being bad impacts the direction, which often has no idea what to do with its actors and leaves the ensemble aimlessly wandering in the background. The staging is bland and lifeless--occasionally enlivened when it’s able to copy directly from the film, but usually staid (”Love is an Open Door” is literally, like, walking. It’s bad). - More than anything you get the feeling this is a production that aims for little more than slavishly recreating the film, and it ends up feeling like something you’d see at Disneyland rather than actually on Broadway. I don’t think the script is bad--it’s got really bad moments, but will probably be fixed pretty well in time for Bway--but this needed a director like Taymor that could make it feel like its own thing. As is...I mean, it’s a Disney show. Maybe it’s expecting too much for it to be theatrically interesting, but damn I really wish it was.

Ultimately this isn’t a show that’s going to change your mind about the film. If you liked the film, you’ll likely at least enjoy the show (though I loved the film and thought this was merely allright, so YMMV), if you don’t like the movie you probably won’t enjoy this very much. Hopefully the script issues that exist will be fixed by Bway, and with luck it won’t be long after that when the licensing opens up--honestly the best possible production of this would be with a smaller company that wouldn’t be obligated to recreate the film but could do their own thing, treating the material seriously on its own. Until then, it looks like this is what we got, and I can’t say right now that it’s gonna be worth your time outside of what will probably be a pretty great cast album.

#i won't tag this but feel free to reblog

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totallysora · 2 months

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West Side Story (2021)

I HAVE SM TO SAY ABT THIS MOVIE IT’S UNREAL 😭 Ok so I finally decided to watch it for the first time in like,,early January and it has actually changed me 😭 IT WAS SO GOOD?? LIKE THE CASTING WAS JUST MWAH I LOVED IT SM 😕 Anyways here are some of the things (from what I can remember, I haven’t actually had time to rewatch it since 😔) that I loved about it!

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!!

The jets were amazing, fight me

Ik that’s kinda controversial cuz they’re horrible people, and yes I absolutely get that, and do not support their actions at all (If ur a jets apologist pls leave 🥰) but GOD THE CASTING?? UGH IT WAS JUST SO PERFECT 😭 All of their songs were literally so good?? The Jet song is unfairly catchy, and Gee, Officer Krupke?? It was actually magical (THIS IS WHY WE CAST BWAY ACTORS IN MUSICAL MOVIES PEOPLE 😻‼️)

That scene with Anita?? It honestly made my blood boil, which is actually like,,the best thing ever?? Ik that sounds horrible but I mean it in a way that if a scene is meant to make you feel disgusted, or completely angry, and it succeeds?? That’s how u know it was good acting

On the topic of the Jets, MIKE FAIST?? UM HELLO WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK HE WAS PERFECT CASTING IT’S UNREAL

I struggle to differentiate between actors and characters, so the whole rumble scene was a lil bit of a mess for me at first cuz I adore Mike sm, however when I thought abt it more, and how Riff acted, I was able to think of him as Riff, not Mike, and realised holy shit yea he actually kinda deserved what happened to him yk

THE RUMBLE OML 😭 THE ACTING WAS JUST SO UGH I LOVED IT SM - Unliked in the 1961 version (which I haven’t actually watched but have seen clips of!) you could actually tell it was like,,serious yk?? And when Riff got stabbed?? Holy fuck the emotion in that scene was unreal

Also the way David and Ansel acted straight after it happened?? I kinda got a ‘I didn’t actually want to kill him’ kinda feel from Bernardo, and honestly I kinda felt for him man 😭

I love the way that this rlly showed why Tony was the leader of the Jets, the way he beats Bernardos ass?? You can see why he led such a strong gang

Completely unrelated but the fact that this whole thing was basically a newsies reunion 💀

like Mike, Kyle, Jess, BEN? GARRETT?? THE TWINS???

I will forever adore the casting tho like honestly it was so good

Also the Sharks were robbed of screen time Icl 😭 They deffo should’ve been on screen more man

RACHEL MF ZEGLER 😻‼️ The fact that this was her debut will literally never not shock me

Like this girl was 17 and could sing like that?? No wonder ppl love her sm like damn 😭

People can actually fight me on this but Ansel was such good casting for Tony

I’ve seen people bash him for it but he was literally so good?? Like sorry but I refuse to accept anyone else (obviously excluding bway lmao)

On the topic of Tony the ending actually made me cry?? Like I was fine untik they picked him up and started carrying him after he got shot 😭

Icl halfway through the movie I googled if anyone died so I was prepared for it to happen but doesn’t mesn I didn’t still cry 😕

ARIANA DEBOSE 😻‼️ HER ANITA WAS SO PERFECT OML 😭 LITERALLY NO ONE CAN BEAT HER SHE WAS SO GOOD ITS UNREAL

ALSO DAVID‼️ I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE DONT FOCUS ON HIM ENOUGH LIKE CMON HE WAS SO GOOD??

RITA MONERO 🥰 She was in the og movie and I am so glad they got her back cuz she was a m a z i n g

Also the fact that she sung her song live?? Cmon man she’s so good

Ok so Josh Rivera 😻 Although I didn’t rlly like Chino at first he definitely grew on me the more I thought about it - Ik killing Tony could be considered extreme, but realistically?? I totally get where he came from, it was an incredibly difficult situation, and I can understand why he did what he did

THE CHOREOGRAPHY ‼️‼️ LITERALLY WHO CHOREOGRAPHED THIS MOVIE IT WAS SO GOOD?? THE WHOLE THING WAS FILLED WITH AMAZING CHOREOGRAPHY AND IT WAS JUST SO 😫 If I could marry that choreography I would

Ok but the singing in general?? Like Ik they wouldn’t cast bad singers but be fr literally all of the songs slap

Ik I’ve said it before but I will say it as many times as I need to THIS IS WHY WE CAST BWAY (OR THEATRE) ACTORS IN MUSICAL MOVIES 👏👏

The soundtrack is actually so good tho like I pretty much wouldn’t skip any of it

Ok completely random but I couldn’t understand half of the movie 💀 cuz they spoke spanish and although I had subtitles on it just gave me the spanish in spanish subtitles, so half of the time I was guessing or just hoping I’ll get what’s going on 😭

If u couldn’t tell I cannot speak spanish (and tbh I’m not doing that well in it at school so 😔)

There is so so so much more I can say about this movie, and once I’ve posted this I will definitely plan a part 2 specifically focusing on the songs, and a part 3 on characters (possibly in the opposite order tho) because this movie was a m a z i n g and I could actually talk about it for h o u r s

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totallysora · 2 months

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Mean Girls Part 2 (Movie)

Ok so this is my overall opinions on stuff such as the cut songs and the actors etc 😭 (Once again I haven’t actually watched it, I’ve only ever listened to the soundtrack [once 💀] and seen a few clips!)

Let me start with cut songs! It roars (yes I am counting this) - Realistically I don’t really see why they cut it, and honestly I imagine it would’ve fit within the movie better Also, Ik Renee was on broadway as Regina, and Ik she can sing/write, but never let this girl pick up a pen like ever again that song sas horrific 😭 There’s definitely worst songs out there don’t get me wrong but this was absolutely not a good replacement for it roars Where do you belong? - Ok honestly cutting this makes sense, I can see how this would be difficult to translate from the stage, and they’re so theatre that making them pop would be horrible 😭 doesn’t mean I’m not upset abt it tho 😕 Meet the Plastics (also counting this) - Literally what was the point man 😭 if you’re gonna get rid of all of the best parts get rid of the whole song like this was utter bs - sure, I haven’t seen if it worked well in the movie but Idc, there was literally no need 💀 The reprises (all of them excluding someone gets hurt) - I guess I see why they cut these, as the movie would’ve just been made a lot longer with them, kinda wish we could’ve heard aaron sing tho Fearless - Kinda sad they cut this cuz I actually rlly like the song 😕 also completely butchering gretchen and her songs like damn 😨 not yall acting like she’s one of the best singers on that soundtrack 💀Stop - Much like where do you belong, I can actually understand why they cut this one, although I absolutely wanna hear Jaquel sing it (and on his live the other day I’m pretty sure he said he’s planning on releasing a cover) also doesn’t mean I’m gonna be happy abt it tho 😔 WHOSE HOUSE IS THIS - THIS WHOLE SOUNTRACK IS LITERALLY KEVIN G ERASURE BRO 😭 LIKE WDYM WE DONT GET TO HEAR HIM RAP?? YALL R GONNA TELL ME THAT THE ENTIRE PARTY WAS JUST SPOKEN ☹️ More is better - Also kinda like this song, once again wish we could’ve heard aaron sing but it is what it is Ig 🤷‍♀️ Someone gets hurt (reprise) - Ok so this wasn’t in the soundtrack, and seeing clips of it I see why 💀 It was barely even singing?? She was legit just yelling/screaming it was so bad 😨 DO THIS THING - AS I SAID BEFORE KEVIN G ERASURE LIKE THERE IS NO WAY THEY HAD THE MATHLETES CHAMPIONSHIP WITHOUT SINGING 😭

About the actors

Don’t Quote me on this but am pretty sure only 2 of them are actually theatre actors?? Ik both Jaquel and Renee have been on Broadway but before the movie cast was announced I had no clue who the others were? And I tried to find theatre credits but there were literally none 😭

I saw a clip the other day of Tina Fey telling us all to stop complaining abt it, cuz she got a killer cast, and sure yea they were a good cast but if you’re gonna make a musical movie, especially based on such an iconic musical, actually make it a good musical?? Actually whilst I’m on this topic I just wanna say the advertising for this movie was so shit, like they didn’t even advertise it as a musical?? And so many people went without knowing it was 💀

Tbh although I’m not trying to say the cast was bad, I just wish they casted actual broadway actors, cuz it would’ve been sm better (for example, WSS 2021 - most of the cast were bway/theatre actors n it is one of the best musical movies I have ever watched)

At this point I would’ve preferred the og bway cast 💀 Like Idc that they’re all 30 or whatever 😭 Personally, I prefer proshots to movie musicals anyways, due to the fact that we get to see it on stage, so ee don’t have to miss anything, and if they really wanted to do this properly they should’ve just gone for a proshot 🤷‍♀️ But that’s just my opinion based on what I’ve seen!

#mean girls musical movie #mean girls 2024 #mean girls soundtrack #mean girls #mean girls musical #broadway #musical movies #musical theatre #musicals #renee rapp #jaquel spivey #tina fey #theatre #I’m just sad that they didn’t just make it a proshot like cmon man 😕

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