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Post by TotalInformation on Jul 18, 2005 19:58:53 GMT
NBC's Today show on Tuesday will feature a performance from Lennon: The Musical.
Later that day at 3:45 pm EDT. HBO2 will be running the 1988 documentary "Imagine: John Lennon."
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Post by byrdsmaniac on Jul 25, 2005 0:37:01 GMT
Thanks for the heads-up. From what I read in the NY Post, Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone magazine went to one of the Lennon the musical previews, and it was so bad that he called Yoko right afterwards, and told her she'd have to make changes. It was stuff that he knew about just as an aquaintance of John that she got wrong.  Apparently she made it all about herself. (Surprise, surprise.) |
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Post by TotalInformation on Jul 25, 2005 5:29:19 GMT
Yeah, Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com went with May Pang and said it was horrible. What I saw on The TODAY show was pretty sad...
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Post by Perplexed on Jul 25, 2005 6:20:45 GMT
Yeah, Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com went with May Pang and said it was horrible. What I saw on The TODAY show was pretty sad... I don't doubt that as a show, with narrative, in the medium of a stage production, its flawed in the extreme. For myself, IMO, I unabashadly say that the performers and band did a great job presenting the arrangements that they were taught. The style of musical theatre presentation does get in the way of some people's enjoyment, I am hip to that. From the standpoint of what Broadway does, or how it treats things, how it presents them, I thought it sounded wonderful. The context of those songs, and the reasons for why they are presented the way they are, begs some explanation. But, IMO, the performers and musicians were excellent, in their own right. The show probably needs a total deconstruction, and a immense amount of rewriting, another point of view, and a couple of gigantically brilliant concept changes. And, I hate to say it--but unless a person works in theater, broadway, unless it is in their life's blood---then they should step aside and let people for whom that is true come in as consultants and REALLY flesh out and develop the story. It takes more than a passing familiarity with the stage to create in it. Ifyou do not have a prolonged understanding and dedication to it, you will slow down or ruin the process of genuine creatvity. I do not say this to be insulting. I say it because it is true. There is too much money and too many jobs at stake to do a dilletante mounting of this show. Yoko should completely back off and let seasoned pros create a real piece of theatre magic. Otherwise, it's going to be very ill fated. The songs and allure of Lennon is NOT enough to guarantee a hit show. And, who wants a BAD hit show, anyway? There IS enough truth to Lennon's life, WITHOUT going to the PID place at all, to fashion a brilliant, seamless show. Someone must analyze his life to discover all about conflict, desire, resolution, need. A plot that goes from A to B--no, that drives from point to point in an interesting way, must be written. There must be conflict, situaion, resolution, growth, there MUST be a pay off for the audience. THe audience MUST come into the theatre and feel like they leaned about someone they barely knew. Lennon MUST be lovable, and understandable. They must craft out a solid charactor. I think what they have is a sort of rock and roll "Jacques Brel/Godspell" synthesis. Won't fly. It needs to really go somewhere, and take the audience with it. Or---it is doomed. I am sorry to say it. I didn't write the rules on Broadway. They've got great kids, and great band, a wonderful music director. For Broadway, these days, at $90 and up PER ticket, that just ISN'T enough. No one wants to see John Lennon die 8 performances a week on Broadway. It was hard enough on us that ONE time back in 1980....... |
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Post by defhermit on Jul 25, 2005 17:55:13 GMT
wasn't one of the big problems with that show is how they were pretty much forced into making a musical about lennon where they are only allowed to use a paltry few beatles tunes? I thought I heard that they were pretty skimpy on the beatles tunes and focused more on the lennon solo stuff...
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Post by byrdsmaniac on Jul 25, 2005 18:58:00 GMT
I heard that they were pretty skimpy on the beatles tunes and focused more on the lennon solo stuff... Ono! How could THAT have happened? Yes, it's true. Hardly a Beatle tune in the whole show. |
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Post by defhermit on Jul 25, 2005 20:04:04 GMT
I think it has less to do with Ono wanting to screw the beatles and more to do with paying michael jackson for the rights to use the songs...
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Post by abbey on Jul 25, 2005 22:53:42 GMT
Have no fear, Joko won't miss a chance to screw the Beatles! And it's stupid that in the Lennon musical she didn't want any Beatle songs......The Beatles are what made Johnny famous. She is such a stupid cow!
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Post by peoplescommittee on Aug 9, 2005 3:08:39 GMT
The Beatles songs are tied up in litigation right now between Michael Jackson and some bank. Perhaps she decided the legal and financial ramifications prevented including the songs? Two sides to every coin, dear Sis.
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Post by byrdsmaniac on Sept 25, 2005 17:26:12 GMT
To the shock and amazement of absolutely no one, "Lennon: the Musical" will be ending its run after six weeks. Can you imagine such a "can't miss; sure-fire" story as John Lennon's life NOT being a success on Broadway? Leave it up to "uno who know".  |
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Apparently she made it all about herself.
