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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 9/27/2003 at 12:42:20 AM ET
I bought my first Forbidden Broadway CD when I was in high school (the second CD). Since then,I have bought each consecutive CD and read much of the enormously positive press the show has received.
When I heard that the 20th anniversary show was coming to the Union Theater on the LSU (Louisiana State University) campus,I immediately bought tickets. I saw the performance tonight.
First-the positives
The Annie parody was very funny; the Les Miserables parody (the one on the second CD) was also very funny. The ensemble worked well together and were clearly committed to the performance.
Now-unfortunately...
The show suffered from some technical problems. The microphones were too loud,which made it difficult to understand the lyrics.
On the other hand,enunciation was a problem for two actors in particular. If the actors aren't enunciating,then the jokes are lost. This was particularly evident in the Barbra Streisand parody (the one on the Forbidden Hollywood CD-the "My Man" melody). Now,of all the Streisand parodies on the FB CDS,this isn't the funniest one,IMO. But this is a moot point when the entire parody was lost due to poor enunciation. I had a general idea of the lyrics,but even this skit was lost on me.
Some of the choices were quite puzzling. The "Chita/Rita" sequence from the second CD was one-it's amusing,but this is really not a big issue anymore (and yes,this is the 20th anniversary show,but you can't tell me this was better than the other songs that could have been included from earlier shows-"Into the Words" perhaps?). The lyric to the effect that Chita appears in bomb shows-well,with Nine,that's not so much true anymore.
The choice that *really* puzzled me was the Aspects of Love parody "I Sleep With Everyone". This may have been entertaining for the short time AOL was actually on Broadway-but folks,when did AOL close? Early 90s. And it's not a regularly performed show. I understood the parody that all the characters sleep with each other,but really-for the 20th anniversary show,an Aspects of Love parody? Why not one of the Andrew Lloyd Webber parodies?
The Bernadette parody-"Small Voice" was included. I was surprised at that. The Melanie Griffith/Chicago parody was included-as was the Alan Cummings/Cabaret parody (and this over the Cabaret/Sound of Music parody,which would have received a much less tepid response?).
I was surprised that the Julie Andrews/"I Couldn't Hit the Note" parody was included-this was written before her disastrous vocal surgery,which makes it less funny and more cruel than it was originally. However,this morphed into a Mamma Mia! parody,which was quite funny. As was the The Lion King segment.
I really,really hate to rag on shows. I *know* how funny Forbidden Broadway can be,so I am really disappointed that I was so disappointed.
*sigh*
Jenn
|  Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 9/27/2003 at 3:10:38 PM ET
Wow, some of the parodies you described are my favorite ones. Chita/Rita, Julie Andrews... I love those. I'm one of those people who knows a lot about theatre in general, so even the old jokes are funny to me.
You should have seen when they had Bea Arthur and Elaine Stritch on stage together. That was funny!
That's a shame that there were technical difficulties, because that is such a funny show.
<3CMH<3
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 9/28/2003 at 11:00:20 AM ET
"I'm one of those people who knows a lot about theatre in general, so even the old jokes are funny to me."
So am I,so it wasn't a question of not getting the jokes. I'm sure my list of favorite parodies include some that just strike you cold!
I think Chita/Not Rita is clever,but it's not one of my favorites.
One of my favorites is the Patti LuPone/Master Class parody. The Mandy Patinkin ones are quite clever as well.
The Sarah Brightman parody was pretty dead-on (and I
don't dislike her as do some.).
Jenn
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