Post by Fantasma da Opera on Sept 27, 2008 16:45:24 GMT -5
What happens when you get the chance to see your favourite Musical live on stage? You see it as many times as you can. Well I did it =P Unfortunatly I was only able to see the show 6 times. I would gladly have seen it another 100 to see, at least every single cover, swing and alternate cast member.
Anyway, I got to see quite a few performers, so, instead of writing 6 reviews (20th,21st,23rd,24th,25th & 26th September), I will write about the performers and in the end make considerations about the scenes and the show. This will be divided in parts of course.
Part I is the actors. So, take a deep breath, this will be long...very LONG. =P
You can still close this window...
No?
Your choice ;D
Susan Rigvava-Dumas (Mrs.Danvers) - Susan is the best singer/actress I've ever seen on stage. She has overthroned Pia Douwes as my favourite, and I though that would never happen. Well it did. For those who think she's amazing on the CDs you haven't the faintest idea of how she sounds like live. She nearly brought the Raimund Theater down with her voice. She is so passionated when singing but also threatening and scary, that you were literaly swallowed by her greatness. I was so overwellmed by her performances that the fanboy inside of me got releashed and I had to go to the backstage door to meet her. And I did! =D She is amazingly sweet wich is strange when you think of the huge hit she is. I've chatted with her at the end of every single performance I saw her in, to the point that on Thursday she greated us with a friendly "so, zurück nach Manderley!" =P At the last show we saw her (Friday) we just had to say goodbye and we got her a huge bouquet of dark red orchids!=) She is trully an amazing person. Even if I just had seen the show once, meeting Susan made worth the trip. I even almost cried (wich happens to me once in a century) at the end of "Rebecca-reprise" on Friday once I realized it was the last time I was seeing it. At least until a new staging and a new trip to Wien. Trully amazing. She was really the perfect Danvers. I really doubt they will ever find anyone on Broadway to match her no matter how many big stars B'way has. To me, they should just take Susan to America and make her reprise the role. simple as that. I must stop bubbling around her now. My girlfriend was almost killing me because of this =P
Michaela Christl (alternate Mrs.Danvers) - I knew Michaela also played the role, but it was so rare that I would never thought I would actually catch her as Danvers. I thought I would catch Kerstin. Well turned out the other way aroud. I only got Kerstin as Beatrice but Michaela as Danvers! She is indeed very good. I say very good because when you have Susan as a comparison term its unfair. Michaela was a different Danvers. She hadded a bit more of lunacy to the role than Susan, who played a more darker and misterious Danvers. She also seemed to like Ich a bit more than Susan, and I noticed that during the painting scene were Danvers sugested the White Lady's dress.
Vocaly Michaela is very good and gives a pretty amazing redention of the songs. The only thing I didn't liked much was Michaela's looks. She is younger than Susan, but I think she uses her dress. And what in Susan fits like a glove, in Michaela looks a bit oversized. They also have much more make-up on Michaela wich on the Tuesday show looked like Von Krolock's wife. On the Wednesday show however she had less and looked more believable.
Wietske van Tongeren ("Ich") - Wietske was one happy surprise! I never liked her voice in the Highlights CD that much and although it got better to me on the Complete CD I was still skeptical. Well, she sounds much better live. I still don't like the Vienna hairstyle (as oposed to the Japanese and Finnish looks), but I really liked Wiestke. She grew amazingly well and was quite like I imagined Ich to be. Her scenes with Mrs.Van Hopper were just hillarious and she sounded and looked really near suicide during 2nd Act Rebecca. During Nur ein Schritt with Susan, I thought for a moment she would really jump! I would...=P
I also met Wietske outside the Theater and there was another surprise. Aparently photos don't make her justice, she's prettier live. She's really sweet and has a very funny english accent. Now guess who didn't find my constant chats with actresses very funny...=P
I somehow think Wietske is an actress that has still many hears to evolute and in 5/10 years I wouldn't be surprised if she became a Superstar like Pia or Maya. She is also the first character to enter the stage on the show, and I must say I was blowned away at the first "Ich hab getraumt von Manderley..."
Silke Braas (alternate "Ich") - First of all, I didn't knew when I got in Wien that Jana Stelley and Joanna Fee Würz had left the show. So I took some time to realize who was the understudy to Wietske, but I'm almost sure it was Martha. She is prettier than Wietske in looks, but her acting is less believable. However she just got to the role and Wietske is playing it for 2 years now. Silke's redention of the songs were different from Wietske wich is good, and somehow I got the idea that Silke was playing the role closer to Joane Fontain's portray of "Ich" from the Hitchthingy's film. Wich to me, its only good. I felt she was really spooked by Susan, and I understand why. Imagine having this woman all dressed in black singing with an amazing voice to you "Don't take what belongs to her! Whoever disturbs her is destroyed!" and after that "you are just a burden to Mr. de Winter...jump!".
I really really enjoyed seing her on stage. Its a pitty she won't continue to play it as the show closes now in the end of December...(I would prefer them to close the Producers and stage Rudolf at the Ronacher but well...)
Tim Reichwein (alternate Maxim de Winter) - The first show I saw, on Saturday, Uwe was off, and I got Tim as Maxim instead. I must say, vocaly he did a very good job, not missing a note and putting passion in the songs. When it comes to acting...well...he was Herbert in Maxim's clothes. That was a bit of a disapointment because I really wanted to believe Tim wasn't Herbert flamboyant in every role, but aparently he is.=P His interaction with Wietske wasn't as close as Uwe's, though it may have to due with the fact that Maxim is a distant character. His Kein Lächeln was his highlight, and everyone in the Theater seemed really to enjoy it. I only got Tim as Maxim once too, and I hoped to get Lucius Wolter instead since I really liked him in Wildhorn's Dracula. Perhaps in a future Revival... =P
Uwe Kröger (Maxim de Winter) - I was skeptical about Uwe. Specially about his voice since he's no longer the young Uwe we love from Elisabeth and Mozart!. However he didn't missed any note in the shows I saw!=D I think he probably made it on purpose...he obviously knew I was there watching him and he wanted to prove me wrong. He succeded. Although his Maxim isn't exactly the Maxim I imagine, he does an amazing job with the score obviously writen for him. However on some shows, I got the feeling he was tired and his age starts to show a bit on his energy.
I didn't got to speak to him sadly, but that was because: 1 - either he went straight to the car, or 2 - he was imidiatly surrounded by fangirls who screamed and acted like lunatics at the sight of him. Honestly, no wonder he turned gay lol Those screams are really unbearable.
On stage, the scene I liked him the most was actually Hilf mir durch die Nacht. I also felt a great chemestry between him and Carin as Van Hopper. He was obviously enjoying the conversation and making Van Hopper a fool of herself. At the end of the day...well he's Uwe, and you just simply must see it live one day.
Kerstin Ibald (Beatrice) - I love Kerstin. She was great in Elisabeth, and I think she is an amazing Beatrice. I loved her in Die lieben verwandten when she sings it to Ich like she really can't avoid having relatives, and I also found very funny when her makes a continence to an invisible portrait of what you would image to be a great-great-general grandfather. A very fresh portray of Beatrice, very different though from the feeling I have from the book. I also enjoyed Die stärke einer Frau more than I would expect. I always saw her as Beatrice so I don't have anyone to compare her with.
Outstage she was also very sweet and...VERY PRETTY. I was really shocked! They always make her look so ugly on stage, that when she came out I wasn't even sure if it was her. Anyhow, I really really enjoyed her. She was very nice to fans too wich made me grow fonder of her. Pitty I didn't catched her as Danvers.
Fernand Delosch (Giles) - Fernand came in the 3rd season to replace Marcel Meyer. Well I really enjoyed him, although I think I miss Marcel who was more simpathetic to look on the role. However he does a fine job with a character that doesn't appear that much. His chemestry with Kerstin is although very nice. I dunno much more to say about him as I don't know him that well and his role isn't that big.
Ramin Dustdar (Jack Favell) - A new member of the cast who came to replace Carsten Lepper. And honestly, in good time!=D I didn't missed Carsten a bit. Ramin makes a great Favell and somehow less annoying as Carsten. He acted really more like I imagine Favell to like. I loved his duette with both Susan and Michaela, Sie war gewohnt geliebt zu werden, and he was really mean and funny in Eine Hand wäscht die andre Hand, wich prooved me what I suspected: the song was great, Carsten was ruining it. He was really a very good surprise!
Dennis Kozeluh (Oberst Julian) - He replaced Thomas Bayer as Colonel Julian and that's not easy. I think I still prefer Thomas in the role, since he looked more like a British Colonel. Dennis has the problem of looking like Sisi's father in a tuxedo. Although he does a fine job, don't get me wrong, he was very believable in his acting, but for those who know and are acostumed to him as Sisi's father, Max, in the Wien Revival of Elisabeth, seing him as Colonel Julian just makes it weird.
Andre Bauer (Frank Crawley) - I liked him, a lot. His Frank is very helpfull and very friendly in oposition to Maxim. Therefore his chemestry with Wietske was really great. Although many people has problems with his accent, I had none. Of course it can have to do with the fact that I already knew the show from top to bottom, so he wans't saying anything I didn't knew he was going to say. He sings very well and everyone who is familiar with his Franz Joseph and likes ti, will definitly like him as Frank.
Out-stage he is also very friendly though I felt he was somehow a bit shy.
Andreas Kammerzelt (alternate Frank Crawley) - Andreas is a waste as Frith. He is a great actor and has an amazing voice! I really loved him as Frank, even more than I liked Andre. He's not as sweet with Ich as Andre's Frank, and I honestly prefer it that way. Afterall, Frank is supose to have a hidden passion for Rebecca...and Andre didn't seem to like Rebecca at all!
If I were Francesca I would have picked him as Frank and alternate Maxim instead of Tim...but alas...
Norberto Bertassi (Ben)- The biggest disapointment. While I still like the spooky way he sings "Sie's fort" I really didn't liked his portrayal of Ben. He was way to energic to my taste, and many times he looked more crazy than retarded. The feeling I got was that Norberto's dream is to play Renfield from Dracula. At least, I think he would do an amazing job there. On the other hand, the decision may have been Francesca's so...
Carin Filipcic (Mrs.Van Hopper) - This was another gift VBW decided to give me. Sacking Carsten and Marika was the best thing ever. Carin is just AMAZING. She is funny and arrogant, fashion yet completly fool. Her portayal of Mrs. Van Hopper is perhaps a *bit* too good, wich makes you like her instead of "hating" Mrs. Van Hopper, wich is the think Marika succeded in...making Van Hopper really unpleasant.
On the other hand I finally understoon why people love "American Woman" so much. Its not the song...its Carin. Carin sings it so powerfully and funny that you even forget that the song doesn't make utter sence in the show! I noticed myself clapping with the rest of the audience during the song, and really having a good time. It seted a really good mood...crashed a few minutes later by Ich's humilliation and Mrs. Danvers repriese of Rebecca. With Carin as Van Hopper, American Woman works. With other actrasses I still think it doesn't.
Out-stage Carin is really funny. She was making lots of jokes to the fans and really having a good time. I got to speak a bit to her and she was indeed very sweet.
Ensemle - They were all great in general. Tim Reichwein is a bit annoying though, because he's very tall and you clearly notice him among the other members of the ensemble. Besides that, he is always very flamboyant wich becomes irritating after a while. On the other hand I spoted Lucius Wolter and Fritz Schmidt in the middle of the servants and I finded very funny to see them in action as a group wich I wasn't acostumed since I know Lucius from Dracula and Fritz from Elisabeth.
I'll post the Part II : Staging and show analisis tomorrow or when I feel brave enough. ;D ;D
Edit: aparently it was Silke Braas as Ich not Martha...but the opinion doesn't change. Just the name
Anyway, I got to see quite a few performers, so, instead of writing 6 reviews (20th,21st,23rd,24th,25th & 26th September), I will write about the performers and in the end make considerations about the scenes and the show. This will be divided in parts of course.
Part I is the actors. So, take a deep breath, this will be long...very LONG. =P
You can still close this window...
No?
Your choice ;D
Part I
Susan Rigvava-Dumas (Mrs.Danvers) - Susan is the best singer/actress I've ever seen on stage. She has overthroned Pia Douwes as my favourite, and I though that would never happen. Well it did. For those who think she's amazing on the CDs you haven't the faintest idea of how she sounds like live. She nearly brought the Raimund Theater down with her voice. She is so passionated when singing but also threatening and scary, that you were literaly swallowed by her greatness. I was so overwellmed by her performances that the fanboy inside of me got releashed and I had to go to the backstage door to meet her. And I did! =D She is amazingly sweet wich is strange when you think of the huge hit she is. I've chatted with her at the end of every single performance I saw her in, to the point that on Thursday she greated us with a friendly "so, zurück nach Manderley!" =P At the last show we saw her (Friday) we just had to say goodbye and we got her a huge bouquet of dark red orchids!=) She is trully an amazing person. Even if I just had seen the show once, meeting Susan made worth the trip. I even almost cried (wich happens to me once in a century) at the end of "Rebecca-reprise" on Friday once I realized it was the last time I was seeing it. At least until a new staging and a new trip to Wien. Trully amazing. She was really the perfect Danvers. I really doubt they will ever find anyone on Broadway to match her no matter how many big stars B'way has. To me, they should just take Susan to America and make her reprise the role. simple as that. I must stop bubbling around her now. My girlfriend was almost killing me because of this =P
Michaela Christl (alternate Mrs.Danvers) - I knew Michaela also played the role, but it was so rare that I would never thought I would actually catch her as Danvers. I thought I would catch Kerstin. Well turned out the other way aroud. I only got Kerstin as Beatrice but Michaela as Danvers! She is indeed very good. I say very good because when you have Susan as a comparison term its unfair. Michaela was a different Danvers. She hadded a bit more of lunacy to the role than Susan, who played a more darker and misterious Danvers. She also seemed to like Ich a bit more than Susan, and I noticed that during the painting scene were Danvers sugested the White Lady's dress.
Vocaly Michaela is very good and gives a pretty amazing redention of the songs. The only thing I didn't liked much was Michaela's looks. She is younger than Susan, but I think she uses her dress. And what in Susan fits like a glove, in Michaela looks a bit oversized. They also have much more make-up on Michaela wich on the Tuesday show looked like Von Krolock's wife. On the Wednesday show however she had less and looked more believable.
Wietske van Tongeren ("Ich") - Wietske was one happy surprise! I never liked her voice in the Highlights CD that much and although it got better to me on the Complete CD I was still skeptical. Well, she sounds much better live. I still don't like the Vienna hairstyle (as oposed to the Japanese and Finnish looks), but I really liked Wiestke. She grew amazingly well and was quite like I imagined Ich to be. Her scenes with Mrs.Van Hopper were just hillarious and she sounded and looked really near suicide during 2nd Act Rebecca. During Nur ein Schritt with Susan, I thought for a moment she would really jump! I would...=P
I also met Wietske outside the Theater and there was another surprise. Aparently photos don't make her justice, she's prettier live. She's really sweet and has a very funny english accent. Now guess who didn't find my constant chats with actresses very funny...=P
I somehow think Wietske is an actress that has still many hears to evolute and in 5/10 years I wouldn't be surprised if she became a Superstar like Pia or Maya. She is also the first character to enter the stage on the show, and I must say I was blowned away at the first "Ich hab getraumt von Manderley..."
Silke Braas (alternate "Ich") - First of all, I didn't knew when I got in Wien that Jana Stelley and Joanna Fee Würz had left the show. So I took some time to realize who was the understudy to Wietske, but I'm almost sure it was Martha. She is prettier than Wietske in looks, but her acting is less believable. However she just got to the role and Wietske is playing it for 2 years now. Silke's redention of the songs were different from Wietske wich is good, and somehow I got the idea that Silke was playing the role closer to Joane Fontain's portray of "Ich" from the Hitchthingy's film. Wich to me, its only good. I felt she was really spooked by Susan, and I understand why. Imagine having this woman all dressed in black singing with an amazing voice to you "Don't take what belongs to her! Whoever disturbs her is destroyed!" and after that "you are just a burden to Mr. de Winter...jump!".
I really really enjoyed seing her on stage. Its a pitty she won't continue to play it as the show closes now in the end of December...(I would prefer them to close the Producers and stage Rudolf at the Ronacher but well...)
Tim Reichwein (alternate Maxim de Winter) - The first show I saw, on Saturday, Uwe was off, and I got Tim as Maxim instead. I must say, vocaly he did a very good job, not missing a note and putting passion in the songs. When it comes to acting...well...he was Herbert in Maxim's clothes. That was a bit of a disapointment because I really wanted to believe Tim wasn't Herbert flamboyant in every role, but aparently he is.=P His interaction with Wietske wasn't as close as Uwe's, though it may have to due with the fact that Maxim is a distant character. His Kein Lächeln was his highlight, and everyone in the Theater seemed really to enjoy it. I only got Tim as Maxim once too, and I hoped to get Lucius Wolter instead since I really liked him in Wildhorn's Dracula. Perhaps in a future Revival... =P
Uwe Kröger (Maxim de Winter) - I was skeptical about Uwe. Specially about his voice since he's no longer the young Uwe we love from Elisabeth and Mozart!. However he didn't missed any note in the shows I saw!=D I think he probably made it on purpose...he obviously knew I was there watching him and he wanted to prove me wrong. He succeded. Although his Maxim isn't exactly the Maxim I imagine, he does an amazing job with the score obviously writen for him. However on some shows, I got the feeling he was tired and his age starts to show a bit on his energy.
I didn't got to speak to him sadly, but that was because: 1 - either he went straight to the car, or 2 - he was imidiatly surrounded by fangirls who screamed and acted like lunatics at the sight of him. Honestly, no wonder he turned gay lol Those screams are really unbearable.
On stage, the scene I liked him the most was actually Hilf mir durch die Nacht. I also felt a great chemestry between him and Carin as Van Hopper. He was obviously enjoying the conversation and making Van Hopper a fool of herself. At the end of the day...well he's Uwe, and you just simply must see it live one day.
Kerstin Ibald (Beatrice) - I love Kerstin. She was great in Elisabeth, and I think she is an amazing Beatrice. I loved her in Die lieben verwandten when she sings it to Ich like she really can't avoid having relatives, and I also found very funny when her makes a continence to an invisible portrait of what you would image to be a great-great-general grandfather. A very fresh portray of Beatrice, very different though from the feeling I have from the book. I also enjoyed Die stärke einer Frau more than I would expect. I always saw her as Beatrice so I don't have anyone to compare her with.
Outstage she was also very sweet and...VERY PRETTY. I was really shocked! They always make her look so ugly on stage, that when she came out I wasn't even sure if it was her. Anyhow, I really really enjoyed her. She was very nice to fans too wich made me grow fonder of her. Pitty I didn't catched her as Danvers.
Fernand Delosch (Giles) - Fernand came in the 3rd season to replace Marcel Meyer. Well I really enjoyed him, although I think I miss Marcel who was more simpathetic to look on the role. However he does a fine job with a character that doesn't appear that much. His chemestry with Kerstin is although very nice. I dunno much more to say about him as I don't know him that well and his role isn't that big.
Ramin Dustdar (Jack Favell) - A new member of the cast who came to replace Carsten Lepper. And honestly, in good time!=D I didn't missed Carsten a bit. Ramin makes a great Favell and somehow less annoying as Carsten. He acted really more like I imagine Favell to like. I loved his duette with both Susan and Michaela, Sie war gewohnt geliebt zu werden, and he was really mean and funny in Eine Hand wäscht die andre Hand, wich prooved me what I suspected: the song was great, Carsten was ruining it. He was really a very good surprise!
Dennis Kozeluh (Oberst Julian) - He replaced Thomas Bayer as Colonel Julian and that's not easy. I think I still prefer Thomas in the role, since he looked more like a British Colonel. Dennis has the problem of looking like Sisi's father in a tuxedo. Although he does a fine job, don't get me wrong, he was very believable in his acting, but for those who know and are acostumed to him as Sisi's father, Max, in the Wien Revival of Elisabeth, seing him as Colonel Julian just makes it weird.
Andre Bauer (Frank Crawley) - I liked him, a lot. His Frank is very helpfull and very friendly in oposition to Maxim. Therefore his chemestry with Wietske was really great. Although many people has problems with his accent, I had none. Of course it can have to do with the fact that I already knew the show from top to bottom, so he wans't saying anything I didn't knew he was going to say. He sings very well and everyone who is familiar with his Franz Joseph and likes ti, will definitly like him as Frank.
Out-stage he is also very friendly though I felt he was somehow a bit shy.
Andreas Kammerzelt (alternate Frank Crawley) - Andreas is a waste as Frith. He is a great actor and has an amazing voice! I really loved him as Frank, even more than I liked Andre. He's not as sweet with Ich as Andre's Frank, and I honestly prefer it that way. Afterall, Frank is supose to have a hidden passion for Rebecca...and Andre didn't seem to like Rebecca at all!
If I were Francesca I would have picked him as Frank and alternate Maxim instead of Tim...but alas...
Norberto Bertassi (Ben)- The biggest disapointment. While I still like the spooky way he sings "Sie's fort" I really didn't liked his portrayal of Ben. He was way to energic to my taste, and many times he looked more crazy than retarded. The feeling I got was that Norberto's dream is to play Renfield from Dracula. At least, I think he would do an amazing job there. On the other hand, the decision may have been Francesca's so...
Carin Filipcic (Mrs.Van Hopper) - This was another gift VBW decided to give me. Sacking Carsten and Marika was the best thing ever. Carin is just AMAZING. She is funny and arrogant, fashion yet completly fool. Her portayal of Mrs. Van Hopper is perhaps a *bit* too good, wich makes you like her instead of "hating" Mrs. Van Hopper, wich is the think Marika succeded in...making Van Hopper really unpleasant.
On the other hand I finally understoon why people love "American Woman" so much. Its not the song...its Carin. Carin sings it so powerfully and funny that you even forget that the song doesn't make utter sence in the show! I noticed myself clapping with the rest of the audience during the song, and really having a good time. It seted a really good mood...crashed a few minutes later by Ich's humilliation and Mrs. Danvers repriese of Rebecca. With Carin as Van Hopper, American Woman works. With other actrasses I still think it doesn't.
Out-stage Carin is really funny. She was making lots of jokes to the fans and really having a good time. I got to speak a bit to her and she was indeed very sweet.
Ensemle - They were all great in general. Tim Reichwein is a bit annoying though, because he's very tall and you clearly notice him among the other members of the ensemble. Besides that, he is always very flamboyant wich becomes irritating after a while. On the other hand I spoted Lucius Wolter and Fritz Schmidt in the middle of the servants and I finded very funny to see them in action as a group wich I wasn't acostumed since I know Lucius from Dracula and Fritz from Elisabeth.
I'll post the Part II : Staging and show analisis tomorrow or when I feel brave enough. ;D ;D
Edit: aparently it was Silke Braas as Ich not Martha...but the opinion doesn't change. Just the name