Post by Fantasma da Opera on Jun 25, 2010 20:41:04 GMT -5
Ok, since this is a new show, the Review will be done by Actors and Songs. So...it's a bit long as usual, though I'll try to be as direct as possible.
1. Addams Family Theme - Nothing to say here. It's 16 seconds with the snap snap.
2. Overture - The Overture has 3 parts...It begins with a really cool variation of "The Addams Family Theme" and then changes to a musical variation of "When you're an Addams" and "Move towards the Darkness" then goes to the opening with the chorus in crescendo bit which was already in the Chicago version. If I like this opening better than the Chicago one? No, but this one is also nice...though it's weaker I think.
3. When You`re an Addams - This is one of the new songs in the show added in the Broadway run. Unfortunately it replaced "Clandango" which was a FAR superior opening number. Thing is, they dropped all the "Wednesday becomes a woman" plot. This is a catchy song though, don't get me wrong. I just don't think it's very in the spirit of "The Addams Family". Just because you put lyrics like "Give us shadows and give us gloom" it doesn't turn it into an Addams song. Oh well...I like the ending a lot though. It's probably the only place where I like the lyrics 'cause they reflect the Addams-Spirit " When you're an Addams, the standard answers don't apply / When you're an Addams...you do what Addams do or...DIE!"
4. Pulled - Wednesday's pop-rock solo. The song is funny and at least HAS a point. It serves to show you how she's feeling...and she sings it while torturing Pugsley. Is it memorable? Not really, but could be far worse! Again, the lyrics aren't THAT inspired but meh...
5. Where Did We Go Wrong? - Really like this song. HOWEVER this song was the result of the murder of "Passionate and True", my favorite song in the Chicago run. So...if the song is hilarious AND HAS Addams-Spirit in it "We took her to funerals in the morning mist / We took her to slaughter houses / Schindler's list" it doesn't replace "Passionate and True" which I REALLY miss.
6. One Normal Night - Again, in Chicago the song was longer. And it was in this song that you first used to hear the "Addams Family Theme" after Fester sing "one normal night is what they'll get!". This shortened and retooled version is however much better. The Beineke's, Wednesday boyfriends parents also join in the song. HOWEVER this song is the same one that TOTALLY misses the spirit of "The Addams Family". The thing with the Addams is that they ARE convinced they ARE normal and that the rest of the world is strange, and not the other way 'round. So when you have Wednesday singing "They're normal people, not like me, not like you" to her parents, and then Gomez and Morticia don't say anything and agree...that alone destroys the complete spirit of The Addams Family...REWRITE THE LYRICS MR.LIPPA!
7. Morticia - Gomez love song to his wife. It is a nice song though, AGAIN, the lyrics aren't exactly inspired. "The screams she saves for only you / the misery she puts you through..." is an excellent example of bad lyrics. For a moment I thought this show has lyrics by Don Black... This song is also a new song added to the Broadway version. During the workshops and creation of the show, the song that was in this place was called "Not Today", which was released as a bonus track on iTunes. See the review on it in the end.
8. What If - Pugsley's solo. It's a nice song if well sung. However I hate when they shorten things. This song has actually two parts. In the middle of it, Pugsley meets Gramma and talks to her. It's where she tells him about the potions etc. In the CD this hilarious dialog is shortened to the non-funny bit. It really pissed me off.
9. Full Disclosure - A weird song..."Full disclosure" it's like Truth or Dare...without the "dare". It's again, a catchy song but not really very Addams...
10. Waiting - Pugsley puts the potion he stole from Gramma during "What if?" in the cup during Full Disclosure. However instead of his sister, it's Lucas mom who drinks it. The song is Mrs.Beineke speaking about her miserable life with her husband.
11. Full Disclosure - Part 2 - Continuation of the song. Doesn't really add anything new. However there is again an interruption in this song which isn't on the CD. Which doesn't really allows you to understand that this song ends Act 1...Oh well...
12. Just Around the Corner - Another new song added in the Broadway run and MY FAVORITE in the entire show. This song is Addams all the way. Sung by Morticia, she's worried about the course the evening took and that Wednesday announced she was going to marry Lucas without asking anyone permission. But then Morticia leaves her worries behind because...well...eventually we will ALL gonna die. I just don't get one thing...during the song she says "Get it? Death is just around the...corner". Actually I don't. Is that supposed to be funny? We were already laughing with the song we don't need to be asked if we "Got it". Unless that sentence has a second meaning in America in which case...sorry...the joke passed me by.
13. The Moon and Me - Fester's big, insane and hilarious solo. During "Full Disclosure" Fester reveals that he's in love with the Moon. This song is exactly him singing about his love to the Moon. It's so silly it's funny. And fits Fester like a glove.
14. Happy/Sad - Gomez solo that could be composed by Stephen Sondheim. It's a nice sentimental song. Not much to be said. But I like the song a lot...don't really know why. I just do.
15. Crazier Than You - Hate it. Wednesday's duet with her boyfriend. I can't stand neither the music nor the lyrics. Just awful...
16. Let`s Not Talk About Anything Else But Love - For those who read my review on the Chicago version you already know I thought that this song appeared way to many times in the show. Now it only appears these two times. Thank God. It's now a much better song and much funnier.
17. Let`s Not Talk About Anything Else But Love (Reprise) - A reprise sung by Gramma Addams along with Fester and Gomez. It's a continuation of the song so it's still very funny.
18. In the Arms - Mal Beineke's song. This song is hilarious! Specially 'cause it catches you by surprise. I really like it. It's just a bit "weird" for a character that was supposed to be the "normal" one...
19. Live Before We Die - Another new song added on Broadway. And I really like it. It's a duet between Gomez and Morticia, very sexy and very passionate. However....the lyrics are in complete contradiction with another song. In "When you're an Addams" Gomez sings "When you're an Addams, you have to see the World in shades of grey"...now in this song he sing "Let's keep things black and white"...So...is it shades of grey or black and white? Apart from that...
20. Tango De Amor - It's a Tango. Surprise! But I LOVE IT. Its just brilliant. Just a pity it's so short. In Chicago it was far bigger. This is the track I play the most honestly.
21. Move Toward the Darkness - The song that ends Act 2 and the show. It's a big Broadway number. Again, the lyrics aren't really very Addams-y but they pass by. But it ends with the mythical lines "Are you unhappy, my darling?" "Oh yes, yes completely". I really like the song....
22. Not Today - This song is a "bonus track" released on iTunes. The bonus was supposed to be "Clandango" a song that the Cast recorded along with the rest of the CD but they putted this one up instead and will apparently release Clandango as a single. I hope so , 'cause "Not Today" is AWFUL! Thank God this song never reached any production. It has nothing to do with Addams-Spirit and is just plain boring after a while.
Now the Cast. The Original Broadway Cast is a strong Cast and is lead by 2 Broadway Stars. Does it mean the entire Cast is amazing? Let's see...
Terrence Mann (Mal Beineke) - I knew Terrence from Wildhorn's The Scarlet Pimpernel, and while not my favorite Chauvelin (I still prefer William Paul Michals) he was a great Chauvelin. Apparently he's also the original Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast OBC...but since I can't stand the OBC of BatB (I prefer the OLC a million times!) I never bothered to know him better. Terrence has an amazing baritone voice. I really like him in this role and he sung wonderfully "Let's not talk about anything else but love" and of course "In the Arms". If Tanz der Vampire would ever have another shot on Broadway, Terrence would be an amazing actor to play Von Krolock.
Carolee Carmello (Alice Beineke) - Another one I knew from The Scarlet Pimpernel. But she's FAR better in this role than as Marguerite. She sings wonderfully in the duet with Terrance and even better in "Waiting" even though the song has little point...
Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester) - By far the best casted person in the show. Kevin IS uncle Fester! He's hilarious and has an amazing voice. "The Moon and Me" is just hilarious and he is a true highlight in this CD. I just wished Fester had more attention than Wednesday. I think it's a real shame he didn't won the Tony. If this show deserved any, it was Kevin's.
Jackie Hoffman (Gramma) - Gramma only sings a few lines in "Let's not talk about anything else but love". This is the reason Jackie is always "complaining" that Gramma doesn't have a song in her Broadway.com vlogs. She's hilarious but in the CD you don't get that.
Zachary James (Lurch) - Lurch doesn't talk during the entire show. Only growls. But in "Move Toward the Darkness" he sings for the first and only time. And WOW! Zachary has an amazing dark voice. Really liked him! He's actually the reason I like "move toward the darkness"
Adam Riegler (Pugsley) - This kid has THE MOST annoying, irritating, nasal voice. I can't stand his singing really. Sure he's just a kid, but I'm sure they could have found a kid on Broadway who sounded better. He's on key, but his voice is unbearable.
Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday) - Krysta's voice is amazing, but suffers from the same problem Susan Rigvava-Dumas has on CDs. They don't do full justice to their voices. Krysta sings a lot but "Pulled" is definitely the one where she's better. I can't stand "Crazier than you" as I've said...and not even her manages to save it.
Wesley Taylor (Lucas Beineke) - I can't really say much about Wesley 'cause the only full song he has is "Crazier than you" and that one...He does has a few lines in "One normal night" and there he sounds good.
Nathan Lane (Gomez Addams) - Nathan is what they call a "Broadway Legend". I know him from many other things both on Broadway and on film. I really like him. But his voice doesn't fit THAT well in his songs. They all seem to be way to high for him which ends up sounding like he's still in The Producers. And then he uses that supposed Spanish-accent...but ends up pronouncing things in british or some strange language...like "I'm feeling hááppy" or "let's live before we die and "dance" (instead of the american "dence")... He's hilarious though.
Bebe Neuwirth (Morticia Addams) - Bebe is another "Broadway Legend". And I don't know why. She's AWFUL! Her singing is the same as a goat dying and someone should tell her that over-use of vibrato becomes painful... She totally ruins "Just around the corner" and that I can't forgive her. I think they had hundreds of actresses on Broadway that would have done a better job...To do this job, they could have just snagged Catherine Zeta-Jones from ALNM and put her as Morticia. She would sing the same way (maybe better!) and would look much better as Morticia...
Overall: This CD get's a 7/10. Mainly because of Bebe's awful singing, and Andrew Lippa's forgettable score and terrible lyrics. It has a couple of great songs but the majority is just either "meh" or just "ok"...Lucky them, it's "The Addams Family" and I end up liking it no matter how mediocre it may be...
