Post by playnerd94 on Mar 6, 2012 8:43:00 GMT -5
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Palace Theater, Cleveland, Ohio
MEMPHIS
Unfortunately, I don't have the program or a whole lot of time on my hands right now, but I enjoyed this show far too much to let it go unreviewed here on the boards.
I was a bit apprehensive about Memphis before going to see it. I'm not sure what exactly my reservation was - probably just the fact that it's a new show and not too many new shows are exactly great in my opinion. That being said, this show far exceeded my expectations, and I left the theater very pleased with the show itself and the wonderful cast.
I should start with discussing the show as a whole. Part of my enjoyment came from the fact that Memphis is very different from shows similar to it stylistically. Though the music is advertised as rock and roll, it really is a very nice mix of classic rock and R&B. This blend was perfect for the show's setting and theme. I also did like that the theme of racism in Memphis - a pretty common theme in musicals - went beyond simple segregation issues like other shows stick to. Overall, I found the show very realistic (it's based in real events after all, and watching the show you can really tell that) and its music, characters, and dialogue are very well written.
Often in touring companies, one or two principle cast members are likely to be just ok in their roles (this is the case I've often seen at least). This tour of Memphis is an exception. The entire cast, from Huey and Felicia to all the members of the chorus, are phenomenal singers, actors, and dancers. Their full, rich voices combined with the great melodies written for the show make for some amazing musical moments (I found myself getting chills quite often actually, during the major vocal numbers).
Just a final note on the show's tech aspects: the lighting and set design are just as interesting as the rest of the show. These two things are used masterfully to move the show along, even when the actors aren't doing anything in the quick scene changes.
So in short: If you get a chance to see this tour (or any other production) of Memphis, I would highly recommend you check it out!
Palace Theater, Cleveland, Ohio
MEMPHIS
Unfortunately, I don't have the program or a whole lot of time on my hands right now, but I enjoyed this show far too much to let it go unreviewed here on the boards.
I was a bit apprehensive about Memphis before going to see it. I'm not sure what exactly my reservation was - probably just the fact that it's a new show and not too many new shows are exactly great in my opinion. That being said, this show far exceeded my expectations, and I left the theater very pleased with the show itself and the wonderful cast.
I should start with discussing the show as a whole. Part of my enjoyment came from the fact that Memphis is very different from shows similar to it stylistically. Though the music is advertised as rock and roll, it really is a very nice mix of classic rock and R&B. This blend was perfect for the show's setting and theme. I also did like that the theme of racism in Memphis - a pretty common theme in musicals - went beyond simple segregation issues like other shows stick to. Overall, I found the show very realistic (it's based in real events after all, and watching the show you can really tell that) and its music, characters, and dialogue are very well written.
Often in touring companies, one or two principle cast members are likely to be just ok in their roles (this is the case I've often seen at least). This tour of Memphis is an exception. The entire cast, from Huey and Felicia to all the members of the chorus, are phenomenal singers, actors, and dancers. Their full, rich voices combined with the great melodies written for the show make for some amazing musical moments (I found myself getting chills quite often actually, during the major vocal numbers).
Just a final note on the show's tech aspects: the lighting and set design are just as interesting as the rest of the show. These two things are used masterfully to move the show along, even when the actors aren't doing anything in the quick scene changes.
So in short: If you get a chance to see this tour (or any other production) of Memphis, I would highly recommend you check it out!