Post by santtu on Sept 19, 2013 10:54:56 GMT -5
The hit film starring the late Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner has been turned into a stage musical which uses Whitney Houston's songs as its score.
The songs featured in this show are (in alphabetical order): All at once, All the man that I need, How will I know, I have nothing, I'm every woman, I'm your baby tonight, I wanna dance with somebody, I will always love you, Jesus loves me, Oh yes, One moment in time, Queen of the night, Run to you, Saving all my love, So emotional.
The Lawrence Kasdan's original screenplay has been adapted by Alexander Dinelaris and the show is directed by Thea Sharrock. Sets and costumes are by Tim Hatley who has also designed musicals Shrek and Spamalot, both of these shows on Broadway as well as London West End.
The story is about Rachel Marron (played by Gloria Onitiri) who has been getting disturbing notes from a person considered dangerous to her safety. So Frank Farmer (Lloyd Owens) is hired to protect her as her bodyguard. Marron, a mother of a young son, is annoyed by this, since the severity of the messages sent by the Stalker has been kept from her. But eventually she finds out just how serious her situation is with the Oscar gala approaching and her being nominated for two Oscars and being expected to sing an Oscar nominated song ("One moment in time"). And, of course, she - as well as her sister/assistant Nicki - falls for Farmer...
The storyline has been changed for the stage production. And not in a good way. **** SPOILER ALERT! **** There is no twist in the end about the actual stalker, Farmer's colleague is not the actual stalker, but the guy who we see right from the beginning as the Stalker (that's his character's name in the programme) is eventually the villain. So don't expect any great last minute plot-twists, there isn't going to be one. So plot-wise this show is dull and unsurprising. *****
Even though the plot is boring as he**, the biggest problem for me was the score! As much as I like Whitney Houston's songs, they just are not good material for a stage musical's score. They don't forward the plot. And on some occasion, the lyrics just don't fit the story or the character, for example Marron sings "he's all I've got, he's all I've got in this world" to a sleeping Farmer after sleeping with him. Really? What about your 10-year-old-son who you're supposed to love more than anything?! Writers, pay attention to the lyrics and the story, please!!! There were some other moments like this as well, but that one stood out the most for me.
The actors weren't that impressive either. Lloyd Owens, playing his last performance as Frank Farmer, was as deep as a brick wall. He sung only one song, a country("-ish) version of "I will always love you" and it turned out to be the better version of that song heard that evening (of course - unfortunately - we hear the Houston Version of the song as well). Gloria Onitiri was ok as Rachel Marron, but I couldn't help but get the feeling that the songs were just too much for her voice. Her voice wasn't bad, but the songs were arranged too high for her. Debbie Kurup as Nicki was totally playing the second fiddle, in the movie she had at least some personality but not here.
Visually the show was great, using a lot of video technology and projections as well as more traditional sets, but impressive visuality doesn't save a show if the book and score don't deliver.
And sadly, that's what happens here. This one's just not worth the time or money.
The songs featured in this show are (in alphabetical order): All at once, All the man that I need, How will I know, I have nothing, I'm every woman, I'm your baby tonight, I wanna dance with somebody, I will always love you, Jesus loves me, Oh yes, One moment in time, Queen of the night, Run to you, Saving all my love, So emotional.
The Lawrence Kasdan's original screenplay has been adapted by Alexander Dinelaris and the show is directed by Thea Sharrock. Sets and costumes are by Tim Hatley who has also designed musicals Shrek and Spamalot, both of these shows on Broadway as well as London West End.
The story is about Rachel Marron (played by Gloria Onitiri) who has been getting disturbing notes from a person considered dangerous to her safety. So Frank Farmer (Lloyd Owens) is hired to protect her as her bodyguard. Marron, a mother of a young son, is annoyed by this, since the severity of the messages sent by the Stalker has been kept from her. But eventually she finds out just how serious her situation is with the Oscar gala approaching and her being nominated for two Oscars and being expected to sing an Oscar nominated song ("One moment in time"). And, of course, she - as well as her sister/assistant Nicki - falls for Farmer...
The storyline has been changed for the stage production. And not in a good way. **** SPOILER ALERT! **** There is no twist in the end about the actual stalker, Farmer's colleague is not the actual stalker, but the guy who we see right from the beginning as the Stalker (that's his character's name in the programme) is eventually the villain. So don't expect any great last minute plot-twists, there isn't going to be one. So plot-wise this show is dull and unsurprising. *****
Even though the plot is boring as he**, the biggest problem for me was the score! As much as I like Whitney Houston's songs, they just are not good material for a stage musical's score. They don't forward the plot. And on some occasion, the lyrics just don't fit the story or the character, for example Marron sings "he's all I've got, he's all I've got in this world" to a sleeping Farmer after sleeping with him. Really? What about your 10-year-old-son who you're supposed to love more than anything?! Writers, pay attention to the lyrics and the story, please!!! There were some other moments like this as well, but that one stood out the most for me.
The actors weren't that impressive either. Lloyd Owens, playing his last performance as Frank Farmer, was as deep as a brick wall. He sung only one song, a country("-ish) version of "I will always love you" and it turned out to be the better version of that song heard that evening (of course - unfortunately - we hear the Houston Version of the song as well). Gloria Onitiri was ok as Rachel Marron, but I couldn't help but get the feeling that the songs were just too much for her voice. Her voice wasn't bad, but the songs were arranged too high for her. Debbie Kurup as Nicki was totally playing the second fiddle, in the movie she had at least some personality but not here.
Visually the show was great, using a lot of video technology and projections as well as more traditional sets, but impressive visuality doesn't save a show if the book and score don't deliver.
And sadly, that's what happens here. This one's just not worth the time or money.