NYC--The Pirate Queen??
 

Has anyone seen The Pirate Queen in NYC? I just read about it this weekend and was interested b/c it was supposed to be the "Irish" Les Miz. However, the more reviews I read, the more mixed they get. I would love some opinions from the fodors group. Thanks!!

topping...

Since previews started just a week ago, you're going to have to catch the early birds to get an opinion.

There was a review here from a poster who saw it in Chicago back a few months ago. That review was less than thrilling. You could probably bring it up if you do a search here. But I think they were doing a lot of work to it before Broadway.

What "reviews" have you read? Since it hasn't opened yet in New York, there are no "real" reviews yet. Or do you mean audience opinions?

I might be the person who posted. I saw Pirate Queen in Chicago before it opened in NYC.

I like musicals, and the dancing was enjoyable. The story didn't work, too convoluted and over such a long time with so many eventualities that the characters got rather lost. I absolutely could not identify with any of the male characters at all, and with the female lead only on occasion.

It could become a good play but I thought the music and the dancing just did not connect to the plot or spirit or duplicity of the piracy and political character of the supposed plot, as it stood when I saw it. It has some good moments and costumes, but especially in the last act totally goes astray somehow.

That's my opinion although I'm glad I went. There was some staging with Gloria Regina (Elizabeth I) that was rather interesting. But even she was not "straight" within the times or with historical relevent accuracy, IMHO. She might have registered some empathy woman to woman, queen to queen, but this whole "thing" as done re that issue was rather a stretch, considering Irish/English relations even then. It is over long.

Others did not like the dancing style at times, that I have read, but I did like most of the dancing and at least 1/2 of the vocals.

I saw <i>Pirate Queen</i> in Chicago and was one of those who felt that the dancing didn't fit into the show.

To me it seemed like the show stopped, then there an commercial for Riverdance. I also found the plot very difficult to follow and the characters two-dimensional. When something happened to them, I didn't care because they'd done nothing to endear themselves to me.

Finally, I noticed glaring historical errors that undermined the any remaining credibility the show had.

Aside from that, it was a great show and I'd run out tomorrow to see it again. ;-)

When I first read that the producers of The Pirate Queen were the same ones who produced Riverdance....well, that was enough to turn me off!

Thanks for the responses. When I wrote the word &quot;reviews&quot; I did mean some audience comments--nothing formal. At first, it sounded interesting to me b/c I love Les Miz and thought the so-called &quot;Irish&quot; version might be fun. After reading the comments above, I'm thinking I may skip this one. Thank you again for your honest answers!

Lee4, on the bright side, I'm sure you could easily get discount tickets on short notice if your cable goes out.

In all the time I worked in theatre, this was the only time I'd seen a show in tryouts that I thought couldn't immediately transfer to B'way.

It forced me to stop talking about <i>Into the Light</i> as the worst show I've ever seen. (<i>Into the Light&lt;i/&gt; was a musical about the Shroud of Turin starring Dean Jones, a mime and laser effects. It lasted only 4 days in 1986.) :O</i>

It could be worse, it could be Grey Gardens done as Riverdance.

Pirate Queen officially opened last night and it appears the feelings are unanimous.

The NY Times called it <i>&quot;Oceandance, With Swordplay&quot;</i> http://tinyurl.com/2kb42d
and Newsday said the show <i>&quot;goes out of its way to be dramatically inert.&quot;</i>http://tinyurl.com/246kh3


The Daily News also said that the production missed its mark. http://tinyurl.com/yosvck

Yeah it's kind of getting butchered...

Whew. I just read those reviews. Citylights you picked out about the NICEST things the critics said about the show.

JJ5, with all due respect, you RAVED about how wonderful Pirate Queen was when you saw it in Chicago, so much so that it convinced me to buy tickets, because I really enjoy your posts. We were underwhelmed.

I thought too I remembered a rave about Pirate Queen in Chicago, so I just did a search here and quickly found this post.
No offense JJ5, but it seems time has clearly changed your view of the production:
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Author: JJ5
Date: 10/20/2006, 05:46 pm

I didn't want to start a thread and needed an entire day to focus my thoughts. Thanks for asking.

You know, I want to tell you that I came to the show unequipped. Although I had a great lunch and trip up Sears Tower first, I didn't have enough Kleenex. I cried. I was crying all through intermission, I got myself a glass of wine at the balcony bar to feel better. LOL!

It was an awesome experience.

There is a scene right before the intermission that is so powerful that I won't even try to describe it. The staging of this play is phenomenal. The special effects, and the mood altering by background etc. Just tops.

This one scene before the intermission-well, even the barricade scene in Les Mis doesn't come close. It's an 11 on a 10 scale- the staging of that scene.

The entire first half is a 8-1/2 or 9 out of 10. The two or three best songs, including Boys'll be Boys, Lads will be Lads (or Cads will be Cads- I don't want to give too much away) is spectacular as well. I could hum or remember Rah-Rah, Tip-Top right away too. (Shades of Master of the House- yes, in a curious way- tempo refrains again.)

The second half details a convoluted history/varying time periods etc. It is overlong, and too slow in tempo for most people. I enjoyed every second of it, but also was aware of the slower pace and wanted one more good ripping dance in the middle of that. Too much story to tell for that to happen, though, realistically. It's probably at least 2 hours and 45 minutes long.

There are huge parallels in the music and cadences with Les Mis and Miss Saigon. I know that music- and I can hear that it is the same originators immediately. This is coming from a person who is NOT musical in anyway.

For instance, many of the singing lines were question, question, question, answer. I kept turning around to see if I could see Jean Valjean.

I had excellent seating, but was distracted by a next door seatmate that obviously did not know any history and was whispering to her buddy and looking at her watch and kicking her shopping packages throughout the second half. There was also one person behind me that constantly complained that it was all TOO LOUD AND DISTORTED in sound. Her too I wanted to stiffle. And it was loud. Loud and wonderful.

This is a hugely dramatic production. It is no mindless and fun &quot;Mama Mia&quot; or &quot;HairSpray&quot;. It's about the Irish and Elizabeth I, Gloriana Regina. AND THE COSTUMES and the HISTORY. God, I just loved it.

Go, do not pass goal, do collect your ticket.

Stephanie Block as Grania is superb. Her voice is a 10. I saw her do Elphaba in Wicked. Her acting is better in this, as she doesn't need to do comedic timing here. Two of the main actors are British. Both superb.

Marcus Chait, who plays her rogue husband Donal, is one of the most gorgeous men I have ever laid eyes upon. The dancing is worth the $50 to $80 admission price alone- so all else which is very good to best becomes frosting on the cake.

I went PURPOSELY not knowing one thing about the story or actors. And I am glad I did. I did not need a map to figure it out.

Don't want to tell you too much. Just go see it. But know that I was just deciding on some &quot;arrangements&quot; once again- and have decided NOT to include myself. When my time comes, I'm going to be cremated.

Hint: that is a clue.

This is American Opera

Well, to be perfectly honest, some of JJ5's comments actually led me to NOT wanting to see the show!

Yes. Reading between the lines.

In all fairness, JJ5 did say in the original post &quot;The second half details a convoluted history/varying time periods etc. It is overlong, and too slow in tempo for most people.&quot; But when that is followed by &quot;I enjoyed every second of it&quot; and later by &quot;God, I just loved it. Go, do not pass goal, do collect your ticket,&quot; and &quot;It was an awesome experience&quot;, it sure gives a different impression that we get now.

Sorry, JJ5 not meaning to throw stones. I often go home and think about shows and change my opinion too. Although, ironically, I'm more likely to not particularly love a show, go home and think about, and then decide I liked it more than I thought I did at the time.

I hope it does well as a friend's nephew (Jeff McCarthy) is in it, playing the Pirate Queen's father. He is a fine actor, and has previously starred on Broadway in Urinetown.

We do the six hour drive to Chicago for Broadway previews every chance we get. I remember Spamalot and The Producers vividly. I can hardly remember any details about &quot;The Pirate Queen&quot;. I wanted to like it so much, but was underwhelmed.

Wall St Jrl 4/6 Terry Teachout review
excerpt: &quot;It is a gift that keeps on giving: It starts out dumb, then gets dumber, and at no time does anything other than preposterous ever take place on stage or in the orchestra pit.&quot;

I did go to NYC a 2 weeks ago and did not see Pirate Queen. After reading the few comments I could find, I thought it might not be for us. We did get 50% off tickets for Spamalot, by going to TKTS. That is a great show--so funny! After reading the recent opening reviews of the Pirate Queen, I'm happy with our decision to skip it.