'Follies' El Musical

[MamasDoin'Fine]

[pwar]

Has anyone here gone? I can get relatively travel + free accommodation and wonder if I should go... I don't speak Spanish but I think it would be fine, having seen the show before and knowing it quite well.

[Buddy's blues]

Going to see this tonight and I have to admit that I am really looking forward to it. The main review in "El Pais" newspaper said it was "in two words legen dary" and a gift from the gods. You have the link to the review below so do a google translation and get your ticket!

http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2012/02/13/actualidad/1329151627_745553.html

[Buddy's blues]

An absolute joy - well worth seeing. Once I got over the "shock" of hearing Sondheim in Spanish (as I did with Sweeney Todd directed by the same guy) I sat backed and lapped it up. Stellar acting from the four protagonists - Vicky Peña's "Could I Leave You?" is as good as many I have seen if not better - Carlos Hipolito and Muntsa Rius gave a truly wonderful rendition of "Too Many Mornings" and Pep Molina's "Buddy's Blues" was worthy of a West End audience any day. The rest of the cast were all very integrated in the production, both young and old, and their enjoyment shone through in their performances. All the younger members of the cast gave a very enthusiastic display of tap dancing during the final bows which was equally enthusiastically received by the audience. The actors playing Carlotta, Hattie and Roscoe were all well cheered and deservedly so. All in all a very enjoyable evening and a delight to see both actors and audience take Sondheim to heart. One newspaper critic said this was a before and after as far as Spanish musicals were concerned. I agree wholeheartedly having seen a lot of very bad productions over the years in Spain. It is marvellous to see them get it right at last. My only gripe would be the choreography which seemed to owe a lot to a few other choreographers especially Bob Fosse but nevertheless it worked quite well.In answer to pwar's question if he should go or not, I would say a resounding yes. I hope to see it again before it finishes - it has a limited season to April 8th. Will be interesting to see what others who have seen it think.

[theeatah]

Thanks for posting your review. I'm seeing it soon and I'll add my two cents.

Is this picture of Losing My Mind? Pretty unusual staging, if so...

[Buddy's blues]

Yes it was staged to look as if she was walking away from it all after being let down by you know who. Don't want to be accused of giving spoilers. Her interpretation was spot on - full of emotion.

[pwar]

That's pretty cool! Thanks for the review, I will definitely try to go now.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Just arrived track seventeen...

[qolbinau]

Wow, that's a very strange way to stage LOSING MY MIND. Because LOVELAND is not real, are they taking it a bit too literally/'realistically'?

[EricMontreal22]

"I should have worn green... oh wait I *am* wearing green"

[Buddy's blues]

I didn't find the staging strange at all and thought the song actually worked better like that. I suppose Sally's folly in the original production was that she wasn't a 30's screen siren but a frustrated housewife and that in this production her folly was that she was portrayed as is and not the glamorous woman she wanted to be. As far as the dress is concerned I don't remember the actual colour but have an idea it was closer to turquoise than green - similar to the shade in the 3rd photo. As it is productions like this are so rare anyway that I really don't want to be picky and look a gift Sondheim in the mouth just because the shade was wrong.

[qolbinau]

Do you remember how they transitioned into and out of Losing My Mind?

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Jetlag willing, I'll be seeing this tonight!

[pwar]

Diviértete!

[Buddy's blues]

I don't remember, I don't remember - at all (sorry couldn't resist that) Buddy sang "Buddy's Blues in front of the curtain which then opened to a sort of Erte style backdrop which said Sally's folly - I think each Loveland sequence started like that. I need to see it again to digest all the details I missed the first time.

[EricMontreal22]

"
As far as the dress is concerned I don't remember the actual colour but have an idea it was closer to turquoise than green - similar to the shade in the 3rd photo. As it is productions like this are so rare anyway that I really don't want to be picky and look a gift Sondheim in the mouth just because the shade was wrong"

Oh neither do I--I have a friend who saw and loved their production of Sweeney, and is seeing this, and I think it's wonderful that major productions of his shows are being done in translation. But I couldn't resist the green line, given the way her dress looks in some of those photos...