Riedel: ?Into? is lost in the woods

[PalJoey]

Alright, FINE. British directors are okay. They just tend to make everything a half hour a longer and paint all the sets brown.

Not to mention how they "explore the darker side" and act as if that had never been done before.

[devonian.t]

I would draw your attention to Diane Paulus and her Porgy & Bess.

You are generalising again. Regents Park and Chichester especially have produced a series of joyous revivals, many of which have hit the West End, including Singing in the Rain, Hello Dolly and Crazy for You. Oh by the way, who was the original director of that show on Broadway?

[jv92]

Don't get me started on Diane Paulus. She should never work in this town again.

[hermajesty]

I never take notice of theater critics, after all, they can't go up there and do it themselves. It's just an individual/personal opinion

[henrikegerman]

"Not to mention how they "explore the darker side" and act as if that had never been done before."

You said it!

[behindthescenes2]

I'd like to address something about Morgan James and the tweeting about Into the Woods at the Park this summer. I don't know her, but it is funny, the sensitivity of many towards her is phenominal, because she had the nerve to say what she saw. Maybe she wasn't a diplomat, but this is New York, this is supposed to be professional, this is the place to put up or shut up. Am I wrong in this? She said it wasn't good, she didn't like the acting and she didn't like the musicianship. So who is to blame for letting something go up that isn't ready for audience viewing? The actors? I think not. The director - yes, the musical director - yes, the conductor - yes. The PRODUCER (if those with any real experience in theatre still exist - it seems more and more of them are just people with money or trust-fund babies that parents sponsor to have their children do because they have no other direction or desire or skill)- YES. If everything is still out of wack why invite an audience and charge money? It can ony hurt the show in the long run. When you charge money at full prices - guess what? People expect the full goods for full prices. And yes, this immediate ability to state one's opinion and have it broadcast has a very, very sharp double edge. She shouldn't be admonished for stating the truth as she sees it - afterall she was in "Wonderland", which by all accounts was trashed before it even started previews, so she experienced that double-edged sword first hand. So it is okay for others to do it and not she? For all the crap that is put out these days thanks to the "new professionals these days - thanks to the internet and reality tv, who haven't got one iota of real professional training and experience and accepted as good - Kardashians, Nene, Housewives industry et al," sometimes it is hard to take criticism from one who has and is paying her dues. She told the truth and she is being bullied for it. So the people in "Into the Woods" got the iddy-biddy feelings hurt. Are you in show business or the touchy-feely good for you business. Fix it, make it better, make it professional and make it an artistic level to reckon with - and for Christ's sake don't whine. Morgan James was infuriated by the what she saw, because it is in New York and this is a show that should be indestructable - she said so by her passionate opinion. They should say thank you for the honesty and fix it.

[Wynbish]

You can't say that a New York show should be more professional and then not consider something a New York actress said to be unprofessional itself.

[behindthescenes2]

Is what she said unprofessional? No, it was highly professional, coming from a professional, and she should consider herself a professional. She was just wasn't "sensitive" to feelings. She didn't attack people personally. She attacked the product on the stage. You might think it wasn't professional - that is your opinion and right to have it. But don't say what I can and cannot say in this regard. You just don't agree. If more people expressed their true feelings about art and artists, then maybe we wouldn't allow shows with lesser talent emerge on the scene.

[devonian.t]

Well I'd refer you to my previous comment- Brits have no exclusivity on pomposity or pretension. Shall we go through the lists again?

[followspot]

@behindthescenes2

Welcome to the boards, Morgan!