Will Ragtime in London be filmed like ITW?

[Inigomontoya]

Does anyone know if they are planing to film and release the production of Ragtime on www.digitaltheatre.com like they did with Into The Woods?

[aasjb4ever]

I hope not.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Hopefully not. No one should have to pay to see this offensive mess.

[Inigomontoya]

Why, what was wrong with the production?

[MikeInTheDistrict]

On the video clip they've released, I saw Barack Obama on one of the set pieces. I have nothing against President Obama, but I'm guessing this production attempts to draw parallels between the turn of the 20th century and the present day in a far too obvious, clumsy, and ham-fisted way. I'm guessing that's part of the reason people are rejecting this version.

[jamiekennywicked]

I'd love to know how many people who are so against this production have actually been to see it?

[ajh]

Why not??! Let's share the horror! And yes I've seen it.....dreadful. Except for Mother!

[CATSNYrevival]

Isn't it set in a post-apocalyptic future sort of like Peter Griffin presents The King and I?

I hope their upcoming Sound of Music isn't set in a Nazi war camp.

[Jon]

Also, color- and gender-blind casting, from what I've heard - a black actor as Grandfather - singing "and there were no Negroes", and a woman playing Booker T. Washington, for example.

[ljay889]

The entire thing sounds sickening.

[DeNada]

Oh come on, it's hardly sickening. It's overburdened by concept but there's nothing there to disgust or offend - it just doesn't work on an intellectual level. The post-apocalyptic concept is half-assed at best and only detracts from the show for being pointless more than anything else.

There are other more pressing concerns artistically - the lackluster Coalhouse, for instance - than setting it in the ruins of the American Dream.

I doubt Sound of Music will be a concept production. Last year's Crazy For You was played completely straight, as were Gigi, The Boyfriend and Hello Dolly in prior years, all from Tim Sheader.

[EricMontreal22]

Agreed. It sounds like an utterly failed concept, but I can't resent them for trying, or call it sickening.

[ChiChi]

It sounds more like a subpar vision.

[Inigomontoya]

That's too bad.. I think they should have waited a while before trying a brand new concept for the show, it's not like it was produced thousands of times and it feels like it needs to be changed to spice things up a bit....

but I have to say that all the things that you guys said just makes me wants to see it more...

[My Oh My]

Ugh.

[IdinaBellFoster]

I did actually see this production, and based on the notes in the program the picked they absolute worst show to apply their 'concept' to.

They wrote in the program about the downfall of American capitalism, and how until the U.S. realizes that they can't use capitalism to fix everything, only chaos will persist. That's fine if that is what you believe, but don't choose to do a show where one of the central characters achieves fortune and fame from capitalism. I'll end my rant there as I have gone on and on in previous threads. Worst production of a musical I've ever seen.

The ONLY reason to film this would be Rosalie Craig's touching performance as Mother. She was also one of the only cast members who did justice to the score.

[aasjb4ever]

Jamie, the reason this production outrages me is that the text, which is explicitly set in a certain time period with period-specific characters and plot points, is completely sh*t on for the name of pseudo-art and “visionary metaphors.” I’m baffled as to why you continually hail this production, when it seems to me that the director is a hack who is full of himself and believes he’s put on the gold-standard production because of how innovative it is.

It’s like John Doyle. BUT MORE SMUG.

[Overkill]

I for one hope it does get filmed, just so I can see this mess. And really, when would you NOT want something to be filmed and saved for archival purposes, at least. I've never wished for a show not to be filmed. I'm even glad we have those bastardized versions of PIPPIN and THE MAGIC SHOW on dvd!