This is hard to watch. Hey, Mr. Choreographer, don't try to do Steven Hoggett style movement. It's like cilantro. A little goes a long way. What you have on stage from seeing that clip, is too much and looks like a high school production. Less is more!
Bare is one of my favorite shows. I was so excited when I heard about this revival however as more and more info comes out about this revival I am less and less excited for it. I am seeing it when I come to NYC in December and I am hoping that I am completely wrong about my trepidation for this incarnation! I really want to love this show!
I agree on the awful design. I know stage 4 isn't super deep at New World, but looking at that video I would estimate they have about 10 feet of depth because of that design, which means that it's going to be very challenging to keep the staging from ending up looking very flat. And that collage aspect of it is just not attractive at all.
Like others have said, the more we see and hear about this production the less I want to actually go see it.
I'm just making educated guesses, but it looks like the first number replaces "Epiphany" and the Nadia/Ivy duet either replaces "A Quiet Night at Home" or "Portrait of a Girl"... 3 songs that actually worked and are staples of the original show.
I'm just having a hard time understanding why even do the show if so much of the core music is being replaced?
I loved the original version of this show a lot and this preview just made me really sad. I was going to see it anyway out of curiosity but I think I'm just going to pass.
Not to mention, the footage of the opening number looked just like the opening from Carrie.
Like a number of the other posters on here, I was looking forward to this but after this preview I'm really not sure now. I am guessing (hoping?!) that this isn't the lighting plot and costumes that they'll be using in performance. The sound quality is pretty poor so am also hoping that the vocals are better live. The set looks horrible too, oh dear.......
I'd like to give that video a WOOF and an UGH because that looks terrible. The new songs that they've added sound pretty generic. The set is probably the most hideous thing I've ever seen. I don't get why everything is covered in Instagram photos. We get it, you've updated the show!
I'm a huge fan of Travis Wall but I'm not feeling any of that choreography. Not really sure if he works well in a theatre setting. I don't think Stafford Arima should be allowed to direct anything (at least revivals) ever again. Taylor Trensch seems like a pretty terrible choice and not a very good singer.
Part of me has been waiting years to see an actual production of this and the other part of me never wants to see it because it'll probably make me hate the show entirely.
I gather that liking Bare in the past doesn't mean you'll like it now; it appears that it's become a very different piece. I wonder who they thought they were making the changes for, precisely? The fans seemed to like it as it was; based on this clip, I can't imagine they'll recruit any new admirers, and will alienate many of the old ones. (Personally, I always thought it was adolescent amateurish nonsense, but that's just me.)
I have been dying to see this show for years. Living in the south this show is almost never produced but with the Off-Broadway revival it is getting some buzz. With that preview I saw, this will not be Bare. They have taken this show and ripped it's heart out. They decided (from what I can tell) to just focus on the story of Peter and Jason but their is so much more to Bare than their stories. Also, the fact the Nadia is not a fat character that takes every aspect of her struggle away.
While I believe some stuff needed to be trimmed down and cut, the things they have decided to cut are extreme and ridiculous. The cutting of Claire was when I lost all faith in this production. Stafford Ariama should never be allowed to direct anything of this stature ever again. All he did was rip the heart out and left us with a stale production.
Re: Nadia, yes, exactly. Someone can not be introverted and feel socially outcast unless they are overweight. Never. Ever. (I'm not advocating the decision but come on now)
I thought by cutting some of the stuff they did they were trying to make it less angsty and preachy, but based on what I've seen/ what they are saying, I guess not. We'll see.
I've enjoyed the incarnations of Bare that I've seen in the past--high art it ain't, but I found it pleasing enough. This, however, just seems awful. The set and choreography are like a stomach-turning CARRIE redux, and the new songs sound awful. Also, am I the only one who just doesn't get Taylor Trensch? He's just so...vocally unimpressive.
In partial defense of the set, I have actually seen it and it is pretty cool in person. This was a press event. I am sure some things may change by the opening.
I saw Jason Hite (playing Jason) as Melchoir in San Jose Rep's production of Spring Awakening, ironically brought down by choreography from another SYTYCD alum, Sonya Tayeh. His voice seems to fit the songs better than they did in SA, but I wasn't feeling the chemistry between him & Taylor...
Oh dear god. I've watched the original Bare on youtube, and after seeing this, it makes me sad. I feel like they're trying to make it fit in too much with popular culture, (I definitely thought of Skins). They're over doing it.
Ripped, I saw it back in 2004 and the set was fine. They moved ieces in and out. I suspect they may do the same here. From what I remember it was a pretty bare, pardon the pun, stage. I think this stage will be cool if the lighting is good.
Too me, it looks too much like American Idiot done on a cheaper scale. I thought the set was fine with the original production. This set design just doesn't give me the right sense of time and place. I mean, is the show about memories? Is that what we're suppose to walk away thinking? Cause that's what I get with that design.
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joined:11/14/08
Posted: 11/12/12 at 11:10pm