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I'm in paroxysms of happy this week because I actually got ahold of a boot of the new Martin Guerre production that played in a regional theater in the U.K. last year. I didn't learn about it until after it had finished it's run, and it being an outside-London production for a not-terribly-popular show, I didn't think I had very good chances of finding one... so YAY!
Couple notes:
- According to descriptions I've read, the show apparently took the John Doyle approach and had the actor's playing instruments instead of using a traditional orchestra. You can definitely hear the difference... It all feels a bit ham-handed from the audio. I definitely miss the big, swelling orchestra, though I suppose you could make a case for it sounding more rustic this way, which works for a show about peasants.
- It's really been interesting watching this show change over the years. The original West End production was constantly being adjusted for at least its first six months, and then the UK tour gave it a rather large overhaul, with further tweaks for the U.S. tour. As they progress, the basic structure doesn't change a lot, but you can definitely see the creative team figuring out what works, and this show is probably the best so far in terms of general flow. The characters are better defined right from the opening number and the key plot points seem cleaner and better served by the songs (there are quite a few improvements in the lyrics, too, imo... not as trite and "Hallmark"-y, to make a gratuitous Forbidden Broadway reference. =P)
- Probably the *best* improvement in this version is the re-purposing of the song "Live With Somebody You Love" that was added in the UK tour. They've moved it from being a rather redundant Arnaud / Martin moment to being the main Arnaud / Bertrande theme... sung by the two of them when they first admit that they're falling in love with each other, and reprised at the end of both acts. After seeing the show struggle for so long to find the right lyrics for the original "All I Know" tune that served that purpose, I'm really happy that they've finally got something that works! :)
- Writing "Arnaud / Martin" in the paragraph above, my head did *not* just go to naughty slashy places. No, it did not.
Couple notes:
- According to descriptions I've read, the show apparently took the John Doyle approach and had the actor's playing instruments instead of using a traditional orchestra. You can definitely hear the difference... It all feels a bit ham-handed from the audio. I definitely miss the big, swelling orchestra, though I suppose you could make a case for it sounding more rustic this way, which works for a show about peasants.
- It's really been interesting watching this show change over the years. The original West End production was constantly being adjusted for at least its first six months, and then the UK tour gave it a rather large overhaul, with further tweaks for the U.S. tour. As they progress, the basic structure doesn't change a lot, but you can definitely see the creative team figuring out what works, and this show is probably the best so far in terms of general flow. The characters are better defined right from the opening number and the key plot points seem cleaner and better served by the songs (there are quite a few improvements in the lyrics, too, imo... not as trite and "Hallmark"-y, to make a gratuitous Forbidden Broadway reference. =P)
- Probably the *best* improvement in this version is the re-purposing of the song "Live With Somebody You Love" that was added in the UK tour. They've moved it from being a rather redundant Arnaud / Martin moment to being the main Arnaud / Bertrande theme... sung by the two of them when they first admit that they're falling in love with each other, and reprised at the end of both acts. After seeing the show struggle for so long to find the right lyrics for the original "All I Know" tune that served that purpose, I'm really happy that they've finally got something that works! :)
- Writing "Arnaud / Martin" in the paragraph above, my head did *not* just go to naughty slashy places. No, it did not.
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