Thanks to the kindness of some friends, Scott and I were able to see the new musical "Lestat" in San Francisco last night.
Overall, I'd give it three out of five stars. The show has a lot going for it, it was entertaining, and the majority of the flaws are fixable ones. Whether it will ever make it to 5 stars, though, I'm not sure.
First, some technical observations. The show is done with relatively minimal set; heavy use is made of projections onto various screens. It worked better for the Paris scenes than the other locations, but overall I was OK with it. Using projections on the screen as special effects when the vampires attacked was a nice touch; and I also liked that there were no fangs and minimal blood effects. Costumes were overall good, although Gabrielle's last costume was just weird, and I'm not sure why they chose to do the ensemble in black and white for "Welcome to the New World". It didn't fit. Lestat's costumes also could use a bit of help -- he seemed underdressed much of the time compared to the rest of the cast.
With one exception, the cast was very solid. I particularly liked Lestat and Gabrielle - both had powerful voices and did a good job with their roles. The actress who played Claudia was also very good - her number, "I Want More" was a highlight of Act 2 - but she was also obviously not 10 years old, and that bugged me a bit. Armand, Louis and Marius were also effective. However, the actor who played Nicolas was clearly not as good as the rest of the cast. His acting was weak and so was his voice. To be fair, Nicolas is a tough role - playing a depressed person isn't easy - but that doesn't excuse the vocal weakness. Perhaps he was having an off-night, but if that's as good as he gets, I hope they recast the role for Broadway.
Before I go into the book, lyrics, and music, I want to talk about the big problem with the show, because it impacts all the rest and I'm not sure they're going to be able to sucessfully resolve it. That's the fact that they're trying to cram a tremendous amount of plot -- two 300+ page books -- into one three-hour event. The problem is, the plot has been cut down to the barest bones of Lestat's life story, and I'm not sure what else they could possibly cut without either ending the story sooner or deviating away from Anne Rice's story. And yet, there's just too much plot.
This impacts everything else. The evening felt rushed, like we were on a whirlwind tour and never had time to sit back and really enjoy the moment. The need to drive the plot forward hurt both the book and the lyrics (the latter moreso than the former; although Taupin's inexperience with the genre probably didn't help). The music was fine but could have been stronger in Act 1. All of the really memorable music comes from Act 2 -- I particularly liked "Welcome to the New World" and "Sail Me Away" (sure to be the single off the cast album when the time comes) -- but other numbers might have been better if they weren't so focused on driving plot, plot, and more plot.
The other problem caused by the deathmarch through all this plot is that there's a minimal focus on the emotional attachments between many of the key characters. There may be more purpose here than just driving plot, though. Readers of Rice's vampire novels are well aware of the significnat amount of homoerotic subtext in these books. I don't know if a conscious choice was made to de-emphasize that aspect of the story, or not, but this aspect of Lestat's life is virtually invisible. This missing part of the story becomes even more obvious when you see that the relationship between Gabrielle and Lestat is well laid out and their bond discussed in several different scenes, but virtually no time at all is given to Lestat's bond with Louis. One minute they meet, the next, they're living together and Louis is unhappy. Later, when Lestat talks about how happy he was in New Orleans, it's hard to see why unless you have your memory of reading the books to fall back on.
"Lestat" is only in the first week of previews, and is still being worked on. Much may change before its San Francisco run ends. At this point, I'm reasonably sure the show will make it to Broadway, but I also don't see any Tony Awards in its future.
UPDATE 12/30: I'm noticing an uptick in traffic to this page. Please be aware that the show has gone through some changes since I saw it and that my comments may not be a valid criticism of the show as it currently stands. Also, I'd love to hear some feedback from other folks who've seen "Lestat".
Comments (8)
I saw the show New Year's Eve, and your comments are still spot on.
I was disappointed, and the ending was just too cheesy for my taste, and for the whole Lestat story. I think the play would have been better taking the later books about Lestat (Tale of the Body Theif and Memnoch the Devil) and explored his struggle with evil rather than the boring history of vampires.
And then get rid of the cheesy musical number at the end, which IMO ruined the entire show.
Posted by Kathy | January 1, 2006 6:51 PM
I also suffered through the Year's Eve performance. The show is a mess at this point. ONE song alone hasn't made a hit since Hello, Dolly. Panaro was channeling Marcia Cross from desperate housewives. NO consistent style, ugly production, weak and unnecessary ensemble, amateurish staging, long and relentless first act, WEAK WEAK actors and posturing. GREAT lip gloss. Even the kid had a one line joke song which, even though the highlight, spoke reams about why this show simkply doesn't hack it as a musical. Needs a STAR presence and then a whole new supporting cast. It was hard to tell all the lovers apart. Meet, bite, decade. BORING. Sad and DEFINITELY overpriced. What were they thinking?
Posted by R Bayne | January 2, 2006 10:21 AM
My husband and I went to the NYE performance and it was awful, absolute torture. We actually left during the intermission. Everyone seated around us was saying the same thing - that this was completely horrible. The singing, the acting, the sets, the costumes, the lyrics, the music, awful, unbearable. The actor who is playing Lestat is terrible. UGH, I cannot find one redeeming thing to say about this musical. What a waste of money.
Posted by Diane | January 3, 2006 11:42 AM
I disagree with those who seemed to be less than entertained at Lestat. Went Dec. 23rd and thoroughly enjoyed concept, lyrics, actors and music. Several songs are memorable and beautifully realized. While I admit that there is not one huge show-stopper of a number that might launch this work to stardom on Broadway, I imagine that Anne Rice fans will not be disappointed. Cast was terrific. Loved how difficult storyline was presented in a way that those unfamiliar with novels could follow and extract universal themes.
Posted by Katherine | January 4, 2006 9:37 AM
Saw the production on Jan 4. I have to agree with most of your comments. I was exspecting to see the 2nd book on stage, not a piecemeal sampling of the first 3 books. Too much source material in too little time. I felt that there was little passion on the stage. ( and I am a fan of Hugh Panero). The musical should have reeked of sensuality. Compared to some of the current Broadway musicals running this year in new york, I don't that Lestat will see much action at the tonys.
Posted by robert | January 8, 2006 11:20 AM
The word on Lestat is that despite bad reviews in San Francisco the show’s scenery, projections and lighting are said to be a feast for the eyes and, the staging when existent a driving force. The cast is excellent and the creative staff is plugging away at cuts and fixes. It’s been mentioned that the show is getting some necessary rewrites to pare back extraneous exposition conveyed within the dialogue and lyrics.
It is also heavily rumored that another problem with the production is the costumes. Un-proportionate, unflattering, and nonfunctional were a few of the adjectives used to describe them. Evidently the costume designer, Susan Hilferty (of Wicked fame) has created costumes for the ensemble much like Maria Von Trapp did for the children in the Sound Of Music. For a predominantly period musical, little attention has been paid to any tailoring or fit and the cast is said to have problems performing even the simplest of blocking. Ms. Hilferty, it is rumored, has a well-known “attitude” towards not accommodating body types and\or facilitating physicality with her costuming. She’s known for sandbagging serious choreographers and their choreography in the past.
Posted by jason ashken | January 15, 2006 1:10 PM
My wife and I just saw the first half of Lestat --and decided to leave at intermission so as not to disrupt the "musical" with our laughter. In 20 years of viewing movies and theater, this is only the second time I've ever walked out of a production midway through it.
Unfortunately, we did not check reviews prior to buying tickets. Given the material (Anne Rice) and the musician (Elton John), we presumed it would be at least enjoyable or interesting....neither of which can be said to be true. The "musical" failed in every possible way. The dialog was slow, poorly written and stilted, the excruciating equivalent of being forced to listen to a dramatic reading of Hallmark cards. When we gave up on the dialog (in the first 5 minutes), we shifted our attention to the music, both hoping for a strong musical score consistent with Elton John's work in Lion King, where the songs matched the context and feel of the story. What we least expected and were shocked to hear (resulting in the only dramatic moment we experienced throughout) was virtually a repeat of the Lion King's music, filled with a strange jumble of lyrics, and, while appropriate for an audience of children, hardly appropriate to be sung by the undead!
The stage "production" consisted of a heavy reliance on projected images and rudimentary lighting techniques, which one would only find entertaining if on hallucinogens, and even then, would likely find them more laughable than scary. Perhaps this was indicative of a low budget, which would also explain why some of the costumes appeared to be made from Motel 6 bedspreads and window dressings.
To their credit, the actors tried to make something of this, yet they too appeared bored with the script and the songs, and clearly knew the material was very weak. Even with their talent, only a miracle can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.
In sum, I am appalled that the production company is charging the amount of the money they are for the tickets. This is irresponsible and bordering on fraud. If anything, this is an effort by Warner Brothers production to get people to stay away from the live theater and back into movie theaters.
This will never make it to Broadway, nor should it. Save your money - and don't give life to what should be dead. Though Lestat may bemoan his interminable existence, we can put his musical out of its misery.
Posted by LCGIII | January 15, 2006 8:25 PM
I saw Lestat in San Francisco and left the theater wondering if it was at all fixable in time for its’ Broadway opening. Where the cast and their voices are excellent, no one has the eroticism that pervades Anne Rice’s characters in her books.
The writing, by Linda Woolverton, gets bogged down with attempts to keep the vampire history linear, logical and understandable to anyone in the audience who doesn’t know the difference between Ms. Rice’s vampires and Bram Stoker’s. The dialogue often has to report on or define the meaning of a previous effect or action so nothing is left for the audience to misinterpret.
Sir Elton John’s music is mostly unmemorable with a few exceptions, but its Bernie Taupin’s lyrics and the orchestrations that make the songs even minimally interesting.
The costume designer, Susan Hilferty, doesn’t seem to have any color palette or stylistic theme that fits with Derek McLane’s surrealistic yet period design of the rest of the production.
It looks as if Ms. Hilferty chose only one fabric per scene to clothe everyone in. In one scene when Lestat first meets the Paris vampires, they are costumed as though they are a long lost team of Cirque de Soliel acrobats. As actors in a derelict Paris theater, the ensemble is clothed entirely in poorly fitting gold lame. As if they had that much gold lame in Paris during the late 18th century!
In another scene, the actors look as if they are wearing curtain fabric and it’s been left entirely to the inventive yet economic staging of Matt West to provide the actors with any character or appeal as New Orleans denizens.
One wonders how such famous and high powered creative forces gathered under the roof of Warner Brothers Theatrical Productions could falter so erringly.
Posted by Terri Fiorne | January 18, 2006 5:55 PM