With 'Yeoman' you have to choose how it's going to be played- as a comic opera with melodramatic, overblown 'tragic' bits, or a work of drama with real tragic bits and some witty, poignant dialogue in between. Both ways work if its done well and this one does the funny, entertaining bits well. I particularly like the 'what the....!?!' look on Fairfax's face as Elsie collapsed into his arms- the full-on operatic musical finale at that point made it even funnier.
FANTASTIC!! Call me dumb if you like; but this is smart, funny, engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking. And I think Phoebe is nothing less than revelatory.
Lovely voices, but why the low comedy "pratfall" kind of humor for Phoebe? How do you develop sympathy(thigh) for characters who mug and try for laughs that shouldn't be there. You should feel a little bad for Phoebe and her father getting saddled with such "grotesques" in the end.
Are you certain "laughs shouldn't be there?" Remember G&S has never been serious opera. The particular turn-about with this work is that the character you're supposed to feel for at the end is the Jester. Phoebe and her father aren't saddled all that much in the end: Phoebe's (Meryll's) heart...oh no, Pheobe's (Meryll's) hand...It's the same thing...(knowing smiles to audience) ...Is it?"
I'm sorry that you mis-understand me. I never said that "Yeomen" is not humorous, it is after all a comic opera. What I'm saying is that it is the difference in comedy between "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "There's something about Mary." If you beat your audience over the head with gags and mugging, you are assuming that they are too stupid to get GILBERT'S jokes, set-ups and punchlines. I like to think that my audience is smarter than that.
Point taken. But some of us are fairly bright and enjoy seeing something over-the-top once in a while. And we like to bring new and different people into the audience who normally wouldn't consider attending something opera-related. There are several serious musical groups (e.g. Longleaf Opera) in the area, so sophisticates do have options.
Again, there is nothing wrong with a show being a little over the top (Urinetown is an excellent example: hugely funny yet thought provoking), but you are suggesting that you *have* to "dumb down" a show with bum-wiggling and prat falls to bring in new audience. Again, that looks like the director doesn't trust the material and thinks new audiences are too stupid to appreciate "run of the mill" productions. Besides, G&S is only done by big opera cos. to make money, it's people's entertainment.
This was in reference to the previous poster's mention of "serious" opera companies. MOT, Chicago Lyric, New York City Opera, Houston Grand (level A,B, or C companies), have all trotted out Pirates or Mikado (sometimes Pinafore) as a *guaranteed* profit maker for a season. A year and a half ago NYC opera brought in Glimmerglass's smash production of Pirates and made a tidy profit. And it was hardly "sophisticated." It's sad that shows have to be dummed down to supposedly get audiences.
Sad you can't see the production in whole -- you are so engrossed in the wonderful music & voices and exceptionally fun elements that you never notice the glasses.
LOVE the Phoebe, and thought the way they handled the obvious age difference between her and Fairfax worked really well. Guys--glasses on stage...come on! The little I saw of Sgt Meryll in these clips made me want to see more of him....great face and expressions.
Dude, yeah, it's so terrible of me to say "LOVE the Phoebe" and also how much I liked Meryll. I guess some people are not satisfied unless every comment is a big compliment. That's not a very balanced view, is it?
With 'Yeoman' you have to choose how it's going to be played- as a comic opera with melodramatic, overblown 'tragic' bits, or a work of drama with real tragic bits and some witty, poignant dialogue in between. Both ways work if its done well and this one does the funny, entertaining bits well. I particularly like the 'what the....!?!' look on Fairfax's face as Elsie collapsed into his arms- the full-on operatic musical finale at that point made it even funnier.
jozg44 1 year ago
FANTASTIC!! Call me dumb if you like; but this is smart, funny, engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking. And I think Phoebe is nothing less than revelatory.
ricfedr 3 years ago
Lovely voices, but why the low comedy "pratfall" kind of humor for Phoebe? How do you develop sympathy(thigh) for characters who mug and try for laughs that shouldn't be there. You should feel a little bad for Phoebe and her father getting saddled with such "grotesques" in the end.
mgillett 3 years ago
Are you certain "laughs shouldn't be there?" Remember G&S has never been serious opera. The particular turn-about with this work is that the character you're supposed to feel for at the end is the Jester. Phoebe and her father aren't saddled all that much in the end: Phoebe's (Meryll's) heart...oh no, Pheobe's (Meryll's) hand...It's the same thing...(knowing smiles to audience) ...Is it?"
RadiomomVT 3 years ago
I'm sorry that you mis-understand me. I never said that "Yeomen" is not humorous, it is after all a comic opera. What I'm saying is that it is the difference in comedy between "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "There's something about Mary." If you beat your audience over the head with gags and mugging, you are assuming that they are too stupid to get GILBERT'S jokes, set-ups and punchlines. I like to think that my audience is smarter than that.
mgillett 3 years ago
Point taken. But some of us are fairly bright and enjoy seeing something over-the-top once in a while. And we like to bring new and different people into the audience who normally wouldn't consider attending something opera-related. There are several serious musical groups (e.g. Longleaf Opera) in the area, so sophisticates do have options.
RadiomomVT 3 years ago
Again, there is nothing wrong with a show being a little over the top (Urinetown is an excellent example: hugely funny yet thought provoking), but you are suggesting that you *have* to "dumb down" a show with bum-wiggling and prat falls to bring in new audience. Again, that looks like the director doesn't trust the material and thinks new audiences are too stupid to appreciate "run of the mill" productions. Besides, G&S is only done by big opera cos. to make money, it's people's entertainment.
mgillett 3 years ago
Big opera companies?!? Make money?!?
ROFLMAO!
clubjuggler 3 years ago
This was in reference to the previous poster's mention of "serious" opera companies. MOT, Chicago Lyric, New York City Opera, Houston Grand (level A,B, or C companies), have all trotted out Pirates or Mikado (sometimes Pinafore) as a *guaranteed* profit maker for a season. A year and a half ago NYC opera brought in Glimmerglass's smash production of Pirates and made a tidy profit. And it was hardly "sophisticated." It's sad that shows have to be dummed down to supposedly get audiences.
mgillett 3 years ago
Had a feeling......
RossiniSoprano 3 years ago
My grandpa was Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir Richard Cholmondeley, or as I say, Sir Richard Palmer!!
numabeav 3 years ago
Sad you can't see the production in whole -- you are so engrossed in the wonderful music & voices and exceptionally fun elements that you never notice the glasses.
RadiomomVT 3 years ago
Check out our (Durham Saviyards) HMS Pinafore done as Cirque clowns- He played the captain.
darrylfreedman 3 years ago
LOVE the Phoebe, and thought the way they handled the obvious age difference between her and Fairfax worked really well. Guys--glasses on stage...come on! The little I saw of Sgt Meryll in these clips made me want to see more of him....great face and expressions.
RossiniSoprano 3 years ago
dude, stop the criticizing.
numabeav 3 years ago
Dude, yeah, it's so terrible of me to say "LOVE the Phoebe" and also how much I liked Meryll. I guess some people are not satisfied unless every comment is a big compliment. That's not a very balanced view, is it?
RossiniSoprano 3 years ago
oy, you're arguing with a 12 year old!!!
numabeav 3 years ago
Had a feeling...
RossiniSoprano 3 years ago
shut up!!
quit insulting me...
I went to the whole show and thought it was great!!
numabeav 3 years ago