Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety: The world premiere of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" musical has bowled over critics in Germany.
Stallone, who was present for the premiere at the Operettenhaus in Hamburg on Sunday, teamed up with boxing brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and Hamburg-based Stage Entertainment to produce the show.
"Big emotions, big theater," read Monday's front-page headline in Hamburg daily Hamburger Abendblatt.
5 comments:
It seems that a recent trend is adapting movies for the stage and while I am a little disappointed that we are not always hearing about original forms of inspiration for theatre, I am glad that this show is still moving and has a message, as I believe theatre should. The idea that Rocky, and American icon is now able make a debut in a new country not only speaks volumes of the universality of the message of the character but also about the universality of the way in which the message is being delivered - through theatre. I'd like to know if the three shows listed are the only traveling shows there now, because if so, the amount of money they bring in every year also says alot of the Germans' appreciation for the Broadway musical.
It is a bit weird to me that this show was made into a musical, even though it seems the theatre world seems to be taking on weirder and weirder projects. I still think Silence of the Lambs the musical wins in this case. At the same time Broadway seems to be pumping out successful musicals based on popular movies all the time; The Lion King, Marry Popins, The Little Mermaid, and too many more. I would also like to see more original pieces put on these big stages and around the world.
I have this feeling that the German population is really going to love this musical and the american people will not. I think we all know that Germans love David Hasselhoff because he is a strong slightly stupid character that succeeds despite his short comings. I have seen the movie Rocky several times and that to me describes the lead character. He is a strong, bull headed, not the brightest bulb type character. My experience with the German culture is that they enjoy strict, clean and somewhat violent lifestyle. That is why boxing is such a popular sport in Germany. I will be interested to see the transition of this musical into the American culture -- My prediction -- Huge Flop.
Well this sounds...interesting. I feel like the article left a lot out. I'm interested in the technical aspects and choreography of the play. I'm not really surprised at the subject. Ever since I saw a video of Gene Kelly showing the similarities between dance and movements in sports, I can imagine a musical about sports. I think the punching-meat scenes will be very interesting artistically, but I am curious as to how they are depicting the well-known shot of Rocky running up the steps. I am curious as to how this will do on Broadway. I feel that there is a lot of potential for a sports musical. It's something new to the stage.
I can't see the angle here for the producers. Production costs in Germany can't be much less than in New York, so why Germany? If money inhabits the first chamber of a producer's heart, press must inhabit the second. I would not be surprised if the producers had not done a study of what European (and by that I mean white) audiences were best primed for a Rocky Revival. If it were me I would look at movie downloads by nation as a start. Secondly I would make sure the press in said country was on my side somehow. Perhaps producers are starting to fear the (hopefully) critical backlash that will (hopefully) inevitably erupt in the American press against the seemingly complete lack of originality in our musical theatre. All I know is that if the producers felt comfortable cold calling Broadway with this show, they would have.
Post a Comment