Well, it was bound to happen...
Recordings of Darren pod person Criss headlining How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying have surfaced.
O_o
And just because of the inevitable comparisions....and to be fair. These are recordings of Dan a day or so after opening when he was nervous and shaky as all hell. And then later on at the Tonys.
*I'm not bolding...so either read it or don't. IDGAF*
Oh brother....here's my review of Friday nights show - I thought I'd have more fun ripping this apart....but it was bad in a sad way. I actually felt bad for Darren.The stans will think he's perfect in this show and I came in attempting to be impartial and just critique him alone but ....wow, is all I can say. Everything that made this show zing with loads of toe tapping fun is gone.
After seeing this show and reading up a bit on Darren:
Isn't Darren supposed to have all this theatre training and years of musical theatre experience? I don't watch Glee so I don't know about him through that show. And before people jump on the "he only had two weeks to rehearse" bandwagon... Criss has known about this for months. I honestly expected him (and Nick) to be a far better singer than Radcakes given his resume. Dan isn't trained or experienced. He doesn't have a great voice ....very thin by Broadway standards. But DAMN SON... how does the untrained child star out sing the so-called Gleek theatre veteran?
So, I caved and saw Darren's version last night (thank God for rush tickets - would have raged if I paid full price for this). I really did expect more from him. He wasn't super terrible but it was just soooo bland. Beau didn't know his lines (Darren flubs some of his too) and can't sing at all. He's down right terrible here. There's no chemistry between them (which is what made Dan/John's show so great). Darren is drowned out by the cast and frankly his Finch is just a kiddie scoop of vanilla on a very beige cone.
The cast outshined him and he came across as a second rate actor instead of the star. Considering he was really funny in AVPM, the comedy here was very forced and not that funny. He was off pitch a few times, but even Dan was flat a few times....but Dan saved it by brilliant comedy. Darren didn't seem to lead this show at all. This is what I would call stunt casting. And this is from someone who thought Dan couldn't do this show in the beginning (I thought he was going to bomb in Equus too...so happy to be pleasantly surprised both times). Dan's Finch was controlling everything that happened and Darren's Finch was more reactive like he got lucky. For example, when Dan would mug for the audience it was hilarious. You knew he was a manipulative little shit, but you loved him. Darren was just .... blah. Almost trying too hard really. You didn't believe him as Finch, I'm sorry to say. Frankly, the supporting cast didn't seem as into it with Dan and John gone. I've seen the show several times (opening and closing night and few inbetween)...and the energy wasn't there. Darren seems like a nice fellow and the cast have said nothing but nice things about him....but the chemistry and energy in the show has disappeared. Dan, even with his limited skills, knows how to carry a show. Darren does not.
Songs like "I Believe in You" which I think Dan struggled the most, were still better by comparison. "Grand Old Ivy" was actually painful to watch because Beau and Darren are not a good match. If you thought Dan and Rose were awkward.... then I don't kow what to call Rose and Darren. She drowned him out as well in "Rosemary". Darren is a decent dancer but "Brotherhood" is supposed to be the showstopper and it didn't pop. Overall, I was not wow'd by his performance at all. Even my bf (who knows I'm a Dan-tard but he's not a fan himself) thought Darren was a poor casting choice after Radders. I don't know where some of these high praise reviews are coming from. Are they really watching the same show? Yeah, Ashford is a hack, it's over the top choreography and staging....sadly it's more glaringly obvious now with a two subpar stars headlining it. They didn't carry the show at all and had little charisma. It was clear why Darren was cast....the crazy as fuck fans.
Dear Fucking GOD.....The Glee/Starkid fan girls are hideous. I have to say, as annoying as HP fans can be....GOD DAMN...those chicks are bloody mad hatter crazy. Yelling "I love you" through the whole ruddy show and just loud, obnoxious, giggling about every little thing Darren did, talking,...argh. No theatre etiquette at all. It actually made the show even worse than it had to be. If they think Darren is fabulous and the best thing on Broadway...that's an insult to all Broadway performers right now.
I know the Glee/Darren stans will rip me for being a DanRad stan and all....but I'm being honest and trying to be nice. I've talked to others that weren't so gentle in their critique of him. This show was great because of Dan and John. Maybe if Darren had more time to develop but even just by judging him as I judged Dan when the show opened.... Dan was a barrel of fun and fit the role perfectly even with a lackluster singing voice and surprisingly awesome dancing!.... and Darren just didn't fit the role at all. To be nice, since I did like AVPM, maybe this just wasn't the right show for Darren.
If Darren was supposed to be a better choice over Nick Jonas, then I'm scared for the JoBro. If I had seen this even without seeing Dan in it at all, I still would have been underwhelmed and a little ticked that I paid good money for a stock theatre performance from a leading man.
Dan and John owned this show and I'm kinda irked that Darren is getting more attention for it.
Okay stans....come at me. I've got Dan's super bollocks to box with today or at least cushion the blows I'm about to receive.
Alright, going back under my rock to drink and enjoy NYC....AND watch SNL in all it's fucking glory! WOO HOO TICKETS!!!!!!! Xmas came a year early!
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Recordings of Darren
O_o
And just because of the inevitable comparisions....and to be fair. These are recordings of Dan a day or so after opening when he was nervous and shaky as all hell. And then later on at the Tonys.
*I'm not bolding...so either read it or don't. IDGAF*
Oh brother....here's my review of Friday nights show - I thought I'd have more fun ripping this apart....but it was bad in a sad way. I actually felt bad for Darren.The stans will think he's perfect in this show and I came in attempting to be impartial and just critique him alone but ....wow, is all I can say. Everything that made this show zing with loads of toe tapping fun is gone.
After seeing this show and reading up a bit on Darren:
Isn't Darren supposed to have all this theatre training and years of musical theatre experience? I don't watch Glee so I don't know about him through that show. And before people jump on the "he only had two weeks to rehearse" bandwagon... Criss has known about this for months. I honestly expected him (and Nick) to be a far better singer than Radcakes given his resume. Dan isn't trained or experienced. He doesn't have a great voice ....very thin by Broadway standards. But DAMN SON... how does the untrained child star out sing the so-called Gleek theatre veteran?
So, I caved and saw Darren's version last night (thank God for rush tickets - would have raged if I paid full price for this). I really did expect more from him. He wasn't super terrible but it was just soooo bland. Beau didn't know his lines (Darren flubs some of his too) and can't sing at all. He's down right terrible here. There's no chemistry between them (which is what made Dan/John's show so great). Darren is drowned out by the cast and frankly his Finch is just a kiddie scoop of vanilla on a very beige cone.
The cast outshined him and he came across as a second rate actor instead of the star. Considering he was really funny in AVPM, the comedy here was very forced and not that funny. He was off pitch a few times, but even Dan was flat a few times....but Dan saved it by brilliant comedy. Darren didn't seem to lead this show at all. This is what I would call stunt casting. And this is from someone who thought Dan couldn't do this show in the beginning (I thought he was going to bomb in Equus too...so happy to be pleasantly surprised both times). Dan's Finch was controlling everything that happened and Darren's Finch was more reactive like he got lucky. For example, when Dan would mug for the audience it was hilarious. You knew he was a manipulative little shit, but you loved him. Darren was just .... blah. Almost trying too hard really. You didn't believe him as Finch, I'm sorry to say. Frankly, the supporting cast didn't seem as into it with Dan and John gone. I've seen the show several times (opening and closing night and few inbetween)...and the energy wasn't there. Darren seems like a nice fellow and the cast have said nothing but nice things about him....but the chemistry and energy in the show has disappeared. Dan, even with his limited skills, knows how to carry a show. Darren does not.
Songs like "I Believe in You" which I think Dan struggled the most, were still better by comparison. "Grand Old Ivy" was actually painful to watch because Beau and Darren are not a good match. If you thought Dan and Rose were awkward.... then I don't kow what to call Rose and Darren. She drowned him out as well in "Rosemary". Darren is a decent dancer but "Brotherhood" is supposed to be the showstopper and it didn't pop. Overall, I was not wow'd by his performance at all. Even my bf (who knows I'm a Dan-tard but he's not a fan himself) thought Darren was a poor casting choice after Radders. I don't know where some of these high praise reviews are coming from. Are they really watching the same show? Yeah, Ashford is a hack, it's over the top choreography and staging....sadly it's more glaringly obvious now with a two subpar stars headlining it. They didn't carry the show at all and had little charisma. It was clear why Darren was cast....the crazy as fuck fans.
Dear Fucking GOD.....The Glee/Starkid fan girls are hideous. I have to say, as annoying as HP fans can be....GOD DAMN...those chicks are bloody mad hatter crazy. Yelling "I love you" through the whole ruddy show and just loud, obnoxious, giggling about every little thing Darren did, talking,...argh. No theatre etiquette at all. It actually made the show even worse than it had to be. If they think Darren is fabulous and the best thing on Broadway...that's an insult to all Broadway performers right now.
I know the Glee/Darren stans will rip me for being a DanRad stan and all....but I'm being honest and trying to be nice. I've talked to others that weren't so gentle in their critique of him. This show was great because of Dan and John. Maybe if Darren had more time to develop but even just by judging him as I judged Dan when the show opened.... Dan was a barrel of fun and fit the role perfectly even with a lackluster singing voice and surprisingly awesome dancing!.... and Darren just didn't fit the role at all. To be nice, since I did like AVPM, maybe this just wasn't the right show for Darren.
If Darren was supposed to be a better choice over Nick Jonas, then I'm scared for the JoBro. If I had seen this even without seeing Dan in it at all, I still would have been underwhelmed and a little ticked that I paid good money for a stock theatre performance from a leading man.
Dan and John owned this show and I'm kinda irked that Darren is getting more attention for it.
Okay stans....come at me. I've got Dan's super bollocks to box with today or at least cushion the blows I'm about to receive.
Alright, going back under my rock to drink and enjoy NYC....AND watch SNL in all it's fucking glory! WOO HOO TICKETS!!!!!!! Xmas came a year early!
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