Big Fish was just Spectacular!!!
by Anonymous on 5/1/13Oriental Theatre Chicago - ChicagoLoved it!!! made me cry just like the movie!!! ;)!
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PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE!
Two-time Tony Award® winner Norbert Leo Butz stars in BIG FISH, a new musical based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed Columbia Pictures film directed by Tim Burton. BIG FISH features direction and choreography by 5-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, The Scottsboro Boys), music and lyrics by Tony nominee Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family, The Wild Party) and a new book by John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride), who also penned the screenplay for the film version. Overflowing with heart, humor and inventive stagecraft, BIG FISH is a tribute to the power of dreaming big... and the unpredictable adventure of life itself. BIG FISH is the must-see show of the season!
Loved it!!! made me cry just like the movie!!! ;)!
The staging was amazing. A full orchestra on the stage on levels. Wow. Computer graphics were stunnning.
A great play! Overall there were some slow moments but my fiance and I really enjoyed it!
The theatre is of course just one of the most beautiful in Chicago, BUT the real gem of the night was tech. The crew put on a CLINIC; I lost track of the total number after a few dozen cues in the first act alone and it was as elaborate as it was precise throughout the entire production. The entire ensemble was near flawless and August's script and Lippa's lyrics played so well for stage, I feel that I enjoyed the stage play more than I did the film. Excellent, EXCELLENT work.
Lovers of the Tim Burton movie will also love the Musical. Hard to fit in all the quirky stories (the fantasy town was melded into Ashton). Norbert Leo Butz is fantastic. My only serious problem is with the last scene, at the cemetery. Will seemed to simply accept all the characters in his father's stories. As in the movie, he should by amazed, making the scene much more dramatic and emotional.
We came from a tiny town in Montana to the great town of Chicago and bought seats in the nose bleed section to see The Big Fish. We were a little worried about our seat location but didn't need to be because we saw and heard every minute of the awesome play The Big Fish! We were so fortunate to be there at the gorgeous Oriental Theater for the play on April 26th. From the opening scene to the final bow, the actors kept us entranced with their acting and voices. The music was superb, and the actors voices authentic and beautiful The story plot was wonderfully executed wringing emotion from me throughout the whole performance. I would highly advise anyone to see this show!
Big Fish was better that I expected it to be! Worth going to see. It should be a big hit on Broadway. So glad we were able to see it first!
Though it's a fanciful fish tale of a plot, "Big Fish" is a story with likable characters, decent music, inevitable conflict, and a happy ending. Perhaps the best feature of this production is the amazing use of projections to perfect immediate set changes that blend from one to the next. That, and Stroman's impeccable dancing and stage movement, make "Big Fish" worth seeing in Chicago before it moves on to Broadway. One complaint: The music in early scenes can overpower the singers. A bit less volume would enhance one's understanding of the story line. And one warning to the potential audience: Do NOT buy those pricey Dress Circle tickets. The overhanging balcony that obscures the top of the stage is distracting. Better to sit in the balcony, and pay less.
Outstanding. I laughed I cried I sang and danced. So creative
I enjoyed very much. Acting, scenery and staging were amazing. I thought the story line was a bit slow. Cast received a standing ovation at the end of the performance.
Great story. The voices of the cast were superb. I cried my eyes out at the end even though I knew he was going to die. Quite unexpected.
The set, special effects, choreography and play were overall fantastic. LOVED IT!!!!
The staging grabs you from the start. The story moves you and the cast pulls it off.
How good can a musical be if the music is forgettable? Big Fish proves it can be pretty good. The staging, acting, and story are good enough to make you forget that there isn't one song in this show that you might want to hear again. If you saw the movie, you know the story. The show pretty much follows the movie. It has heart and humor. The acting is also good, but with the exception of Norbit Butz, not much is demanded of the actors. Butz, by the way, is excellent. In essence, this is a one man show. There isn't another meaty role in it. Now to the real star, the staging. The set is amazing. The use of projected images is mesmerizing. The special effects are spectacular. The on stage river looks real, though created by projected images. The coordination of sounds (splashing) adds to the reality. The people who designed the production deserve a Tony. So do the stage hands, or whoever is running it. I never thought I could love a musical with mediocre music, and while love is too strong a word here, I certainly liked this one very much.
I took my husband to the play for his birthday. We enjoyed the play very much. It was a excellent depiction of the movie. Laughter and tears filled the theater. We would highly recommend the play for people of all ages. You will not be dissapointed.
Big Fish was just entrancing! Just when I thought I'd kind of figured things out, there was a twist thrown in. It was slightly reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. All of the actors were excellent; I especially enjoyed the Witch - her performance was outstanding! I was sorry I hadn't brought my daughter - she would have loved it. I really hope it comes back to Chicago.
I'm your typical guy, and I was even getting teary eyed at times (though I wouldn't admit it, lol). It was so moving because I could relate to the story in so many ways.
Absolutely loved Big Fish! Was a fan of the Tim Burton movie and was certainly not disappointed with this musical. The fish, the witch, the elephants, the red white & blue in addition to great vocals made this a wonderful afternoon for us!
The first act needs some work, some memorable songs, but it was redeemed on the second act , very good
Big Fish has a good story and some wonderful lighting and scenery sets, but overall, the songs droned on and were quite forgettable. It was not emotion-drawing as the characters were rather only fairly likable. We were in Orch Center less than row 20 and the sound was a bit muffled at times.