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Francesca is an Italian immigrant housewife living a happy existence on a farm in the American Midwest. However, when her family go off to the State Fair, she meets Robert Kincaid, a National Geographic photographer on assignment filming bridges in the area. Their initial friendship develops into a brief but passionate affair which has devastating consequences on all of their lives.
We walked out. Paid $200 for tickets and it was a waste. I could not hear a word. The volume was loud but the clarity was so poor it was not worth sitting thru. I am done with Gammage.
First Broadway Show in 30 years I did not enjoy. We left at Intermission and took the $200 ticket loss.
Watched the performance of The Bridges of Madison County at ASU Gammage. Disappointing! Perhaps it was the location of our seats (row 13, a few seats from the end of the row on the right) or the Italian accent and strong vibrato in the voice of the lead female singer. I could NOT understand the words in all the songs she sang and most of the time when she spoke! The score, however, was beautiful.
Didn't want to give this even a single star, but at least one star is required. I was really disappointed in this event. Francesca, was supposed to be a post WWII war bride from Napels, Italy; but, the accent sounded polish or ukranian. And, the actress, instead of dropping the accent during her songs, mangled here diction and at points made it impossible to follow the story. The story was poor and unconvincing. It wasn't worth the time to decipher the terrible lyrics mumbled by the lead! The set was minimalist, which can be interesting, but the three hour plus play couldn't fill the scant background. The director attempted to inject comic lines into key spots in the actor interaction -- it failed as the audience wound up laughing at clearly inappropriate points and not teetering when needed. The worst show I've seem come to Gammage. The new sound system was wasted on this DOA musical.
This play was a hot mess. ASU Gammage is spending money renovating bathrooms. The place needs to be torn down and rebuilt with a new sound system. Coming from Minneapolis theatre, I cannot believe people keep going to theatre here at such poor quality. The play itself was a hot mess. The actress playing Francesca, sounded more Russian than Italian. And she would do well in opera as no one understood a word she was singing. The people always sitting on the sides of the stage must have had some deep meaning that I did not understand. I just want to be entertained. And why does every play need to be made into a musical? Chicago is a musical, Mama Mia is a musical, Annie is a musical. Bridges of Madison County and Christmas Story were plays, not musicals. It ruined the whole play. I have to quit wasting my money going to ASU. I keep thinking it can't get any worse, but then you surprise me again.
It was just a rather slow moving show-not an interesting plot. Can't see this playing anywhere else but Iowa. The orchestra music was the highlight! It was wonderful-the lyrics not so much. First Broadway show I have not thoroughly enjoyed.
There was more time than material for this show. Lyrics and songs were mediocre. Silly making out scenes. Shooting for a minimalist set, but it didn't really work. Underwhelmed.
Beautiful story & amazing voices. I loved the staging process. The ensemble actors changed the scene while the play was going on.
The Broadway Touring Company of The Bridges Of Madison County is currently at the Des Moines Civic Center and all of the cast members and crew have worked together to present a show that will gently remind you of the transformative power of love -- in all of it's forms. Let yourself travel back in time to an Iowa of the 1960's when life perhaps was a bit simpler but emotions of the heart beat timelessly. Italian war bride Francesca, living on an Iowa farm near the famous covered bridges of Madison County, loves her husbpand and loves her children but longs for more. When National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid, on assignment to capture the beauty of the covered bridges, randomly knocks on her farmhouse door asking for directions to the Rosman Bridge, the scene is set for each of these characters to explore and discover what love really means. This is a wonderful story as told by an outstanding cast, supported by simple yet effective scenery and a beautiful musical score. See the show and keep your heart open to love.
On 11/29 the 6:30 pm show felt like an amateur event - timing seemed off a number of times and I felt the lead male was lacking passion in his performance. Without that passion this whole story falls apart. I left at intermission as I felt nothing vested in staying.
