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Very much enjoyed the entire performance. Voices were excellent and the acting was strong, especially George's and Rose's. All, including Alex, had primetime-quality voices. Enjoyed the creativity of the staging. Had a great time. Will be back again in the future.
The play is shorter than its original form. The main characters did a great job from singing to performing. The minor role Jenny can be improved.
"Aspects of Love" is one of those curiosities from Andrew Lloyd Webber that people either loved or loathed. I loved it when I saw it on Broadway in 1990 and ended up seeing it seven times! Twenty years later the show was presented at the Walnut Street Theater in a very satisfying production that I would highly recommend. Was it as good as the Broadway production? Of course not. Was it better than the Robin Phillips-directed debacle that toured in 93? Hell, yes! The choice to make George a bit younger and spry was a good one and Paul Shoeffler was one of the most appealing aspects of the shoe. Rose, the leading lady who drove every man insane, was played by Jennifer Hope Wills and was truly enchanting. Alex was played by Charles Hagerty and while his singing voice was astounding, I found this version of the character a bit offputting, even sinister (especially in the second act). I am one of those people who knows the show so well that I can tell when a line of dialogue has been changed or ommitted altogether, as happened fairly often in this production which is not a detriment, by and large. Turning "Love Changes Everthing" into an ensemble piece at the opening was a good idea (rather than have Alex sing it as a solo) as it bonded the characters very early on. The second act wasn't nearly as strong as the first and I found the deletion of the harvest scene disappointing. The circus scene simply didn't work for me. The audience had no idea that the characters were going to the circus for Jenny's birthday and the circus performers were costumed like the touring company of the Rocky Horror Show. Still having nightmares about the half man/half woman "clown" with a small lamp extending from his Mad Hatter top had and shining right in his/her face...um, what? Did NOT like the adjustments to the score for "Hand Me the Wine & the Dice." The tune lost a lot of its power. I should also add that the young actresses play Jenny at different ages were a bit, um, wanting. Very awkward. When Jenny aged two years in the orchestral interlude, it would've made more sense to have the actresses wearing the same dress. I know for a fact the audience was confused by this scene. All in all it was a great theatrical experience and I commend Walnut Street Theater for presenting this lost gem!
I have wanted to see Aspects of Love ever since I discovered Michael Ball. Now that I have had this chance, I am glad I went but would not need to see it again. It isn't one of Llyod Webber's more popular shows and I now I know why. The show is completely sung, like Les Miserable, but it isn't as gripping. The Walnut cast did a wonderful job with the score, their blocking and their character development but there was just something missing. Overall I would say if you are interested in the story itself, well worth seeing. If you are not a Webber fan, take a pass.
"Not great" script gets flubbed in production. Having seen the piece professionally at 4 other venues-- including fabulous low-budget Canadian tour-- the choices made for this production tended to confuse the audience and (unintentionally) amuse me. There was an artificial urgency to the pacing which tended to make tempi overly aggressive. When combined with the sub-par amplification system there were many lyrics that got lost on newcomers to the piece. Slightly altered opening/closing did not improve the script's challenges and the minor (albeit consistent) trims to the plot didn't help either. Male voices were surprisingly strong across the board, but the female casting was not up to the demands of the score-- Giulietta may have been Italian, but neither the actor's appearance, accent (or lack thereof), or general direction hinted at that fact. In fact, unless the character was English, all other accents were ignored or sporadic at best. Projections wash out from side seats. Illuminated carnival actor detracted from most serious quartet. Generally direction fudged locales (where was the lake?)-- perhaps a budgetary issue. Audience left confused and frustrated. I giggled through portions, knowing what Aspects of Love CAN be when delivered via strong casting and direction. Avoid side aisle seats-- projections wash out.
loved the set but did not love the music :( disappointed :(
Outstanding performers; outstanding performance; outstanding production.
Sorry to say we left at intermission, story line and music did not play well together.
This is not one of ALW's premier shows. Not even close. The music is forgettable; the characters aren't believable; the story makes little sense; and so on. However, this production is marvelous and makes the most and brings out the best in the show. One never loses interest in the activities on stage and the actors are quite suitable for their roles. Their voices are for the most part divine and the one or two exceptions are in secondary roles. The music, while not hummable, is at least pleasant, and falls easily on the ear. There is no choreography to speak of--so there are no challenging space considerations. All in all, a pleasant evening, and one show you're sure never to tire of... it's so rarely produced!
One of the few Lloyd Webber works I had not seen before although I did buy the CD some years back. It is a lovely score through written which is burdened somewhat by a weak book which probably accounts for its not being a bigger hit than it deserves to be. Well staged and acted. The young man character Alix is weakly drawn and it seems to me holds back the show. Still, I strongly recommend it to all musical theatre fans and opera buffs alike.
The sets and staging added to a very entertaining performance.
The production was very good. Was the sound the best? most likely not, but good enough. The Walmart Street Theatre is an amazing place!
Aspects of Love is as dull and pointless as Love Never Dies (aka Paint Never Dries). The performances were very good, but there is only one song that is worth listening to. The plot is over the top and dull at the same time. Set, lights and sound were very good. The problem is that the book is god awful. I do wish that The Walnut would offer one or two serious or significant shows a season. This one ain't it.
Definitely not up to Andrew Lloyd Weber's level of musicals. The show is OK but not very memorable. All of the main actors were very good, with good singing voices. The sets were done very well.
First I want to say that the Walnut Street Theater was beautiful! Even though we sat in the very last row in the upper mezzanine area, we had a great view. Secondly, the sound quality was phenomenal. The orchestra was fabulous and the singers were great. On the negative side, the story was a bit repetitive and a few of the songs were boring, but all in all the play was good and I am glad that I saw it. I would recommend that anyone going to the Walnut Street Theater bring a pillow for their back. The seats were not comfortable.
An incredible performance at a historic venue, Aspects of Love at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
