A flop. A stinker. Big money-losing, inadvertent-laughter-provoking, critically-bashed and/or audience-disdained fiascos. Turkeys. What is it about them that grabs us? Like the rubberneckers slowing down for a car wreck we buy up all the papers to read with glee the scathingly venomous diatribes and study box office figures, calculating nuts and percentages. And when we hear about these major disasters, we rush to get a glimpse before they're taken from us prematurely -- gotta be able to say, "I was in the audience for closing night of Legs Diamond!" So it was only a matter of time before sites began to crop up on the web dedicated to the (formerly?) abhorred.
Two shows opened this past season which, despite their inability to find an audience and stay open, managed to develop followings cultish enough to continue clamouring to "save the turkeys." Last week we discussed Derek Walcott and Paul Simon's The Capeman. This week we continue with last season's most "connected" turkey.
Any mention of flops will bring to mind the mega-turkey, Carrie, a total financial and critical failure, but which has in the intervening years develop such a large cult that a revival or recording always seems imminent. Henry Krieger and Bill Russell's Side Show was only slightly more successful, but something the fans of Side Show can boast of that the Carrie fans never can is of critical success of their show. Championed by the New York Times critics in a way not seen since their fawning over Jonathan Larson's Rent, in its two-and-a-half month run Side Show nevertheless failed to find an audience interested in the show about the Hilton sisters, Siamese twins (joined at what seemed the buttocks), and their failed love in the vaudeville days. Except for the audience it found in the likes of the creators of these sites.
Railing against "the premature closing of an amazing Broadway musical," the author of a page entitled "Come look at the freaks" posts letters and amateur reviews ("The cast is great," "Hugh is equally great..." "He was great in the opening number...") from a number of fans. At the same GeoCities site is a review entitled "Side Show: Connecting with the Audience," part of the Musically Yours review site.
B. Pagalilauan calls upon readers to fax producers and buy tickets (too late now) at a "Save Side Show!" page, part of a larger area devoted to the original cast album (which in turn is part of a larger site devoted to a number of musicals.
But what if you really want to do something? Try "SIDE SHOW - A Cyber Focus Group and More," a site, quoting from its opening page, "intended as a cyber "Focus Group" to collect ideas on how better to market the show for its possible re-opening on Broadway." Here not only can you read some sample reviews, view some production shots, listen to some audio clips, and see some photos of actual Side Show fans, you can take part in an online survey making suggestions on how to better market the show, as well as offer to volunteer in the great effort.
Seems to me that if enough of these fans pooled their funds, they could finance a new production of the show (but then who'd be left to come see it?).
NB: Although this article talks exclusively about sites devoted to "saving" Side Show, not merely sites about the show, for a good set of Side Show links, try "Side Show - An Unofficial Site" or "The Side Show Site."
This article began two weeks ago with GobbleGobble.
Last week continued with: Save
the Turkeys! - Part 1.
It concludes next week with: Turkey Stew.
Which brings us to our continuing contest (ENDED):
TURKEY-LURKEY
Your humble author is no stranger to turkeys, having been involved
with a number himself. Obviously, I believe that the number of
bomb a person is involved with is not necessarily a reflection
on the person's talent or abilities. So, with that in mind, this
contest calls upon you to test your brain and research skills
to come up with the person involved with the largest number of
flops. Provide the person's name, as well as the complete list
of shows and the person's involvement. By the way, the current
number to beat is 17.
Email your answers to me. In the case of a tie, the earlier submission will win -- unless different people come up with different flop-meisters with the same number of flops. In that case multiple entries may be awarded. As always, although anyone may submit an answer, only Suite101.com members are eligible for the prize, which is Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops by Ken Mandelbaum. The contest will run for five weeks in total, ending on September 21. Go to it!
C U @ the Theatre!
Originally published at Suite101.com Theatre, 9/8/98
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