RE: London Rocks! (2014 to Present)
I'm just... I have no words for this show. Of course these thoughts are based on the recording, rather than seeing it live, so I'll try to keep that in mind.
But wow, where do I begin.
Let's start with what I like. It isn't much, but it's important to start with something positive. The art direction, the animations were rather neat. Very reminiscent of The Yellow Submarine. I do like that fact, no matter how much I can't stand the movie The Yellow Submarine. It's very nicely done from what I can tell.
But that's about where the positives end. Piggybacking off of the art style, let's talk about the Queen.
First and foremost, just because she's not our queen, and just because we're allowed to make fun of our President and Congressmen and women, does not make it alright to make fun of another country's queen. I found it highly disrespectful, and grossly unnecessary.
Moving right along, the story isn't very clear. We're supposed to be following these two people through their life?? Who are these people, and why should I care? That's basic storytelling. I have no idea who these people are, other than they are, what I assume, English kids, who fall in love. Okay that's great, but I have no idea who they are. What do they do, what do they hope to achieve, what is their goal by the end of the story? None of that was explained.
Okay so going with the idea that we're supposed to be following these two kids who fall in love, as they seem to be our main characters. Then why do we switch over to their kids? Which by the way are just... W H Y. Why are we with these kids, who are puppets of all things, and then why do we go under water? What is happening? I don't understand. We were just in a car, with puppet children, now we're underwater with puppet children and a walrus. I really don't understand. And this is about the point where having only seen the video sort of makes my judgement, but I couldn't even understand what they were singing. I'm hoping it's just because it's the audio from a recording of a live thing.
And then we move on from underwater to these grown up versions of the kids??? is that who they are? I don't know, they don't have names, I still don't know anything about these people and why I should care. But, apparently they're having marital problems, and the kids are fighting. And wow a whole three lines from Under Pressure. I really wish this story would tell me what's happening, rather than just singing. Because I seriously don't know what's happening.
And it just gets worse! Why do we go up into space?! What is the point? Is that supposed to be the queen in thigh high heels boots. (I will say she can certainly jump in those heels. I know I'd break an ankle. Great job there.) But, just, what's happening. I don't understand. Where did the couple we were supposed to follow go? Where did those kids go? Why are we in space?
I thought maybe, watching it now while I'm half sleep deprived would at least make the show funny. But there was nothing there. There is no speaking, it's all singing. Nobody says a word. I just, want to know why we're following these people around, and why I should care. I mean Dig It Up doesn't have any speaking what's so ever, but it still makes sense, and it's enjoyable. But this, which they are promoting to the high heavens, doesn't even let me know what's happening. I would like some sort of reason why I should care about these people. I mean, if the point was "All you need is love" then they need to make that exceedingly clear. And it wasn't, outside that they sang a few lines a couple of times. I just can not with this show.
I will go see it in person one day, eventually, just to get the experience of seeing it in person. So my view won't strictly be of the recorded version. But, between what I saw here tonight, and that whole ticket nonsense. (Which by the way, this was N O T H I N G like a concert, so why is a "concert ticket" needed to begin with??) I'm not too sure if I really want to put in the effort to see the show.
