Vampires may be all the rage in romance novels but not so much on Broadway.

Here was the theory:- Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles + Elton John’s music + an undead guy named Lestat + a bunch of people singing in vampire costumes = Broadway hit.

Here’s the reality (or, maybe I should say, here’s what the reviewers think): Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles + Elton John’s music + an undead named Lestat + a bunch of people singing in vampire costumes = a vomit-filled mess.

Technically, I haven’t seen the word “vomit” in a review yet…but, it’s implied. Really. If you don’t believe me, try this one from The Book Standard:

They’re not making it any easier to refrain from the inevitable comment that “it sucks.”

One would think that, after the expensive debacles that were Dance of the Vampires and Dracula, the Musical,” lessons would have been learned about the unsuitably of singing bloodsuckers on the Great White Way. But the folks at Warner Bros., apparently under the impression that the association of Elton John and novelist Anne Rice would make all the difference, have bravely charged ahead with Lestat, inspired by Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles.” The result is a third entry in an unholy theatrical trinity that should hopefully discourage any future such attempts.

The Washington Post said this:

To bite or not to bite? What’s a conflicted vampire with severe identity issues to do? That seems to be the question haunting the troubled title character in “Lestat,” the morose new musical that opened Tuesday at Broadway’s Palace Theatre.

Based on “The Vampire Chronicles” of Anne Rice, this lavish show is a rather joyless affair, glum and sober-sided despite yeoman work by a strong cast that throws itself into the musical with gusto.

But I most enjoyed The New York Times review. My favorite part goes like this:

Somewhere along the way it was decided that vampires were meant to sing and dance, leading to a series of undignified stage portrayals that should have had the Undead Anti-Defamation League up in arms (or wings) long ago.

Looks as if vampires should stick to print.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 27th, 2006 at 6:13 am and is filed under About Authors, About Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.