NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Reaction - Ep. 9 of Musicals I Know Nothing About 

And it’s important to note that he starts this speech with “If I were Not MYSELF, but..” because at this moment Pierre knows he SURE AS HELL isn’t, or at least doesn’t see himself as, that “brightest, handsomest, best man on earth” himself. At this moment, both of them are very worn and torn by all the events that took place both during AND before the past couple of hours(much happened in War and Peace before Andrey first “isn’t here” in the show). Pierre arguably much more so, and rather than see Natasha fall to his level of depression(how his speech was provoked by him contemplating Natasha saying it’s “all over” for her), he decides to assure her that even the best person in the world would gladly accept her as she is now, even if it were a much better version of himself. Needless to say, since this show is an adaptation of only a 70 page section of War and Peace, there’s much that happens later on in the story. In particular, Pierre and Natasha going through more separate perils, causing both to actually mature and become the “brightest, handsomest, best” versions of themselves in the process. After both Andrey and Helene sadly pass(the former from getting badly injured in war, only to come across Anatole who just had his leg cut off and thus finds the will in him to forgive him and Natasha for their affair, dying in Natasha’s care. The latter, having realized too late she could’ve been happy with a man like Pierre[the two were actually arranged to be married by Helene and Anatole’s conniving father, so the father could get his share of Pierre’s newly inherited wealth], tragically and painfully dies from a botched chemical abortion to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy from one of her affairs), after a month of grieving since the two reunited, Pierre would finally ACTUALLY propose to Natasha, and she accepts! The book ends with them happily married with four children, and VERY little of the domestic DRAMA we see in this 70 pages worth of material in this musical!

Frrr when she said that i was jumping like “ITSDAVEMALLOYITSDAVEMALLOY-“

@@numerousfrogsinacoat607 REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH

@@QuikVidGuy YES I AM JESSICA. THAT ONE RIGHTEOUS MOBMIND CASUALTY SACRIFICIAL LAMBB THAT I AM

Oh wow they actually used book quotes? That's insane! Who reads War and Peace and manages to create a musical based off of it? Amazing!

@@Barbara2.0 he also made a musical adaptation of Moby Dick which I saw the world premiere at Harvard’s American Rep last winter. That was an introducing show that still has a way to go before it’s commercial enough to run on broadway

I'm pretty sure the third person quotes are also based on the opera trope of characters describing what they are doing, hence "You are at the opera" in the prologue

@@SpencerIsAnIdiot The times the characters refer to themselves in 1st or 3rd person - as well as present or past tense - also have purpose, but the emotional meaning is more subtle

It was wierd to me at first too, but the more i listened i liked it, made me think of old timey radio shows - which probably relied more on sound effects than descriptions like that, but this similarity then made me think of people listening to a recording of an opera the same way.

This is the type of information this channel lives for! Thank you, I didn't know that 😊

Hahahahahaha I'm dead

I'm totally in love!

reply same I was in tears

Hahahahaha Just Helene being Helene I guess xD

And at the beginning and throughout "Natasha Very Ill", you hear these electrical noises seemingly slowly waring down, which itself is a way to characterize: 1. The poison and Anatole's influence leaving Natasha's body as she recovers. 2. Anatole's overall character leaving the story as well, as all the genre's of music displayed in this score are tied to each character's personality traits("Pierre" being made to sound like indie rock and archaic fire, to demonstrate Pierre's large, and near emo at times, sense of existential dread with the world, etc.).

yEAH 😩

So she was speaking from experience

Helene is woman you'd want to stay away from..........because I've got dibs

I did see it, sitting in front row and the actors were routinely running by. I travelled from Alberta to see Josh Groban, not disappointed, would love if they released it on video

Rachel Chavkin is so imaginative

don't forget the 2 drummers in the upstage corners behind glass!

*AMEN*

That's so cool! Would do anything to see them live

I am a sucker for immersive experiences and when I was told how the staging for this works I went crazy! So sad it's closed :(

I saw a local immersive performance in Wisconsin. It was magical!!!

I'm halfway throught War and Peace bc of GC and I kinda regret it bc I don't like Pierre as much anymore😢

I have read it and i can gib spoilers HABAHSHSHS

@@madeleine.exists9207 FOR REAL? The book made me love Pierre so much MORE, he literally tied a cop to a bear and threw both in a river in the first 50 pages of the book HAHAHAHA

@@bellsthesultana it was the way he treated Helene that made me not like him; he gives me incel vibes in the book for some reason

@@angeliparraguirre7329 Thanks mate💜

There are also not enough non-romantic boy & girl duets, My sister and I's voices sound really nice together but all the good duets are all romantic.

HAHAHA I'm sure you do better than my failed attempt

@@Barbara2.0 lol I can still barely do it and I've been listening to Great Comet since 2017

Hahahaha no hope for me then xD

@@Barbara2.0 You'll get there, there's also the situation of trying to do it and singing "Helene is a slut" and "Anatole is hot, he spends his money on women and wine" in front of your parents XD

Hahaha very tricky

Brilliant points! Thanks for this

@@Barbara2.0 The important thing to distinguish as well, as some here point out, is that Pierre's "proposal" is not necessarily himself claiming he'd married her, but that the even the best person on earth would be willing to love her in the state she's in. The important part of that moment to take in is him starting off with "If I were not myself", cause he SO does not see himself worthy of Natasha's love in the state he's currently at. He also just had his ideals and beliefs in Andrey being that ideal of the "brightest, handsomest, best man on earth" crushed a few minutes ago("You told me once, a fallen woman should be forgiven"), and yet he's not yet ready to let those ideals fade away. At this point in the novel, he is JUST starting to realize his attraction to Natasha, and his statement that he WOULD HAVE proposed, if he were something FAR better than how he sees himself, would make an impact on her too. It isn't until after the two of them go through more separate perils in the book that they mature and truly become the "brightest, handsomest, best" versions of themselves that, after Andrey(who gets injured in another battle, and ends up meeting Anatole who just had his own leg amputated to prevent an infection) finds the will to forgive Natasha and Anatole and dies under Natasha's care, and after Helene(who, after falling to try to get a divorce, realizes too late that she could've been truly happy with someone like Pierre[the two were actually arranged to be married by Helene and Anatole's conniving weasel of a father, just so he can share in Pierre's then newly inherited wealth]) tragically dies herself from trying to chemically abort an unwanted pregnancy from one of her affairs, that Pierre and Natasha would meet again, Pierre would ACTUALLY propose to her(after a month of grieving for Andrey), and THEN the two happily marry and have four children. This show's writer(and Off Broadway Pierre) Dave Malloy has recently written an "Epilogue" loosely based on the two epilogues from the book, with TONS of musical references to the songs in this show! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bX8T1jlOluQ.html And here's a live performance of it by Josh Groban(OBC Pierre) as well: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4-9I1oOKlIE.html Enjoy! :)

Thank you Mary! 🥰 Also, a library sounds like the absolute perfect scenario for that first listen

The first time I listened all the way through was on the ski slopes, which was perfect.

No way! That's cool, but would have never seen that coming xD

Hahahaha that was... intense xD

"did I pass out"

yeah a 20 year old countess who was moved to a secluded mansion in the countryside as a little girl is not going to be an emotionally experienced person

Hahahaha agreed

I have no idea how that popped in my mind, it was a true epiphany haha

I actually didn't notice that until someone mentioned it. Such a great move

@@Barbara2.0 During the start and throughout "Natasha Very Ill", you hear what may sound like electronic noises starting to ware down after Anatole's departure. Character-wise, it's to signify the both the poison and Anatole's influence leaving Natasha's body as she recovers from attempting to poison herself. The entire score and orchestrations are arranged in way that signifies the differing personalities of each character in this overall Classical Russian Landscape. Pierre, for instance, has music(including his introductory number "Pierre" of course) that's based in the stylings of indie rock and archaic fire, to highlight his almost emo like character and existential worldview in a way, while also branching into the his sense or learned classical training and education as a noble. Anatole, conversely, is associated with E.D.M. to signify his magnetic sway over people he fancies, with some Russian folk thrown in for his party animal sensibilities. And it goes on and on with each character and the genre(s) their personalities are expressed with. Therefore, like thenumbertwo says, that wearing down of electric noises is also to thematically signify Anatole's character and influence on the story's narrative leaving with him as well.

A pro shot would be fantastic!!!

Barbara 2.0 yeah, a proshot would be great tho I will say they'd need some incredible editors. The show is very immersive with the audience having seating on the stage at little tables and in banquettes. The idea is kind of a Russian vodka bar but make it a fabrigé egg. The stage snakes through the audience in pathways. And the cast is everywhere in the theatre so it might be though to really capture the show on film. Tho I still want to see it lol.

Good point! I looked for some photos of the stage after filming this video and I gotta say, that must be a hell of a fun experience!

That sounds absolutely incredible! What an experience!

Oh yes! It's on the list ;)

Barbara 2.0 can't wait for it!

Agreed, my friend, agreed... :,)

ghost quartet is the most confusing musical i have ever stanned. it's perfect

It's. Absolutely. Amazing.

It is the best thing I've ever listened too!

I know the feeling, sis... hahaha ❤

I knew I wasn't going crazy hahaha

Welcome to the channel, Austin!!! 🥳 Makes me really happy to know I was able to bring something new to the table, thanks for watching! 😊

When people started telling me the staging is immersive I completely lost it! Must be a hell of an experience! Next to Normal is on my list but I'm apprehensive cause everyone is saying it's a hard listen 😥

Hahahahaha ❤

Ooooh that's a thing? =0 Will definitely check it out, thanks Chiaro!

@@Barbara2.0 You may have already seen them by the time I posted this comment, but those videos were posted by the cast of the 2013 Off Broadway production, which is basically everybody in the principal roles of this cast(including Amber Gray, of course!), except Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky are played by Blake DeLong, Natasha is played by then recent Juilliard School graduate Philipa Soo(That's right, ELIZA from the OBC of Hamilton), and Pierre is actually played by the show's composer/lyricist/playwright/orchestrator himself, Dave Malloy(who has a VASTLY different voice than Josh Groban's(who plays Pierre in this recording, and stared in this role as his Broadway debut as well), more rough and rock edged, but many fans of this show since it's Off Broadway development would argue his characterization of Pierre(whom he's said to relate to the most from reading War and Peace) is just as great as Josh's(some say even better)). (Dave would also go on to reprise the role on Broadway immediately after Josh's departure from the show, and then reprise it again for the show's final night) They also made a cast recording for the Off Broadway production as well, which you can take a look at here(it's mostly the same as the Broadway recording, except for a few line changes, different transitional music passages and sung melodies for some lines, and one song for Natasha(called Natasha Lost) that was sadly cut in favor of Pierre's Dust and Ashes(which wasn't yet written during that point in the show's development): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9ICNBnV1PO8.html And of course, as many have mentioned, Dave is also the writer of the Musical Octet, and he's also written and performed in Ghost Quartet(which also has two albums) which I myself recommend. Going in blind for this may be the RISKIEST challenge to make, and Dave himself says that's exactly the point! Like Great Comet, there's a great deal of eclectic mixes of music played and perform by four performers who inhabit a MULTIDUDE of various characters from SEVERAL different stories happening near simultaneously from one another(with thematic connections of each character tied down to each performer or playing off other different characters). The actors who play Sonya and Princess Mary(and also one of the Opera singers during the opera section of "The Opera"), Britain Ashford and Gelsey Bell, are also in this too, and the ENTIRE show was uploaded on Dave's channel during the pandemic! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dJSaEJm8pCE.html And also here's the two cast recordings: This one being the same audio as the previous link, but with opening ground rules for the audience by Dave: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xt8c_zEiGIo.html The other being a studio recording containing only a few of the major songs from the show: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_c7xEBKQXGc.html Hope you enjoy!!! :D

um yes to this!!! i agree

Nice! The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals is on the list and I intend to do Starkid very soon ;)

Barbara 2.0 yay!!!! please do!!!

Oh my God someone told me about that and I totally forgot to check it out. Need to fix that asap! Hahaha

Killed it! Hahaha I owe you a proper shout out though ;)

Phantom is on my top 5 too. I live the very dramatic/intense ones hahaha ❤

Hahaha the bigger the comment the better! ❤ I knew I wasn't going crazy about Octet!!! Thanks Babs. The show is immersive then? That's absolutely awesome!

You and me both, Babs! I will never shut up about the genius of Dave Malloy. 😍😍😍

The brazilian stage is kind of a mix between the off broadway and the broadway stages lmao

I freaked out when I heard about that! It must be a hell of a theatre experience 😍

@@Barbara2.0 it sadly closed in 2017, but yeah it must have been

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Maybe try Into the Woods for fun and thematic depth ;)

Ooooh I didn't pick that up and it was right under my nose. Thanks mate!

Hahahaha fair enough xD

It's on the list! :)

Not familiar with it. Will have to look it up. Thanks!

It's on the list! ;)

I’m SO happy someone recommended thissss

I cry my eyes out every time I listen to Bare....

Yeeeeees hahaha

I really need to re-read that

Thank YOU for the kind words, love. Next to Normal is already on the list, coming soon. I think I've watched The Last Five Years but can't remember much so might be a good refresher. Thanks for suggesting!

So so happy you enjoyed the video! 🥰 I actually know Octet, it's amazing! The talent of those people is out of this world!

I wanna listen to preludes but it's not a sung through 😩. I can't understand the plot by just listening to the cast recording

Hahahaha

17:05 Dolokov ghost-wrote the love letter, that scoundrel 😂

19:47 oh man now I'm imagining a 2D Disney animated version with horses and snow flying everywhere

23:49 Anatole is the final boss, then Natasha's shame is the emotional final boss that makes you cry as you're playing

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Definitely check out Ghost Quartet, it's by the same composer! It's super confusing though and it's told out of chronological order, but it's got perfect halloween spooky vibes.

Exactly! Hahaha @Disney make it happen

The Prologue is so freaking good it went straight to my top 5 best opening songs

Yes. Finally someone who doesn't get the worship of this slight story with unredeeming characters, mostly forgettable songs, and a wimpy lead who sits in a room and questions his life.... I woukd add Sonja alone to the good song list however. Dust and Ashes has its moments but dont like songs that ask questions that aren't answered. AnD what does the words dust and ashes have to do with what he is singing. The idea, what if I die, and I am awake now want to make something of my life, have little to do with the rest of the lyrics in the song. Then in the story, pierre goes on to do... pretty much nothing. He is called on to help, and he feels bad for natasha and says some kind words, but what else? He sees a comet and feels better. But he doesn't do anything. Does he chew out anatol before this song? If he does that after dust and ashes, then that IS one action her actually contributes. In the book hes supposed to be really fat. Josh groban wears a fat suit but not that fat. Anyway.... its ok but after listening to hadestown, dear evan Hansen, Hamilton, even waitress... this show could have been better as a story. Even if war and peace isn't written this way, for the sake of the story, give anatol some humanity, our give him a nefarious intent to abduct natasha. Him just living for his pleasure.... weak. Agree with you all... love prologue Also Josh groban. Phillipa soo and denne brenton could sing the telephone book and it would sound great

I forgot Charming, it’s a freaking bop

@Rachel Kski thank you for your very in-depth response. I do appreciate the time you spent answering me. The difference is Wickham in Pride and Prejudice took Lydia away to marry for reason . he wanted an income and to be a gentleman. Here, all anatol is looking for IS immediate pleasure and has no problem ruining the life of another person. There is no regret either. Natasha is oblivious to reason and treats her best friend badly. Pierre sings a midpoint song where he seems to want to make something of his life... the rules of literature say he must go down the path of no return and there should be some kind of emotional climax, but there is none. I have read Anna karenin and that was strides ahead of this meager story. Frankly I am surprised at Dave Malloy's choice of devoting his talent. To this. I have tried to like this musical but I can't.

What exactly is an "ehhhh" hand motion again...? Haha

@@Barbara2.0 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fhhBx_WQGAo.html

Probably when my hopes of seeing it live die hahaha But thank you! Always good to know I have the option ;)