Ah, Mathew Morrison. Notorious for his performance as the high school theatre teacher in Glee, and his ability to oversexualize literally anything. But Mr. Shuester has added to his list of crimes as of December 9th, 2020, by starring in his own musical edition of The Grinch. --Piper Stuip, 7th grade
Ah, Mathew Morrison. Notorious for his performance as the high school theatre teacher in Glee, and his ability to oversexualize literally anything. But Mr. Shuester has added to his list of crimes as of December 9th, 2020, by starring in his own musical edition of The Grinch.
The Grinch is a classic Christmas film set in a fictional town called Whoville. Said town has a love for Christmas like no other. But a green and hairy humanoid who lives on a mountain north of the Whoville known as--well, Grinch--is the opposite. The Grinch loathes Christmas. After events, Grinch has had enough of the “joyous” holiday, and decides to bring it to an end. But in the end, as you may expect, there is a discovery followed by a change of heart.
Jim Carrey's performance was so very iconic-- Leading the 2000 version of the Grinch to become as popular as it is today. And fans of older pieces tend to become upset when they’re favorite movie or book is turned botched while being adapted into something new. And because of Morrisons role on Glee, it is to be expected that the 2020 Grinch musical will not be what people want to see.
Half the internet resents Morrison because of the often-inappropriate nature of his character on Glee, Mr Shuester. Morrison played Will Shuester in Glee--he was with the show from Pilot to curtain call. Where to start with Scheuster’s--or Morrison’s--inappropriate Glee moments?Perhaps his performance of the “Thong Song,” which he sang for a group of highschool students. Or observing MINORS while they showered, although it's because they’re singing, which is still weird. Or maybe it’s when he is dismissive of bullying. Or over-sexualizing the choreography for MINORS to perform. Blushing when MINORS shake their butts. Ignoring struggles with transphobia to get the entire club to twerk for the entire school??? I could go on.
As for Morrison personally, people were enraged by his tone-deaf tribute to Mark Sailing--Someone who he worked with on Glee-- But most of the hate directed towards Morrison is passed from Shuester. And maybe, as I said before, his way of over-sexualising things throws people off.
So, although I think that we should not entirely put the fault on Morrison for the acts of Glee’s writers, I also believe that The Grinch is just not his role. In keeping with his past work, Morrison tends to either over-sexualise, or make everything all more cheerful than it is. Neither of which matches the persona of the supposed green villain.
The musical starts off relatively normal. Well, for a musical about Christmas joy--many colors, singing, an oompa loompa cameo, you get the idea. The only off thing was this older man with grey hair. We learn later that the man is The Grinch's dog Max-- He just sits there, butting into the song with things like “Oh-- uh… They sure like Christmas…?” And it’s messy. But it’s fine.
It's the next part that makes you realize that this version of The Grinch is basically from Max’s perspective. All with the whole backstory and such. And the dog can talk--he acted and was talked to like a human. But it wasn’t that bad yet.
It's towards the end of Max’s song about his life when Grinch makes his first appearance--and here is when it all goes downhill.
Immediately, I realized that Morrison was back at it again, with his knack to ruin characters with over-sexualization. The Grinch is adopting Max in this scene, and the way it is portrayed is so weird? Something about the way Mathew overdid it made it feel so weird and brought me so much discomfort. Like how he treated Max felt like something from a possessive and toxic relationship. Which is something that went on for just about the ENTIRE musical.
It was then that the Grinch was attempting to find the words to explain why he disliked Christmas as much as he did. And him looking at the camera was so intense and haunting? How he talked about how he hated all Who's “Especially you.” He had then explained to the camera why he hated us so much.
Something that was poorly done in this version of the Grinch were the insults. Sure, in Jim Carreys they were a little funky-- but, “I Poo-Poo them in every way!” really? This musical felt so (inappropriately) mature yet childish at the same time.
Cindy-Lou is later introduced, and she's so different. Nice in a similar way of Taylor Momsen’s performance but still very different.
Like in the 2000 version, Cindy-Lou wants to meet the Grinch. But in this version, there is NO build up to this. There isn’t even talk of him in Whoville before this discussion--and moments later when her father talks about him like he’s a fun, spooky tale, it’s as if they’ve truly, hardly cared about his existence.
We then see Grinch mourning the soon-to-come Christmas morning. And it REALLY starts to feel like a fever dream. Everything is so chaotic. It even makes me sour at the thought of Christmas. The children are so loud and jump around Grinch singing even more loudly, as he lays on the ground with hands over his ears. It feels like something out of a horror movie. One with the villain being spooky children.
Then, after that headache-inducing scene, he’s sitting in his cave when, from far away, he sees Cindy and her siblings supposedly putting up some sort of sign. It’s supposed to say “Merry Christmas Friend!!” but as they’re walking away, the ‘R’ falls off-- writing “Merry Christmas Fiend!” and APPARENTLY--That's the final straw for him. There have been worse things to happen! But the oh-so-tough Grinch is offended to the point of stopping Christmas because a few children make a sign. It feels so out of character.
Queue the song where he sings about the end of Christmas this year. Where older and young Max shake their butts for the camera for an answer unknown--and here is when it really hits me how funny the dog's acting is. It’s so tacky and it feels so weird watching a middle aged man crawl on the floor barking.
Then, after another song about shopping and an awkward joke about selling Grandpa for profit, we are introduced to Texan Grinch. Real grinch, but he’s playing the part of an Innocent Who with a southern accent and bad fashion.
The Whos inotice the Grinch when he makes a scene in the store telling Max that if he doesn’t hurry he’ll be turned to just his hide. He then becomes involved in an awkward conversation with the Whos. This scene is the only one where Morrison is in somewhat of character, and it really starts to make me feel that the Who’s are just one giant cult.
Then--he comes up with the plan. The plan is to dress up as Santa Claus and steal all the presents. It then begins the song about Grinch--and how he’s one of a kind. Then comes the line, “I kept my social distance before it was cool…” And... WHAT??? Covid didn’t have a role in this Musical at all?
The rest of the song goes on over sexualised, heavy breathing, Elvis-like impressions, choreography that was just rolling on the floor repeatedly, and me suddenly remembering that in an interview with entertainment weekly, Morrison mentioned that his inspiration for his performance of the Grinch was Joaquin Phoenix's Joker….
It then cuts back to Cindy-Lou’s family. They’re preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus. When they go to sleep, the Grinch is practically already inside. And then comes the performance of you’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch, but back at it with the lousy insults, older and young Max compares Grinch to a Sauerkraut Sandwich.
Unsurprisingly, their song wakes up Cindy. As in Jim Carrey's Grinch, they use the excuse of the tree with a broken light. But the green man begins to interrogate the girl--leading her to CRY. So she hugs him? And tells him that she had a bad dream? Then asks him to stay the night? I’m not really sure what happened here. It felt so random and off.
He declines, saying it was because he was busy. And then, when Cindy tells him he better go home to see his family and friends. When he tells her how he doesn’t have those, she sings, which reminds him of how he’s “All alone. All the time. There's no one there.” And the lyrics are so random! She talks about how she’ll be in his stocking? And how they’ll trim the tree together? Then she goes on about how the supposed Santa has done something to her heart---but they’ve never met before this? And-this actually works.
That is until, when Grinch/Santa asks about what her dream she mentioned previously was about. And, it was a nightmare about him. The Grinch. So he huffily sends her to bed--and continues with his plans, robbing each citizen of their gifts, before traveling up the mountain, in order to dispose of them.
Like in the 2000 Grinch, he giddily awaits the tears and wails, only to be met with singing. Then he has the distressed realization that Christmas is about family. He ends up being the one to sob in stress. And then--he catches the sight of Cindy-Lou, who is singing out to him. Stuff about Love-- and--once again, They barely know each other???- But the thought that she may care sends him, and he falls back in the pain of his growing heart. Much like the film. And then--it's time to bring the stuff back.
And then that's it. He brings back the presents, they sing a carol and it’s over.
Overall, there was too much groaning, too much pop, too many slip ups within the characters, too much chaos, too much makeup, and just--too much.
Mathew Morrison’s grinch is haunting, intense, and everything I expected it to be.
The Grinch is a classic Christmas film set in a fictional town called Whoville. Said town has a love for Christmas like no other. But a green and hairy humanoid who lives on a mountain north of the Whoville known as--well, Grinch--is the opposite. The Grinch loathes Christmas. After events, Grinch has had enough of the “joyous” holiday, and decides to bring it to an end. But in the end, as you may expect, there is a discovery followed by a change of heart.
Jim Carrey's performance was so very iconic-- Leading the 2000 version of the Grinch to become as popular as it is today. And fans of older pieces tend to become upset when they’re favorite movie or book is turned botched while being adapted into something new. And because of Morrisons role on Glee, it is to be expected that the 2020 Grinch musical will not be what people want to see.
Half the internet resents Morrison because of the often-inappropriate nature of his character on Glee, Mr Shuester. Morrison played Will Shuester in Glee--he was with the show from Pilot to curtain call. Where to start with Scheuster’s--or Morrison’s--inappropriate Glee moments?Perhaps his performance of the “Thong Song,” which he sang for a group of highschool students. Or observing MINORS while they showered, although it's because they’re singing, which is still weird. Or maybe it’s when he is dismissive of bullying. Or over-sexualizing the choreography for MINORS to perform. Blushing when MINORS shake their butts. Ignoring struggles with transphobia to get the entire club to twerk for the entire school??? I could go on.
As for Morrison personally, people were enraged by his tone-deaf tribute to Mark Sailing--Someone who he worked with on Glee-- But most of the hate directed towards Morrison is passed from Shuester. And maybe, as I said before, his way of over-sexualising things throws people off.
So, although I think that we should not entirely put the fault on Morrison for the acts of Glee’s writers, I also believe that The Grinch is just not his role. In keeping with his past work, Morrison tends to either over-sexualise, or make everything all more cheerful than it is. Neither of which matches the persona of the supposed green villain.
The musical starts off relatively normal. Well, for a musical about Christmas joy--many colors, singing, an oompa loompa cameo, you get the idea. The only off thing was this older man with grey hair. We learn later that the man is The Grinch's dog Max-- He just sits there, butting into the song with things like “Oh-- uh… They sure like Christmas…?” And it’s messy. But it’s fine.
It's the next part that makes you realize that this version of The Grinch is basically from Max’s perspective. All with the whole backstory and such. And the dog can talk--he acted and was talked to like a human. But it wasn’t that bad yet.
It's towards the end of Max’s song about his life when Grinch makes his first appearance--and here is when it all goes downhill.
Immediately, I realized that Morrison was back at it again, with his knack to ruin characters with over-sexualization. The Grinch is adopting Max in this scene, and the way it is portrayed is so weird? Something about the way Mathew overdid it made it feel so weird and brought me so much discomfort. Like how he treated Max felt like something from a possessive and toxic relationship. Which is something that went on for just about the ENTIRE musical.
It was then that the Grinch was attempting to find the words to explain why he disliked Christmas as much as he did. And him looking at the camera was so intense and haunting? How he talked about how he hated all Who's “Especially you.” He had then explained to the camera why he hated us so much.
Something that was poorly done in this version of the Grinch were the insults. Sure, in Jim Carreys they were a little funky-- but, “I Poo-Poo them in every way!” really? This musical felt so (inappropriately) mature yet childish at the same time.
Cindy-Lou is later introduced, and she's so different. Nice in a similar way of Taylor Momsen’s performance but still very different.
Like in the 2000 version, Cindy-Lou wants to meet the Grinch. But in this version, there is NO build up to this. There isn’t even talk of him in Whoville before this discussion--and moments later when her father talks about him like he’s a fun, spooky tale, it’s as if they’ve truly, hardly cared about his existence.
We then see Grinch mourning the soon-to-come Christmas morning. And it REALLY starts to feel like a fever dream. Everything is so chaotic. It even makes me sour at the thought of Christmas. The children are so loud and jump around Grinch singing even more loudly, as he lays on the ground with hands over his ears. It feels like something out of a horror movie. One with the villain being spooky children.
Then, after that headache-inducing scene, he’s sitting in his cave when, from far away, he sees Cindy and her siblings supposedly putting up some sort of sign. It’s supposed to say “Merry Christmas Friend!!” but as they’re walking away, the ‘R’ falls off-- writing “Merry Christmas Fiend!” and APPARENTLY--That's the final straw for him. There have been worse things to happen! But the oh-so-tough Grinch is offended to the point of stopping Christmas because a few children make a sign. It feels so out of character.
Queue the song where he sings about the end of Christmas this year. Where older and young Max shake their butts for the camera for an answer unknown--and here is when it really hits me how funny the dog's acting is. It’s so tacky and it feels so weird watching a middle aged man crawl on the floor barking.
Then, after another song about shopping and an awkward joke about selling Grandpa for profit, we are introduced to Texan Grinch. Real grinch, but he’s playing the part of an Innocent Who with a southern accent and bad fashion.
The Whos inotice the Grinch when he makes a scene in the store telling Max that if he doesn’t hurry he’ll be turned to just his hide. He then becomes involved in an awkward conversation with the Whos. This scene is the only one where Morrison is in somewhat of character, and it really starts to make me feel that the Who’s are just one giant cult.
Then--he comes up with the plan. The plan is to dress up as Santa Claus and steal all the presents. It then begins the song about Grinch--and how he’s one of a kind. Then comes the line, “I kept my social distance before it was cool…” And... WHAT??? Covid didn’t have a role in this Musical at all?
The rest of the song goes on over sexualised, heavy breathing, Elvis-like impressions, choreography that was just rolling on the floor repeatedly, and me suddenly remembering that in an interview with entertainment weekly, Morrison mentioned that his inspiration for his performance of the Grinch was Joaquin Phoenix's Joker….
It then cuts back to Cindy-Lou’s family. They’re preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus. When they go to sleep, the Grinch is practically already inside. And then comes the performance of you’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch, but back at it with the lousy insults, older and young Max compares Grinch to a Sauerkraut Sandwich.
Unsurprisingly, their song wakes up Cindy. As in Jim Carrey's Grinch, they use the excuse of the tree with a broken light. But the green man begins to interrogate the girl--leading her to CRY. So she hugs him? And tells him that she had a bad dream? Then asks him to stay the night? I’m not really sure what happened here. It felt so random and off.
He declines, saying it was because he was busy. And then, when Cindy tells him he better go home to see his family and friends. When he tells her how he doesn’t have those, she sings, which reminds him of how he’s “All alone. All the time. There's no one there.” And the lyrics are so random! She talks about how she’ll be in his stocking? And how they’ll trim the tree together? Then she goes on about how the supposed Santa has done something to her heart---but they’ve never met before this? And-this actually works.
That is until, when Grinch/Santa asks about what her dream she mentioned previously was about. And, it was a nightmare about him. The Grinch. So he huffily sends her to bed--and continues with his plans, robbing each citizen of their gifts, before traveling up the mountain, in order to dispose of them.
Like in the 2000 Grinch, he giddily awaits the tears and wails, only to be met with singing. Then he has the distressed realization that Christmas is about family. He ends up being the one to sob in stress. And then--he catches the sight of Cindy-Lou, who is singing out to him. Stuff about Love-- and--once again, They barely know each other???- But the thought that she may care sends him, and he falls back in the pain of his growing heart. Much like the film. And then--it's time to bring the stuff back.
And then that's it. He brings back the presents, they sing a carol and it’s over.
Overall, there was too much groaning, too much pop, too many slip ups within the characters, too much chaos, too much makeup, and just--too much.
Mathew Morrison’s grinch is haunting, intense, and everything I expected it to be.