Frozen the Musical (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Sometimes rousing, often dull, alternately dopey...In ways that are both successful and not, you can feel the director straining to make something artistically worthy of the property’s commercial promise...The opening suggests that 'Frozen' might prove to be unusually coherent...Once the castle gates swing open...a different style and palette take over, and 'Frozen' begins its long descent into confusion...The somber and the silly are not blending, visually, musically or emotionally."
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"There is altogether too little magic in the kingdom of Arendelle...Director Grandage’s reach is less ambitious. In lieu of the great outdoors, he moves much of the show to lofty and stuffy interiors, jettisoning a lot of the action and yielding a show whose energy feels substantially less animated all around. It would be one thing if 'Frozen’s' stiffness were in the service of a deeper take on the material, but its already shaky plot seems even less secure...It plays things safe."
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"The ensemble is bright and buoyant, with the regal Caissie Levy belting her heart out as Elsa and the adorable Patti Murin charming the lederhosen off everyone as Anna...There are real thrills and chills in many of the musical’s magical moments...There’s also a general feeling of padding to the show...The majority of Lopez and Anderson-Lopez’s new songs are, while serviceable and sweet, a bit generic...'Frozen' has its ups and downs...It may not be brilliant, but it’s certainly hygge."
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"For anyone expecting more than a straight-up rehash of the movie on stage, however, this pricey production will seem low on inspiration...'Frozen' doesn't entirely go wrong, but it does evince signs of the struggle to establish a consistent, unifying tone and to settle on a center in a story inherently bifurcated by having two heroines kept apart for most of the action...Rather than serving to vary the tone and leaven the gloom, the comedy interludes too often just feel strained."
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"The film’s original creative team face the unenviable task of turning a family movie into something a little sleeker, a little deeper, and a little more sophisticated, all without losing its most beloved elements...They’ve certainly built a better 'Frozen'...Grandage refines the tale by putting the focus on the emotion first...Fans of the movie will be pleased to find Anna and Elsa safe in Levy and Murin’s gloved hands, and doubters may just find their hearts thawed."
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"Credit the thawing trend in 'Frozen' to the lovable characters of Jennifer Lee, and to the warmly human cast...Levy is stunning as Elsa...Murin makes a darling Anna...To the extent that a plot exists at all, it’s a soggy one...The real conflict, the stuff of drama, is all internal — Elsa battling her inner self — and difficult to dramatize...'Frozen' belongs to Elsa, who has the heroic stature and tragic flaw of a true heroine — but no villainous anti-hero to overcome in battle. What a waste."
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"If you liked 'Frozen' on screen, you’ll like it onstage. Michael Grandage’s fantastically elaborate production is faithful to the spirit, if not always the letter, of the movie...For my part, I found both to be well made but insipid and largely humorless, though the stage version is more tedious. The stagecraft, to be sure, is spectacular, but it serves no independent poetic vision...It exists solely to supply a live-action equivalent of Disney’s computer-generated animation."
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"'Let It Go' does what all good, over-played tunes must: It sounds fresh as — what else? — fallen snow...'Frozen' doesn’t consistently live up to 'Let It Go,' its book by Jennifer Lee often feeling rushed, more concerned with hitting the movie’s beats...than taking the time to just enjoy the characters...Anna and her pals’ adventure lacks the journey-like feel of the film...A musical that, like most Disney productions, is never less than competent and frequently much more."
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"A warm reception awaits 'Frozen' from its devoted base...What may prevent 'Frozen' from appealing to more sophisticated theater crowds is the unfulfilled promise of the plot...It never achieves that necessary climax — paradoxical in a show of this title — when a spectator’s heart is able to melt...Even if 'Frozen' is afflicted with some narrative lumps, and might not convert you if the film didn’t make you want to sing, the fans in your family will thank you for taking them."
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"Vastly improved from its rocky Denver tryout...replete with richer storytelling, less extraneous comedy and with its crucial pair of sisters...finally letting go enough emotionally to thaw the center of their mutually dependent story...Truly, these both are very admirable and well-matched performances...And when it matters, you now feel them come together...The physical production remains a weird Nordic-Goth fusion...so "Frozen" never feels aesthetically or confidently unified."
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"Were there more enchantment to this relentlessly perky stage adaptation of the highest-grossing animated movie in history, my mind probably wouldn't have strayed from the path of fantasy and fallen victim to the mudslide of fact...If truth in advertising prevailed, the marquee would read, 'Moderately entertaining and fortified with vitamins and minerals!'...Grandage lays too much emphasis on the psychology of characters who can't sustain the weight of so much dramatic complexity."
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"'Frozen' is not a very good show...The once lovely story has become visually drab, mechanical and often boring. Cold, if you like...It’s mighty difficult for Elsa to connect with anybody when, for much of the show, she is alone in a faraway ice palace. Separated, the sisters’ relationship becomes murky...Even so, the two stars of the show manage to frequently rise above the production’s avalanche of limitations...What 'Frozen' desperately needs is a bomb cyclone of heart."
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"Adults, with or without tots, may not be as thrilled by this polished but predictable and wow-free adaptation...Playing it so safe is like wearing boots for a spin at a skating rink. You won’t fall down — but you won’t dazzle either...The production is as old-fashioned as it is short on surprises — even if huge jagged icicles arise from nowhere and there’s a flashy costume trick...Levy brings a regal bearing and soaring voice as Elsa. Murin, as Anna, radiates sweetness and adds goofy good fun."
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"The continued popularity of 'Frozen' probably explains why it has been adapted for the Broadway stage in such a straightforward, shallow and unimaginative manner, creating a disappointing and empty product...Essentially a live stage presentation of the film — with some additions that can be too somber, too ridiculous or just pointless...There are a few nice touches...The show is also very well-cast...The new songs lack the same impact and slow down the storytelling."
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"As a musical, the plotting remains weak, but there is a special magic that only live theatre can produce, and it’s working a charming spell on the Broadway stage...Nothing comes close to that mega show-stopper 'Let It Go.' And happily, Caissie Levy does not disappoint...The technical stagecraft, impressive as it is, doesn’t overpower the human drama...But it really does all come down to the two lead performances...perfect role models in this age of female empowerment."
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"A perfectly lovely Broadway musical by the standards of every other producer, but we go into a Disney show wishing upon a star for more...Jennifer Lee smartly adapts the story for the stage...None of these songs have quite the impact of the surefire showstopper 'Let It Go'...There's nothing groundbreaking about 'Frozen'...Stage snow, glory notes, and an unforgettable quick change. What more could you want from a Broadway show? Perhaps it really is dangerous to dream for more."
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"'Let It Go'...In Grandage's sadly underwhelming production, this declaration of independence from constraining expectations is staged more like a pop star performance than an important storytelling moment...The musical belongs to Anna...A skilled verbal and physical comic...Murin lifts the entertainment quotient considerably whenever she's on...The two-act 'Frozen' is stuffed with new songs and extended moments that, while professionally done, do little to enhance what's already there."
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"Grandage's production works overtime trying to please everyone from six to sixty, with the result that it can't commit to a single unifying style...Ending up ensnared in a mass of conflicting ideas...It may have been possible to incorporate all the film's elements to unified effect. But neither book nor the score is up to such a challenging assignment...A wandering, often confused, thing, which coasts on the talents of its cast and design team. All praise is due to the two leading ladies."
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"'Frozen' offers up precious little magic. It has also has been stripped of almost every ounce of fairy tale fear, worry, suspense, and catharsis, even as it tells a story that should be filled with all of these...It's as if the creative and producing team had decided the likely audience could not handle any complexity or display of emotional turmoi...There is a vapid, washed-out feel to the entire enterprise...Not even 'Let It Go' manages to fly in this stilted production."
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"A bright, funny, and slightly loopy musical comedy peers out every so often...These delights are only intermittent, alas; whenever theatrical joy starts to break through, the emotion is flash-frozen as if to extend the moment...Drab is the mood of most of the evening...The problem is that the non-musical comedy portions are so—well—frozen. Operetta, melodrama, villagers with pitchforks: whose idea of musical comedy is this?"
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"It’s… fine. Not transcendent, not even great. 'Frozen' is solid...Even if the musical never quite lets go, it also has a lot going for it, including some excellent performances...There’s a long (and profitable) history of dark children’s fantasy stories. But it’s usually a darkness leavened with a gleeful sort of wonder...As it is, we’re left with a would-be blockbuster that’s good but not great, skillful but not memorable."
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"To accentuate the positive, the musical does not squander the charms of the movie. The lively pop-inflected score retains its appeal and has been considerably augmented with some fine if unremarkable additions...But aside from the appealing performances and the nicely varied score, 'Frozen' largely fails to impress...What’s sorely lacking in 'Frozen' is the visionary stage magic that Julie Taymor brought to 'The Lion King.'"
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"British director Michael Grandage seems a strange choice for this musical, originally inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen,' as his forte has been contemporary plays like 'Frost/Nixon,' 'Red,' 'The Cripple of Inishmaan' and such classics as 'Hamlet,' 'Mary Stuart' and 'Hughie.' His staging is rather heavy in the style of a 19th century operetta; although Rob Ashford's lively choreography goes a long way to animating the musical numbers."
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"This Big Broadway Musical is missing the punch that many found delightful in the Disney movie...The constant light is the puppetry...brought to life by a delightful Hildreth as the snowman. The always remarkable Creighton is notable as the sinister character Weselton...Grandage has directed this play-it-safe production, keeping those magical gloves on but wows you with technology...Alas, 'Frozen' will leave you as the song in Act 2 - 'Colder by the Minute.'"
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"Ashford and Grandage have transformed a 41-member cast into a smoothly coordinated theatrical organism...'Frozen' is an eye-popping illustration of what contemporary stage technology can achieve...But the physical production never overshadows the performances of an impressive company...This visually rich, wonderfully paced, aurally thrilling production keeps us wide-eyed and on tenterhooks for more than two hours, even when we know how things are going to end."
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"A perfect confection...It is a fairy tale come to live in the present, physical world...A whole lot of Disney, a little Lloyd-Webber, a little John Williams, a ton of spectacle, and a boat load of that magic elixir, l-o-v-e...A timely show for the #MeToo and the #TimesUp era...This audience was in full throat at every calamity, each special effect (BRILLIANT!), and every blazing song (Levy and Murin have some serious pipes). They roared their approval at every triumph."
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"Despite the extra music and dance numbers, movie purists will be relieved to see that show is pretty much true to the film...The musical is well-cast...Act I ends with a glittering 'Let It Go' number, the song that everyone eagerly anticipates. The best part, besides Levy's high notes is when her blue coronation dress changes right before our eyes...Although the show is very much like the movie, it falls flat. Boring almost...There are few gasps and awes of astonishment."
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"Invention and dynamic wonderment isn’t going to be found under the standardized snowy landscapes of director Michael Grandage’s creation...All the main ingredients are present though...In Murin’s portrayal, the piece finds its connection and attachment, falling in love with her goofiness and sense of wonder...A purely serviceable Disney adaptation of the most successful animated movie of all time."
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"'Frozen' manages to be neither a carbon copy of the movie, nor an entirely novel product...Its most immediately apparent success is its evocation of setting...The enthusiasm for cultural authenticity does, in some respects, get a bit out of hand...There’s plenty of energy to go around on stage, and plenty of magic...Ultimately, the show is neither the riskiest nor the safest adaptation one can imagine, but it’s a solid one, a product that skillfully toes the Disney line."
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"For those who have approached past Disney musicals with subtle skepticism, 'Frozen''s sweeping theatricality, diverse casting, and message of female empowerment is a blast of crisp, wintry air...Once the spell is cast and the adventure begins, things lighten up significantly in the reflective sunshine of frozen Arendelle. Audiences can expect magical flourishes throughout...'Frozen' works hard to keep balance on its theatrical ice...Its message of sisterly love is refreshingly heartwarming."
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"The score is generally tuneful but often generic…Levy is ideal as the ice princess and Murin outstanding as her estranged, but valiant sister, each ringing a bell of sorts for female empowerment…Not on my list of favorites is the show's hokey, heavy-footed, overlong book...True love thaws icy hearts and everyone lives happily ever after…Even with its darker, adult-oriented psychological hues, and an unexpected character turnaround, too much of 'Frozen' remains icebound."
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"There is much for fans of the movie to applaud in this adaptation...There was something simple, clearly thought out, and heartfelt in Sven that seems more rare than it should be in 'Frozen,' for all the Broadway musical marks it hits. It’s as if in striving and straining to give us a really big show, it skips over some storytelling and characterization that might have drawn some of us in more fully. Some moments (and characters) you might think would be pivotal seem rushed."
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"Want to know the real star of 'Frozen'? That would be Sven, the reindeer...He is pure theatre and pure magic...'Frozen' is a good show. With its music, its dance, its flurry of likable leads...it offers most of the pleasures that we count on Broadway musicals to provide...It rarely feels like more than the movie and sometimes it feels like less...'Frozen' could be more inventive, more imaginative, more vital, more necessary. But as those little girls would almost certainly say, let it go."
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"For true tackiness, we don’t have to wait long...Nearly naked chorus boys and girls emerge from a sauna to whip each other with tree limbs while they frolic in the snow...The other 110 minutes of 'Frozen' are not nearly as entertaining as the 'Hygge' showstopper...The production also gets bogged down in the conflicting story lines of Queen Elsa’s sister...What unthaws 'Frozen,' at times, is Murin’s Anna...The other good news is the physical production."
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"Designed to appeal to fans of the film with the extra kick of a stage spectacle...I didn’t much care for the story in the film, and it is just as absurd here. But the production provides the necessary sparkle, and although the second act is too long...the ultimate result should please the 'Frozen' fans and those who head for hyped Broadway musicals...The pleasure afforded by the show, in addition to the overwhelming effects, partly lies in the singing by the leads."
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"Visuals have next to no sparkle or magic. The least we expect from Disney is a great looking show...There are a dozen new songs most of which seem wedged in...Original numbers hold up well...While dialogue is good, structure has issues...Grandage overuses aimless running around and underutilizes the terrific Sven...Olaf is consistently splendid. We never feel moved by either drama or enlightenment when it dawns. Children to whom the story is familiar will likely be less judgmental than adults."
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"This kiddie tuner hits all the proper notes-female power ballad, plucky heroine, briefly thwarted but ultimately resolved romance, comic anthropomorphized sidekick, lots of chases. But the conflict provides little gripping action. Michael Grandage's stiff staging, the syrupy book by Jennifer Lee, and pleasant but familiar score by husband-and-wife team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are too by-the-numbers and left this non-Disney worshipping adult cold."
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"Grandage and Oram have come up with simple but sometimes beautiful ways to recreate the snow storms but they don't inspire awe the way the movie's effects did. The new songs fit in with the original score but none of them is a standout...The story's edges have been softened and its feminist message has become muddier...'Frozen' is a show for people who were fans of it before they even bought their tickets. The rest of us should probably seek our entertainment elsewhere."
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"It’s a musical about female empowerment as two women battle innate powers to find their own strength in each other. Director Michael Grandage takes this seriously and finds Shakespearean echoes in the material. There’s also plenty of wit on display in the songs of husband and wife team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Grandage is incredibly well-served by a cast of terrific actors and singers...It has a clear narrative drive and is full of heartache."
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"Puts the much-beloved 2013 box office bonanza animated film on stage. And it seems to do not much more than that...Lacks any grand gestures of sweeping inspiration or genuine smiles of magic, instead feeling mostly rote and composed by committee...When the focus is on the story and relationship between Elsa and Anna, the show begins to shine, but plot and song diversions pop up to kill momentum and muddy the overall tone and sensibility."
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"It’s a miserable story really, and so a Broadway audience can be massively thankful to Patti Murin who pretty much saves the stage show of 'Frozen' by playing a charmingly off-kilter and ill-at-ease Princess Anna...Such an ambitiously conceived tale of sibling estrangement and reuniting deserves a better story...'Frozen' feels well-behaved and self-contained. Everything – the singing and dancing – is done well, but without daring."
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"With a few notable exceptions, Grandage’s production feels heavy and scattered, weighed down by solutions to visual storytelling that don’t add up to a unifying aesthetic...A few special effects are sure to draw gasps...But the design team seem to be trying something new every few scenes...No matter. 'Frozen’s' target audience is sure to enjoy it, and its messaging remains on point for a new generation of Disney fans, including the production’s embrace of diverse casting."
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"Both sisters belt out their numbers with gloriously tuneful brio. Those performances help make up for the limitations of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’s songs...Lyrics such as 'love is an open door' sound a bit trite the second time around. And the synth-heavy music has a boisterous, schmaltzy air that often seems to strain for effect...Grandage’s staging adds plenty of flair and energy to the story...It all adds up to a conventional but slickly produced adaptation."
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"The story is complicated and not always easy to follow. Lee’s book is an adaptation of her screenplay, but somehow when humans act it for us we have more difficulty relating to its characters...The musical material offered them is serviceable but not particularly distinctive. The tunes and the lyrics don’t offer more depth or soul or wisdom than the characters in the script...Grandage and Ashford as director and choreographer have similar problems — dance numbers don’t further the plot."
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"All the requisites for a major Disney spectacle have been checked off: amazing special effects, eye-popping costumes, incredible performances...Does the show lack the emotional wallop and grandeur of 'The Lion King,' the humanity and sophisticated wit of 'Aladdin'? Yes. Does it matter? Probably not...Mostly director Michael Grandage rests the tale on the shoulders of the two actresses playing Elsa and Anna, and they come through with loving, heartfelt performances."
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"Olaf lends a jolt of whimsy and weirdness to a show that, until then, just lumbers along hitting the familiar beats of the movie...A play-it-by-the-book rendering of the story that, in refusing to take any real risks, ends up undermining the story's core message...Not without its pleasures...Mostly, though, this 'Frozen' inspires the sort of mild boredom that comes after, say, having watched the same animated movie approximately 150 times with your child."
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"Much of the quirky charm of the film is missing, which can make the musical feel lumbering at times. There are, however, some delightful additions...Most of the 12 new songs written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are introspective and dark, and meant to deepen our understanding of the characters...A work that captures a lot of what was delightful about the film, while giving us a bit more to think about."
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"This is not a daring reinvention of the material, but a repackaging of the film for the stage...Brisk and entertaining for most of its two hours and 20 minutes, with the same characters that won the hearts of filmgoers brought to three-dimensional life...Occasionally demonstrates a more openly feminist outlook...Much of the musical’s appeal can be found in the enchanting pairing of Murin and Levy: they make the sisters relatable, endearing and fun."
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"Those involved in the creative process were unable to make the story fully come alive in this different medium...And while the youngsters in the audience certainly found it enjoyable, the result is disappointing...The show’s creators seemed more concerned with hitting certain high points than with telling the story as a whole...On the acting front, Levy is excellent as the tormented Elsa...The real treat of the show is Olaf...What has ended up on stage lacks much of the film’s original charm."
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"How could Disney, with all its resources and talent, take something that was so vibrant and full of color and life and turn it into such a drab stage musical?...The two obvious factors are the pedestrian book and secondly the ever-so heavy, leaden direction...The proceedings aren’t helped any by Rob Ashford’s listless and unimaginative choreography...Levy and Murin are in fine voice as Elsa and Anna and do their best with the material they are given."
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"The stylistic range is nearly as incoherent as its storyline...All leeway and no style, hopping randomly from neo-primitive vocalized chants through 'Student Prince'-like operetta choruses to jaunty 1920s-style comedy duets to heavily belted rock ballads...Strikingly lackluster...'Frozen' is like Elsa's ice palace - a big, cold, ugly thing, full of glittering effects but ultimately barren. Its touch, I would hazard, will leave a little piece of ice in a child's heart."
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"Dull, disjointed, and pretty darned dreary...Lost quite a bit of its magic in the translation. What soared in the movie theater meanders and plods on stage...The songs alternate between forced expository chorus numbers and manufactured showstoppers...Much of the dialogue is clunky...The story features a succession of plot points with ill-defined justification...The story seems to meander from event to event, with vague conflicts that ebb and flow...Lost amid the clutter is a terrific cast."
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"The show may not be the best by Broadway’s standards, but it creates a magic and enchantment that catches the imagination of children and adults who aren’t Disneyphobes. The score, by the prolific writing team of Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez, is as catchy as ever...Michael Grandage directs it with aplomb."
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"Though familiar, it comes across just as groundbreaking here as an audience full of kids and parents cheers on two strong female leads...Lee has fleshed out some of the story’s key plot points...But really, 'Frozen' comes down to two sparkling performances by Murin and Levy. Each actress seems born to play her role...Grandage does a respectable job of landing the massive property on its feet...It’s hard not to feel like you’ve just witnessed something very special."
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"Grandage make magic happen on the Broadway stage once again...Levy may have found her perfect role as Elsa. She is stunning and radiant on the stage and she sings as if the music was made for her...Murin is equally impressive as the free spirited Anna with a powerful voice...Talented ensemble...There are some wonderful new additions to the score and the blockbuster anchor song 'Let It Go' gets a whole new life on a set of magical illusion created with beautiful lighting and projections."
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“An entertaining and delightfully grown-up affair...The music is much expanded, and is pretty seamlessly added throughout the show...Lee has crafted a surprisingly straight forward, traditional musical book...Rather plain, not extra magical...The second seems a bit off balance...There isn't much creativity in the staging...Overall...the creative team did a great job of crafting a more mature story, while retaining the familiar and beloved film elements for the stage.”
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"What fans love about the film is set in place to glorious effect; however, most additions and many changes fall a bit flat, tiring its youthful audience quickly...Surprisingly, it’s Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’s more superficial new numbers that instill a sense of uplifting magic that is needed in this darker take on the film...Patti Murin is the true star in the universe of Arendelle...As a package, 'Frozen' is enjoyable."
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"Disney sails a steady course where humanity succeeds over mere effect and good old-fashioned theatricality triumphs over any temptation to overdo the technology. Oh, and it has a pretty flawless cast to boot...Grandage’s skill lies in recognising that in order to finesse some fairly subtle and weighty points...He is aided by Lee’s shapely book and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’s feel-good music and lyrics...Worth every penny of its ticket price."
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"The music is by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who wrote seven brilliant songs for the movie and added 12 ordinary new ones to the stage version...Offers plenty of entertainment, but it doesn’t have any of the unique genius that Taymor brought to 'The Lion King' or the creativity we enjoyed in other Disney ventures...What it does sport is something a bit different: a serious stirring story of a strong sister relationship...The story's creativity gets weakened."
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"This is a stunning adaptation from screen to stage and under Michael Grandage’s assured and slick direction, 'Frozen' will certainly run for years to come, especially if they continue to cast the production with the same calibre they have imbibed into the original cast...Grandage has brought 'Frozen' to life with sensitivity and verve showcasing what true family entertainment is about – big spectacle with truthful, honest and endearing performances that really envelop you in its magic spell."
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"A lavish celebration of family, love, and the magic of theater...Of course, there’s the showstopping 'Let It Go,' which is realized on stage with some very cool tricks...If you’re a fan of 'Frozen,' you will no doubt love this show. It stays true to the movie and brings Elsa’s powers to life on stage in ways that will make you believe in the magic of theater...This is really a show about family and unconditional love, so it’s a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones."
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"Though it may be ambitious, the stage version is so overloaded with new songs that the first act’s minimal dialogue impedes necessary character development and relationships...Scenes don’t flow, often ending abruptly. Most of the film’s lighthearted humor has been excised...We wound up staring at Helsinki, a clown car-filled sauna, bemoaning a misplaced bridge, starved for laughs and charm, surrounded by drowsy children, and exiting the theater feeling cold and ripped off."
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