Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (2,653)
See it if You enjoy out-of-the-box theatre experiences and/or like getting completely immersed in a show.
Don't see it if You're looking for more standard fare.
See it if You are open to a theatrical experience like no other, based on a classic novel.
Don't see it if Experimental shows are too weird and off the hook for your taste. Read more
See it if You want to see absolute excellence on Broadway. SEE THIS if you don't see anything else. It's as good as Hamilton - in it's own right!!
Don't see it if all you like is traditional beginning-to-end musicals with stars like Bette Midler in Dolly
See it if You love Josh Groban. His voice is amazing and he can act. Denee Benton and the rest of the cast are great too.
Don't see it if you have sensitivity to lights, they're not kidding about the intense strobe lights.
See it if Love musicals, like innovative staging. Enjoy an impeccable theater experience. Everything was top notch.Denee Benton must be heard.
Don't see it if Have reactions to strobe lights. Aren't interested in an out of the box musical.
See it if You want a one of a kind theatrical experience, this is it. The outstanding set, incredible score and amazing actors made this show so great
Don't see it if You're not a fan of interactive theatre or want a musical that isn't fully sung through. Some parts were confusing but it wasn't a problem
See it if You want to experience something truly new and unique.
Don't see it if You don't enjoy modern takes on classic literature or are uncomfortable with immersive theatre
See it if You want to have the most unique Broadway (or theatrical) experience of your life.
Don't see it if You don't like strobe lights. Otherwise, there is no reason NOT to see it! Read more
Critic Reviews (65)
"More often than not it succeeds at making a great time, even if it falls short of making great art...Though I remain an admirer of 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,' I find that its flaws are even more evident now, and Chavkin and Malloy are not able to disguise how hard they're working...Malloy walks a thin line between serious adaptation and rib-poking irony, and does not always get the ratios correct...Ultimately more a triumph of style than it is a classic piece of writing."
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“Lest you feared that in the move to the Great White Way David Malloy's magnificent electro pop opera, now starring Josh Groban and Denée Benton in their Broadway debuts, this innovative musical work would lose its ambiance, be reassured. Resourceful and gifted set designer Mimi Lien has recreated her Russian supper club in the Imperial Theatre, an ironically named choice of venue, and director Rachel Chavkin's staging has lost none of its effectiveness.”
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"Malloy's sung-through lyrics are clear as any play dialogue and propel the narrative most effectively. And Chavkin has guided the performers to make their situations and feelings easily comprehensible...Electro-pop-influenced and sung-through like an opera, but it also, and beautifully, blends in Russian folk and classical music...They've managed to give audiences a view of Tolstoy's rather overwrought romantic subplot through a contemporary and often humorous and unique lens."
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"A remarkably moving and highly spirited condensation of one section of Leo Tolstoy’s seminal novel 'War and Peace'...Which leads us to the sheer amount of blazing talent we are blessed to share our time with...Malloy has an incredible facility to traverse genre...Malloy’s greatest musical triumphs may be his witty, infectious numbers...You’ll also get a kick, at times, from Sam Pinkleton’s choreography, which smartly complements Chavkin’s staging."
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"The talent here is mighty. Across the board. The story, however, could have been condensed into a tight 90-minute extravaganza. As it is, the themes are repeated over and over and over–and not in nuanced ways. Repetition overcomes talent as well as spectacle and wears the listener down...To be sure this is a visual spectacle that you rarely see on Broadway. Without the spectacle, however, the story does not stand up."
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"An ecstatic, transportive experience...There's enough avant antics and gender-bending in the chorus to counter to old-fashioned elements, and the various elements of stagecraft weave ever more densely into an orgiastic, all-consuming tapestry...I've sought the words to describe it—mesmerizing, splendid, heady—but all seem insufficient to capture the fullness of the show. Don your finest fur and head to the theater for one of the finest productions of the year."
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"I wish as much energy was given to creating an emotional arc in the story rather than explanations in a program...The cast of professionals seem to be game...Sadly, this fine group of actors is not given songwriting that approaches their expertise. I will say that it is a sumptuous show. Lively and entertaining. Moments of fun and pleasure delivered by an expert cast, but the combination of the simplistic lyrics and the manic movements created a show that is watched rather than engaged with."
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"A masterful musical… A remarkable story of love gone wrong…’The Great Comet’ is one of the most innovative musicals to appear on Broadway for a very long time. Its uniqueness is surpassed only by its impressive cast. Under Rachel Chavkin’s refined and imaginative direction, Denee Benton, Josh Groban and the ensemble cast grapple successfully with Dave Malloy’s music, lyrics, and book and create a delicious and innovative approach to a small slice of ‘War and Peace.’"
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