On the Twentieth Century NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (135)
See it if You love old fashioned musicals.
Don't see it if You don't like sugary and sappy plots.
See it if you can go back to last year and see Kristin Chenoweth do it
Don't see it if you hate screwball
See it if you like operetta-style pieces and love Kristin Chenoweth!
Don't see it if you want something more serious.
See it if You love Kristin Chenoweth and enjoy classic operettas.
Don't see it if You are looking to see a fresh, original new musical.
See it if You want to see a funny and fun musical with some awesome tap dancing as well.
Don't see it if You do not like musicals. You only like serious things.
See it if you want to see a brilliant revival of a classic show; if you like tap dancing bellmen; if you want your face melted off by Ms. Chenoweth
Don't see it if you don't like funny, fluffy, madcap humor; if you want deeply developed, tortured characters
See it if Like Comden and Green's clever lyrics, Kristin Chenoweth at the very top of her game and just a fun, frothy, frentic time in the theater.
Don't see it if Older musicals aren't your thing. Not exactly the most surprising of plots but who cares.
See it if Kristin Chenoweth at her absolute best. Incredible performance. Great memorable music. Wonderful story
Don't see it if you don't like perfect musicals
Critic Reviews (31)
"This strained farce is a musical stubbornly lacking in locomotion, its steam engine spouting plumes of desperation. While director Scott Ellis has a proven track record with comedy, he's off his game in this belabored revival...People sitting near me were roaring with laughter, so the show's cornball humor was obviously working for some. But while I was ready to be taken on a delirious musical journey, the train never leaves the station."
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"This revival won't convert detractors who think this material tired or second tier, and it makes no great revisionist play for its source. But there's a lot to admire about this production for extant fans of old musicals...None of this would travel though, without the clarity of the Ellis storytelling, the real fire in the engine here."
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"Gloriously revived by the Roundabout Theatre Company, this 1978 musical is a fast-paced romp...Set entirely on the 20th Century Limited train from Chicago to New York, the show barrels down the tracks to theatrical bliss...All told, “On the Twentieth Century” is on track to score big at Tony Awards time. Buy your tickets before the train leaves the station."
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"Roundabout Theatre Company's ultimate chase-the-blues-away confection...It’s hard to remember a recent production in which the cast was so uniquely suited to each and every role...In fact, On the Twentieth Century is so generous a vehicle (pun completely intended), it even lets the porters have a bona fide showstopper. It’s one of many affectionate moments you’ll be reflecting on later, wishing life was this train."
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"The Roundabout Theatre Company's new production doesn't live up to all that the musical could be theatrically, musically and comically. That being said, the production is still pretty damn enjoyable. To speak metaphorically, the glass may not be full, but it's certainly more than half full."
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"Scott Ellis' staging of this 1978 musical comedy gem is marred a bit by occasional stylistic slips, but, for the majority of its running time, this is strictly a pleasure excursion...It has been a gift from the theatre gods to have two Comden and Green shows this season. Their special brand of malice-free satire is on full display here, and what a glorious thing it is. I don't care if it is March; if you see it, you're practically guaranteed to leave the theatre in a holiday mood."
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"Most of this production looks as though neither engineer nor conductor has bothered to check in on it for a while...When it comes to consistency and comedy, the fires simply haven’t been stoked at all...'On the Twentieth Century' is, at best, a lower-second-tier musical that’s more likely than not to go off the rails if not treated with the utmost care. It has not received that care this time around."
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"Count on having a fine time...The show boasts plenty of show stopping, eye-popping and ear caressing star power...When On the Twentieth Century, the musical first opened on Broadway in 1978, Variety noted that it indicated an increasing tendency for Broadway shows to stress grandiose spectacles. Since then the economy has forced those spectacles to make room for more modest productions, making an occasional spectacle like this one spectacularly enjoyable."
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