Christopher H 6188

See it if you like musicals at all--this is the ne plus ultra

Don't see it if you don't care about musicals, especially classics

Also I didn't rush to see this until Laura Benanti took over the lead, so my extremely favorable reaction is to the show after she joined it. She was splendid, and the show is superb. (The new ending doesn't work at all, but points for trying!)... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy new musicals of any kind

Don't see it if you want to see the source material reinvented for the musical stage as opposed to having songs stuck in it.

Also The score isn't much to write home about, but it's better than it seemed on the Tony's. Funny script, great cast. Lots of fun.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have a fun night with great performers, great music and a delightfully funny script

Don't see it if you hate '80s music or Broadway shows

Also I wasn't expecting much but I loved this show. The cast is superb, the music is used so creatively, the choreography is wonderful, the book is very funny. I hope to get a chance to see it again before it closes. If you've been thinking of going, go now!... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in musical theatre history, even the more arcane titles; or African-American theatre history

Don't see it if you can't see beyond what dates an older piece to see the parallels with today

Also I wish all of the cast had been as strong as the strongest members, but the music was fantastic and I'm always really happy to see shows I never thought I'd see, especially ones like this that are so rarely written about or discussed.... Read more Read less

See it if you have never seen it--it's the one indisputably great American play from the latter part of the 20th century

Don't see it if you saw the original and have it indelibly printed on your brain

Also It was a great experience and wonderful to see it again, but as good as the cast was (although I didn't love Garfield or Lane), I couldn't help but compare them unfavorably with their predecessors. My friend loved Denise Gough and I did too but I really missed Marcia Gay Harden's dippy flights of fancy. I kept waiting for her monologue that moved me to tears and then realized it had already happened and I didn't even recognize it. New interpretations are always fine, of course, but it's interesting that the performances I enjoyed the most (James McArdle and Lee Pace) were the least different from the original takes on them. Nevertheless, if you've never seen this play (live), you owe it to yourself to go. (I mean if you're even reading this, you need to see it once in your life.)... Read more Read less

See it if you want to keep up with the work of our great writers

Don't see it if you only want to see their absolute best work

Also The play was very, very good, but it never quite got to me the way I feel it was trying to. The elephant stylings were cool but a little too much of the power of the story was dependent on them, and I'm not sure they completely managed to bring it off. I'm glad I saw it, but it wasn't anywhere close to the shattering experience of Sweat.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy seeing the classics done with style and class

Don't see it if you didn't know that plays used to be long and talky--they were.

Also The people complaining about this show being slow don't seem to take into account the fact that the play is almost 100 years old and that plays were written differently then. And, yes, Shaw uses characters as his mouthpieces for different political and moral viewpoints. You're a little late to the party if you feel a need to point that out.

I bought a ticket to see a long, slow, talky Shaw play and I absolutely loved it. Rashad and Davenport are standouts, but watching Patrick Page is like seeing Burton or one of the other greats. His monologue as the Inquisitor is one of the finest pieces of acting I have ever seen.... Read more Read less

See it if you like to see playwrights of Norris's caliber tackle weighty subjects from an off-center point of view

Don't see it if you don't like to think and don't enjoy theatrical surprises

Also Harriet Harris may be the funniest woman alive right now.

See it if you want to keep up with current comedies--they're few and far between--or if you love Hayley Mills

Don't see it if you only like plays with substance or perfect, accomplished comedy

Also Klea Blackhurst is hilarious and it's worth it to see Mills--she looks (and is) fantastic!... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of classic musical theatre, good shows and bad

Don't see it if you don't like musicals, or music, or some of our best performers doing what they were meant to do

Also This was an extremely enjoyable evening. Only two issues for me. One, that every time you started to get into a show, they skipped on to the next one; two, the song choices seemed oddly random. The books to these shows were generally blamed for their original failures. Why such a long, boring dialogue scene from All American, when we're all just waiting to hear Judy Kuhn sing "Once Upon a Time"? And why two songs about being an immigrant in America, when you could have had the delightful "Nightlife"? Also, there were ZERO love songs. Often there are too many, but this was almost entirely made up of chorus numbers and diva solos. Greenwillow's chorus numbers are dire, but the love songs are exquisite. So, not one...? But the stars were superb and Bebe Neuwirth killed it with "Why Do the Wrong People Travel?" Killed. It.... Read more Read less

See it if political scandals and intrigue are your bag--or movie stars

Don't see it if plotting and scheming are not your thing

Also I really enjoyed this and thought the entire cast was great. It may not be earth-shaking, but it is very clever and fun to watch the PW's schemes play out... Read more Read less

See it if you want to check out a seldom-performed musical from a time when the form was undergoing great change

Don't see it if you need a well-rehearsed, perfect evening

Also Umoh and Reed were outstanding, and an strong but overlooked score was presented beautifully by some great singers. It's nice to finally see what this show was all about.... Read more Read less

See it if you like beautifully acted plays with lots of ideas

Don't see it if you require all those ideas to add up to something concrete

Also The play was wonderful; it just missed greatness. Still, it will probably provide me with more interesting memories than some more "complete" (?) works. Highly recommended.... Read more Read less

See it if you love all "Forbidden Broadway" type stuff

Don't see it if a whole evening spoofing one show seems too much of a good thing

Also It was too much of a good thing, but I enjoy FB, so I enjoyed the show. Just don't expect non-stop brilliance.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a beautifully staged and acted production of a relatively obscure but fascinating play

Don't see it if you have no patience for the old-fashioned three-act structure (one intermission here) or for listening to people discuss ideas

Also The set change literally brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes it's so exciting to see what modern-day techniques can add to something old. I loved this play. It's not for everyone, I guess, considering some of the responses I've seen!... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in a real discussion about religion and good vs. evil

Don't see it if very black comedy and long dialogues aren't your thing

Also It does feel like an early play. A brilliant one, but more seasoned playwrights learn to be more succinct. But the performances are great and the play is worth knowing. I'm glad they revived it.... Read more Read less

See it if You care about the important plays by our important playwrights

Don't see it if You dislike dark, difficult material

Also Disappointed to have missed Dixon, but Lahti, Kalukango and--especially--Thompson were superb.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see the most impressive acting ensemble currently in town in a very strong and moving family play

Don't see it if all you care about is originality of plot (as if that's still possible) and whether someone's foreign accent is perfect (who f-ing cares?)

Also Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about Ben Brantley. To be honest, part of why I went to this was to collect more ammunition against his poor taste. (I'm not proud of this.). But I thought it was lovely and was profoundly moved by the family's fumbling attempts to communicate. Go see for yourself!... Read more Read less

See it if you like to explore the lost plays of the past; generally if you like shows at the Mint you will probably be interested in anything they do

Don't see it if you need all the acting to reach the same level; or if you only want to see revivals of masterpieces

Also Not all of the performances were up to the quality I'm used to here; some people were good in one play but not the next. The plays felt a bit like sketches, or segments from longer plays. Still very interesting but not completely satisfying.... Read more Read less

See it if you don't mind mediocre, uninspired cash-grab musicals like this one

Don't see it if you want to see something where all the creators are working on the same show, and working at the top of their game

Also Why not use all the songs from the movie? None of the new ones were any good and you used four of the movie songs anyway. Either write a new score or don't. When did this become the way people write musicals? The lack of artistic integrity showed in every single dull moment of this show. And what pathetic sets! In a show like this, the sets are more important than the music! Boo.... Read more Read less

See it if you're a fan of Christine Pedi or want to enjoy a lot of time with a new find, Stephanie Umoh

Don't see it if you don't like Jerry Herman or small-scale revivals

Also Seeing this right after some terrible national events, the audience was a little slow to get involved, and maybe not everyone was equally good in the show (he said, trying to be nice). Umoh, however, was a real treasure. Near the end, she sang "I Am What I Am" and it took on a subtext and a context that were quite unexpected. She KILLED that f***er and moved the audience deeply, leading to quite an ovation. If they had sung "The Best of Times (Is Now)" earlier, everyone would have grumbled and thought, "Yeah, right." But coming when it did, after a beautiful, strong and talented black woman made such a powerful statement, it was really quite stunning, and a just-okay show became something else entirely. I'll be on the lookout for her--and you should be too.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to be entertained by some nutty ideas...that maybe aren't so nutty

Don't see it if you have no sense of humor, or don't like great acting and fantastic set changes

Also I really, really enjoyed this show. I'm not entirely sure it was all that profound or insightful, but it sure was entertaining. Keenan-Bolger and Gillette were superb, and the guys were great too. Probably not for everybody, but the audience I saw it with seemed pretty engaged and amused.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have a fantastic time; I loved it so much from the balcony I bought expensive seats to see it again the very same week

Don't see it if you don't want to see Carmello do the quintessential Mrs. Lovett; or if you didn't realize that Lewis is no longer in it

Also I was able to see it before Norm Lewis and many other cast members left the show; I can't guess what it might be like now, although the staging is clever and wonderful. The whole thing is so fun that you just don't care about the parts that don't work so much. Lewis and Carmello had amazing chemistry. Good luck, new cast!... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Gloria Estefan or just want to have a good time

Don't see it if you only like more serious, artistic shows

Also This isn't really my kind of thing but I do like Estefan and it was much better than I expected, especially the second act. The script is a little cutesy but they find more intelligent ways to work the songs into the story than most shows of this type. And the dancing and the band were great.... Read more Read less

See it if you like the bare bones Musicals Tonight approach to the classics

Don't see it if you only like it when it really works

Also This was hilarious and charming at Encores 20 years ago or so. This one was cute and amusing. Usually I find the roles are better cast with this group. Still, it was fun.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Cher or Stephanie J. Block

Don't see it if you want it to be great; it has its moments, but....

Also I should note that I saw this in its first week of previews and I believe they were still working on it. My friends went recently and really loved it.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a Potter fan or just really like well-executed drama staged with the ultimate in inventiveness

Don't see it if you hate Harry Potter

Also This was way better than it had any right to be. The staging tricks kept the kid in me thrilled while the family drama kept me more deeply moved. I don't know what it would be like for a Potter neophyte, but it is certainly worth seeing even without that background.... Read more Read less

See it if you like kids' shows or want to see the latest by Coleman, Zippel and a great cast of Broadway pros

Don't see it if you can't stand kids' shows or a trip to New Jersey

Also The show was a lot of fun with lots of theatrical in-jokes for the grown-ups. Not quite a classic, but any chance to see Carmello, McGillin and Burns is worth your time.... Read more Read less

See it if you love great acting or great renditions of our recent classics

Don't see it if you have no imagination or interest in one of the greatest actors of our time

Also Glenda Jackson was everything I’d hoped—just a stunning performance. Impressive that the other actresses could hold their own opposite her. And it’s a brilliant play. This season I was privileged to see Ellen Burstyn, Marsha Mason and Jackson all on stage, three of the major film heroines of my youth. What a thrill.... Read more Read less

See it if you love seeing the classics revived with a new eye and a unique spirit

Don't see it if you only like shows in which the characters feel the same way you do about things

Also Amazing cast, beautiful choreography, cool sets (minus the bizarre nonexistence of the title ride). Many people are slamming this show as one with dated views, as if the show were espousing the views of its characters, while ignoring the many millions of people who still hold those views, as if they were not worthy of having a story told about them. Regardless, since it's Billy's story, not Julie's, one can hardly insist that the show is deliberately instructing us to feel as she does. It just doesn't make any sense. The show is stunning, the greatest score ever composed for a musical, and to miss it for political reasons would be sad indeed. (Also, they have completely rewritten parts of the show; Julie no longer says it's possible for someone to hit you and it not hurt, and she sings "What's the Use of Wond'rin'" in opposition to the other female characters, not in concert with them. It shows how much we can trust our current critics that not one of them noticed these changes.)... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in our important playwrights, you love great acting or you're just a huge Lonergan fan like me

Don't see it if you don't want to be engrossed in a fascinating character examination

Also All four actors were absolutely brilliant. This play was an absolute pleasure to watch. Evans and Cera seemed to be reveling in the chance to remind everyone they are actors, not just movie stars with a schtick, and Powley and Henry were riveting; can't wait to see them all again on stage.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see the best musical staged this season--and yes, it was staged, not really a concert at all

Don't see it if you don't like gorgeous sets, costumes and people; Snyder was a standout but the cast was uniformly terrific

Also Seriously, don't miss it. You only have two more days!

See it if you like good plays and great actors

Don't see it if you only like plays that will blow you away with their brilliance

Also It isn't great, per se, but it is very, very good. And Rylance actually is great.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a silly old show done as well as it's ever likely to be

Don't see it if you only want perfection--it's hardly a classic, but it's great fun

Also The two lead men were absolutely fantastic, and the entire cast sings a charming score exquisitely. If you've ever been curious about this show, rush to see this production.... Read more Read less

See it if you like your sexy gay plays to have a brain

Don't see it if nudity offends you--there's a lot

Also I had heard the play was better than expected, but I saw it with some new cast members and was honestly quite shocked at how good the acting was. Joe Chisholm is a find.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in ballet history or just enjoy good acting

Don't see it if you want a transcendent experience--it just misses the mark

Also It was great to see Marsha Mason and I'll see Marin Mazzie in anything. Douglas Hodge and John Glover were particularly wonderful. Very good play, just not, somehow, urgent.... Read more Read less

See it if you’re interested in what our major playwrights want to tackle and want to be amused and entertained

Don't see it if you expect groundbreaking answers to life’s major questions

Also This was an excellent play, beautifully staged and acted (Michael Siberry MVP). Not a major classic but well worth seeing if you still can.... Read more Read less

See it if you like to laugh; I haven't laughed so hard for this long in years

Don't see it if a theater full of people laughing their heads off for 90 minutes isn't your kind of thing--or if you write for the Times

Also Even the better reviews for this show seem to feel like they wouldn't be real critics if they didn't chastise this show for merely being hysterically funny and not much else. What's so bad about hysterically funny? Why do most of our current crop of critics have this tiny little box that plays must fit into or they are somehow found wanting? I may stop reading reviews altogether; the taste of the Times critics in particular is so terrible it almost puts me off theatre. Meanwhile, I'm calling for another Tony for Laura Benanti!... Read more Read less

See it if you like great music performed perfectly with very clever staging conceits

Don't see it if you're too much of a curmudgeon to be swept away

See it if you love the classic musical comedies

Don't see it if you need them to be cast properly

Also A show like this really requires a comedienne in the lead, not just a talented, pretty girl. She pulled it off in the end, but she's not what the authors had in mind at all!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to keep abreast of the current wonderful boom in our musical theatre

Don't see it if you need every show to be a slam-bang classic

Also It's a leisurely show with not a lot of plot, but the score is fantastic and the cast is phenomenal. Katrina Lenk can be in everything from now on as far as I am concerned. I really thought the show was lovely. It won't change the world.... Read more Read less

See it if you like all worthy plays that have both sentiment and smarts

Don't see it if you crave something brand new; there's a lot of new plays Off-Broadway right now

Also I hate the word "dated" but it was such an of-the-minute piece when it was new; let's just say it doesn't feel terribly urgent and it's not quite old enough to be seen in a new light yet. But it's a strong production with good actors.... Read more Read less

See it if a great cast having fun with Shakespeare sounds good to you

Don't see it if you don't like irreverent takes on the Bard

Also Stephen Schwartz's songs were wonderful; Bob Stillman is my new favorite person. The production wasn't earth-shaking but everyone left smiling.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of musical theatre; that's the only requirement to enjoy yourself

Don't see it if you are a New York theatre critic who can't enjoy a simple career retrospective if it doesn't give you enough "insight" into the man's work

Also The "insight" is IN the work, you knuckleheads. Real producers and real directors of new musicals (not just stagers like we have now) actually contributed to the composition of the classic shows, as well as the way in which the roles will be forever interpreted. So when most of the cast performs "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs" in its entirety, and seems ready to play the entire show at any moment, that's what Prince can do. That said, one of the performers was decidedly weak and lacking in versatility, which took a toll on some moments which should have been highlights. But Janet Dacal and Michael Xavier were the standouts, also Emily Skinner and Tony Yazbeck (who had most of the good stuff anyway).... Read more Read less

See it if you want to keep up with the current conversations in art and life

Don't see it if you're not interested in the problems facing so many of us today

Also This play was a beautifully written exploration of its subject. The only thing that left me a little unsure is how thoroughly it explored it. I felt like there wasn't a lot of room left for my own thoughts and opinions, as if the playwright had done all of the work for me. That's not necessarily bad, but I was extremely engrossed in it while watching it but I didn't bring much out of it with me, if that makes any sense. But still see it, it's an important work by one of our important artists.... Read more Read less

See it if you have nothing better to do

Don't see it if you do have something better to do

Also I would rather be nice but I really didn't enjoy this for even a minute or two. I'm not too sure about Silverman as a director; my two least favorite shows in the last year were both directed by her and in both cases it felt like there was a lack of a guiding hand. The music was bland, the cast talented but not terribly well directed or utilized, and I don't know why a grown woman suddenly had a long tap number with one of the children, even if she was the choreographer. It made no sense.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy rarely performed yet worthy musicals done with a topnotch cast

Don't see it if you aren't open for something a little different

Also Nikki M. James was fantastic and I'm fast becoming a big fan of both Childs and O'Hara; Childs for her endless well of uncliched melody and O'Hara for his humor and the cleverness of his staging--he can fill a stage with movement using a handful of performers. The show was wonderful. It's too bad it was only two nights, which left no time for word of mouth to spread.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a beautifully cast, sung and acted version of the show

Don't see it if you mind a few staging gaffes or don't want to see how this show has aged (brilliantly, it turns out)

Also Some sound glitches on the first night, but the cast was just superb; any fan of the show should definitely make this a priority.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a very rarely produced classic

Don't see it if you want to see it done right

Also I wish the current Encores people would stop casting so bizarrely. Lindsay Mendez was perfection, Ryan Silverman was pretty good. The opera girl couldn't act and you couldn't understand her lyrics. The jazz singer was also hard to understand. Why were they in this? It's a Broadway show with a Broadway score. New York is crawling with people, famous and not, who would be better than most of this cast was. I'm not subscribing next season. This is the only really good show they did this year and they didn't do it justice at all.... Read more Read less