Curvy Widow NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (166)
See it if you like well done shows that deal with life for those of us of a certain age.Takes an honest but funny look at life for a dating widow.
Don't see it if you are looking for Chekovian drama.This is a light show that has something important to say, but says it in an accessible way.
See it if you want theater about the issues of older folks that is not patronizing.
Don't see it if You expect any deep character exploration. Most of the ideas and characters are trite. Read more
See it if Want to see Nancy Opel on stage (why did she give up Prince of Broadway for this !)
Don't see it if Want anything refreshing as the material is so dated
See it if you like true stories or are a fan of James Goldman and/or Bobby Goldman, his widow.
Don't see it if frank talk about sex and dating at a mature age offends you, or older women's sexual experiences & enjoyment doesn't interest you.
See it if Musical about a 55 year old widow finding herself through stereotypes in the dating scene,most songs are forgettable.A light evening.
Don't see it if If you do not like simple musicals with a very thin storyline.
See it if You're up for an overdue, well-delivered, bland if clever musical about menopausal online dating, desire and, finally, fulfillment.
Don't see it if You're wanting more than just a pleasant & entertaining evening. Good performances but an ultimately bland score well delivered by Ms. Opel. Read more
See it if you'd enjoy an original (autobiographical) surprisingly touching story, set to great music with hysterical lyrics. Cast of 6 is very strong.
Don't see it if you're a total sourpuss. Lots of laughs, few touching moments as well. Really surprised how good it actually is. 90min flew by w/o noticing. Read more
See it if You’re up for a breezy show that bypasses most opportunities for substance and emotion.
Don't see it if Unrelenting focus on one character’s sex life would annoy you. Read more
Critic Reviews (36)
"The story, directed by Peter Flynn, seems headed for a classic happy ending or an updated version of 'An Unmarried Woman' (victory in self-actualization), and neither promises much satisfaction. Mr. Brody’s music and lyrics are pleasant but insight-free. Ms. Goldman’s book is often witty but decidedly self-congratulatory...Things go annoyingly well for Bobby...The three actors (Land, Muraoka and Shyer) who play all the male characters deliver some entertaining group numbers."
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"'Curvy Widow' has a dispiritingly embalmed feel...A musical that would be D.O.A. if not for its star, Nancy Opel. Opel is so appealing and funny as the musical’s fiftysomething title character, who learns to let go and lust again thanks to online dating, that you can almost forgive the linen-thin narrative and cavalcade of hoary humor, caricatures and mis-rhymed lyrics...Like a misleading Match.com profile, 'Curvy Widow's' promise yields a disappointing date."
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"Uneven and not entirely original, it still provides a witty riff on a vital subject...Opel plays the titular curvy widow with a certain seasoned charm that goes with her pleasant vocal range like tea and honey...Occasionally amusing but mostly undistinguished songs that sound more provocative than they really are...Goldman's book towers above the follow-the-dots direction of Peter Flynn and the perfunctory score by Drew Brody."
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"None of the characters are worrying much about money, making the stakes feel awfully low...As vanity projects go, 'Curvy Widow' is better than most. Some of Goldman's jokes are actually funny, and when they're not, the naturally comedic Opel usually carries them across the finish line...It is made more pleasant by Drew Brody's listenable score of ersatz Sondheim tunes...It's impossible to hate 'Curvy Widow,' especially in light of the profound indifference it engenders."
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"It doesn't take long before Opel starts tearing your heart out...'Curvy Widow' transforms into a fun and frisky showcase for its star...Opel is the focal point of nearly every scene and song, and the authors offer several spot-on moments for her to shine...While 'Curvy Widow' may not seem innovative on the surface, an entertainment that respectfully presents the adventures of a woman in her 50s seeking sex and romance with men in her age range can, unfortunately, be considered a novelty."
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"If Opel makes the most of such opportunities, too much of 'Curvy Widow' resists even her well-honed comic skills...The book consists of crashingly obvious gags seemingly cribbed from somebody's opening act in Vegas...The songs restate the main situation without adding anything in the way of melody or humor...Flynn's direction mostly involves moving the cast around Opel, which he does handily enough."
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“The always-reliable Nancy Opel has what should have been the role of a lifetime in ‘Curvy Widow,’ a new, autobiographical musical by Bobby Goldman, about coping with the death of her husband, the playwright James, when she was 55 years old. But not even Opel can lift the show that contains her from the generic doldrums that keep it down. Nor can the six other players rise above director Peter Flynn's pedestrian staging...to turn ‘Curvy Widow’ into something worthwhile.”
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"It's refreshing that 'Curvy Widow' openly discusses the fact that a 55-year-old woman wants and enjoys sex. It also has the advantage of Nancy Opel in the lead role. Unfortunately, she can't make up for the often superficial writing...Scenes go from therapy sessions to dates to hanging out with friends without much in the way of transitions or character development...Some of Drew Brody's lyrics are risqué, and offer a glimpse of a subversive, entertaining musical buried beneath stale jokes."
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