Ernest Shackleton Loves Me
Closed 1h 30m
Ernest Shackleton Loves Me
76

Ernest Shackleton Loves Me NYC Reviews and Tickets

76%
(248 Ratings)
Positive
78%
Mixed
16%
Negative
6%
Members say
Clever, Entertaining, Quirky, Great singing, Delightful

About the Show

GrooveLily's electro-violinist Valerie Vigoda stars in this high-tech musical adventure about two extraordinary people connecting across time and space. Featuring a book by Tony winner Joe DiPietro ('Memphis').

Read more Show less

Show-Score Member Reviews (248)

Sort by:
  • Default
  • Standing in our community
  • Highest first
  • Lowest first
  • Newest first
  • Oldest first
  • Only positive
  • Only negative
  • Only mixed
75 Reviews | 14 Followers
88
Quirky, Clever, Inspiring, Optimistic, Ambitious

See it if you might like Irish Influenced, electronic, artsy music, well sung in an improbable story about inspiring an explorer across time and space

Don't see it if you prefer realism to fantasy, and wouldn't enjoy a musical metaphor comparing the struggles of being a single mom or artist to an explorer

314 Reviews | 52 Followers
88
Clever, Entertaining, Great singing, Quirky, Romantic

See it if you like experimental work with a great score. A bit wacky, yet understandable

Don't see it if you only like large cast "normal" plot type of musicals.

66 Reviews | 14 Followers
88
Original, fun, with two star performances

See it if You love to be optimistic (hard these days), enjoy great performances and singing and musicianship, and want to laugh......just, go with it!

Don't see it if You are so "academic" that you cannot accept a more whimsical musical comedy night out. Dare to go with this quirky, but loving show!!! Read more

114 Reviews | 47 Followers
87
Entertaining, Refreshing, Relevant, Quirky, Musically fun

See it if you can identify with the bravery required of single parents, you have big choices to make, you like music and struggle, you are a romantic!

Don't see it if you aren't into new forms, ingenuity, big stories with small casts, really cool music looping, crying by the end of the 1st song, touching!

206 Reviews | 42 Followers
86
Entertaining, Clever, Great singing, Quirky, Unique

See it if you like innovative new musicals tackling common subjects in new ways, you enjoy new music performed well

Don't see it if you want standard musical format, you want big casts, you don't like new musicals Read more

78 Reviews | 12 Followers
86
Clever, Funny, Refreshing, Entertaining, Great singing

See it if You want to see a really entertaining show with humour and great music.

Don't see it if You want something traditional. Read more

101 Reviews | 19 Followers
85
Enchanting, Quirky, Intelligent, Thought-provoking, Romantic

See it if you admire a talented team and have a quirky sense of humor. the lead accompanies the show with her violin talents - its amazing!! very cute

Don't see it if you have no heart. the romance is lovely and dear!

115 Reviews | 50 Followers
85
Great singing, Great staging, Funny, Hilarious, Masterful

See it if You love musicals in an unusual presentation.

Don't see it if You don't like zany musicals. Read more

Critic Reviews (25)

Village Voice
May 17th, 2017

"Thanks to the expertise of its inventive makers and performers, ‘Ernest Shackleton Loves Me’ proves an enjoyable bite-size epic, zipping along on a good-humored script, a lively, melodic score, and direction from Lisa Peterson...Vigoda invests Kat with a winning energy, and McCollum, an especially fine vocalist, cuts a charismatic figure as the courageous Shackleton. Together, their blazing performances melt away any doubts about the show’s potentially dubious concept.”
Read more

Broadway & Me
May 31st, 2017

"A winsome rom-com...Director Lisa Peterson keeps things zipping along through the show's 90 minutes. And special kudos must go to designer Nichols, whose video projections make smart use of the historic footage from the real expedition...The show is silly, with most of the humor supplied by the talented Wade McCollum...At heart, 'Ernest Shackleton Loves Me' is an old-fashioned inspirational tale about having the courage to endure, be it subzero temperatures or a 3 a.m. feeding."
Read more

The Wrap
May 7th, 2017

"Seldom has quirk felt more like work...Vigoda seems to be in a completely different production from her co-star...McCollum is confident to the point of absurdity...The discrepancy in performance styles and charisma has the unfortunate effect of amplifying the many weaknesses of the premise and plotting. And then there’s the score, which skis swiftly downhill...Cleverly staged and boasts some striking individual elements. But overall, this show proves more twee than treat."
Read more

M
May 20th, 2017

“Exhilarating…Just go along for the ride. It’s a wildly entertaining one...There’s the score filled with perky ballads, dramatic anthems and spirited renderings of sea chanteys…Vigoda is totally convincing…A wonderfully well-tooled product…The staging by director Lisa Peterson is highly inventive…The adventure becomes so enthralling that when it reaches its conclusion with all crew members safe, you may well join in the cheering.”
Read more

Act Three - The Reviews
May 7th, 2017

"Quirky is the word that comes to mind...Ernest Shackleton (Wade McCollum) is a real-life explorer who went to Antarctica. An odd choice for leading man. However the leading lady (Valerie Vigoda) can strum the electric violin like nobody's business while she's going along on her excursion with Ernest. Quirky-they fall in love. Quirky-it's just weird, silly, a bit absurd, but at least it was quick."
Read more

Motherhood Later
May 18th, 2017

“Vigoda turns in an inspired, heartfelt performance and impressively plays the electric violin…The strapping, likable Wade McCollum plays the boyfriend and the banjo-playing Shackelton and nails both roles…Smartly staged by director Lisa Peterson, images are projected on a large screen, largely featuring Shackelton’s explorations, which lend a dose of drama and realism...There are amusing moments, but the musical ultimately grows thin and frigid.”
Read more

NJ.com
May 11th, 2017

"A goofy story. It should not work, but does and beautifully...A musical that doesn't take itself too seriously...Done with clever production design...Vigoda, who is sweet and badass as Kat, is at her best playing music and singing. Still, she has great chemistry with Shackleton. McCollum is a blizzard onto himself—he storms over the stage as Shackleton... Absolutely worth a trip upstairs to discover it."
Read more

The New York Times
May 2nd, 2015
For a previous production

"Wildly quirky in its contemporary style and tone, 'Ernest Shackleton Loves Me' is an intrepid new musical...The score is propulsive and agreeably melodic. For all of its charm, the musical is not entirely watertight...A sudden shift into a farcical tone in the show’s later stretches raises a good bit of laughter but seems somewhat jarring...But for its greater part, the musical offers a wonderfully bracing time that is enhanced by smart staging from the director, Lisa Peterson."
Read more