Icon (NYMF) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Part of the New York Musical Festival: This new tuner is about a princess, her lover, and a story that could not be told. Featuring Tony nominees Donna McKechnie ('A Chorus Line') and Tony Sheldon ('Priscilla').
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See it if you want to support new works in development; you want to see a poor man's mash-up of Evita-Anastasia-Les Miz-Aida.
Don't see it if you expect to see Donna McKechnie sing & dance. (She doesn't sing until the final number - sans choreography!)
See it if You like love stories between different classes in thinly disguised fictional European countries. Donna McKechnie&Tony Sheldon
Don't see it if You expect elaborate sets and Donna to sing a major portion of the show. You expect smooth transitions between acts one and two.
See it if you want a rare glimpse of the singular sensation that is Donna McKechnie, or want to reacquaint yourself with the terrific Tony Sheldon.
Don't see it if If you don't want every fiber of your being to hate you for wasting time on this amateurish, confused nonsense.
See it if you want to see a romantic story with up and coming performers, who are quite talented.
Don't see it if you can't handle imperfections, such as sound issues or a predictable story.
See it if you like melodramatic musicals. OK plot, but ending a little too cute. However, singing, dancing and acting are all pretty good.
Don't see it if don't like romantic musicals.
See it if you love beautiful music sung by extraordinary new talent (Charlotte Maltby & Sam Sinahk), elegantly costumed, wonderfully acted musicals
Don't see it if a disappointing final five minutes, easily correctable, can distroy two hours of pure pleasure
See it if want a bit of a throw-back show, very 1920's; a chance to see Donna McKechnie from a few feet a way. Really excellent singing
Don't see it if don't like seeing musicals in development; don't like jazz-orientated scores
See it if you like period shows a nice throw back to a golden age. Wonderful signing and songs. A full production would be a joy.
Don't see it if you want more depth in the book of a musical. Don't like period shows.
Critic Reviews (8)
"The production is heavy on flapper-era glamour and amour. In Act I, Ms. Maltby and Mr. Simahk make a thoroughly winning romantic odd couple, vocally alluring in duets and solos alike. But in Act II, when things go wrong for Constance and Alvaro, they go wrong for the show, too. This is largely because its clunkiest element—a 1960s strand involving a piano teacher (Donna McKechnie) living in exile—suddenly comes to the fore. Ms. McKechnie is a selling point, but she is wasted here."
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“A largely engaging work with several excellent performances, though its NYMF production is still slightly undercooked overall...Smartly written, with an engaging script and score in the vein of the big British pop-operas...Director-choreographer Paul Stancato's production leaves much to be desired in terms of pacing and clear-cut storytelling...While she doesn't get to dance, McKechnie does leave the audience rapt late in the second half with a fantastically delivered monologue.”
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"For all its craziness, the story is hardly surprising; I predicted the 'big twist,' about 10 minutes into Act I, and it unfolded as anticipated. Nor is it especially well told: The action builds to a muted climax before intermission, leaving the second act to wander listlessly around the issues that were raised earlier...At least the score, when it's good, is quite good...Kaldor and Michael haven't fully reached their goals. But their misfires are fascinating enough to warrant a continued exploration."
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"This energetic company does its best to shake off that dust, though it is tricky material. The liveliest songs are in the wrong spots and the multiple plot lines pull focus from one another…Just as we are getting a grip on the romantic entanglements, it turns out that we should have been paying more attention to the socio-politics…Fans of Ms. McKechnie will surely be disappointed, for she danceth not a single step and singeth merely a forlorn 16 bars or so."
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“A good princess tale never gets old, and no one seems to be as aware of that as Jonathan Kaldor and Sebastian Michel...The thing with this musical is that you either fall for its ludicrous twists or you don’t. If you don’t you will probably spend the entire running time picking it apart but if you do, prepare to have your spirit lifted and to be swept off your feet by its unabashed romanticism.”
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"Unfortunately, about halfway through the first act, the book by Sebastian Michael seems to lose energy and becomes disjointed and uneven in paralleled story lines, and the surprise ending too easily deduced...The overall cast is superb and does what they can to keep the plot moving at a good pace, but at times they are derailed by the hesitant direction of Paul Stancato...There is a glimpse of a fine piece of musical theater but that comes with a great deal of work and many revisions."
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"There is nothing wrong with 'Icon' that could not be fixed with some serious trimming and a commitment to a style that could go in one of two directions: un-ironic operetta or satiric 'Cabaret'-like take on the rise of fascism in Italy…'Icon' has been given more than a fair shake by the talented Equity cast…But if it is to have a life beyond the handful of performances at NYMF, it does need to revisit its book and reconsider its focus."
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“An old-fashioned story reminiscent of the Golden Age that manages to have a modern sensibility…‘Icon’ has shining moments, many of which come through Kaldor’s score. But there are some major roadblocks that make the libretto falter...The intrigue of 'Icon' is the mystery but the moment you figure it out, which is quite quickly, the air is let out...Once Jonathan Kaldor and Sebastian Michael make some much needed changes, 'Icon' will be ready for the spotlight."
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