Pacific Overtures NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (193)
See it if you like Sondheim, classic musicals, Asian themes, or stripped-down productions. Doyle also makes great use of the minimalistic staging.
Don't see it if you need a strong resolution. The ending of this show felt rushed to me, but that's a larger issue with the book--not the direction.
See it if John Doyle has directed a gem! Lovely , simple and elegant staging. If you love Sondheim...see it.
Don't see it if Don't see if you like big and brassy musicals or only dramas.
See it if You've never seen it before. Far from the original but must be seen.
Don't see it if Doyle condensations are not your thing. Read more
See it if You want a great red down version of a rarely seen Sondheim gem with spot on performances and masterful direction - gorgeously done
Don't see it if You are not a Sondheim fan or want a splashy, showy musical.
See it if Classic Doyle streamlining doesn't mar Sondheim's thematic concerns Beautiful stage imagery enhanced by artful singing; chamber quality
Don't see it if Despite quality production, piece has a truncated feel Several noteworthy songs cut, ending has an abrupt feel to it but excellent Sondheim
See it if you enjoy using your imagination in a way you cannot with grand sets; you appreciate Sondheim and creative staging.
Don't see it if you prefer your musicals in technicolor, with beautiful costumes and sets; small scale is not to your liking.
See it if In a floating empty stage unadorned by pageantry you can enjoy Sondheim's music without a wave of distractions. Fine singing fills the stage
Don't see it if All you remember from the original production was Aronson's genius scenery. There is no see in the middle of this sea but score soars again.
See it if you are interested in Sondheim, Japan or minimalist theater.
Don't see it if you are a Sondheim purist. This production is pared down greatly, including the removal of one of its most-loved songs.
Critic Reviews (34)
"'Pacific Overtures' has always seemed more of an essay than a musical, thoughtful and probing rather than emotionally engaging. Doyle turns that flaw into a virtue...Every element of this 'Pacific Overtures' allows us to savor the individual moments without demanding more than it is ready to offer...Letting the show flow in stately style from start to finish is revelatory, allowing the musical’s real balance to emerge and the focus to remain on the Japanese point of view."
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"A spare and serene story that seems particularly relevant in a day when nations everywhere are reexamining stances on globalization...'Pretty Lady,' one of my favorite songs from the score, is handled beautifully, with the slaying of British soldiers at song’s end left mostly to the imagination...'Pacific Overtures' is a complicated musical, even by Sondheim standards. But Doyle has shaped a delicate production that’s comparatively easy to parse."
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"A shining example of the concept musical...The handsome but purposefully spare production has such a delicate yet stirring ambiance that I can’t imagine anyone interested in either Japan or the American musical theater not able to enjoy its riches no matter how reduced as it is now in visual spectacle…The ten members of the ensemble are all top-notch…You can’t ask for more pleasure than to find yourself floating in the middle of the sea with Sondheim, Doyle and company.”
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"If there’s such a thing as minimalist grandeur, director John Doyle achieves it...The talent throughout the company is impressive, creating one grand musical highlight after another...There are times when the condensation of the script makes the narrative challenging to follow, but the drift is always there...The show comes to a strangely abrupt ending...It’s possible, too, that my hopeful expectation that this entrancing show would simply last longer made the finish seem so unkind."
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"'Pacific Overtures' indulges in an East/West narrative that, however well-intentioned, mostly subscribes to colonialist infantilizing of the Japanese...There are very few opportunities for Asian-American actors in New York, and it is heartening to see that they make up the entire cast here...[but] I wish they had been employed on a better project; this one bows under the weight of the Western gaze."
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"Director John Doyle has done an excellent job here, cutting scenes and songs from the original work to give the story a more streamlined approach, and at times, almost a fluidity. While the result may upset some theatrical purists, what one is left with is something quite intimate and emotionally connected. The cast, many playing multiple roles, is quite enjoyable...An eye-opening delight."
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"An effective production...Those who know 'Pacific Overtures' and admire the extraordinary 'Chrysanthemum Tea' might want to commit hara-kiri once they hear that Doyle has dropped it...Nevertheless, one must admit that 'Pacific Overtures' has so many assets that even those who love the song might be so swept up in the blissful 90 minutes that they’ll only later realize that they didn’t hear it."
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"A certified winner...Communicates the story of the Westernization of Japan with renewed power and significance...This 'Pacific Overtures' is a shining example of 'less is more.' One of the keys to the success of this production lies in its all-encompassing intimacy, both in feel and in the physical playing space...The ensemble cast are all strong performers who bring superb vocal and acting abilities to the production...Heartstrings will be pulled in a major way."
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