Subways are for Sleeping NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (24)
See it if you can get to the York. Everything gels: acting, singing, script, lyrics, tunes, staging. SAFS is dated, but who cares? It's delightful.
Don't see it if you need a good plot; this is silly, contrived. But charming characters & terrific songs.Strong performances. Did I mention, it's delightul?
See it if you'd like to see a rarely performed show with some great Jules Styne tunes, eager, enthusiastic cast overcoming odd,dated book,
Don't see it if you expect a fully staged production, not attracted to musical about the "quality" unemployed/homeless living temporarily on subways
Critic Reviews (11)
"Morris' Tom is slick and humorous...Milo is quite adorable as Martha, showing solid comic chops...Josefsberg is a blast as Charlie...highlighted by his hilarious display of passionate urges...Ross' production, despite the heavy use of music stands, is fast and funny, featuring a talented supporting ensemble of six...May not be the best musical of the century, but the York's concert production is quite an enjoyable ride."
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"An effervescent production...A sparkling treasure trove from start to finish, so much so that one wonders why it's never had a major remounting...A marvelous example of the kind of musical that flourished during Broadway's so-called Golden Age...Pure delight: lighter than air, quirky, sweetly romantic, and filled with spritely Styne tunes...It could hardly have a better cast...Directed with panache...Soars like a free-flying kite."
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"Unfortunately, the original problem with the material has not been solved: Tom and Angie are just not very interesting. They have little or no back story and no outstanding characteristics. As was famously true in the original production, the show is stolen by the secondary leads. With their continually inventive schemes to get through each day, slacker Charlie who lives off his former friends and would-be nightclub performer Martha with her Southern accent are a total delight."
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"Stuart Ross made excellent choices, and brilliantly directed this show with an outstanding cast...One of the highlights of this production was the inclusion of Styne’s amazing overture for the show as the projection of his hand written musical chart filled the screen. Thanks to the York Theatre for keeping the history of musical theater alive, and for producing new works and encouraging new writers!"
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"A charming musical from the early 1960’s...Director Stuart Ross, who in 34 hours of rehearsal pulled together a show that felt fully staged...The biggest reason to go see 'Subways Are for Sleeping' — and passengers, you should be so lucky as to be delayed by track work — is to listen to the song gems in this musical...By show's end, this seemingly corny, charmingly kooky musical proves to not be dated at all. It is deceptively deep."
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"Has a delightful score, an interesting book and lyrics by Betty Comdem and Adolph Green and a talented cast that makes you fall in love with them...Eric William Morris is a find...Stuart Ross directs this piece like a subway train, perfectly tuned, comedically well paced, to a winning finish...Jule Styne’s music shows blue notes, that drift off into satisfying musical endings. I would love to see this piece fully staged."
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"A lively treat, thanks to an excellent, larger-than-usual cast and the entertaining qualities of the show itself. It adds up to a a welcome experience of rediscovery and pure fun...Some of the book is a stretch, but that is redeemed by plenty of funny lines, appealing romance, and the smart array of songs that Styne and his lyricists provided. As usual, The York has assembled a superb cast to bring the show to new life...The highlights come from this very engaged cast."
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"I find it curious 'Subways' hasn't been revived before now. It has charm and more than a few worthy songs...Louis has a lovely voice, but performs with so little expression...Surely the character feels something else over the course of the story...Morris is appealingly animated throughout...Milo plays Martha as if the part were written for her...Josefberg is adorable...An actor of multi-faceted talent...The assembled cast is vivacious. Direction by Stuart Ross is zippy and evocative."
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"The York's bare-bones staging should do little to encourage latter-day impresarios to revisit 'Subways', but it goes a long way on enthusiasm and charm...The book, remains as pleasingly quaint as the promise of getting some shut-eye on the 2 line...Morris and Louis, both cute as buttons and effortlessly likable...Anyone who catches this production during its short run will be similarly disarmed."
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"The score to 'Subways' represents Styne at his most delightfully tuneful...As good as the score is, the book surrounding it is borderline ridiculous...The denouement is thoroughly contrived, reaching just shy of deus ex machina territory...All that said, the characters are pretty darned appealing, especially as revered by the York's current cast...It's more than worth seeing for the delightful score and wonderfully committed cast. As for the book, well…did I mention the wonderful songs?"
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"The show is more of a fun romp than a true treatise on homelessness...The ending is a little too unrealistic as if the problem of homelessness can be so easily solved...If you just take the show for the its entertainment value, the characters are likable, the songs are fun, and the love story at its center is engaging. However, these days shows that deal with serious subjects tend to do so in much more serious way. Maybe that's why these show has been forgotten for so many years."
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