The Fantasticks NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (611)
See it if You want to see the longest running show in off Broadway history and there's a reason for that...it's delightful.
Don't see it if You're not a fan of a simple story told simply. Not a lot of bells and whistles but plenty of beautiful music.
See it if you like a lite show that is just fun to watch. Boy meets, girl, loses girl, gets girl back. the story is enough to keep you interested thro
Don't see it if you don't like camp, a curtsy romance story that is not deep but pleasant.
See it if you are curious why it's been on for 57 years. It was quirky and kind of charming. Surprisingly good and funny players.
Don't see it if You just dont care. It's never been on your radar nor ever will be.
See it if You're curious about this record-breaking show to see what the draw is all about & how it holds up after 50 years. Get an off-Broadway feel
Don't see it if You want a big Broadway style musical, 2 pianos don't do it for you, little fables are not your thing, joy winning over cynicism isn't you
See it if you've never seen it before. It's a classic title that is decent family fare. (You should be able to find deep discounts for this show.)
Don't see it if you have fond memories of the original Off-Bway run. This is a pretty low-budget production in an awkward space, albeit admirably performed.
See it if You've never seen the show -- everyone should see it at least once.
Don't see it if You don't want to sit in a shoebox-sized theatre with about 10 other people. And you don't like cutesy musicals.
See it if you like minimalistic, romantic stories.
Don't see it if you don't want to spend your money on something that feels like a high school play.
See it if you'd enjoy a simple old-school boy-meets-girl story with a dash of mocking humor.
Don't see it if you need spectacle staging/effects. This is more like attending a cute show at your local community college - intimate and engaging.
Critic Reviews (10)
"I tried to summon my stage-struck, preadolescent self as I watched the current “Fantasticks,” but he must have been otherwise engaged. What at 9 seemed oh so scenic inevitably brought out the cynic in this professional critic. I was more given to flinching than misting up as the Boy and the Girl loved, lost and rediscovered each other."
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"The world’s longest-running musical doesn’t need reviving. But it’s hard to resist The Fantasticks’ vintage charm: unamplified actors; artsy-craftsy effects like confetti snow and sequined rain; a sweetly melodic score composed of standards and oddities"
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"While another 42-year run is not in the cards, the new “Fantasticks,” with its charms and entertainment value intact, delivers very nicely. And the audience still visibly swells at the sound of “Try to Remember.”"
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"A lovely revival of a show that has lost none of its guileless freshness after half a century of hard use. 'The Fantasticks' is blessed with an equally excellent score: the ballads are tender and yearning; the comic songs droll; and all are singable from intro to coda. It's a gem."
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"If you've seen the show - either on Sullivan St. or elsewhere - you can live with your memories. But if you or your kids have never experienced it, this pleasant production makes for a fine first time."
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"The eight-actor musical that Jones and Schmidt wrote when they were still practically schoolboys is as fresh and charming as it always has been, and looks as if it should remain so for the next millennium or two...Try to remember how much you loved The Fantasticks the first time? Not necessary. It's all here again, right before your astonished eyes. That goes for first-timers too!"
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"There is one, and only one, problem with the uncorkably joyful production of The Fantasticks: It's now going to be much harder to criticize revivals for opening too soon after their original productions close. While it remains to be seen whether attitudes and economics will allow this production a marathon run of its own, I, for one, wouldn't complain if it lasted another 42 years."
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"A reverential blandness has crept into the proceedings of this classic loss-of-innocence tale...Schmidt's melodies remain as heartfelt as ever. The songs are reminders of what makes this little musical so hypnotic and Jones' lyrics are equally accomplished. Yet when the singing stops, the show's fragility becomes apparent."
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