The Secret Life of Bees NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (181)
See it if terrific adaptation to musical. Excellent cast. Didn't look at my watch once. Saw a 2nd time and like it even more, they've fixed any issues
Don't see it if if you don't like hearty singing - some of it soulful, some in a fabulous barnstorming way. If you don't like humanity/ emancipation themes
See it if An exciting evening filled with talented sIngers and absorbing story telling
Don't see it if You read the book or saw the movie and didn'tenjoy eitherone
See it if amazing vocalists and wonderful band perform a new book with deep and beautiful music, great acting and staging. you will be moved
Don't see it if you prefer a play, not interested in an emotion driven intimate musical that centres racial tension, or don't have 2.5h to spend in theatre
See it if you are looking to be viscerally moved by the music talents of the cast. Also a cool aesthetic in terms of design.
Don't see it if you are a more classic or traditional fan of musicals.
See it if Loved it all: incredible score, beautifully sung and acted. Terrific ensemble in a gripping story.
Don't see it if It's among Duncan Sheik's best songwriting, but not everyone is going to love the score. And it's a heavy story, but one well told.
See it if You want to think in an evening at the theater, you like intense musicals with great casts, you want to hear really expert music.
Don't see it if You want something light, you expect Sondheim-level lyrics
See it if It was a great book,I didn’t read it,see the show. Moving,sensitive,wonderful
Don't see it if You might want to go to 20th street,other then that don’t miss it when returns in an other iteration
See it if you enjoy musicals with more intimate staging. The singing is incredible - even if some of the writing is a little weak.
Don't see it if you expect the book........
Critic Reviews (27)
“Birkenhead's lyrics are in the best tradition of musical-theatre songwriting...But Nottage hasn't been able to wrest a clear and emotionally binding narrative from it. It proceeds in fits and starts, never delivering the promised emotional knockout punch...Sheik's score has its lively and affecting moments but, without a strong narrative to support, the songs are occupied with side matters and/or lack specificity...A feel-good entertainment that, too often, doesn't fully earn its feelings."
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“There's so much that's wonderful about this gorgeous new musical, including its stellar cast, it would be a shame if the writers don't make the changes the show needs to cohere and soar...Under Gold's clean direction, the first act...unfolds with a charm that's thrilling...The storytelling in the second act, on the other hand, isn't as assured or integrated as the first act...Fingers crossed the production team makes some tweaks to the second act.”
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"If Nottage and Birkenhead offer no radical revisions or revelations in setting her personal journey towards courage and self-acceptance against the struggles of a race that has been oppressed for centuries, their 'Bees' is also very much a story about women, and the deep-seated challenges this group continues to face...'Bees' does end on an uplifting note, though, both literally and figuratively, suggesting that its various heroines will forge on regardless—because the love is worth it."
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"'The Secret Life of Bees,' which is beautifully staged by Sam Gold and gorgeously sung by a talented, big-voiced cast, suffers from a malady all too common to musicals based on teen-focused novels: Its messages are billboarded, its plot points are signposted, and its characters are largely unidimensional. The script, by the multi-Pulitzer-winning Lynn Nottage, ably delivers a warm-hearted story of predictable uplift, but it doesn’t succeed in making 'Bees' dramatically compelling."
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"In her first musical, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage has created an exquisite stage adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel, 'The Secret Life of Bees,' in its world premiere at Atlantic Theater Company. She has been joined by composer Duncan Sheik ('Spring Awakening,' 'American Psycho', 'Alice by Heart') who has written beautiful music and lyricist Birkenhead whose words not only forward the plot (a rare art these days) but also define character."
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“At this stage in its development 'Bees' is still unpolished, a project with potential but currently imperfect. The pieces of the puzzle each present their strengths—the score is especially rich, and the cast is filled with superb vocalists who offer impressive performances in bringing it to life—but could use some smoothing out in how they fit together...But there's great potential here, too...Like its characters, it has room for growth.”
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"Atlantic Theater's new musical buzzes to life to the rhythmic beat of a spot-lit drum. It's a river of gold, this engaging melting sun beginning, with a tapestry of voices melting together like honey fresh from the comb...crafted and tied together with the strong coarse rope of Nottage's glorious book, entwined and complimented by the music of the illustrious Sheik, and lyrics by the poetic Birkenhead..this new musical.. flies high without ever stinging with too much sweetness or discomfort. The pollination is exact, and the flower that rises up, beautiful."
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"A feel-good story...Let’s admit that this is not the best work of the amazing group of theater artists who put it together...It doesn’t solve the implausible contrivances of novelist Sue Monk Kidd’s story nor the manipulative up-with-people sentimentality...Somehow, the songs affected my attitude towards the musical...It made all that was sour feel unimportant next to all that was sweet."
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