Critics Assail The Pirate Queen
Yesterday, I launched my
SOB review of the new
Alain Boublil and
Claude-Michel Schönberg musical
The Pirate Queen. Apparently, Chicago critics had many of the same issues I did with the tuner, and they all agreed that
Stephanie J. Block soared.
Calling the show "ill-ruddered and oft-cartoonish,"
Chris Jones of the
Chicago Tribune deems it "...too dull and dour for the
Riverdance or the family crowd, yet too full of predictable archetypes to function as the kind of weighty but broadly accessible musical of which this Broadway season is in dire need....They lack both a coherent choreographic pallet and a central visual metaphor....And they are paying woefully insufficient attention to storytelling."
Steven Oxman of
Variety laments that "...despite great singing, it fails fundamentally to create characters deep enough to engage an audience in its too-tepid love story....While one can hear plenty of sounds that immediately bring
Les Miz [sic] to mind, particularly when the cast of 40 sing simultaneously, much of Schönberg's scoring is also reminiscent of James Horner's music for the film '
Titanic,' another enterprise that sold a few tickets. But the plotting and characterizations are sorely lacking."
Noting that "The droning tone is set from the start,"
Chicago Sun-Times critic
Hedy Weiss proclaims, "Far too much of
Les Misérables and not nearly enough of
Riverdance. That may be the simplest, if not the fullest, way to explain the problems facing
The Pirate Queen, the handsomely designed but drearily predictable quasi-operatic musical."
Even the most generous of critics
Barbara Vitello of
The Daily Herald says that
The Pirate Queen "...lacks the ballast required for an ocean crossing....The sentiment feels forced and the show lacks a consistent tone (for some inexplicable reason, the scenes set in the English court border on camp)....It’s a mixed bag musically -- the score falters when it drifts away from the traditional, Irish-sounding melodies...into the dangerous waters of pop-schmaltz."
Clearly, the critics agree that this show needs major work if not an overhaul before it's ready for Broadway. But will the three-plus months between stagings be enough to avoid completely sinking the show? Only time will tell.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The Pirate Queen (The SOB Review) – Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago, IL (October 30, 2006)
The Pirate Queen Sails Into Chicago Opening Tonight (October 29, 2006)
Pirate Queen to Sail Into Broadway's Hilton Theatre (July 27, 2006)
The Pirate Queen Musical to Sail Into Chicago This Fall (May 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Chicago, Critics' Capsule, Musical, The Pirate Queen
Legendary Acting Ace Angela Lansbury To Star In DeuceA week ago yesterday, it was practically in passing that
I mentioned Angela Lansbury would be making a long hoped for return to Broadway this spring in
Terrence McNally's new play
Deuce. But that hardly does justice for one of theatre's true legends, whose last regular Great White Way appearance was in the ill-fated revival of
Mame back in 1983.
In addition to the British-born actress' amazing film career (my favorite was her sinister turn as Mrs. Iselin in 1962's riveting "
Manchurian Candidate"), as well as her long tenure as Jessica Fletcher on television's "
Murder She Wrote," Lansbury is one of the most accomplished actresses of the stage.
Sure she was twice nominated
more than 60 years ago for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress -- as Nancy Oliver in
George Cukor's "
Gaslight" (1944) and as Sibyl Vane in "
The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945) -- and she holds the dubious record of most Emmy nominations
ever without winning, but it's arguably her four-for-four track record with Tony that has brought her the most acclaim of all.
She has become synonymous with each role for which she's received Tonys, including as the original
Mame (1966), as Countess Aurelia in
Dear World (1969), as Broadway's second Mama Rose in
Gypsy (1974) and then as the very first Mrs. Lovett in
Sweeney Todd (1979). All totaled, Angela Lansbury trod Broadway's boards ten times in actual full-scale productions, starting in 1957's
Hotel Paradiso. Deuce will mark this superstar's 11th regular performance on the Great White Way, and she'll have great company in another Broadway stalwart:
Marian Seldes, a Tony-winner in her own right for her role in Edward Albee's
A Delicate Balance (1967).
I fully expect that this will become
the most coveted ticket of the current theatre season, if only to have an opportunity to see these remarkable actresses together. Personally, I can hardly wait.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Angela Lansbury, Broadway, Deuce, First Word On New Show, Play
The Pirate Queen (The SOB Review) – Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago, IL** (out of ****)Last evening, the official world premiere
The Pirate Queen opened on its course toward Broadway. What was surely intended to be an audacious debut for the
Frank Galati-helmed spectacle often seemed much more like a spectacular dual-edged retread.
Think
Les Misérables meets
Riverdance as ships passing in the night (only there were no actual ships unless you count the remarkably small scale model
trotted out during one of the few battle scenes). No surprise, the songwriting team for
Les Mis --
Alain Boublil and
Claude-Michel Schönberg -- co-wrote the book for this tuner (Schönberg also composed the Celtic-tinged power ballad music while Boublil co-wrote the lyrics with
John Dempsey). Meanwhile, the same
Riverdream that created the dancing cliché known better as
Riverdance produced
The Pirate Queen -- and yes, there was an healthy abundance of the obligatory Irish step-dancing.
The show is ostensibly about a real-life 16th Century Irish woman’s struggle for love and her native land against the threat of domination from England’s first Queen Elizabeth. Nearly all of the production is sung operetta-style. Yet the jumbled storytelling made it easy to forget that this was as much about her struggle and assumption of leadership as the love she was forced to abandon in order to unite the clans of Ireland. Unfortunately, the story was told much more coherently in the Playbill synopsis that it was on the stage.
I wanted so desperately to like this new musical, but found myself laughing at some key plot points (like Grania’s postpartum sword fight) while wondering how something so visually arresting could still be so predictable and ultimately boring. That’s not to say it was all bad; indeed, a significant slice of the opening night audience seemed to eat it up. Certainly, if the critically-savaged
Tarzan can still attract an audience capacity of over 75%, there’s probably room on the Great White Way for this.
On the plus side,
The Pirate Queen is loaded with actors with great pipes, yet it was extremely difficult for this audience member to decipher much of what was being sung. Thank goodness again for that story synopsis.
Among those who had no trouble enunciating perfectly was
Stephanie J. Block, who’s finally given a well-deserved star turn. She doesn’t disappoint as the titular Irish
Pirate Queen Grace “Grania” O’Malley. She transcends the storyline she’s given by turning in a solid and often breathtaking performance, even if the material is often reminiscent of the soundtrack for the movie “
Titanic” --
Céline Dion herself could not have sounded better, yet I half expected Block to belt out “My Heart Will Go On.”
There’s no denying the beauty of the singing offered by both
Hadley Fraser (who played Grania’s true love interest Tiernan) and
Jeff McCarthy (who played Grania’s ill-fated father Dubhdara), yet the latter inexplicably enjoys a robust voice right up until the moment his character expires; perhaps that works in opera, but it was hardly believable here. Just as ridiculous was the plethora of super-buff bodies in the chorus looking ripped from the
Chippendales -- hardly the physique of a crew of pirates from the late 1500s. Even more unbelievable were the number of Irish
blondes -- including
Marcus Chait, who portrays the philandering lout Donal, whom Grania is forced to marry to save Ireland -- and even one
black Irish that recalls a certain politically incorrect joke from
The Producers.
Credit must be given to
Martin Pakledinaz for a highly creative costume design -- his handiwork for Queen Elizabeth grew more outrageous with each scene.
Eugene Lee also deserves a nod for once again conceiving a gorgeous set design, yet I couldn’t help but wondering where the $15 million was squandered if this truly is the singular most expensive Broadway-bound musical ever mounted. Unlike Boublil and Schönberg’s earlier mega-musicals that featured iconic set designs --
Les Mis’ turntable stage and
Miss Saigon’s helicopter -- there is nary a memorable special effect to be seen unless you count
Howard Werner’s entrancing projection design on display just as the curtain rises.
Can
The Pirate Queen be ship-shape in time for Broadway? Possibly. Fortunately for Galati and company, the musical heads to dry dock for several months after it closes in Chicago on November 26 before beginning previews at the Hilton Theatre on March 2. But it will take a lot of work to ready this ship for its ultimate journey.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The Pirate Queen Sails Into Chicago Opening Tonight (October 29, 2006)
Pirate Queen to Sail Into Broadway's Hilton Theatre (July 27, 2006)
The Pirate Queen Musical to Sail Into Chicago This Fall (May 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Chicago, Musical, The Pirate Queen, The SOB Review
Pet Shop Boys (The SOB Review) - Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN**** (out of ****)Given the unusually high theatrical quotient in Saturday night's concert by electronica-pop duo
Pet Shops Boys -- right down to elaborate set, lighting and projection design to choreography, as well as to an intermission during a performance on a stage typically reserved for Broadway productions -- it seems entirely apropos to review their show here.
Pet Shops Boys, of course, is the 80s creation of Brits Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. The former is the member who talk-sings his way through their repertoire of international hits, while the latter obligingly stands throughout the performance virtually unanimated at his keyboard, playing each hit sans emotion or styling. But longtime fans of the duo would expect nothing else. In this case, through the assistance of three outstanding back-up singers and two breathtaking dancers, their music of the last twenty years comes to life.
While there's more cheekiness than bite to their lyrics, the Pet Shop Boys delve into fertile political satire with fare like “I’m With Stupid,” which lampoons the unflinchingly blind support of British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the policies of U.S. President George W. Bush through an engaging video backdrop of whirling imagery including the Union Jack, Stars and Stripes and close-up shots of both leaders’ eyes and mouths.
The second act of the Pet Shops Boys’ concert includes a steady stream of some of their biggest hits, including “West End Girls” and “It’s A Sin,” along with anthemic turns on such borrowed hits as “Always On My Mind,” “Where The Streets Have No Name/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,” and their rousing finale, “Go West.” Each number is brilliantly staged with eye-popping choreography against a versatile back lit series of white boxes that frame movement with a visually arresting projection design.
Because the set, lighting and projection design, as well as choreography, are so innovative, about my only regret with this oh-so theatrical presentation is that there was no Playbill to tell us who was responsible for each component. But that seems rather inconsequential considering that this was a performance that dazzled while delivering the goods -- most of the Pet Shop Boys’ classic favorites were included in the show. Fans of their music will surely love this mesmerizing show; non-fans would be hard-pressed not to at least feel good after taking in the infectious concert.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Concert, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pet Shop Boys, The SOB Review
The Pirate Queen Sails Into Chicago Opening Tonight
After nearly one month of previews, the Broadway-bound Chicago tryout of
The Pirate Queen opens this evening at the Windy City’s Cadillac Palace Theatre. Helmed by
Frank Galati, the musical stars
Stephanie J. Block in the titular role.
As previously noted, this is the latest creation of
Alain Boublil and
Claude-Michel Schönberg, the songwriting team responsible for such mega-musicals as
Les Misérables and
Miss Saigon. Produced at a cost of more than $10 million, this show promises to be every bit the spectacle that its predecessors were; in fact, it is purportedly set to become the most expensive tuner ever to be mounted on the Great White Way.
How will this Riverdance-produced musical fare? Since I’ll be in the audience for tonight’s world premiere, I’ll not only be providing a synopsis of the major reviews of
The Pirate Queen, but I’ll post my own critique as well.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Pirate Queen to Sail Into Broadway's Hilton Theatre (July 27, 2006)
The Pirate Queen Musical to Sail Into Chicago This Fall (May 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Chicago, Musical, Opening Night, The Pirate Queen
Tango Buenos Aires (The SOB Review) - Coral Theater on board the Jewel of the Seas*** (out of ****)Of
Fred Astaire,
Bob Thaves once said, "Sure he was great, but don't forget
Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards . . . and in high heels!"
I was reminded of that line Tuesday evening on board
Royal Caribbean's
Jewel of the Seas when marveling at the fancy footwook included in Mario and Daniel's
Tango Buenos Aires, which starred "Walter and Marcela." Sure Walter was great, but Marcela did everything he did backwards, in high heels,
and with the ship rocking to and fro.
Conceived by Argentinian brothers
Mario and Daniel Celario (stars of Telemundo's "¡Viva Vegas!"),
Tango Buenos Aires enjoyed its official opening Tuesday. The Celario's creation provides cruise audiences with a deliciously seductive and sensuous dance confection. And thrilling, too, especially as the dancers move their bodies with passion and legs as if shooting daggers with expert precision.
The accompanying music included apparently requisite numbers from
Evita meant to evoke spirit of Buenos Aires, beginning with "On This Night Of A Thousand Stars" and concluding with a slightly hackneyed bilingual version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." But, along with several familiar tango staples was a wonderful rendition of
The Pajama Game's "Hernando's Hideaway" that was danced, not sung.
An hour-long show, the gorgeous
Tango Buenos Aires provided a breathtaking experience. If you're on board the
Jewel of the Seas anytime soon, make sure that if you only take in one night of entertainment during your sailing, make this the show to see.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for more information on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas
.Related Stories:Cruise Control (October 26, 2006)
Harm-lessly Funny (October 22, 2006)
Going To Sea Theatre (October 21, 2006)
Labels: Cruise Entertainment, Musical, Tango Buenos Aires, The SOB Review
Which New Broadway Play Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing?Readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) are invited to vote in my latest poll that asks, "Which new Broadway play are you most enthusiastic about seeing?" Choices include all plays that have already been announced for the 2006-07 Theatrical Season.
Please note that the poll's mechanism only enables you to vote once, meaning that if you try voting more than once, only your last vote will actually count. And don't forget that there's still time to weigh-in on the musical revival you're most enthusiastic about seeing, as well as the musical you believe should be put to rest (
note: The Wedding Singer is still available as an option, even though its closing notice was posted this past week).
As always, I also invite you to post your comments to each Steve On Broadway (SOB) story. In fact, please feel free to tell me why you're voting the way you are for a show. Whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2007)
Which Current Broadway Musical Would You Pull The Plug On? (October 22, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 19, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Play, SOB Poll
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB ReadersFor nearly two weeks, I've invited you and other Steve On Broadway (SOB) readers to tell me which new Broadway musical you're most enthusiastic about seeing. A plurality of you (44%) indicated that
Mary Poppins was your first choice, while another 26% said
Grey Gardens.
Over the course of this past week, the former has been in the news -- and not necessarily the kind that Disney et al would prefer. Seems the intricate set design malfunctioned on Wednesday, ultimately causing the cancellation of the evening's performance. Nonetheless, the show appears to be capturing the imagination of so many eager to finally see the world's favorite nanny land on Broadway. (
Mary Poppins was the ninth overall top-grossing show for the week ending October 22.) Expect the tuner to get a further boost when the Disney-owned
ABC television network features it on this evening's "
20/20" broadcast.
Grey Gardens continues to receive great advance buzz and excellent word-of-mouth. It will also be featured on an ABC broadcast, albeit on the daytime talkfest known as "
The View."
Christine Ebersole is scheduled to be interviewed and perform "Another Winter in a Summer Town" this Monday, October 30. Check your local listings.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on the poll comes from the groundswell of popularity for
Spring Awakening. Just over one in ten of you (12%) say that you're most excited by
Duncan Sheik's first foray onto the Great White Way. Maybe I really shouldn't be surprised since -- like
Grey Gardens -- it enjoyed an earlier celebrated Off-Broadway incarnation.
Personally, the three top shows in the poll coincide with those
I most want to see (although I'll also be taking in the Chicago tryout of
The Pirate Queen in the days ahead), so I'm delighted to know that my choices mirror yours. Of course, regardless of which one you chose, I invite you to let me know what it is about the show that makes you so enthusiastic by leaving your comments below.
Thanks again for participating in the first-ever Steve On Broadway (SOB) poll -- I invite you to continue to vote in the other polls on the right-hand side of the site, as well as in all new polls each week.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Mary Poppins tickets.Click here for Grey Gardens tickets.Click here for Spring Awakening tickets.Related Stories:Which Current Broadway Musical Would You Pull The Plug On? (October 22, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 19, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Grey Gardens, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening
Critics: Times They Are A-Wastin'Despite reassurances from
Twyla Tharp that major retooling -- including key casting -- on
The Times They Are A-Changin' had taken place since its critically-panned San Diego premiere, it appears that those changes weren't enough to make this worth most critics' time.
Offering up two and a half stars out of four,
Clive Barnes of the
New York Post asks and answers the question
du jour: "Will Twyla Tharp do for
Bob Dylan what she did for
Billy Joel -- make him a Broadway star? Can lightning strike the same place twice? In this case, well, no....after 90 surprisingly long minutes, the whole shebang -- complete with terrific scenery and costumes by
Santo Loquasto and imaginative lighting by
Donald Holder -- is a one-star concept with a two-star staging, three-star cast and four-star, if patchwork-quilted, score."
A difference of opinion on whether lightning struck twice came from a decidedly more upbeat
Elysa Gardner (
USA Today) in rendering her three star review: "...it shouldn't surprise that
Times, which opened Thursday at the
Brooks Atkinson Theatre, is, if uneven, more imaginative and intriguing than Tharp's last Broadway outing....
Times mines the sweetness and vitality that are as central to Dylan's popularity, and importance, as any other qualities. There are, to be sure, corny and clumsy moments in Times, but not dull or dishonest ones."
But Gardner seems destined to be alone. Noting that "...when a genius goes down in flames, everybody feels the burn,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley laments, "Ms. Tharp single-handedly drags Mr. Dylan into the shallows....Ms. Tharp turns lyrics’ metaphors not only into flesh but also into flashlights, jump-ropes, stuffed animals and new brooms that sweep clean. (If there was a kitchen sink onstage, I missed it, which isn’t to say it wasn’t there.)....Even as the dancers seem to fly, Mr. Dylan’s lyrics are hammered, one by one, into the ground."
A disappointed
Terry Teachout at
The Wall Street Journal clearly was hoping for the best: "The buzz on
The Times They Are A-Changin', the new Twyla Tharp-Bob Dylan jukebox musical, was devastatingly negative. Such omens of impending doom are usually right, but I hoped for the best anyway. Mr. Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters of the postwar era and Ms. Tharp one of its most admired choreographers, so how bad could it be? Now I know:
The Times They Are A-Changin' is so bad that it makes you forget how good the songs are."
Another unimpressed critic is
Variety's
David Rooney "Watching the unengaging mess onstage at the Brooks Atkinson, it's hard to imagine how it could have been helped. The impression is that Tharp's auteurial command prevented anyone from pointing out that the concept is just plain lame."
Over at New York's
Daily News, critic
Joe Dziemianowicz offers up perhaps the most stinging pan of the show: "Unfortunately, Tharp sabotages herself this time. She makes dance secondary and concentrates on the music.... Everyone dreams about running away and joining the circus. It's too bad Tharp couldn't resist the urge."
OUCH! One can't help but wonder just how quickly the closing notices will be posted at the 950-seat theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:On A Night Like This: Times They Are A-Changin' Opens On Broadway (October 26, 2006)
A Cast That Is A-Changin': Sign Of The Times? (October 4, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Musical, The Times They Are A-Changin'
Did Butley Capture Critical Buzz?
Last evening, the Broadway revival of
Simon Gray’s
Butley opened with
Nathan Lane in the titular role.
As I’ve previously reported, I caught the earlier incarnation of the
Nicholas Martin-helmed production when it first opened in Boston back in 2003. While I”ve enjoyed Lane in everything from
Guys And Dolls to
The Odd Couple, I frankly didn’t find his portrayal of Ben
Butley particularly convincing. I found that Lane appeared to overcompensate for his marginally decent English accent with over-the-top scenery-chewing.
So it was with great curiosity that I read the New York reviews to see if my three year old perspectives were confirmed or overridden. The result: mixed reviews.
One of the more positive reviews came in the three-out-of-four-star variety from the
New York Post’s
Clive Barnes, who said that fans of Lane’s will not be disappointed. “It's a tribute to Lane that by the end of the play, which opened last night at the
Booth Theatre, actor and character appear totally fused...It's a lovely performance….He has the idiom and the touch….The rest of the cast -- with the exception of
Dana Ivey's gently embittered turn as a female academic who knows more about Byron than life -- is less sure.”
Less sure among critics is
The New York Times’
Ben Brantley: “Mr. Lane being Mr. Lane, one of the best comic marksmen in the theater, he repeatedly hits the bull’s-eye that automatically sets off an audience’s laughter. Somehow, though, the lines seem to exist independent of the character who speaks them…. But if you were expecting a seamless, emotionally stirring marriage between a first-rate actor and a first-rate play, then
Butley disappoints….For this
Butley is one of those Broadway shows that achieves a state of paralyzing self-consciousness by trying to live up to its English accent.”
Also providing a mixed review,
Frank Scheck of
The Hollywood Reporter reports: “The current revival…offers its lead performer great opportunities to chew the scenery…The play itself doesn't seem to hold up particularly well, seeming rather anemic….What makes
Butley's travails interesting to watch is his scathing wit, and Lane delivers his verbal put-downs and sarcastic asides with his trademark expert comic timing and vocal bluster. But he uncharacteristically fails to command the stage here, not managing to convey the authority that would make his character's rapid descent moving. It is a fatal flaw if we are to care for this essentially obnoxious, self-involved figure.”
In saying the play feels “creaky” and “neutered,” the New York
Daily News’
Joe Dziemianowicz laments that “The not-so-good news is that this 35-year-old play -- character portrait, really -- is showing its age…. If you enjoy heaped helpings of the two-time Tony winner, you'll probably like this production…If you're not a Lane fan, on the fence or expecting a characterization that breaks the Lane mold, this probably won't make you a convert. He plays the part with several of the same tics, mannerisms and high-pitched voice -- this time with an English accent -- all too familiar from past roles.”
Of course, Nathan Lane has all but become the crowned King of Broadway -- thanks in part to his now-legendary runs in
The Producers and
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum -- that’s it’s likely that in spite critic’s misgivings, the limited run of
Butley will still prove to be a commercial success.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Butley Opens Tonight On Broadway (October 25, 2006)
Catching Nathan Lane If You Can (July 6, 2006)
Butley's Back on Broadway at Booth (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Butley, Critics' Capsule, Nathan Lane, Play, Revival
Cruise ControlEarly this morning, I disembarked from a sold-out cruise aboard the
Jewel of the Seas, one of
Royal Caribbean’s myriad cruise options. As indicated earlier, I looked forward to putting the cruise line’s claim of having Broadway-style entertainment to the test.
Only one night of my five-night cruise included any entertainment that came close to a Broadway show with the opening of
Tango Buenos Aires (I’ll post a review later), although, truth be told, I did miss most of last night’s closing entertainment because the cruise line graciously helped me toast my dear grandfather’s 95th birthday with a special celebration all our own.
Although I anticipated more in terms of large-scale productions, I thoroughly enjoyed
Tango Buenos Aires, as well as the two nights of comedians – the amusing
Jeff Harms on Saturday and the hysterically funny
Troy Thirdgill (pictured) on Monday -- and a night of the reconstituted 50s group, (
Herb Reed and) The Platters, on Sunday.
If cruise line’s goal was to build upon each night with successively better evenings of entertainment, then they succeeded. As
I’ve reported earlier, Harms was funny, but there was no denying the magic that The Platters infuse into their 45-minute set for the packed-house where I dare say the average age was roughly 40. Although all but one of the original members has been replaced, their music with familiar stylings -- including hits like “Only You,” “Harbor Lights,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” and “The Great Pretender” -- struck the right chord for this nostalgic audience.
Even more entertaining was the comedic talent of Portland (OR)-born Thirdgill, whose politically incorrect take on everything from the way he’s inaccurately viewed because of his race to young white kids trying to act black to tattoos and body piercings had me doubled over in laughter. Not since seeing
Robin Williams live back a half dozen years ago have I convulsed with laughter to the degree I did with this amazing near-genius. I had never heard of Thirdgill before, but you can bet I won’t soon forget how much he entertained, and I look forward to seeing much more of him in the future.
In summary, I have to admit that I found my jaded self to be a bit surprised that all of Royal Caribbean’s onboard entertainment was first-rate. However, far from first-rate was the exasperatingly slow -- and as a result, excessively expensive -- Internet functionality on the ship. At $.33 per minute, I was only able to post a few items from sea due to the sluggish online connection. It was akin to riding in the worst non-moving taxi only to see the meter running and not being able to get out.
But if you can overlook that potentially inconsequential detail, all but the most jaded of cruise audiences will find the entertainment experience aboard the
Jewel of the Seas a delight.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Harm-lessly Funny (October 22, 2006)
Going To Sea Theatre (October 21, 2006)
Labels: Cruise Entertainment, Tango Buenos Aires, The SOB Overview
Calling It Quits: The Wedding Singer Set To Close At Year’s End
After weeks, if not months, of conjecture regarding the future of
The Wedding Singer -- the Tony-nominated musical based on the motion picture starring
Adam Sandler and
Drew Barrymore -- the tuner is now set to close on December 31 after its 284th regular performance since opening last April. Its departure from the Great White Way could pave the way, as has been speculated, for the Broadway debut of
John Kander and
Fred Ebb’s
Curtains.
Although its box office has been back up in the 70+ percent range over the past couple weeks, that improvement coupled with star
Laura Benanti’s recent return haven’t been enough to help pull the show out of the bottom five shows in overall capacity. Still,
The Producers and
Rent continue to attract even lower capacities than
The Wedding Singer.
Personally, I enjoyed this funny, engaging production and found it to be much more clever and heartwarming than most critics (I mean, did any of them listen to the lyrics???). Could it be that most critics didn’t enjoy the 1980s quite as much as I did?
I look forward to seeing more of
Stephen Lynch (who snagged a Tony nod for his first Broadway outing) and
Kevin Cahoon (who’s always completely immersed in his diverse roles), as well as hearing more from the underrated songwriting team of
Matthew Sklar and
Chad Beguelin. Fortunately, the latter duo is already at work on their next project.
For those who can’t make the journey to New York before New Year’s Eve, you’ll still have your opportunity to see
The Wedding Singer, which promises to tour nationally starting next year. But if you’re like me and you prefer to see the real McCoy, make tracks now to the
Al Hirshfeld Theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Does Holiday Bounce Provide Second Honeymoon for Wedding Singer? (September 5, 2006)
High Fidelity Tunes In To High Capacity Imperial (August 24, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Benanti's Trial Separation from The Wedding Singer (August 14, 2006)
TheaterMania.com Poll Gives The Wedding Singer Edge Among Tony Production Numbers (June 21, 2006)
The Wedding Singer Pumps Up the Box Office Volume (June 13, 2006)
The Wedding Singer Original Cast Recording Now Available (June 6, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)
The Wedding Singer (The SOB Review) - Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York, NY (May 8, 2006)
Critics Not Completely Engaged by The Wedding Singer (April 28, 2006)
The Wedding Singer's Secret Weapon: Kevin Cahoon? (April 27, 2006)
The Wedding Singer Opens on Broadway Tonight (April 27, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Curtains, Film, Musical, The Wedding Singer
On A Night Like This: Times They Are A-Changin' Opens On BroadwayTonight marks the officially Broadway opening for the
Twyla Tharp-conceived, directed and choreographed
The Times They Are A-Changin' based on the music of
Bob Dylan. The show has an open-ended run at the
Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
As I've previously noted, there's no denying Tharp's genius or Dylan's timeless music. But reviews of its tryout in San Diego were critical, and one of its lead roles has been recast more than once, including during the crucial Broadway previews.
But don't count Tharp out just yet. Her reinterpretation of
Billy Joel's music in
Movin' Out received mixed reviews in Chicago only to be fine-tuned into a celebrated Great White Way hit.
Will Tharp and Dylan strike similar gold? The answer my friends is
blowin' in the wind....until tomorrow's reviews come out.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:A Cast That Is A-Changin': Sign Of The Times? (October 4, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Musical, Opening Night, The Times They Are A-Changin'
Butley Opens Tonight On BroadwayNearly three years ago, director
Nicholas Martin teamed up with
Nathan Lane for a heralded Boston revival of
Simon Gray's
Butley, a show first produced on Broadway at the long since razed
Morosco Theatre back in 1972. The original production was not only Tony-nominated for Best Play, but it also garnered a Best Actor in a Play Tony for its star, the late
Alan Bates.
I took in the Boston run of
Butley at Beantown's
Huntington Theatre back in December of 2003. Unlike the critics, I was only lukewarm to that production largely because of Lane's over-the-top scenery-chewing depiction of the title character who loses his wife and male lover on the same day.
Will New York critics hail the long anticipated Broadway revival? Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets (scroll through selections for Butley).Related Stories:Catching Nathan Lane If You Can (July 6, 2006)
Butley's Back on Broadway at Booth (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Butley, Nathan Lane, Opening Night, Play, Revival
Survey Says....There are many theatre-related blogs that I regularly read and enjoy that I've included amongf my favorites, but a rather fresh one caught my eye:
Waiting In The Wings, described as "An irreverant, close look at theater and the activity surrounding it, mostly in New York but elsewhere if it moves me. The good, the very good, the bad and the downright horrifying."
It's sharp, erudite writer is Susan Gimelson, who once wrote an art column for the
New York Observer. In reading her postings, I came across one that asked, "
What will be hot (or not) this season." She continued, "OK; I am seeing six plays in the next week, so that is all I'll be writing about. In the meantime, I'd like to hear from readers what they think will be the hottest tickets this season. I also have some other questions. Tell stories; wax rhapsodic. Feel free to leave your most honest responses. Have fun -- be informative -- vent!!! And thanks."
Naturally, I couldn't resist a good online discussion, so here were
my own musings that I posted on
Waiting In The Wings:What will be the hottest ticket this season? My guess is one of three: The Apple Tree, Grey Gardens (and) The Year of Magical Thinking and -- yes -- (lest I not forget) Mary Poppins
Best Play - The Coast of Utopia
Best Musical - Mary Poppins
Best Actor/Actress - Nathan Lane in Butley (although I saw the show in Boston and can't figure out what the fuss is about) and Vanessa Redgrave in The Year of Magical Thinking. On the musical side, I'd say Raúl Esparza will finally get his due for Company unless Curtains finds a theatre (then David Hyde Pierce could be the frontrunner) and Christine Ebersole for Grey Gardens
Song that will be remembered - John Kander & Fred Ebb's wonderful "Show People" (from Curtains)
Song that should never have been written - From what I'm hearing about High Fidelity, perhaps something from that score
Actors we are most sick of seeing - Michael Cerveris. There, I've said it. (Although I've enjoyed each of the shows in which I've ever seen him. Perhaps I just think he's a tad overrated....)
Actor we want to see more of - Sherie René Scott. I can't get enough of her. But I'd love to see more of the stalwarts of Broadway, including Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera
and Angela Lansbury (I have yet to seen this legend and am extremely excited by her just-announced scheduled return to Broadway in Terrence McNally's play Deuce due this next spring!)
Which theater has the worst seats? - I've never been more uncomfortable than I have in the (John) Golden Theatre (home to Avenue Q) with the St. James (home to The Producers ) coming in a close second
Which theater has the rudest ushers? - Without a doubt and no hesitation: The Broadhurst, which has a female usher who has been there for years rudely bossing her patrons, forgetting that without them, she would have no job. (On the flip side, I've found some of the most incredibly nice people working at the George Gershwin Theatre [home to Wicked], with Off-Broadway's Acorn Theatre coming in second)
Which theater has the best concession counter? - The Marquis (home to The Drowsy Chaperone)
Which theater is the best place to pick up people? - (Not that I would know, but it probably) depends upon what is showing where...Today, it's probably the Nederlander (home of Rent) or Golden or Circle in the Square (home of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)...
What production should never be revived no matter what? - Hands-down: Cats. Let's hope it only had one life.
So what shows, actors and theatres would you answer? You may want to weigh in directly on
Waiting In The Wings or feel free to comment here. As for me, I'll look forward to reading more of Susan's stories in the weeks and months ahead.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, Broadway
Harm-lessly FunnyAs promised, I just wanted to update you on the entertainment to date on the
Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas. We're docked today in beautiful Portland, Maine after sailing from Boston last evening.
Instead of the full-blown entertainment treatment promised on the cruise lines' Web site (that apparently is coming later in the cruise), last evening's on-stage performance came in the form of Florida-based comedian
Jeff Harms. To be honest, I had never heard of him before, but this white-haired version of Alec Baldwin provided a half hour of pretty decent humor.
Now, I'm no connoisseur of stand-up comedy, but I've always thought that it took a great deal more talent to make an audience laugh with thoughtful observations from life than going for the easy laugh by catering to the lowest common denominator with raunchy, vulgar humor. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate occasionally going in the gutter, but it does take a greater imagination to come up with something truly fresh. Harms certainly accomplished just that, even in the way he dealt with a near heckler situation early on. Much of his humor was based on observations he made on everyday life (like his riff on junk drawers in the kitchen) to how kids today are much the same as they ever were.
Since this wasn't a full-blown production along the scales that I had anticipated, I'm not providing my typical full-scale review. But I will say that I found Jeff Harms' act to be harmlessly funny, and that's a nice start for this voyage.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Going To Sea Theatre (October 21, 2006)
Labels: Cruise Entertainment, The SOB Overview
Which Current Broadway Musical Would You Pull The Plug On?One week ago, I started a brand new poll feature on Steve On Broadway (SOB) to quickly gauge what you and other regular readers are thinking about theatre. Today, you'll find a third in my series of polls specifically asking about Broadway musicals -- the latest one asks, "Which current Broadway musical would you pull the plug on?"
I invite you to provide your pick for the show that you believe is past its prime and should make way for the next big Broadway smash. You'll find the actual poll along the right hand column of Steve On Broadway (SOB), as well as the two earlier polls that remain open for you to share your opinion.
Also, feel free to share your opinion on why you're voting the way you are, along with any other comments you'd like to make. As always, whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 19, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Musical, SOB Poll, Tarzan, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Producers
Going To Sea TheatreHave you ever heard claims by cruise lines that they feature "Broadway-style" or "Vegas-style" theatrical productions? Have you ever wondered whether the productions actually live up to the advance billing? You're not alone.
Over the course of the next five days, I'll be traveling aboard one of the largest and newest cruise ships sailing today:
Royal Caribbean International's
Jewel of the Seas, which departs Boston for such ports-of-call as Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, as well as Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a return to Boston Harbor early Thursday morning.
While on board, I plan to take in as many of the cruise lines' shows as possible. After all, given my hardcore interest in theatre, how can I resist such entreaties as this from
Royal Caribbean's online promotion:
With the glitz, glamour and special effects, you'll think the ship has docked on Broadway. Performed in our magnificent theatre, our live productions feature the outstanding talent of The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, along with well-known performers and headline acts.
It could be a contemporary musical stage production or a Las Vegas-inspired floorshow. Maybe headline entertainment or a comedy act. Whatever or whomever is on stage, one thing is for sure you'll be amazed.
All production shows are produced exclusively for Royal Caribbean and the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, with a variety of shows playing during your cruise vacation. Shows are offered several times each week, so be sure to check your Cruise Compass and Daily Planner for show times.
That's certainly a lot to live up to. Of course, I have absolutely no idea what's in store for me on this journey, but I'll be sharing details on whether Royal Caribbean delivers in the days ahead.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for information on Royal Caribbean.
Labels: Cruise Entertainment
Billy Elliot Leaps One Step Closer To Broadway BowAs noted
here last month, producers of
Billy Elliot The Musical are gearing up to bring the Olivier Award-winning Best Musical to Broadway with their eyes on a debut set for the fall of 2008. According to
Andrew Gans of Playbill.com, a casting notice has now been issued stating rehearsals are slated for February, 2008.
Gans also reports that a
third version of the hit musical -- produced by
Universal Pictures,
Working Title and
Old Vic Productions -- will enjoy its Australian premiere at Sydney's
Capitol Theatre on January 26, 2008.
Billy Elliot, of course, is based on the outstanding
motion picture of the same name. As I've previously divulged, the London staging of
Billy Elliot ranks among my personal top ten favorite shows of the 2005-06 Theatrical Season.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets to the London production.Related Stories:Billy Elliot Set for 2008 Broadway Bow? (September 6, 2006)
Remembrances of London’s 7/7 (July 7, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre, London, UK) (May 18, 2006)
Billy Elliot in Triplicate on First Birthday (May 9, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, London, Musical
Longoria Back To The Peak As ValliRegular readers will know that I found the best part of my
Jersey Boys experience last spring to be
Michael Longoria, who regularly plays Joey (as in
Pesci) "and others."
Only I didn't see Longoria as most theatregoers see him -- on the Friday evening I took in the show, Tony-winner
John Lloyd Young was out and Longoria was in as
Frankie Valli. Longoria was absolutely breathtaking and genuine in his portrayal of the iconic Four Season. It was hard to believe I was seeing an understudy!
Why am I sharing this now? Well, if you hold tickets to the Saturday matinee thinking you're going to see Young in his Tony-winning role, I have a news flash for you directly from Longoria himself. I just received a bulletin board message from this gifted actor-singer saying:
I play Frankie Valli this Sat Mat! Hope you can make it. Student Rush and Standing Room are sold the day of. Also Cancellation Line!!! Hope to see some of you there.
Disappointing as it may initially seem to those hoping to see the original star, trust me when I say that Longoria alone is worth the price of admission for this sold-out performance. He will have you believing he
is Frankie Valli.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The Curse Of The Understudy (October 2, 2006)
Jersey Boys' Valli Understudy Gets Spotlight (June 15, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young, Michael Longoria, Musical, Understudy
Redford Ready To Return For Right Role?Amazingly, tomorrow marks the forty-third anniversary of the first previews for
Neil Simon's
Barefoot In The Park. The celebrated play also marked the last time that iconic actor
Robert Redford found himself treading the boards on Broadway. According to
New York Post theatre columnist
Michael Riedel, Redford may finally be ready for a return to the Great White Way.
Riedel claims that Redford has been offered the lead in a planned Broadway transfer of 2001's critically acclaimed
National Theatre (London) revival of
All My Sons --
Arthur Miller's superb seminal work about Joe Keller, a flawed American manufacturer who consciously provides the U.S. military with defective aircraft parts during World War II and is later confronted by his actions.
Whether the 69-year-old Redford will want to devote what would surely be a grueling eight performances each week to portray Keller is debatable. But you can be certain that Redford would most assuredly enjoy box office gold regardless of the stage portrayal he'd undertake. And I'd be first in line to purchase tickets.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: All My Sons, Barefoot In The Park, Broadway, London, Play, Revival, Robert Redford
Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing?Last Sunday, readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) were invited to participate in the new poll feature, which is on the right hand column. It enables you to provide a snapshot opinion on all things theatre with the click of your mouse (please note that the poll's mechanism only enables you to vote once, meaning that if you try voting repeatedly, only your final vote will be tallied).
While the first poll question remains active, I've added a second one at the top that asks:
"Which new Broadway musical revival are you most enthusiastic about seeing?" Options are provided for each of the confirmed Broadway revivals scheduled for this season including:
A Chorus Line,
Company,
Les Misérables,
110 In The Shade and
The Apple Tree.
There's still time to cast your vote for the new Broadway musical your most enthusiastic about seeing -- you'll find that initial poll question right below the first. Your choices include:
Grey Gardens,
High Fidelity,
Legally Blonde,
Mary Poppins,
The Pirate Queen and
The Times They Are A-Changin'.
Also, feel free to share your opinion on why you're voting the way you are, along with any other comments you'd like to make. As always, whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: 110 In The Shade, A Chorus Line, Broadway, Company, Les Miserables, Musical, Revival, SOB Poll, The Apple Tree
Could Cryptogram Critiques Crack Cattrall's Code?It's been no time since
Kim Cattrall last made an impression on a London stage. That was in last year's
Whose Life Is This Anyway, in which the English-born actress received positive notices. Now that her latest venture in the revival of
David Mamet's
The Cryptogram has opened at
Donmar Warehouse, did she impress again?
Saying "It's hard to fault an immaculate production" in awarding four out of five stars,
The Guardian's
Michael Billington praises Cattrall's performance: "Kim Cattrall disintegrates excellently as Donny: she starts as an impeccably groomed, emotionally impervious narcissist, who terrifyingly transfers her rage against men on to her hapless son."
Calling it "...undoubtedly a major work from one of America’s greatest living dramatists,"
Charles Spencer of
The Telegraph also lauds the production: "Cattrall, in her crisp frocks and cosy cardigans is superb as a woman desperately trying to be the archetypal kindly American mother."
Also providing four out of five stars is
Benedict Nightingale of
The Times, who says he "...liked the play more than when I saw it at its premiere 12 years ago....The piece now seems as poignant and upsetting as an exercise in retrieved memory on the psychiatrist’s couch. And for that all three performers must share responsibility....Cattrall begins as a 1950s Stepford wife and faintly exasperated mother, becomes plausibly shattered and distraught, and ends up very angry indeed...(and) spits out her pent-up venom at the rejected boy. A painful end to a fascinating play."
Awarding just three out of five stars and saying the dialogue seems "unbelievably contrived," the
Evening Standard's
Nicholas de Jongh is less complimentary: "[F]or all the air of mystique that foggily swirls around the play there is no disguising its blatant, melodramatic underpinning."
The Cryptogram runs through November 25.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Cattrall Cast in Cryptogram (July 15, 2006)
Labels: Critics' Capsule, Cryptogram, London, Play, Revival
Thank You For The Music: Happy Anniversary, Mamma Mia!I've got a confession. I like ABBA. I mean, I
really like ABBA. Now that I have that piece of business out of the way, it probably comes as no surprise that my biggest, most delicious guilty pleasure in theatre is unequivocally what is often referred to as "The
ABBA musical":
Mamma Mia! I honestly don't know when I've ever had more fun seeing a show.
Sure the tuner is silly, and the way that many of the songs are shoe-horned into this mother-of-all jukebox musicals produces audible groans from the audience, but it's simply impossible not to have a good time.
Now, incredibly enough,
Mamma Mia! is already celebrating its fifth anniversary on Broadway at the
Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre, where it will enjoy its 2080th performance today. While it never won a Tony, it was nominated for five awards including Best Musical.
Mamma Mia! came to the Great White Way just at the right time -- previews began less than one month after New York City suffered the worst terrorist attacks the world had ever seen. It helped serve as a sweet salve for the wounded soul of an aching city.
My first opportunity to see
Mamma Mia! came on September 1, 1999 at London's Prince Edward Theatre (current home to
Mary Poppins), not long after it opened on the West End. I recall being downright delirious thanks to the energy of the original cast and particularly
Jenny Galloway, who walked away with a much-deserved Olivier Award (she'll be making her
Broadway debut in the revival of
Les Misérables, which begins previews next week). She's the one who got to sing "Take A Chance On Me."
But of course, at the heart of
Mamma Mia! is the surprisingly enduring affinity for the music of
Anni-Frid Lyngstad,
Benny Andersson,
Björn Ulvaeus and
Agnetha Fältskog, who together comprised one of the world's best-selling recording groups of all time. Twenty years before I first saw
Mamma Mia! I actually went to an ABBA concert during their 1979 "
Voulez-Vous" tour of the United States (some have told me that was their only American tour) -- I can still remember it, oh so vividly, as Agnetha waved to my friends and me. Of course, it wasn't cool to love ABBA back then, but I'm thrilled to this day that I have bragging rights to being among the relatively small minority of Americans who can say they've seen them perform live in person.
As for
Mamma Mia! -- which is still going strong on Broadway (last week it was filled to 99% of capacity) -- it has joined ABBA as a worldwide phenomenon with sitdown productions around the globe, as well as an American tour (currently in
Schenectady). Since ABBA has made it quite clear that they will never reunite,
Mamma Mia! has become the next best thing to seeing them in person.
Tonight's 7 pm anniversary performance will serve as a benefit for the
Actors' Fund of America's Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative with tickets starting at $62.50 (show only) to $250 (including the post-show party). Tickets are available by calling 212.221.7300 (extension 133). or by clicking
here.
Happy anniversary,
Mamma Mia!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: ABBA, Broadway, London, Mamma Mia, Musical
Did London Critics Always Look On The Bright Side Of Spamalot?The West End production of
Monty Python's Spamalot officially opened last evening, but that didn't stop critics from posting early reviews. So did they enjoy the musical version of the 1970s motion picture comedy? Mostly.
Perhaps the lead enthusiast is the
Telegraph's
Charles Spencer: "There has never been a sillier musical than this, or one more calculated to appeal to the British sense of humour. Already a hit on Broadway there is a genuine sense that the show has come home with its arrival at the Palace....It’s a wonderful night, and I fart in the general direction of anyone who says otherwise."
Paul Taylor of
The Independent also gushes, saying the tuner: "...has just given me the most deliriously silly and loopily enjoyable evening in a theatre since
Dame Edna was last in town. Yes, it leaves you that high and weak with laughter, thanks not just to the Python provenance of the basic material but to the phenomenal speed, wit, cheek and showbiz knowingness of the direction, which is by the great veteran,
Mike Nichols."
Noting how hard the show is to resist as he awarded four out of five stars,
Benedict Nightingale of
The Times referred to himself in the third person: "[T]hough slicker and maybe blander, kept him (Nightingale) in infantile bliss from the moment
Tim Curry’s gloriously plummy, blimpish Arthur trotted onstage with a serf making horse-noises with coconut shells....Silly? Very. Funny? You bet."
Over at
Variety, another Benedict --
David Benedict -- said that the show looks likely to succeed, but cautions: "London critics have a habit of looking at the West End openings of Broadway triumphs and pronouncing them DOA. Yet if the initial, fairly ecstatic British reviews are anything to go by,
Spamalot looks set to buck the trend, possibly because the Monty Python phenomenon -- a sharp-flavored mix of satire, sarcasm and silliness -- remains so abidingly British. Yet for all its buoyancy somewhere on the journey across the Atlantic, some of the air has escaped from the balloon."
In offering up 3 stars out of 5 along with a concession that "the show has its moments," The Guardian's
Michael Billington says, "[W]hile it passes the time pleasantly enough, it will do nothing to satisfy those who crave the spice of novelty on their night out....With hand on heart, I'd much rather watch (
Alan Jay) Lerner and (
Frederick) Loewe's
Camelot than
Eric Idle's smart-arsed
Spamalot."
Despite the naysaying (or is that "ni"-saying?!) of a couple critics, it looks like
Monty Python's Spamalot can look forward to a long West End reign.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:West End Spamalot Finds Its Grail Tonight (October 17, 2006)
Labels: Critics' Capsule, London, Musical, Spamalot
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway DebutIn what is sure to become one of the Great White Way's hottest shows this season, Disney and
Cameron Mackintosh's
Mary Poppins enjoyed its first bow at the
New Amsterdam Theatre last Saturday. And if the initial performances are any indication, this production will further solidify Disney's place on Broadway.
With just two performances under its, er, umbrella, the musical -- based more on the
P.L. Travers stories than the
1964 motion picture of the same name -- attracted a capacity of 96.6%, enough to place it into the top five. Those two performances brought in $307,184 at the box office -- more than the entire weekly take for
The Times They Are A-Changin' (which also began previews with seven performances, taking in $305,043),
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ($304,756),
Heartbreak House ($215,619),
Losing Louie ($154,624) or
Jay Johnson: The Two And Only (with an anemic $50,841).
Average ticket prices for
Mary Poppins came in at $88.76, enough to put it into fifth place on a second chart for the week. As buzz builds, I suspect that the tuner will only climb to higher heights on each successive chart.
Which upcoming musical would
you most like to see?
Vote in the all-new Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll on the right hand column of this site today!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Film, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll
West End Spamalot Finds Its Grail TonightIt's been a long, winding journey for an idea that began with the 1975 British film "
Monty Python And The Holy Grail," but its progeny is finally returning to English soil as it opens in London this evening.
Monty Python's Spamalot, which of course is "lovingly ripped off from the motion picture," arrives at the West End's Palace Theatre just a little more than a year and a half after opening on Broadway to great acclaim. That production won a total of three Tonys, including for Best Musical, Best Direction (
Mike Nichols) and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (
Sara Ramirez) out of a total of fourteen Tony nods. For a limited time,
Tim Curry returns to the role of King Arthur, which he created on Broadway.
Eric Idle wrote the libretto and the lyrics for the stage version of the comedic classic he originally conceived with
John Cleese,
Terry Gilliam,
Terry Jones,
Michael Palin and the late
Graham Chapman. Idle also co-wrote the music for
Monty Python's Spamalot with
John DuPrez.
Now that King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Sir Robin and Patsy have safely returned home, will London's critics give them a rousing welcome? We'll find out tomorrow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: London, Musical, Opening Night, Spamalot, Transfer
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing?As noted yesterday, readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) will find a new poll feature on the right-hand column that enables you to provide a snapshot opinion on all things theatre with the click of your mouse.
Please note that the poll's mechanism only enables you to vote once meaning that if you try voting for a second time, only your last vote will count officially.
My first question is pretty simple: "Which new Broadway musical are you most enthusiastic about seeing?" Your choices include
Grey Gardens,
High Fidelity,
Legally Blonde,
Mary Poppins,
The Pirate Queen and
The Times They Are A-Changin'. I'm only listing new shows that have been confirmed to open during the current 2006-07 Theatrical Season.
I also invite your comments to each story posted on Steve On Broadway (SOB). In fact, please feel free to tell me why you're voting the way you are for a show. As always, whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Grey Gardens, High Fidelity, Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening, The Pirate Queen
