Grey Gardens Reviews- Page 4

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 10:49am

Congrats Grey Gardens! I do hope the show can find an audience. Getting tourists into the seats is going to be rough. The Tonys are a long way off. Sounds like guaranteed nominations for Ebersole, book, score and best musical.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 10:53am

If DROWSY can sell out that barn....

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:08am

Munk - surely you realize that GG and CHAPERONE aren't exactly of the same genre!

[Hank]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:10am

Michael Sommers of The Star Ledger states in his review "While this bizarrely beautiful musical has been revised somewhat from its earlier version, the event's offbeat qualities will scarcely attract customers craving a conventional song-and-dance affair. (Their loss.)"
Well, as a "song-and-dance" fan myself, I'll take his advice and see it. I also predict a long run of 90% plus houses for at least as long as Christine Ebersole is in it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:15am

MB, of course they're not the same genre - but I think DROWSY certainly surprised us all when it started selling out and making over a million a week.

I'm just saying that it leaves some hope for GREY GARDENS.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:16am

What struck me most about seeing it at Playwrights (going to the Broadway production is January) was just how accessible I felt it was. For all it's faults, it is refreshingly free from camp and irony. It has immense heart and a true undercurrent of sadness to it. Maybe I'm giving tourists too much credit (can you imagine?).

As for the Tony chances, I do think, at this point, it's Ebersole's to lose. The only real competition, I imagine, will come from Audra. I'm not so sure the role of Lizzie can stand up to the double Edie's. But if anyone can bring something new and breathtaking to that show it's Audra's. Having seen Kristen's lovely work in Apple Tree at Encores, it still doesn't stand as tall as Ebersole's towering achievement. And Brown and Block will just have to be pleased with their nominations, should they get them.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:21am

Well, DC like any hit show is depending and succeeding on the bump its getting from group ticket sales. DC is very easy to market to tour groups. I can not imagine GG being high on any group sales list except for maybe the San Francisco Gay Babtist Fellowhip.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:55am

robbiej - I would agree with you about Ebersole's chance, but I think of Headley, Sutton and Menzel and I can't help feeling that the Tony voters have a tendency to lean towards more traditional roles performed by "newer" talent. This would give an edge to Block and possibly Chenoweth (though she has one Tony under her belt in another category, she supposedly pulls off playing three completely different roles in one evening astonishingly well). McDonald is a Tony favorite, so this category could be a toss-up. But yes, so far, Ebersole is currently the front-runner and her love letters from the press may keep her fresh in the voters' minds come Tony time.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 11:59am

But Block, alas, is in a flop...as of right now, at least. You're absolutely right about Audra. And after seeing her sing OLD MAID at Carnegie Hall, it speaks of a performance that will be spectacular. Having seen Kristen do the role, I just don't think she pulls off the multiple roles as well as Ebersole. But she didn't have the benefit of a full rehearsal period, so, that may change.

[junglered]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 12:08pm

I'm so glad that Grey Gardens is getting great reviews. I loved the show and thought that Ms. Ebersole's performance was a revelation. I am spreading the word here in the provinces for lovers of theatre to get thee to the Walter Kerr.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 12:19pm

Ebersole is VERY well liked among Tony voters. She is going to win. Audra is a Tony favorite but she is not thought of as a leading lady. She is Braodways greatest supporting actress. In fact, the only time she lost a Tony was when she was nominated in the lead cat.

[jv92]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:58pm

Barnes really needs to retire. I really hate him. Isn't any musical theatre score that isn't pop pastiche?

Otherwise, I'm pleased with these possitive notices.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:20pm

I would think of Audra as a leading lady. But we'll see. This show opened early in the season, so something new might open and cause an upset, you never know? We all thought Lupone was a going to win, but then LaChanze came and grabbed it.

I think the show will get a healthy run and make back its investment.

And yeah, I'm still suprised Drowsy is raking in $1 Mill. It even beats Color Purple.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:38pm

'We all thought Lupone was a going to win,'

We did?

[got-a-light]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 5:40pm

I am so happy for 'Grey Gardens' and Christine. I can't wait to get to NY and see it.

There are so many great one liners in these reviews in regards to Christine's performance. You can already visualize them outside the Walter Kerr and in the advertising.

My three fav..

#3
Christine Ebersole in a staggering dual-role performance sure to become a new benchmark for musical-theater excellence. VARIETY

#2
In "Grey Gardens," Christine Ebersole delivers a bona fide star turn that is awesome, amazing and astonishing - and that's just the A's. DAILY NEWS

AND #1...
Watching this performance is the best argument I can think of for the survival of the American musical. NY TIMES

PS - I think most thought Patti was a show-in for Best Actress last year.

PSS - I am happy to see that Drowsy is doing well. I must admit that I didn't think it would be a show for tourists, but it's doing great. While they are very differents shows hopefully tourists will also embrace GG.


Updated On: 11/3/06 at 05:40 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 5:45pm

'I think most thought Patti was a show-in for Best Actress last year.'

Most on the board, perhaps. Not most actually in the business, though.

[got-a-light]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 5:53pm

Not to get to off topic, but i do feel people in the business were surprised Patti lost. While i don't live in nyc, i spend a lot of time there and have friends in the theater industry. I didn't hear many mention LaChanze to win and I do think many were surprised by her win.

FYI - I thought they were both great performances so it's not meant to be a negative comment. Just a comment on what I had heard people saying.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 5:58pm

I'm not making a negative comment on either performer either. I just was hearing in the weeks leading up to the Tonys that LaChanze was going to come out on top.

I would have voted for Kelly O'Hara, myself, but that's neither here nor there.

For me, the only surprises Tony night were the Pajama Game win and the Christian Hoff win.

[toomeytwopiece]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 6:08pm

"Polished Erin Davie", probably the best notice she's gotten out of all of these. MOst of them just don't comment on her performance. "


As a friend of Erin, and one who is quite familiar with her work, I have to say that she deserves WAY more mention than she is receiving... I went through this in 3penny - and it can be disheartening... BUT, what makes it just fine is the wonderful response from people here and other places (in person)... so if you DO love Erin, say so!! :)

-BCR

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 6:23pm

"Polished Erin Davie", probably the best notice she's gotten out of all of these. MOst of them just don't comment on her performance.

Very, very true. That's too bad.

I'm glad the show got such great reviews! I can't wait to see it.


I don't have exactly what they said, but NY1's review was very positive.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 6:39pm

Sharing some Erin Davie love here!

I didn't know her at all, and thought she was good if understandably tentative at the first preview...but she's gotten steadily better each time I've seen the show, being more a match for Christine's Big Edie. And Erin was ON FIRE last night!

She is doing wonderfully subtle work in GREY GARDENS, managing to convey Little Edies damaged qualities with her feisty temprament and peaches-and-cream society charm. Her Edie is both lovely and a little off-kilter.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 6:42pm

Some reviews did point out that Erin Davie was a great addition to the cast while others blamed her for not resembling Act II Little Edie. I wouldn't say she didn't get much attention though she did deserve more than a handful of mixed reviews.
I personally found Davie's performance rather fascinating. Not only does she have a beautiful voice but her acting made some points about young Little Edie that were interesting to note. My problem with some of the reviews is that they blame her (and not the material or Greif's direction) for the lack of connection between Act I Little Edie and Act II Little Edie. I believe it is more Greif's fault as well as Dough Wright's. Davie, in my opinion, does wonders with what she is given.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 6:59pm

I don't understand why it's so hard for some to believe that the act 1 little edie becomes the act 2 little edie. I have someone in my family who made as much a 180 in a third of the time. that's what is so tragic.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 7:01pm

She is doing wonderfully subtle work in GREY GARDENS, managing to convey Little Edies damaged qualities with her feisty temprament and peaches-and-cream society charm. Her Edie is both lovely and a little off-kilter.

Well said, MasterLcZ. I couldn't have said it better myself. Davie is a perfect fit for this role, and what a thrilling role in which to make her Broadway debut! For those concerned with her not getting much mention, it has nothing to do with her specifically. Most of the critical attention was focused on Ebersole. But in addition to praising Ebersole, the majority of the critics praised the show as a whole and the cast as a whole, so that's wonderful. I think they are a fantastic ensemble, and I'm thrilled they were so positively received.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 7:47pm

i am so glad this got mostly all positive reviews
:)
makes my anticipation to see it even greater!!!