IRENA'S VOW Reviews- Page 4

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:08am

There's widespread belief that merely tackling the holocaust in any way should earn respect of critics and audiences. But we've seen an avalanche of mediocre literature on the subject, and it's increasingly too easily exploited to wring tears, often playing by the melodramatic rules that would not be tolerated in service of another historical context. And creating a play based on a real person is likewise no reason to expect fawning appreciation. All dramas must be judged on their own merits, not the heroism or humanity of its subject matter. This play must be evaluated as a play, nothing more or less, and so Isherwood has every right to tackle its strengths and weaknesses independent of any reverence for its noble biographical intentions.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:26am

Well I am very disheartened by these reviews. I was so moved by this play and am still in utter awe of Tovah's performance. If this makes me a sucker or easily manipulated, then so be it. I hope that good word of mouth will be able to propel sales keep the show running. I know I will be telling everyone I know to put this at the top of their list.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:34am

If nothing else, Whizzer, I think this play will have good word-of-mouth. The question is, will that be enough?

A more interesting question, I think, would even universal raves have been enough to make this show a financial success?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:45am

Unfortunately I fear it won't be enough. I don't want to think negatively, but there are SO many awesome plays right now, which are never big tourist draws in the first place, and I can't expect everyone to be as theater-obsessed as the rest of us to give everything a chance.

I don't think raves would have guaranteed this to be a financial success, but when people are deciding whether to buy a ticket for Impression, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, 33 Variations, God of Carnage, Exit the King, The Norman Conquests, Mary Stuart, Desire Under the Elms or Irena's Vow...well you get my point, the list is overwhelming. Even though there are many revivals in the mix, they aren't necessarily well-known shows. I think playgoers, especially New York playgoers, will really turn to the Times and other reviews to decide where to spend their money.

[Insider2]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:06am

Off topic, but then again, so is much of this thread.......

But why are you guys handing out Tony Awards before you've seen and evaluated every single show? I'm specifically thinking of MARY STUART, which does not even have it's first preview until tonight. I hear that Janet McTeer is pretty amazing.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:07am

Sadly, I think GOD OF CARNAGE, EXIT THE KING and, maybe, MARY STUART will emerge as the only successes of that pack.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:11am

I liked IRENA'S VOW much more than GOD OF CARNAGE. Well...maybe not MUCH more, but I definitely liked it more. But at this point, I think CARNAGE will win Best Play as well. And, like I said when the reviews came out, it should become an open-ended run. I could think of a plethora of actors (both famous and Broadway vets) who I'd love to see in those four roles.

And I was referring to kingkong, not you MiracleElixir.
Updated On: 3/30/09 at 10:11 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:12am

JOE TURNER will be a success, as well, as it's a non-profit,.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:16am

As much as I love IRENA'S VOW, it needed universal rave reviews to keep it afloat, and now that it hasn't gotten those, I do think it will flop.

Do I think that universal rave reviews would have been enough to drum up a lot of business for this show? It definitely would have helped, but now I fear it may close before the Tony Awards...which would be horrible news.

The marketing people haven't even done any advertising for this show...no one even knows it's playing on Broadway right now! and that is a big problem

[April Saul]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 10:24am

Sorry, Miracle, for writing WOT when in fact, it's WAT! Hard to keep up with all the avatars and acronyms late at night when I'm tired...I'll be sticking around this board because I love theater--just not the name-calling. Speaking of names, did you ever think that it might make for more civility if more people here used their real ones? Just a crazy thought In any case, happy theatergoing...and I mean that sincerely. Life is hard enough--and theater is too wonderfully cathartic--to insult each other over, at least in my opinion!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 11:05am

Hopefully word of mouth will help it. I can't see the running costs being all that much, comparatively.

[James2]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 12:06pm

While I'm surprised by the lackluster reviews, I will not let it diminish my enjoyment of the show and my awe and respect for Ms. Feldshuh. To quote one of my favorite animated movies, Ratatouille, I say, "The average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than [the] criticism designating it so."

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 12:27pm

Do you remember the very next line in that monologue, james2, where critics' value in the world of art is praised, for the rare occurrence they can be a lone voice or champion / denigrate a deserving work?

[James2]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 1:36pm

Yes, I remember the rest of the monologue. I was just quoting that one sentence as a way of saying that even in critics dislike something, that work can still be effective or impactful to other people.

[Jeannie Smith]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 10:56pm

Just wanted to let you know that you shouldn't blame Dan Gordon for that ending line. He took it straight from my mother who felt that she had earned the right to ask people to make a moral choice to care about humanity and make a difference in the world. Sorry it bothered you so much.
Irena's daughter,
Janina Opdyke Smith

[James2]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:08pm

Glad to see you on the board, Ms. Smith. I'm sorry the critics haven't embraced the show like many of us have. I just wanted to say Ms. Feldshuh is a wonder and it was great to see you onstage last Saturday.

[Jeannie Smith]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:10pm

I was just wondering which part of the NY Times review you thought was right on? The "theatrical Hokum" he referred to was not only uninformed but poor reporting since he just assumed that the story plots, the humor and the lines in the play were... What did he call it? "strange paradoxical twists that almost beggar belief" or maybe it was the "banal, ham-fisted & bad fiction" you're agreeing with?
Sometimes life is stranger than fiction and the case of Irena's Vow the material, the story plot and the scenes are truth... not fiction. Anyone who would care to learn more should get my mom's book "In My Hands" and read her complete memories. Maybe we are all so hardened by the typical entertainment and fluff that is out there that we fail to see the beauty of human decency and the power of love.
My Mother, the real Irena would be broken hearted by the cruel judgements and harsh quick denial of her life... she was right, History does repeat itself.

[Jeannie Smith]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:14pm

Ouch... A silly Holocaust Drama? I find it very difficult to understand how a Holocaust Drama can be labeled "silly" Wow, how sad for you. I find nothing silly about the death of over six million people.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:14pm

Really, though, the weaknesses people found were with the script, not the source material.

[Jeannie Smith]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:26pm

In response to your defense of Mr Isherwood review. My Mother herself used the exact phrase "That was my first Date... that was my first kiss" It's what she said when she was talking to children in schools. She felt it was a softer way to inform children that she was a virgin without having to be so blunt. My mother did not use this saying as a joke then and it was not added to the script to be funny or to take away the serious aspect of rape - Mr Dan Gordon added it to the script because that is what the real Irene said. Sadly the NY Times critic didn't do a good job on getting his facts straight on his harsh and uninformed review. I agree that history deserves attention and respect and I'm so sorry to say that Irena's Vow didn't get the deserved attention and respect that it's true story deserved.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:30pm

Seriously, let's not start accusing criticism of the play to be criticism of the event/woman/subject/source material.

[April Saul]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:29am

Thanks so much for posting here, Jeannie. I, too, was very moved by Irena's Vow and made a special trip to NYC to catch it in previews because folks on this board had told me how special your presence made it for them. Isherwood certainly had the right to dislike it, but I found the tone of his review offensive and posted that here; caught some flak for it, too, but that's the nature of these theater boards. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate what you're doing with the show, and wish you all the success in the world in spreading your mom's message...

[danceallnight]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 8:14am

I agree with April Saul. Jeannie, I am planning to see the show and feel that your mom's message is still an important and valuable one to spread by any means, including theater. To me, it seemed like Isherwood had some ax to grind. His tone was particularly harsh. Thank you for coming on the board to clarify. It's clear that people's hearts and souls are what brought this show to fruition. I wish you and the entire production much success.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:35am

I believe the paragraph in question is:

"Date? The term is a little jarring, and it is just the first of many unseemly moments in Mr. Gordon?s rendering of a life story encompassing unimaginable suffering. This history deserves attention and respect. The name of Ms. Opdyke, who died in 2003, appears next to Oskar Schindler?s on the wall honoring the Righteous Among the Nations in Jerusalem. But as compressed into 90 minutes of stage time, Irena?s personal tragedy and inspiring courage are mostly cheapened into suspense-driven melodrama."

He criticizes the line because it does seem unseemly. I thought it was a strange phrase, as well, when I saw the show.


You can't say that he's disavowing Irena's life story; he blatantly says it deserves respect and she had "inspiring courage." What he takes issue with is the script. Not all of us knew Irena to know that those were the words she used.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:20pm

Perhaps this is another example of needing to let a piece challenge your way of thinking instead of wanting it to affirm your way of thinking. I think that line is haunting and succinct in explaining such a delicate matter in a simple way.

In general, I think it wouldn't be frowned upon for me to pass on the sentiment at the Walter Kerr Theatre--despite some negative reviews, this company believes in the piece. The producers stand firmly behind it. Audience responses have been tremendously positive--standing ovations every night as I understand it.