AMERICAN IDIOT Reviews- Page 6

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 10:59am

Other musicals with a B grade this season are A Little Night Music, Memphis, and Come Fly Away.

[MarkK]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 12:19pm

Village Voice is Mixed

The result, though vivid and lurid and imaginatively depraved, is also somewhat inarticulate, spraying its boilerplate discontent at no one in particular, with a lotta standard-issue bitching about The Media and The Man.


At least the Spring Awakening crew had onstage clueless grown-ups to rebel against. Of the two dudes who actually get off the couch (seriously, the third one spends the whole rest of the show there, literally drinking bong water, his girl and their newborn baby eventually fleeing in disgust), Johnny (played by breakout SA star John Gallagher Jr.) gets hooked on drugs and does the usual hooked-on-drugs stuff.

Green Day's Vivid, Lurid, Somewhat Vapid American Idiot Musical

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 12:23pm

Whoopie was there and she praised the show on The View this morning right before a commercial break.

[CYAPollyanna]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 12:37pm

Time Out NY is very positive.

David Coty gives it 4 out of 5 stars.

[lull89]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 1:01pm

New York Magazine is a PAN, although he thinks the cast isn't to blame:

"By the finale, lessons have been learned, innocence has been lost, and one character actually utters: “Is this the end? Or just the beginning?” (That’s “ ... and they lived happily ever after” for the Ouroboros-tattoo set.) Spoiler alert: It’s the end. The curtain falls, with excruciating slowness, then rises again to reveal the cast, all playing guitars. They sing “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”; the song is not from the American Idiot album, but it’s catchy, it’s recognizable, and it will do for an encore. And, like the similarly catchy Idiot songs, it conjures nothing so much as nostalgia for itself. The cast plays it reverently, yet it’s glaringly obvious that many of them aren’t exactly rocking out—in fact, most of them look like they’re air-strumming. Which, come to think of it, is at the heart of everything that is wrong with this purely gestural pantomime of astounding emptiness. It’s a piece without a period, a geist without a Zeit—or a clue. The lissome ensemble does its best to hold American Idiot aloft, but the show’s smothering affectation and tacky synthesis visibly drain the kids’ brio like an aging hipster vampire. They thrash and perspire—the only two moves in the show’s seizure-inspired choreographic vocabulary—and, in the end, they’re doomed ... to perform this hectically irrelevant pageant eight times a week."
Twenty-First Century Breakdown, Scott Brown on American Idiot

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 2:53pm

Sorry, considering New York Magazine's theater coverage durng the past year -- or non-coverage, to be more accurate -- anything these jerks have to say is of total inconsequence. Much though John Simon could infuriate, at least the magazine had regular ongoing coverage of most openings. If you've looked at the last four or five issues, there has been literally no coverage (meaning reviews) of anything. Maybe it's a sign of the times and New York Mag has more important things on their minds (???), but a pan from that magazine is no BFD. And a rave from them would have no impact either.

Updated On: 4/21/10 at 02:53 PM

[fflagg]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 9:18pm

The OCR is a smash, the b/o will soar, and people are talking about it. Best Musical. Period. La Cage, Promises, Promises, and sad to say Night Music are not the stars of the season. All three will be gone prob by November.

[broadwayman17]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 11:10pm

NY1: Very Positive
http://www.ny1.com/6-bronx-news-content/ny1_living/theater_reviews/117312/ny1-theater-review---american-idiot-/

[musicalman2]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 2:32pm

ROLLING STONE – Peter Travers

“American Idiot”

Broadway gets a blast of pure rock adrenaline in “American Idiot”, the transporting Green Day musical blows your mind while it blows the roof off. Looking for a groundbreaking musical event? You just found it. Director Michael Mayer brings a soaring theatrically to the band’s punk assault on Bush-era alienation. And though the show has a libretto by Mayer and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, the music does the talking. And what music, ranging from haunting to hellraising without missing a beat in between. Tom Kitt (composer of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Next to Normal") did the stunning orchestrations for the 2004 CD by Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool and stretches the boundaries of what’s possible on Broadway. The actors work miracles. As Johnny, the disaffected Jesus of Suburbia, John Gallagher, Jr (Tony winner for “Spring Awakening”) is pure dynamite. Michael Esper and Stark Sands excel as his small-town buddies, stymied respectively by fatherhood and military service. But the standout is vocal powerhouse Tony Vincent as St. Jimmy, Johnny’s drug dealer. Though “American Idiot” carries echoes of such rock operas as “Tommy, Hair, Rent” and “Spring Awakening,” it paints a portrait of a soul-sick America that cuts its own path to the heart. You won’t know what hit you. American Idiot is a global knockout.

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

[holdyourbatboy]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 2:47pm

Is there a link to this review yet?

[nicole neumann2]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 4:44pm

i cant wait to see the show. my aunt got us tickets for may 22.it is my b-day gift. i got the cast cd. it rocks!!!!!the show is going to be great!!!!!(:

[BroadwayT2010]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 3:23pm

Broadway did again – created a musical that I am confident will bring a new young fresh audience to Broadway because of the relevance of theme and of course music by Green Day! What a high energy show and the Director Michael Mayer, brought the same energy and passion as he did for Spring Awakening. BTW – several cast members in this show were former Spring Awakening cast members.

The top performance is by Spring Awakening Alum, John Gallagher, Jr., former Tony Winner for Spring and once again why he will be a certain Tony award nominee for 2010. Another standout performance from Rebecca Naomi Jones who I fell in love with in Passing Strange (where if you recall I had a brief on stage/off stage moment with her character during Passion…but I digress.

Did I mention Rocky Horror yet?? Didn’t think so! This show reminded me of a cross between Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hair – A rock musical, cultural/political, theme and sure to create a cult following. One stand out character that reminded me so much of Meatloaf “Eddie” in Rocky Horror Picture Show - - the character St. Jimmy played by Tony Vincent who did an AMAZING performance (worth possible of a Tony nomination). I loved this show and I know many will follow me. I saw it on the final evening of previews so the show was ready to OPEN after accolades at Berkeley Rep. No idiots in this show only TALENT, TALENT and talent!

Don’t be an idiot and miss this show!

[Amneris]

Posted: 4/24/10 at 12:00pm

has anyone in the cast been out yet? Updated On: 4/24/10 at 12:00 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/24/10 at 12:01pm

^ Now THAT'S rich!

[MyChemicalSqueegee]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 8:49pm

I saw it last night. It was fantastic! I know some of the reviewers expressed that they thought there wasn't enough of a plot, but I disagree. It's one of those shows that the more it progresses, the more you get into it.
All of the actors had so much energy and put on a great show, but I especially enjoyed the performances of John Gallagher Jr., who has the best facial expressions, and Tony Vincent. I loved the strange alter-ego relationship between their characters.
I just wish it was longer because I enjoyed it so much.

Oh - and on a random side note - Billie Joe was there last night in the audience. I guess he just can't get enough of the show xD

[IfYouCan]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 10:10pm

has anyone in the cast been out yet?

Tony's missed one show so far, at that same show Theo Stockman was out. And Chase Peacock from the ensemble has been out most of this week due to injury. But nothing beyond that.

[sgv123]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 10:16pm

Leslie (ensemble) has been out as well.

[Amneris]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 9:15am

I am sure the show is shilltastic.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 8:47pm

Maybe his parents produced it?

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 10:42pm

Ok, let me preface this by saying that I really like "Green Day" and love "American Idiot" --

Saw the show tonight, and really wanted to like it.

There is a ton of energy on that stage, but it did nothing for me. I might be in the minority here, but as good as the music is, at least to me, it was overshadowed by some of the worst dialogue that I have ever heard on a stage.

Nothing surprises me anymore at the Tony Awards, but honestly, I would rather "Memphis" win !!

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 10:47pm

If it hasn't been said Tony Vincent is ****ing awesome in this show. St. Jimmy, Last Night, Know Enemy, and Homecoming have been on my Ipod constantly because of him. Hope he gets a Tony nom..

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 11:45pm

I basically hated every last second of this.

Shame, because I thought I'd really dig this even though I'm not a Green Day fan.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 4/29/10 at 1:35am

is the full original cast performing in every show?

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/29/10 at 2:09am

is the full original cast performing in every show?

If I'm understanding your question correctly, currently Chase is out for a couple of weeks due to injury. However, no one has been replaced or anything.

[Amneris]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 10:31am

I didn't feel the need to start a new thread to post my personal thoughts on the show but, I really needed to speak my opinion. That is 100% fine if none of you agree and I get attacked. To sum it up, it was the longest 90 minutes I have ever had to sit through. Not only was it too loud to the point where you couldn't hear the lyrics to the song but, the audience around me were complete animals thinking they were at a concert singing out loud. Also, they should alert the drunks that the bar closes after walk in and to please stay seated instead of getting up 19 times in the middle of a row to get more vodka. You can't take away incredible vocal talent from these people but, they all deserve to be in a good show. All I got from it was "I masterbated today into oblivion" "Lets say the F word again because we were told to" "Lets have more sex" and finally "lets shoot up because it's in the script 14 times". Maybe I totally missed the point of this show and again I am sorry if my thoughts seem out of line. I just did not like it. And a lot of the people who were not drunk and singing along felt the same way myself and 3 friends did. I respect anyone who enjoys it but, it just was not for me. I think my favorite of the Season goes to "Memphis".