JEKYLL & HYDE Reviews- Page 4

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 1:35am

So... Broadwayfever sees a lot of stinkers.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:00am

wicked1492, I literally spit my drink onto my computer monitor at your pull quotes. The Hartman Group should hire you for the next Wildhorn show.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 3:19am

This should be a pull quote : A rope-swirling maypole-esque mess

[deborahfan]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 7:13am

No surprise here, but you left out the good reviews. I'm sure it was only an accident.:)

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/jekyll-hyde-theater-review-article-1.1319707#ixzz2QsJ8BuTY

"This revival’s stars make the music shine. Maroulis, an “American Idol” runnerup and a “Rock of Ages” Tony nominee, tackles Jekyll and Hyde with pipes roaring. He knows how to build drama in a song and makes the familiar “This Is the Moment” fresh. He impresses."

http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/04-2013/jekyll-and-hyde_64932.html

"Maroulis brings an appropriate tenderness to Jekyll that makes his transformation to Hyde, here portrayed like a nightmarish version of Slash from Guns N' Roses, all the more jarring. Expectedly, both actors bring the house down with their powerful voices, delivering some very challenging music as if it were effortless. American idol-bred Maroulis seems to especially revel in Wildhorn's glory notes: This is the role he was born to play."

http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/theater/reviews/frank-wildhorns-jekyll-hyde-at-the-marquis-theater.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

"Mr. Maroulis meets the throat-thrashing challenges of Mr. Wildhorn’s score with aplomb, his high-reaching pop tenor evincing little strain when rising to the piercing climaxes. I was also impressed by Mr. Maroulis’s quietly intense performance as the obsessive Dr. Jekyll."


"I’ll cop to a happy goosepimple or two as Mr. Maroulis and Ms. Cox let loose during their impassioned solo songs."

Yes, folks, some of the critics actually liked it and the house was 90.5% full. Too bad, so sad for all of you.

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 8:43am

"I would love to know how Isherwood is getting all these shows to review - one longed for Brantley to take this on."

What are you talking about? Brantley reviewed four productions this week.

Updated On: 4/19/13 at 08:43 AM

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 8:44am

It appears that the bulk of reviews speak for themselves about the overall "experienced opinions" about this...and that's all the NY critcs are,"experienced in seeing and rating shows", right? It's your choice to agree or disagree with people's viewpoint.

I'm sure Frank will lick his wounds and move on to another project. Bet they'll like this in another country! I still think the 3 person concert version is the best adaptation of this material.

Me thinks he needs to find some new collaborators for his future theatrical dreams and hire a few good show doctors before going public again.

When you go up to bat as often as Wildhorn, sooner or later you may get a hit.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 10:42am

I also find it odd that pretty much anyone could have attended opening night as tickets were even available at TKTS for 50% off.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 10:56am

Deborahfan- of those three reviews, the Daily News one is mixed, the Theatremania one is favorable, and the NY Times is undoubtedly negative- it ends with, "A cursory reading of the libretto gives rise to yet another urgent question. Do the clichés in the lyrics outnumber the exclamation points, or vice versa? But I’m afraid I’d rather leave that one to those with a deeper interest in textual analysis of Frank Wildhorn musicals," for god's sake.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 11:26am

wicked1492, you are making me lmfao. You are fab!

[deborahfan]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 12:13pm

"Deborahfan- of those three reviews, the Daily News one is mixed, the Theatremania one is favorable, and the NY Times is undoubtedly negative- it ends with, "A cursory reading of the libretto gives rise to yet another urgent question. Do the clichés in the lyrics outnumber the exclamation points, or vice versa? But I’m afraid I’d rather leave that one to those with a deeper interest in textual analysis of Frank Wildhorn musicals," for god's sake."

All I'm saying is, all any of you were posting were the bad reviews. If you want to show a clear picture, then show the good as well. Not everybody hates this show, critics included. Attendance was good last night, and so somebody has to comment about the 50% off ticket price. Shows do what they can to draw people in. It's not unheard of to discount tickets. I've been to many a show that had a bad start and then ended up gaining momentum to a sold out house.

For those of you who think Wildhorn's music is terrible, that is your right to think so. I happen to enjoy it, and there's nothing you can say that will change that for me. You can all argue and mud sling all you like. It certainly doesn't make for a nice thread for people to post.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 12:24pm

No one is trying to change your mind. You are only looking for the good parts -- which is also your blindness.

Who ever said that threads are suppose to be "nice". I'd be pretty annoyed if I only read "nice" things and then got there to see a big pile of pooh. This way, if I choose to see it, I know I MIGHT enjoy it, or it MIGHT be crap. I still get to decide, but are not led astray.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 12:25pm

"I've been to many a show that had a bad start and then ended up gaining momentum to a sold out house. "

...it just, in all likelihood, will not be happening with this one. It's been heavily discounted and papered, and although a minority of minor critics were kind, the major reviewers were not.

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 1:40pm

"Attendance was good last night, and so somebody has to comment about the 50% off ticket price."

Attendance on opening night was good? I would hope it would be on the comped opening night!

Also, there were plenty of tickets on ticketmaster to buy, as well as even rush tickets for opening night.

Attendance after opening night is the bigger test...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:00pm

and when was the last time ANY Broadway show had tickets available to their opening night on TKTS?? Yes, some shows in larger theaters tend to sell some limited opening night tickets(at full price), but I was completely shocked to see it on the TKTS board last night(and at 50% off).

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:19pm

Derailing for a minute to post this follow-up from my mother after I emailed her the NY Times review this morning. I thought she summed it up quite nicely!

"We saw the show, with that cast, in Tampa. I guess they were on their way to Broadway. I remember lots of dead bodies at the beginning and the main guy's wonderful hair. There's lots of good songs and I don't think the delivery was quite what I wanted, but I liked it. The machine was bizarre. Too many hook-ups for me. Let's see how long it lasts this time around. Mom"

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:39pm

"Too many hook-ups for me"
Judy Denmark's Mommy

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:44pm

A negative review from the Times doesn't change the fact that he did have a few nice things to say about the cast. They could certainly use some of those as pull quotes. Other shows do it all the time.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:48pm

Thanks orangeskeetles and jayinsidechelsea! I'm now accepting offers for pulling ALL the quotes. Michael Bay movies, the Scary Movies, Wildhorn shows, Theresa Rebeck. You name it. I'm F*CKing Fabulous.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:51pm

"Wildhorn...Rebeck...You name it...I'm F*CKing."
Wicked1492

[wicked1492]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 2:54pm

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 3:36pm

In answer to the question of why Charles Isherwood reviewed Jekyll and Hyde for the Times rather than Brantley, I think I might guess the answer: Brantley reviewed the original 1997 production, giving it a critique that was unfavorable (to put it mildly.) He probably preferred not to be subjected to the show again.

[Jersey Girl2]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 3:37pm

>>>> This isn't nearly as bad as it could be

I'm sorry if you were disappointed.

I had a wonderful time last night.

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 3:40pm

PBEnt, I liked the concert as well. Cut out most of the book and focused on the songs...which audiences seem to love.

Also helps that they had some pretty stellar talent delivering the material. No "stars" necessary. Fairly cheap to produce.

And I like the "Resurrection" album, despite some misfires (tempo of Bring On The Men", much of "Dangerous Game").

Thought this production amped up everything in the show that leans toward the bawdy/tacky. The S&M stuff was just too, too much. Made me feel icky to watch it.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 4:10pm

The gender politics of Lucy/Hyde are messed up.

[Parsley]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 4:48pm

I still find this a very naff, vacuous and mostly unengaging musical. BUT the score is mostly wonderful, even with Wildhorn's key change addiction.

I just don't think it works that well as a stage show, whereas the concert form it is much more comfortable fit.