ON THE 20th CENTURY Reviews - Page 3

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:11pm

she uses Lily’s histrionics to create one of the most virtuosic portraits in song ever on Broadway. The vocal vocabulary she deploys here ranges from jazz-baby brass to operatic silver, often in a single number, and she switches among them with jaw-dropping ease.



Wow.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:11pm

That's so different from Patti Lupone's take. Not that she said she deserved to win over LaChanze...but well, you know...it's Patti Lupone and she's not the most gracious loser. I remember when she said she didn't really remember losing the Tony for Anything Goes but managed to get a slight dig about Joanna Gleason looking like the Tin Man.

Well, I believe the majority of media outlets were calling for LuPone to win in 2006 over LaChanze. And she had won all of the awards leading up to the Tonys in 1988 (and most critics were predicting a win for her that year, too).


Kelli has said/implied about her previous nominations. In that particular interview you linked to, Kelli says that she didn't feel she deserved to win over Audra for Porgy and Bess or over Patti for Gypsy.

I'm not sure if this was transcripted from a video interview, since I cannot find an entire interview, but the quote I've linked seemed like very odd logic. O'Hara is feeding into the notion that there is serious, award-worthy art, and then there's easy comedy. Not only is that seemingly invalidating some of her own career choices, but it makes it seem like comedy is so simple and could never possibly deserve to be rewarded. What would it mean, then, if Chenoweth does win for On the 20th Century, something that is very obviously a comedy? Audra McDonald didn't win a Tony for Porgy and Bess because she was raped onstage, she won a Tony because the voters felt she gave the most fully developed performance that season.

This is the kind of logic that people use to argue against Marisa Tomei's Oscar win for My Cousin Vinny, or Marissa Jaret Winokur's win for Hairspray of Bernadette Peters in Gypsy. O'Hara hasn't won because she hasn't given the best performance in a season. She should feel like she's giving her all in every part she plays, not just the ones that call for high drama and emotion.


The quote in question

[NoName3]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:17pm

Forget Lucci. Angela has been nominated for a *prime time* Emmy 18 times and never won.

[NoName3]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:26pm

Brantley is in with a rave.

Review: ‘On the Twentieth Century,’ With Kristin Chenoweth, Opens on Broadway Updated On: 3/15/15 at 10:26 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:39pm

Well, I believe the majority of media outlets were calling for LuPone to win in 2006 over LaChanze. And she had won all of the awards leading up to the Tonys in 1988 (and most critics were predicting a win for her that year, too).

That's very true, but it's not uncommon for these things to go another way. My point was that Patti Lupone, whether she was justified or not, didn't take the O'Hara route when losing and publicly speaking about it. She's not the first favorite to lose an award and won't be the last. Look at Donna Murphy in 2004 or Laura Benanti in 2011.

OT, but it seems that the Tonys are not like the Oscars where there are dozens of critic circles around the country and a dozen American awards shows that really make it predictable. There are Drama Desks and Outer Critics Circle. That's about it. Also, the correlation between those and the Tonys seems a bit weaker than the Oscars and all of their Guild Awards and Golden Globes. Though I bet people get their hopes up.



Updated On: 3/15/15 at 10:39 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:42pm

It would be nice to discuss these reviews that are getting lost in the shuffle.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:57pm

Vulture seems to be a Mostly Positive with criticisms for the smaller budget undermining the spectacle and score and some critiques for the actors. However, it is a RAVE for Chenoweth.

http://www.vulture.com/2015/03/theater-review-on-the-twentieth-century.html

It’s no surprise that Chenoweth can sing Coleman’s droll operetta pastiche: She has the perfect bright white starlight soprano for its martial cadences and coloratura roulades. Nor should it really be a surprise, though it always somehow is, to realize (after the fact) how methodically she has taken apart every beat, and even every syllable, to find what she can make funny in it. If she has immense clownish resources at her disposal — a precise and flexible voice, a wacky gestural armamentarium, a pliant imagination, and no fear of indignity — do not mistake the achievement for mere natural humor; it’s hard work creating a storyboard for every second you’re onstage. Not that she lets you see the work, even while twirling a pair of white rifles and hoisting can-can kicks. All the disassembly is done behind the scenes. Once the reassembly is done, it’s like she’s cleaned a chandelier . . .

Meanwhile, catch her. Because the next time On the Twentieth Century is revived, it may only be able to offer three porters, two doors, a keyboard in the pit — and no star like this one, for love or money. She’s irreplaceable.

Updated On: 3/15/15 at 10:57 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:22pm

Variety is Positive though Marilyn Stasio basically calls it brainless.

But Lily is the show’s magnet, even when she’s just standing in the spotlight posing — a posture that makes Chenoweth purr. In fact, everything this egocentric diva does makes her purr. Every move becomes a grand gesture, every emotion a grand passion, every inconvenience a grand tragedy. Nothing is outside Chenoweth’s comic skills or beyond the range of that amazing coloratura voice. She loves Lily — and Lily loves her back.

http://variety.com/2015/legit/reviews/on-the-20th-century-review-kristin-chenoweth-peter-gallagher-broadway-1201452467/

Huffington Post is Mixed-to-Positive. David Finkle doesn't seem to have a problem with this particular production as he lauds all of the cast and creative team with very positive things to say about Chenoweth and Gallagher. He just doesn't like the source material and has a lot of negative things to say about Comden and Green's lyrics.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-finkle/first-nighter-chenoweth-g_b_6874632.html

Deadline is Mixed-to-Negative. Had some negative things to say about Gallagher and Chenoweth but good things to say about the supporting cast.

[Gallagher] has the suave good looks to play Oscar but not the slightly demented charisma called for, and vocals have never been his strong point. Chenoweth certainly has what it takes in the singing department and the crowd adores her. I just wish she wasn’t so charmlessly vulgar with her oversexed physical shtick . . .

More relaxed in their roles, and thus more of a pleasure to spend time with, are Karl’s cartoonish Bruce and Wilson’s adorable Letitia (yes, I saw the incomparable Kevin Kline and Imogene Coca in the original but really, who cares?), along with Michael McGrath and Mark Linn-Baker as Jaffee’s devoted, if exasperated, aides-de-camp

http://deadline.com/2015/03/peter-gallagher-kristin-chenoweth-on-the-20th-century-review-broadway-1201392958/







Updated On: 3/15/15 at 11:22 PM

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:02am

I keep going back and fourth on whether I want to buy a HipTix for this for June. I love the cast and reviews are so promising, yet the video posted a few days ago does nothing for me.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:04am

Anyone know just how "limited" this engagement is? Are there extensions built in?

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:04am

n2nbaby
see it!

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:19am

Adamgreer, the run is scheduled to conclude on July 5th, as of now... which I'm sure you're already aware of. With these reviews and the strong possibility of some Tony nominations and wins, I'm sure the production and Roundabout have an extension through the summer up their sleeve as Violet did similarly last year. The next show scheduled for the AA Theatre isn't scheduled until early to mid-Fall, if I'm not mistaken - making this extension a high possibility.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:37am

I can believe Kelli on Audra and Patti, but never on Jesse Mueller. Jesse was fine singing those cute three and four chord pop tunes circa 1960, but compare that to O'Hara's exceptional trained voice performing gut-wrenching songs from Madison County, which you can see on YouTube and....

Reminds me of the last year I ever watched the Grammy awards. Best record of the year went to Christopher Cross for the forgettable and forgotten "Sailing," beating out two classics: "The Rose" by Bette Midler and "New York, New York" by Ol' Blue Eyes. You are absolutely free to disagree about Mueller or Cross.

I wonder how critics, especially minor critics like Matthew Murray, feel when they find that their review is about the opposite of almost all the other critics, especially the ones from prestigious publications? Do they like to disagree since they'll at least stand out from the crowd?

It reminds me of doing book reports in high school. I knew that the teachers didn't want the book parroted back to them with all good will towards the author. They wanted criticism. So I would find something to criticize, even if it never occurred to me while reading the book.

Here is his criticism of KC, which he will compare to all the other critics on KC:

Bulging eyes, a twisted neck, and damsel-in-distress poses are all well and good, but they’re at most ornaments to comedy, and shouldn’t be the extent of it as they are in Chenoweth’s performance. Utterly absent are any hint of Lily’s yearnings, or her deeper arsenal of tools: imperiousness, sexiness, treachery, even box office pull. She never once seems like a woman who could evolve from mousy accompanist to Hollywood headliner; in fact, she’s only fully at home during her first few minutes when she’s Mildred Plotka, whose sarcasm, wit, and feistiness evaporate the moment she transforms into Lily (during a void of a Paris-themed number called “Veronique”) — but these are just what Lily most needs.

If he is calculating he will see if his review was noticed and generated any controversy. If he is egotistical he will, at least in his head, defend his writing and accuse all the other critics of being lemmings, unwilling to buck the trend and stand out.

Every other member of the cast was found lacking in his or her role, except for Mary Louise Wilson.

On the whole, being a critic who does nothing but judge what others do is a pretty lousy way to make a living.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 1:05am

I think an extension depends on scheduling availability. Gallagher recently signed on to fo a new TV role and who knows what Chenoweth is up to next. In terms of the theater space, looking at dates, it seems like they could add a short extension if they wanted to.

These reviews have me more excited to see the show later in the spring. I've never been a huge Chenoweth fan so this wasn't at the top of my list to see, but I feel like this is the role she was made for and critics clearly feel the same! Plays, it's just a fun show. It's happy and light and sometimes we need that.

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 1:13am

Matthew Murray is an idiot who just can't figure out how to write a review. I have no problem with a critic disagreeing with me on a show, but his articles are so long and rambling and never seem to reach a point. He also never seems to stay with one viewpoint throughout his review. It's as if he writes a review and then publishes it, without any second drafts or anything. I always find myself reading his reviews though because talkinbroadway.com makes it so easy to read reviews for practically every show that opens on and off-Broadway since they started the site.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 1:22am

For Gods sake n2nbaby as I was told on here when I first joined and asked a similar question-'make up your own bloody mind'.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:29am

@sweetlips I wasn't exactly asking for an opinion as to whether I should see the show or not. I was simply saying that despite many raves, I still can't figure out if I should pick up a ticket or not. I'm not sure if it's something I would enjoy and am unsure as to if it would be worth a 9 hour round trip to see is all. :)

[Soaring29]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 3:19am

Really hoping this is Kelli's year, but I think Chenoweth has a very good shot at beating her. If The Vistit gets strong reviews, Kelli could be overlooked again since Chenoweth and Rivera are giving much showier performances. But hopefully, their well earned guilt for snubbing her for Bridges will earn her the respect she deserves and she'll finally win a Tony!

[SweetLips]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 4:11am

You are the only person who can decide if this is the show for you. I left at interval at Wicked and Jersy Boys but you might have loved them.
I will never get to see 20th[unless a bootleg] but the LP was one of my favourites and if I could, even without these raves, I would go.
If someone asks me to recommend a cafe/hairdresser whatever I say---so and so suits me but if you go and don't like 'it' then usually the recommender gets the blame-not the show[whatever].
Just GO !! then you'll have something to report.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 4:23am

Crap, I knew I should have grabbed a ticket last week before these reviews came out

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 8:22am

"If The Vistit gets strong reviews, Kelli could be overlooked again since Chenoweth and Rivera are giving much showier performances."

The Visit got mixed reviews at Williamstown last summer. But it shouldn't matter what kind of reviews the show itself would receive, it would mainly be about the reviews for Chita Rivera.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:29pm

ANDY KARL has been tweeting out all his (rave) reviews... And with the Drama League chat tonight ... Is he campaigning? Could he win?

[Kad]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:31pm

The supporting actor in a musical category is, as of now, fairly wide open. I'd be surprised if he's not nominated, though.

Updated On: 3/16/15 at 02:31 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:50pm

Entertainment Weekly gives it an A- with praises all-around, most notably for Chenoweth.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/15/on-the-twentieth-century-ew-review Updated On: 3/16/15 at 02:50 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 3:38pm

Matthew Murray's review is as impossible to decipher as always, but seems to be mixed to negative

Which means it's definitely a good, if not great, production.

But comparing the roles of Mrs. Anna and Lily Garland, not to mention the ladies playing them respectively, are like comparing apples and oranges.

And yet, as with every season, judges for all the various awards must compare apples to oranges.