Hercules Audience Reviews

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 9:52pm

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 10:18pm

I’ll be there tomorrow :) Report on Monday!

[Sampatches]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 10:24pm

Saw the invited dress last night. It was their first time doing a full run of the show, which they noted in the opening speech. I throughly enjoyed it! The god costumes were a highlight, they were all so fun - I especially enjoyed the Hermès one since it was a direct call back to the movie. Jelanni was super cute and charming as Hercules. The way the show was staged with the community ensemble led to some really fun and giant moments, especially the big battle finale scene. Hades had the best of the new songs and Roger Bart totally stole the show! I thought the only weak link was sadly Krysta as Meg, she was mostly doing a Susan Egan impersonation and it never felt like she mad it her own character like the other actors did. Also her costume made her look like sexy Dora the Explorer and was terrible.

Updated On: 8/31/19 at 10:24 PM

[DrowsyKaye]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 10:47pm

Just got out of the show tonight. Apologies for typos.

The Public Works mission in itself is noble and powerful and a necessity to this city and this country and to our shared humanity. With Shakespeare and Greek plays in its past, it’s wonderful to see them be able to take this Disney show, something comparable to a modern mythology, and share it with the people for the people. Anyone looking for a super Broadway-ready tight polished piece of theatre is looking in the wrong place: this is messy, wild, weird, but full of love, heart, compassion, and community. In my mind, this is what true theater should be: a community coming together to share a story with the people.
And it was a joyous time to boot.
The new songs are super fun (especially “Greats Bolts of Thunder”), the core cast (Jellani, Roger, Krysta) are all delightful, and the design work is really joyous with some wonderfully creative puppetry.
I hope everyone has as much fun as we did tonight, it was a true emotional community event that I’ll never forget.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 12:07am

(Not sure which thread to post in so I'm posting in both)

Saw the show tonight via the standby lottery. It was a huge crowd, but it was well-organized and moved swiftly. 

The show began late, around 8:20 or so (presumably to let more people in, which I appreciate). The show ran about 1h40m, so it got out right about 10. 

I thought the show was pretty fun and charming. Because it was Public Works, it had a healthy dosing of camp and schmaltzy sentimentality, but it was also somewhat more finely crafted than the other Public Works shows I've seen. Lots of the jokes were corny and a bit "eye roll"-y, but I also found myself laughing plenty. The way they tie in the Public Works concept of community was very sweet, and actually made a lot more sense than it did in Twelfth Night and As You Like It. 

The added songs are mostly pretty bland (I maintain that Alan Menken has lost his touch in the past decade or so, and I think that continues to be true), but I enjoyed the numbers he wrote for Hades and Phil, mainly because of the fun performances by Bart and Iglehart. I did enjoy the song they added for Hercules right at the end of the show (it actually made me cry, if I'm being honest). And of course, it was really fun to hear the songs from the film, and the whole audience was really excited when those numbers began. 

The puppetry is very impressive! 

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 12:59am

My friend got sick earlier in the day, so I had the opportunity to see this tonight. It's a wonderful, large, charming mess of a show. Community theater is so damn special, especially on a beautiful night in the middle of Central Park. Loved the music and the energy was electric. Most of the cast was strong and delightful. The only weak spot for me was Krysta who just didn't do anything for me as Meg. 

They won't be filming/recording this so see it if you can! It's so special!

[Peter872]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 1:16am

Could someone with the playbill post the song list?

[curiousincident]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 1:34am

Song List:

"To Be Human (Prologue)"

"The Gospel Truth"

"The Gospel Truth (Reprise 1 - He Ran the Underworld)"

"The Prophecy"

"The Gospel Truth (Reprise 2 - Hades Was Not Amused)"

"The Gospel Truth (Reprise 3 - Young Herc Was Mortal Now)"

"Uniquely Greek Town Square"

"Go the Distance"

"One Last Hope"

"The Gospel Truth (Reprise 4 - Young Herc Was On His Way)"

"Forget About It"

"A Cool Day In Hell"

"Uniquely Greek Tough Town"

"Zero to Hero"

"A Cool Day In Hell (Reprise)"

"One Last Hope (Reprise)/Go The Distance (Reprise)"

"The Gospel Truth (Reprise 5 - Herc Jumped the Garden Wall)"

"I Won't Say (I'm in Love)"

"Great Bolts of Thunder"

"To Be Human"

"A Star Is Born"
 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 4:54am

Here’s hoping they’ll pull a Hunchback and give us a cast album

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 6:29am

I saw this last night. My few quick thoughts about the overall experience:

- I kinda love this lottery thing. It’s nerve-racking and bit annoying, but honestly the most fair way to do this. The standby lotto gave out TONS of tickets. It was a never-ending drawing. Plus, the whole thing built a lovely feeling of community. Didn’t matter who you were, for the most part, the playing field was evened. And, the Public ran the entire thing so smoothly and with grace. Kudos to them!

- The show overall was cool. The words thrown around afterwards most of the night were “fun” and “cute.” Accurate description.

- One user in the other thread kept saying to keep expectations low. Don’t; it meets them. The show ain’t a super spectacle, but it’s still a HUGE production. They didn’t cut corners, yet kept it in the vein of previous Public Works productions with a tad bit more razzle dazzle. It doesn’t disappoint.

- I found the book to be...ummm...lite, if I’m being honest. Think “children’s book ” when it comes to the writing.

- All the performances were solid! Even the non-professional actors. They really go for it. This was my first time seeing Krysta perform. James Inglehart, too. They really steal the show! They are fantastic. I went in anticipating Jelani’s performance...he was an interesting choice... He looks the part by and far though! He embodies Hercules through and through. I felt the same about the Muses, btw...

Those are my thoughts! I truly hope everyone who wants to see the performance gets an opportunity to! It’s a magical piece.

[BJR]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 10:10am

Like others, didn't know which thread we're posting in, so doing the faux paus and posting in both:

I agree with these reviews.

Those looking for a polished Disney musical, this ain’t. It’s a Public Works Show.

The goal is community and so they basically do community theatre with big production values and throw in A-List theatre talent beside them. And so, it’s that doing Hercules.

Jelani is so charming and endearing. Bart is solid and would find many more laugh if there was a traditional preview and run. The puppetry is festival puppetry, which feels appropriate. At times, I wanted a more dynamic staging but that’s the limitations of Public Works. One area that also suffered were the Muses. It’s clear the ones that aren’t professionals. They sound great, but some can’t move or act with the same conviction as the others.

It’s adorable and winning. It’s Public Works. It’s free!

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 5:31pm

[qqmill]

Posted: 9/2/19 at 2:19am

We just saw the show tonight! My initial thoughts below (please excuse the stream of consciousness).

I also wrote up detailed info on the standby lottery here, including counting how many pairs are available via standby: https://www.sharonstraveltips.com/2019/09/we-won-hercules-standby-lottery-central.html

**SPOILER ALERT to be safe**

We were high on winning and our love for the movie, but here are some honest thoughts:

• The action is a little hard to translate to theatre. They used puppets but you don't feel the towering monstrous nature of the Titans or Hydra, nor what was used to defeat them 
• The Muses had the BEST costumes and I just loved all the different takes on Gospel Truth. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 
• Zero to Hero was sooo fun! Definitely my favorite ensemble moment of the show, followed closely by A Star is Born. 
• I enjoyed the dig around affordable housing and the true heroes we need today. Reminds me of Lizzo's dig about politicians and powerful world leaders. "Why are men great till they gotta be great?" 
• Jelani Alladin's biceps. That is all. 
• He also did a ton of cartwheels! And trampolined over James Monroe Inglehart's head!! 
• I was really surprised but also a huge fan of the vulnerability Hercules shows at one point, just really breaking down in front of Phil.
• I was not a huge fan of the costumes besides the Muses' and Phil's costumes. I kind of wanted Meg to wear her flowy dress, it is just so iconic! No photography whatsoever allowed in the theatre but photo shots here show the costumes: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Bless-My-Soul-Get-a-First-Look-at-The-Public-Theaters-HERCULES-20190901
• Zeus and Hera are quite different here than in the movie, a little closer to their myth counterparts! It's jarring for film die-hards but I think it makes sense in the context of Hercules' final decision
• Sometimes the volume would drop on Meg and Hercules' mikes especially during their big songs, and we couldn't quite tell if it was due to their singing or due to the sound tech. So sadly I didn't enjoy Go the Distance or I Won't Say I'm in Love as much as I hoped - I didn't get the level of Broadway belting I was hoping for. However, Meg and Hercules' new duet was fantastic, and Jelani crushed the last note of Go the Distance. 
• In the moment, I wasn't 100% feeling the plot twist at the end. But it's a very thought provoking message that I'm still digesting. It's an interesting reflection of our current times and what is resonating with the community right now. 
• A Star is Born felt like a lit Greek block party onstage!
• There was an immediate standing ovation from the crowd. 
• Watching the show underneath the stars, with the clouds blowing overhead and the cicadas chirping beyond the theatre walls, with the castle lit up in the distance and soaking in the late summer air, was just a magical experience. It's one of those nights when you just appreciate being in New York so so much. 
• There were quite a few people watching the show from the castle actually - sitting on the rocks or perched on the wall and getting a back view of the show - interesting last resort option if you can't get tickets. 

 

 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 9/2/19 at 3:47pm

Critic's Pick from Jesse Green:


"Public Works Finds the Heroism in Hercules"


"With shrewd casting and amateur performers joining professionals onstage, a middling 1997 animated Disney musical becomes a pageant of civic engagement."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/02/theater/hercules-review-public-works-delacorte.html

Updated On: 9/2/19 at 03:47 PM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 9/2/19 at 3:50pm

3 stars from the New York Post:

"Central Park Hercules is a heartfelt wake-up call for Disney"

https://nypost.com/2019/09/02/central-park-hercules-is-a-heartfelt-wake-up-call-for-disney/