NY Times Rave for JERRY SPRINGER: The Opera

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 9:35pm

"Oh hear America singing, citizens of New York, as you never have heard it before. Hearken to your everyday sisters and brothers — the lost, the lonely, the fetishists, the freaks — as their voices swell and meld into one common chord of longing: to be seen, to be heard, to be (oh yes) famous.

Will it turn out that the great American musical of the early 21st century is an opera born in Britain? A convincing case for the rights to that title was made by the celestial “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” the notorious show from London about the transcendent within tabloid television, when it opened Tuesday night in a gorgeously sung concert version at Carnegie Hall for a sinfully short run of two performances.

Now “celestial” might seem an ill-chosen adjective for a work devoted to the raw and nasty public doings of a throng of aspiring celebrities with dirty little secrets expressed in dirty little words. But this remarkable work —which features a spectacularly inventive score by Richard Thomas, with a book and lyrics by Mr. Thomas and Stewart Lee — uncovers something grand within the small, squalid lives it portrays..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/theater/30cnd-springer.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Posted: 1/30/08 at 9:55pm

Know what is gross? Walter McBride's unabashed coverage of Max Von Essen, who is commonly known to "glad hand" these website photographers.

The clear stars of the show are Kietel, and Katrina Rose Dideriksen (hello, not one photo). She got second-to-final bow right before Harvey.

Updated On: 1/30/08 at 09:55 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 11:24pm

bump.

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 11:37pm

Wait, David Badella(sp?) didn't get second to last bow? He won the Olivier as Jonathan/Satan, didn't he? And his performance on the DVD is fantastic!

Really wish I could have seen this, though I love the DVD!

Are there any other major critics reviewing it - I've seen Brantley's and the one on Theatremania.com, any others?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 11:58pm

I am not a Big Brantley Fan, but when he's right, he's right.
I had similar feelings in my post last night.
Damn good show, perfect irony (not easy) Amazing Singers and Beautiful Music.

I still wonder about the "protesters", they were a strange lot.
Hmmm.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 12:02am

I am a big Ben Brantley fan and I disagree with this statement-

"Will it turn out that the great American musical of the early 21st century is an opera born in Britain? A convincing case for the rights to that title was made by the celestial “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” the notorious show from London about the transcendent within tabloid television, when it opened Tuesday night in a gorgeously sung concert version at Carnegie Hall for a sinfully short run of two performances."

Didn't see the show in England. Didn't see the show in New York. But judging from the album (which I've heard) it's certainly not "the great American musical of the early 21st century." And how can an American musical (and the "greatest one" at that) be an English musical?
Brantley is surprising sometimes.

[NYUstud]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 12:11am

I'm shocked that Katrina didn't get one photo on BWW. She was the best part of the show, by far!