A TALE OF TWO CITIES Reviews- Page 5

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 10:45am

If you think Brantley is new to this type of humor in Broadway reviews or NY Times theatre reviews, you haven't read many reviews.

I haven't seen this show, but I enjoyed reading his take on it. That's part of his job too.

To inform, to critique and (believe it or not) to entertain.

And you should check out some classic reviews from the Golden Age. They would make his comments here seem like praise.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 10:55am

Last week the grosses show it was at 64.9% and the week before it was at 52.5%. These numbers are not anywhere near high enough to support the show.

Actually, it would be high enough if the show had an average ticket price of $80-90. Attendence percentages are not a determining factor. What makes the attendence percentage significant is the average ticket price, which is far too low for A Tale of Two Cities to have in previews to support a show with negative reviews. Positive buzz coupled with a generous advance sale could have possibly pulled it through the holidays, but the prognosis is not encouraging.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:25am

The Newark Star-Ledger is Negative:

'Two different trial sequences, a street riot and the fall of the Bastille are among the show's grander segments. Set against blue backgrounds for London and red for Paris, designer Tony Walton's movable, three-story, skeleton units efficiently roll around accommodating the action. All shafts of light and washes of color, Richard Pilbrow's lighting adds visual drama. Too bad the bustling staging by Warren Carlyle tends to be more cluttered than dynamic.'

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2008/09/ofttold_tale_arrives_as_musica.html


John Simon is Negative:

'James Barbour, as Carton, with a kind of Barbra Streisand wig (unless -- a far, far worse thing -- it actually is his hair), looks a bit daft, which is, apparently the way one portrays a man progressing from drunkenness into lovesickness. He can sing but prefers to bellow, croon or whisper -- the last, given the lyrics, especially considerate. He is particularly good at wittily throwaway lines, albeit more could be thrown. I had some trouble with his speaking voice, which often suggests an internal echo chamber.'

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a33pA8SbWZzw&refer=muse


Clive Barnes gives the show 1 1/2 Stars out of 4:

'IT was the worst of times... and the worst of times. Who knew how eagerly I'd await Sydney Carton's closing words, "It's a far, far better thing that I do..."

Actually, this Carton - a sensational James Barbour - didn't put a foot wrong all evening. It was where he had to put his foot that things fell apart.'

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09192008/entertainment/theater/it_should_be_far__far_better_129735.htm


The Journal News is Negative:

'If you loved "Les Miz" and "The Scarlet Pimpernel" on Broadway, you might like "A Tale of Two Cities."

A little.'

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809190311

[p.s.]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:31am

If word-of-mouth is great - at least among tourists and group sales - it will be fine.

Have there been any televised reviews? In any case, I think the show may have a chance with good TV exposure. I saw only one TV ad for ATOTC this morning. All of the late-night and early-morning Broadway news coverage featured Katie Holmes' Broadway debut in All My Sons (first preview last night) and the anti-Scientology protests rather than anything about the opening of A Tale of Two Cities.


p.s. I understand the negative comments and reviews, but personally love the show. I also think so-called tourists and groups will/would love the entirety of their Broadway experience. A Tale of Two Cities is the type of musical they hope to see when they come into town.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:32am

Review Roundup

Word of Mouth:
Positive

Newsday:
Mixed

The New York Sun, NY1, Talkin' Broadway:
Mixed-to-Negative

AM New York, The Associated Press, Clive Barnes, Hollywood Reporter, John Simon, The Journal News, The Newark Star-Ledger, The New York Times, Theatermania, USA Today, Variety:
Negative

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 11:32 AM

[Insider2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:38am

What slays me about this whole thing is that the people on here who have been shilling this show from day one are now trying to back-peddle saying stuff like "I knew this would get bad reviews because this is a show for an audience, not critics, blah blah blah". Please. Get a clue.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:13pm

I know I am in the minority but I agree with Simon's assesment of The Male Lead's acting. It's a lot of posing, strutting and bellowing and not much else.
Now his hair/wig/extentions are being compared to a Barbra Steisand wig!

[philly03]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:33pm

"What slays me about this whole thing is that the people on here who have been shilling this show from day one are now trying to back-peddle saying stuff like "I knew this would get bad reviews because this is a show for an audience, not critics, blah blah blah". Please. Get a clue. "

Me too. Having the concept album for a year + inclined me to know that it would get awful reviews, but I was still eagerly excited for this production. Unfortunately, there's way too many people on this board who bash shows, and then for some miracle they decide that they love it so much (& see it 3-5 times) and they had loved it since day 1 of the news it was Broadway bound. Ridiculous!

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 1:11pm

I listened to a few sample tracks on their Web site when it first went up and basically never came back again. The songs were several notches below "ordinary."

I was (and still am) surprised that it made it this far. At the time I thought, "well, this will never get to Broadway."

And it did.

...for one brief shining moment that was known as...

*yawn*

[commasplice]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 1:43pm

All four of those reviews you posted, Bustopher, call Barbour's character "Carton" instead of "Carlton."

Does anyone else think that's weird-slash-oddly amusing?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:06pm

Whoever posted "...sound like Brantley was sucked away..." That's my line of the day. There's nothing like being "sucked away" when you need it most.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:13pm

His character name is Carton.

[commasplice]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:19pm

Seriously? I've found a ton of things that refer to him as "Carlton." I guess I just kept misreading after I got that into my head. At least I know I'm not the only one who was wrong, haha.
Updated On: 9/19/08 at 02:19 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:21pm

Thank you for the review roundup. Good idea.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 4:51pm

The New Cast of Word of Mouth is Positive:

MARY: "It was excellent... I was really enthralled."

MAGGIE: "It's quite a production: it's a complete package."

JAYSTARR STEVEN: "Not my taste."

http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=571361

I miss Ellen...

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 04:51 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:16pm

Jaystarr should be insulted. His reviews are much more detailed and thought provoking.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:32pm

Winston! Calling Mr. Winston! Report to Aisle Four ... We have a spillage. It looks like your ego is all over the floor.

Of course not all shows should be based on the critics but there's about one or two positive reviews in ALL of these. The majority are negatie and mixed-to-negative.

I love all of the schillers who are backpeddling. Too funny!

So, Winston, you are sure you didn't see a "Les Mis" rip off? I think you're in the minority, my sweet cupcake.

[philly03]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:51pm

"Jaystarr should be insulted. His reviews are much more detailed and thought provoking."

Jaystarr was practically the ringleader for bashing this show on this board about a month ago (right before previews). Of course we knew he'd say he hate it.

[D2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:54pm

So anyone think the Hirschfeld might become the home of WSS now?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:03pm

WSS is going into the Palace.

They're already selling balcony seats for WSS and the Palace is the only Nederlander-owned house to have this balcony.

It was noted on two seperate threads. I didn't make the discovery. Updated On: 9/19/08 at 06:03 PM

[D2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:57pm

I was being sarcastic.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 8:14pm

I wonder if it will end up being one of those scores that people claim gets better upon repeated listenings. I remember when I first listened to the demo I thought it was pretty bland, but now I think it's deceptively bland. Ha. I get "No Honest Way" and "Round and Round" stuck in my head all the time and I've been listening to "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" on and off all week.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 8:19pm

I've been singing "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" all day. Then my musical-hating mom started humming it. Today, out of the blue, she said, "That's a *nice* song. Is it one of those Michael Ball ones?"

In her defense, whenever I sing in my low register, it usually means I'm emulating Michael Ball. Also, I think she got it confused with "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables." But I was glad when my mom started humming it, because so many reviews had people saying that they didn't find anything in the show to hum afterward.

Question-- is there a concept recording that I can legally obtain? I'm starting to doubt they'll make a Broadway recording, I want to be able to hear these fantastic voices again and again.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 8:25pm

They're selling it at the theatre and on the website. It's one of those rare commercially available demos.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:24pm

From the sound of it, that's as close as we're gonna get to a cast recording.