A STRANGE LOOP On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 15

What is this word to which Oleksinski is referring?

"However, there also is a word beginning with 'P' I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again."

Kad said: "Oleksinski’s review is remarkably juvenile."

Yeah... I'm not really a fan of how he dedicated two paragraphs of his review to complaining about how the show uses profane language:

"Prepare your ears: The musical is also absolutely filthy. If “Spring Awakening” or “The Book of Mormon” had you reaching for your rosary, best bring along some holy water and frankincense for this one. On the language front, Jackson goes overboard.

The amount of beyond-vulgar sex talk in this show is really through the roof. And not in any kind of brave, “to boldly go” way. One term — to find a euphemism for it would take a supercomputer — said during a hookup with a racist white guy almost made me lose my lunch."

I also don't think his critiques about how the show doesn't give us a break from Usher's misery are entirely valid (or representative of the show's actual message either):

"There’s no respite from Usher’s misery, since even his art is, well, about his misery. The show amounts to a series of disappointments leading to the conclusion that life is nothing but a series of disappointments. So, grin and bear it."

EDIT: I should clarify that I do think it is important to point out that the show uses (for lack of a better term) profanity, but I do think that he focuses too much on it. He literally ends his review by saying, "However, there also is a word beginning with “P” I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again." Personally, I just think that there are more important parts of the show that he could have spent that space focusing on. Obviously though, he's entitled to write whatever he wants. If he truly feels that strongly about the language, then I'd just disagree with him.

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 10:36 PM

forfivemoreminutes said: "bwaylyric said: "What is this word to which Oleksinski is referring?

"However, there also is a word beginning with 'P' I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again.""

Does he mean Popeye’s?"

Yes. His entire review feels VERY anti-black.

So Maya Phillips does like theatre! I had no idea based on her recent reviews!

Anyways, glad this show is getting the praise it 100% deserves! Hopefully, this will get it the boost in sales it definitely needs!

Helen Shaw in Vulture is a rave:

A Strange Loop Moves to Broadway, Its Furious Energy Changed but Intact

https://www.vulture.com/2022/04/theater-review-a-strange-loop-broadway.html

"Perhaps there’s a universe in which Jackson could have widened the show’s own representative spiral, to include the perplexities of being rewarded by the Establishment. Or maybe fame and attention change that Loop forever, wrenching it into a new shape, which would be unrecognizable here. My answer to the musical’s very few frustrations is to cast my mind back to its first 20 minutes, which, each time I hear them, still seem eternally surprising and brand-new. In his first song, Usher is still wrestling with what to write about, his Thoughts trying to get his attention and bickering with one another. “Some say write from exploration / Some say write from what you know,” he sings, wondering which way to go. Usher still sounds unsure in these moments, like he might choose another path than the one he follows next. We know what happens to Usher because we know what happens to Michael R. Jackson. But the musical doesn’t know that yet — and at this point, the fabulous, piety-smashing Loop still feels as exhilarating as your first trip on the merry-go-round."

DTLI Consensus: A big, Black, and queer-ass American Broadway smash.

15 positive (including the NYT), 1 mixed.

And the Tony for Best Musical goes to...

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/a-strange-loop/

This is quite the pull quote from Maya P:

"Remarkable. Radical. There is no measure of praise that could be too much."

I'll be very curious to see how the box office is tomorrow, and if these reviews can convince the crusty old whites to go see it...or if they'll feel more like Johnny O.

YvanEhtNioj said: "TaffyDavenport said: "bwaylyric said: "What is this word to which Oleksinski is referring?

"However, there also is a word beginning with 'P' I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again.""

Doesn't someone say "prolapse?" Or am I making that up?"

Yeah during Inwood Daddy"

That seems like such a highly specific word to have a problem with if that’s the case. I didn’t even know what that word meant - I had to Google it.

forfivemoreminutes said: "bwaylyric said: "What is this word to which Oleksinski is referring?

"However, there also is a word beginning with 'P' I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again.""

Does he mean Popeye’s?"

Poppers?

ANewBrainn said: "forfivemoreminutes said: "bwaylyric said: "What is this word to which Oleksinski is referring?

"However, there also is a word beginning with 'P' I hope to never hear uttered on a Broadway stage again.""

Does he mean Popeye’s?"

Poppers?"

I suppose the fact that we’re all trying to figure out what word he’s referring to means the reference he’s making is too obscure and whatever word it is can’t be THAT bothersome to the vast majority of viewers.

stlrod said: "It seems like people are focusing a little too much on a few outlying reviews all of which also have positive things to say about the show. Overall, these reviews are fantastic and all involved are to be congratulated!"

Absolutely - most of the reviews are glowing (as well they should be). I think some of us are focusing on the outliers just because they are *so* ridiculous and emblematic of the argument the show itself makes, not necessarily because they’re the majority. Personally I’m quite heartened and pleasantly surprised that the majority of reviews have been so positive, given the bleak reality the show itself satirizes re shows about Black people’s experience. This show is unapologetically a “big Black queer-ass American Broadway show” and very purposefully does NOT cater to white audiences, and I think that should be celebrated, and I’m glad most of the critics seem to be on the same wavelength. But the ones who aren’t go on to prove the show’s point.

One hilarious (and revealing) distinction between the Times and Post is that Philips called the "friendly piece of advice" scene (L. Morgan Lee's solo) her least favorite part of the show while Oleksinski said it was his absolute favorite scene.

Definitely revealing about the two writers'... backgrounds and VERY reminiscent of some people saying that King George's numbers in Hamilton were their favorite when he is "coincidentally" the only white lead and his songs are "coincidentally" the only songs with a more classic musical theatre sound.

YvanEhtNioj said: "I definitely think that these reviews paired with the word of mouth that it’s getting around the gay community will definitely help.

Re: Best Musical.
It’s been so long but didn’t Six get just as good reviews? I’m trying to imagine, based on reviews hypothetically , who will take the Tony.


"

I dont if Six had so many reviews, but they were all very good/raves, didnt even remember a mixed one from a good paper.

That Being said, the reviews for “Loop” makes very clear that its a “piece of art” in a way that cant be comparable to any other show (let alone musical) in this Broadway season.

Im very sad that I didnt get to see, but Im rooting for the show to take that Tony!