AMERICAN IDIOT Reviews — Page 7

I didn't feel the need to start a new thread to post my personal thoughts on the show but, I really needed to speak my opinion. That is 100% fine if none of you agree and I get attacked. To sum it up, it was the longest 90 minutes I have ever had to sit through. Not only was it too loud to the point where you couldn't hear the lyrics to the song but, the audience around me were complete animals thinking they were at a concert singing out loud. Also, they should alert the drunks that the bar closes after walk in and to please stay seated instead of getting up 19 times in the middle of a row to get more vodka. You can't take away incredible vocal talent from these people but, they all deserve to be in a good show. All I got from it was "I masterbated today into oblivion" "Lets say the F word again because we were told to" "Lets have more sex" and finally "lets shoot up because it's in the script 14 times". Maybe I totally missed the point of this show and again I am sorry if my thoughts seem out of line. I just did not like it. And a lot of the people who were not drunk and singing along felt the same way myself and 3 friends did. I respect anyone who enjoys it but, it just was not for me. I think my favorite of the Season goes to "Memphis".

I applaud this show and all other shows current and to come that are stepping out of the box. Musical theater can be of any type of music or genre if done well. American idiot had TERRIFIC singers and set design. Shows like 'My Fair Lady', 'Guys & Dolls', and 'Bye Bye Birdie' (which, btw, SUCKED!) aren't the only definitions of musical theater anymore.

I applaud shows as well for not sticking to 1950s style old school musicals but, I just don't get the hype on why it's so good. As I said to someone else who posted and I really can't remember their name "to each his or her own." I may have really disliked AI but, there will be 90 others who think I am very wrong.

I finally saw the show this afternoon. I thought it was ok. Definitely not anything special but it was fine for what it was. Let's not kid ourselves though and say it has any real plot to it, though. I like Green Day very much and all I took away from this was that I heard some kids sing some great songs.

It's really just 90 minutes of angry 20 somethings angsting so it'll draw in the under 20 crowd who has no reason to be angry but feels that they Should be.
Just like the Next to Normal fans.

Am I alone thinking it was actually cheesy?

From the beginning I just felt they disguised young people who do traditional musical theater into punks. They painted their faces and gave them Halloween -looking outfits, then forced them to pretend and act like the crowd who likes GreenDay.

Then the choreography seem also forced as: This is where a classical musical theater break would go, but instead the shapely Broadway girls will pretend to dance like punk girls (who, of course, when they groove to punk music they do so altogether and in perfect unison).

Yes, they had energy and the voices were good. I just felt it was too "staged" - I didn't have a problem with book / narrative, but maybe I was alone thinking it was staged within a classic Broadway structure and then had the modern imposed to it by force.

I thought it was funny, to be honest. I guess to me it would have worked a lot better if they would've given a chance to true unknown punk or rock talent, but I felt it was to obvious that most were just pretending to be so.

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I LIKED this, but did not love it. I thought the performances were amazing (but thought what little dialogue there was, was delivered horridly).

My basic negative: I didn't CARE about anyone. I sympathized with no one; there was no one with redeeming qualities. I walked away thinking: What was I suppose to understand from this?

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I have to admit: for all the complaints about the volume levels, I had NO issues there. I was in the 2nd row of the Mezz and didn't feel overwhelmed at all -- and I'm usually quite sensitive about those issues.

Even though I DIDN'T love it, I am considering going back for a second look as well -- just to see if I get anymore connected. Time will tell.

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Saw the Wed 5/5 show and here are a couple thoughts:

- Did get a serious Hair vibe from the entire experience. Very limited book with a lot of great tunes that had me wanting to get the OBCR coming out of the theater but wasn't thinking much about the story.

- Liked the cast except for Faber, when she had solos I thought it sounded like Kate Monster singing in a punk style.

- Set and lighting were great. Really liked the "Holiday" number and the use of TVs. Caught a Shamwow commercial out of the corner of my eye. Wasn't too loud for me but some older folks in attendance came in with ear plugs.

Also, there was an older gentleman in the mez a couple rows in front of me with pen and paper taking notes the entire show. I would not think he was reviewing at this point; what else could he be doing?