AMERICAN PSYCHO Is A Masterpiece

To be honest, I didn't have much of a desire to see this show. I adore the book and the film is one of my all-time favorites and I didn't think it made sense to musicalize it. I just couldn't imagine it working or being necessary to tell this story, but man was I wrong. It maybe took me 2-3 minutes to be fully engrossed in this show and to be completely immersed in the world created on the stage. The white set used as a blank canvas for the projections which transported us into every scene in Patrick's head was genius. It was the best use of projections ever and sets a new bar for any show using them after this.


Even if I try really hard, I can't think of anything I would change in this show. Not one thing. I think it's perfect and and is the most remarkable thing I can remember seeing in a very long time. I sat in the mezz tonight and want to go back next week and sit as close as I possibly can, so that I can be "in" this world. It was bloody and true to the story and didn't hold back like I had expected it to and along with Walker's PERFECT portrayal of Patrick, this is the show I will remember the 2015-2016 season for.

I was thinking about this though - If you know the story, especially the ending, you're going to have a completely different experience watching this. I actually think people should watch the movie before seeing this show.

Couldn't say it more perfectly, I loved everything about this show, I can't believe I actually saw this show because it almost felt like a dream.

as a huge AMERICAN PSYCHO fan, this show was some of the worst garbage i have ever seen. i was sorely disappointed and did not feel they were able to match the appropriate tone of both the film and book on stage. a majorly wasted opportunity that could have been successful with a more adept creative team. pass!

I left the show with my head spinning, not quite sure what the hell I had just seen, but I've been able to sit with it and the London album for a few weeks and I loved it so much.

I think the show is a mix of what's great in the novel plus what's great in the film. It would be amazing if Tony voters recognized this as the actual best new musical of the season. It won't happen, but it should.

I've already spoken of my admiration for this musical in the preview thread, but basically feel - especially now with a week to sit on it, that this is the type of musical, like CABARET that some see its brilliance in its initial production, and some discover it years later.

I for one am thrilled I got to see and appreciate it now. Divisive as it may be now, this will go down in Broadway history as a legendary production.

I actually went back this week and watched the film of AMERICAN PSYCHO and was, after the musical, rather disappointed in in. I had forgotten how episodic and disjointed it is, and frankly, Christian Bale's performance under Mary Harron's stylized direction seems now almost like a parody of serial killer scary rather than being in any way truly unnerving. And the film has virtually no violence. Those complaining that the musical isn't graphic enough, I think are forgetting how little blood you actually see in the movie.

What AMERICAN PSYCHO has done on stage - especially in it's debated second act - is that it has given the character of Patrick Bateman an emotional arc and it has turned the story into a cautionary morality tale. That is a departure from the novel - but a classic theatrical element that, in my opinion, actually gives the story legs other than simply being a stylized satire with no there-there, which is how I viewed the film after watching it again.

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:12 AM

Really great to hear. We have tickets for Monday night-- 2nd row seats since someone on the other thread mentioned getting sweet views of boys under-regions from there. (Hey, if we can't be pervy at a show like AMERICAN PSYCHO, where can we be then?)

No, seriously, we're totally going 'cause Jordan says it's a true masterpiece.

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:25 AM

LOL. No. Jesus Christ could write a musical and it still wouldn't beat HAMILTON this year.

Ah, I see what you mean now. And put that way, to a point, I do agree with you. And your mirroring it to CABARET is very interesting. And while it would be very easy to just write that statement off since CABARET is considered a classic and a masterpiece on its own, if one takes a minute to actually think about it, the similarities do hold up.



That's a really interesting thought...

Saw it last night and enjoyed it but was surprised how small Alice Ripley's part was..Does anyone know if material had been cut? Benjamin Walker was brilliant

I know no one in this particular thread is really scrutinizing her choice to become involved in the show like in some of the other threads, but I found this tweet of hers to be a humorous response to whatever flack she must be getting for it.

https://twitter.com/RIPLEYTHEBAND/status/721862581460340737

Glad it seems to be getting people's attention in the states. It's s truly unique exciting piece of theatre, I pray the critics like it, it deserves to run.