#3
Posted: 1/12/14 at 6:41pm
Wow! Very positive. I hope the rest of tonight's reviews follow suit.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#4
Posted: 1/12/14 at 6:49pm
#5
Posted: 1/12/14 at 6:52pm
#6
Posted: 1/12/14 at 6:52pm
#7
Posted: 1/12/14 at 6:59pm
I don't even bother to open Talkin' Broadway's reviews anymore.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#8
Posted: 1/12/14 at 7:12pm
So Epstein continues to get back reviews, huh? I need to see this performance.
#9
Posted: 1/12/14 at 9:00pm
I am expecting across-the-board raves for Jessie Mueller, nice things said about the designs and choreography, and mixed-to-positive reactions to the book, which will be the most criticized. The book is imperfect, but not awful. The show is entertaining, enjoyable, and engaging enough.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#10
Posted: 1/12/14 at 9:59pm
The story serves as an efficient delivery system for Carole King’s surprisingly diverse hits – not much more, nothing less. But there are also some secret weapons. One of them is Jessie Mueller.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Review. Broadway by the Numbers
#11
Posted: 1/12/14 at 10:25pm
These are all lukewarm at best. Not the RAVE reviews most were expecting.
#12
Posted: 1/12/14 at 10:40pm
NY Times is mixed: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/theater/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-at-sondheim-theater.html
Huffington Post is positive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-groner/ibeautifuli-lives-up-to-i_b_4584984.html
Entertainment Weekly is positive, with a B+: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20364394_20774864,00.html
NBC is positive: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/beautiful-carole-king-review-239760321.html
AP is negative: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/review-carole-king-musical-beautiful-insipid/2014/01/12/c00dce14-7be9-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html
Newsday is positive: http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-review-fans-will-love-1.6773230
Variety is mixed to positive: http://variety.com/2014/legit/reviews/broadway-review-beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-1201049758/
Huffington Post is positive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-groner/ibeautifuli-lives-up-to-i_b_4584984.html
Entertainment Weekly is positive, with a B+: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20364394_20774864,00.html
NBC is positive: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/beautiful-carole-king-review-239760321.html
AP is negative: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/review-carole-king-musical-beautiful-insipid/2014/01/12/c00dce14-7be9-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html
Newsday is positive: http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-review-fans-will-love-1.6773230
Variety is mixed to positive: http://variety.com/2014/legit/reviews/broadway-review-beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-1201049758/
Updated On: 1/12/14 at 10:40 PM
#13
Posted: 1/12/14 at 10:42pm
Jessie Mueller deserves all the praise though. She is truly a star. By the time she sings the title song at the end, I was thoroughly blown away by her.
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#14
Posted: 1/12/14 at 10:51pm
Jessie Mueller has proved herself big time with this. We have been waiting to see her carry a show in a lead, and that's exactly what she does here. She has proved that she deserves to be in competition with all the other big actresses come Tony time.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#15
Posted: 1/13/14 at 12:33am
Jukebox overload! Yet another Broadway musical based on a huge catalog of songs! This time it’s Carole King’s turn, but how did we feel about “Beautiful, The Carole King Musical” now playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre? Watch our video review and find out!
Click Here for full Video Review of BEAUTIFUL
Click Here for full Video Review of BEAUTIFUL
#17
Posted: 1/13/14 at 12:54am
@Broadwaystar2
After we filmed the review we were still unsure and asked the press rep if she was really playing. Really interesting response below:
No - Jessie's really playing the right notes, but the piano she's playing is just a prop piano, and the sound is coming from the orchestra pit.
After we filmed the review we were still unsure and asked the press rep if she was really playing. Really interesting response below:
No - Jessie's really playing the right notes, but the piano she's playing is just a prop piano, and the sound is coming from the orchestra pit.
#18
Posted: 1/13/14 at 1:05am
Most people were expecting raves? I saw the show and enjoyed it, but I didn't expect it to get outright raves from the critics. Great cast, though.
#19
Posted: 1/13/14 at 1:11am
Much like Barbara Hershey in the film "Portrait of a Lady", not a trained pianist she actually spent several months learning to play Schubert's piano solo (I think it was Impromptu in G Flat) but the piano was a prop and while she played the actual keys the music was added in post-production and played by Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
#20
Posted: 1/13/14 at 1:14am
Congratulations to the cast and crew! What a nice set of reviews. Not raves, no, but I don't think anyone was expecting out and out raves? The criticism of the "hit parade" feel and of Cynthia and Barry occupying a bit too much space have been suggested on here by a few different posters. Those reviews make Jessie Mueller a real contender for the Tony this year though. Ben Brantley may have had some serious misgivings about the show but there was no doubt about his love letter to her. Even in the less glowing reviews, there are some great pull quotes.
Plenty to toast to here and a solid start to 2014!
Plenty to toast to here and a solid start to 2014!
#21
Posted: 1/13/14 at 1:50am
I'd say it's between her and Mazzie, unless Mazzie just totally fizzles.
#22
Posted: 1/13/14 at 2:19am
Andrew and Andrew, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE you 2. I truly look forward to your reviews??????
#23
Posted: 1/13/14 at 2:26am
#24
Posted: 1/13/14 at 3:17am
I do have to give the show props for being a story driven jukebox musical. Something we really haven't seen since Jersey Boys. Throw in 2 fantastic performances for Jesse Muller and Anika Larson and it is a very good show. However, in a season with four stand out upcoming new musicals being a good show just won't cut it.
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