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BEETLEJUICE Reviews

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haterobics
#50BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 1:43am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I’m getting the sense this is what one would call mixed reviews."

I'm not certain that is a unique sense to acquire?!

brdway411
#51BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 1:49am

Well, I liked it better than Tootsie.

MemorableUserName
#52BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 6:29am

Holdren at Vulture is mostly positive:

http://www.vulture.com/2019/04/review-beetlejuice-is-best-when-its-at-its-most-antic.html

Updated On: 4/26/19 at 06:29 AM

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Daddy Warbucks
#53BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 7:17am

I saw Beetlejuice for the first time this week and while I frequently agree with the consensus on this forum, I found it to be one of my favorite shows of the season. It was so entertaining from start to finish and I had a smile on my face almost the whole time. I’m glad to see that the critics didn’t give this one the King Kong treatment and that there are some solidly positive reviews out there.

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MrsSallyAdams
#54BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 7:29am

A quick skim of Show-Score suggests people love the set and costumes. More folks love Brightman than early word of mouth suggests.

There's a lot of criticism for the score and the material for the remaining cast members. While Sarah Holdren's review linked above is mostly positive it says something interesting: "The musical is supposed to have twin engines, Beetlejuice and Lydia, but only the first is fully firing. Caruso belts and sulks (the character is mourning her recently deceased mother, and Caruso also has to muscle her way through perhaps the musical’s least enjoyable song: “Dead Mom&rdquoBEETLEJUICE Reviews, but she doesn’t quite open up—or even, really, seem like as much of a weirdo as she’s supposed to be—and the play tends to lose steam when we’ve got to spend too long without Beetlejuice himself on stage. "

As several have pointed out here Lydia and Beetlejuice drove the cartoon but Adam and Barbara drove the movie. The shift has hurt the narrative.

https://www.show-score.com/broadway-shows/beetlejuice-broadway


threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com

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MrsSallyAdams
#55BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 7:34am

I hadn't heard this story before:

Elaine Stritch once visited Nathan Lane backstage at the “Addams Family” musical and famously told him, “They’re not paying you enough.” They’re not paying Alex Brightman enough to star in the ghost ship of a new musical called “Beetlejuice"

https://www.thewrap.com/beetlejuice-broadway-review-tim-burtons-ghosts-turn-scarily-uncomic-in-musical-misfire/


threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com

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MrsSallyAdams
#56BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 7:41am

Ah, and I hadn't heard about the comedy molestation song. This sounds worse than the squid r*pe ballad they cut from "The Addams Family."

In this case, the piece de resistance is the song “Creepy Old Guy,” wherein the show’s adolescent heroine, Lydia (played by Sophia Anne Caruso) sings of her love for the sleazy title character played by Alex Brightman: “Way back when, I was just ten,” go Eddie Perfect’s lyrics. “Simple and sweet, everywhere fellas would stare, and I felt used, kinda confused / I would refuse to look in their eyes, but now I love creepy old guys.”

This, in a family musical in 2019 — and, yes, families will come whatever the creators think. Good luck.

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/broadway/ny-review-broadway-chris-jones-beetlejuice-20190426-qufnjwcktvdajnjtwm4hdudipi-story.html


threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com

magictodo123
#57BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 8:28am

So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see? 

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Mike Barrett
#58BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 8:32am

Glad these reviews were better than expected. The trailer did not make Brightman look good in this show, however, the little I've heard of the music makes him sound waaayy stronger. Still don't care for the music in this but I may catch it someday for its set, since it doesn't seem like something that can be replicated on tour really. 

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bwayphreak234
#59BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 8:42am

magictodo123 said: "So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see?"

Tootsie. 


"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "

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CT2NYC
#60BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 9:06am

magictodo123 said: "So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see?"

In the Tootsie vs. Beetlejuice battle that's been brewing on here, I'm squarely on team Beetlejuice. If you're a fan of stale sitcom humor, see Tootsie. Also, if for nothing else, Beetlejuice is beautiful to look at, while Tootsie looks incredibly cheap.

Updated On: 4/26/19 at 09:06 AM

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TobiasRagg
#61BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 9:16am

MrsSallyAdams said: "Ah, and I hadn't heard about the comedy molestation song. This sounds worse than the squid r*pe ballad they cut from "The Addams Family."

In this case, the piece de resistance is the song “Creepy Old Guy,” wherein the show’s adolescent heroine, Lydia (played by Sophia Anne Caruso) sings of her love for the sleazy title character played by Alex Brightman: “Way back when, I was just ten,” go Eddie Perfect’s lyrics. “Simple and sweet, everywhere fellas would stare, and I felt used, kinda confused / I would refuse to look in their eyes, but now I love creepy old guys.”
This, in a family musical in 2019 — and, yes, families will come whatever the creators think. Good luck.

 


https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/broadway/ny-review-broadway-chris-jones-beetlejuice-20190426-qufnjwcktvdajnjtwm4hdudipi-story.html"

 

I didn’t find “Creepy Old Guy” to be an issue. In the context of the scene it worked. Lydia, Adam, Barbara, Charles, and Delia are trying to turn the tables on Beetlejuice by tricking him into going through with marrying Lydia because they had a plan. I just saw it as them being sarcastic and it was pretty funny. These reviews are making it sound like she was serious in this song. Lol

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RippedMan
#62BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 11:20am

Beetlejuice doesn’t come off creepy or old so the song didn’t really work.

DrowsyKaye
#63BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 11:20am

In the strange Tootsie/Beetlejuice head-to-head that seems to pop up every now and then, it's interesting to see the two shows compliment each other; Beetlejuice is a beautiful show to look at with (in most eyes) an inert script/score, while Tootsie is being lauded for a hilarious book/score while the production design is a bit flat and ordinary.

All in all, an eclectic season for new musicals. Congrats to all who got their work out there!

devonian.t Profile Photo
devonian.t
#64BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:06pm

These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already.

Owen22
#65BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:17pm

devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

It's always a pleasure when the Broadway World posters' collectively-hated shows don't get the pans they think said show deserves.

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dmwnc1959
#66BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:26pm

devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

 

Wanna bet? I had totally given up on BEETLEJUICE, picked out my seat for FIDDLER (with credit card card in hand) waiting on this past Opening Night, but have now since put FIDDLER on hold. I want to have a fun birthday, so I’m seeing GARY for the matinee that day. I’m really on the fence now, and will wait until either the TONY announcements or whenever the Playbill Discount Code covers the summer months.

I had been listening to the OBCR’s of FIDDLER in the past week. But with these reviews I’m leaning towards BEETLEJUICE. It just looks like a blast. FIDDLER is a classic, but I’m in the mood for a little craziness.

Time will tell which one I’ll eventually see. 

 

Miles2Go2 Profile Photo
Miles2Go2
#67BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:31pm

Owen22 said: "devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

It's always a pleasure when the Broadway World posters' collectively-hated shows don't get the pans they think saidshow deserves.
"

This is kinda why I’m hoping Tootsie wins best musical at the Tony awards, just to watch the posters on here go apoplectic. Lol   

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#68BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:51pm

You two are ridiculous.   Beetlejuice was NOT universally panned by the posters here.  Sure, lots didn't like it, but lots didn't HATE it either.   I, myself, was "meh" on it.   Same thing for Tootsie - I've read gads of people loving it here.

Your reasoning, gentlemen, is hollow.


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Miles2Go2 Profile Photo
Miles2Go2
#69BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 2:05pm

dramamama611 said: "You two are ridiculous. Beetlejuice was NOT universally panned by the posters here. Sure, lots didn't like it, but lots didn't HATE it either. I, myself, was "meh" on it. Same thing for Tootsie - I've read gads of people loving it here.

Your reasoning, gentlemen, is hollow.
"

I agree Beetlejuice wasn’t universally panned on here. But I do think if Tootsie wins (I doubt it will; momentum is behind Hadestown), a vocal minority will be very, very public with their displeasure*

I actually hope I’m wrong, but, if I’m not, I’ll grab my popcorn  and sit back and watch the fireworks with bemusement. 

* see the Spongebob stans after the Tony Awards last year. 

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#70BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 2:42pm

But that's my point: no matter what musical wins, SOME people here will lose it.  It doesn't really matter what show it is.  People aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.  

 


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Updated On: 4/26/19 at 02:42 PM

Miles2Go2 Profile Photo
Miles2Go2
#71BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 3:17pm

dramamama611 said: "But that's my point: no matter what musical wins, SOME people here will lose it. It doesn't really matter what show it is. People aren't happy unless they have something to complain about."

Well, you got me there. Some people live to consider everything a micro-aggression (or macro-). lol

By the way, I enjoy your thoughtful analyses of shows you see  

 

JudyDenmark Profile Photo
JudyDenmark
#72BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 4:01pm

People on this site will always find stuff to disagree about, but I do feel like there's more that's wildly polarizing than usual this year (Oklahoma, The Prom, Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Gary, Be More Chill to some degree... probably more I'm forgetting). Makes for some heated discussion, but oh boy are a lot of people inevitably going to be mad come Tony night!

I do feel like I'm seeing a lot more of "this show you love is horrible and therefore you are delusional for loving it" comments this year, which I could live without. By all means offer a thoughtful critique of the show, but I'm a big fan of not giving people sh!t for liking what they like. Just move on. (I can't remember the last time I despised a show as much as I despised TKAM, but it would be inappropriate of me to go on every thread and attack the taste of the people who love it. Art is subjective.)

Incidentally, I'm seeing Beetlejuice tonight and between the comments here and the pro reviews, I genuinely have zero clue how I'm going to react, haha. Kind of excited to go in so blind. 

Miles2Go2 Profile Photo
Miles2Go2
#73BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 4:09pm

Judy - I hope you’ll report back on your thoughts afterward.

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Mister Matt
#74BEETLEJUICE Reviews
Posted: 4/26/19 at 5:38pm

I do feel like I'm seeing a lot more of "this show you love is horrible and therefore you are delusional for loving it" comments this year

YES.  There's been a distinct spike in malice and unnecessary cruelty on the boards lately that's best left ignored.


"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian


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