BONNIE & CLYDE Reviews - Page 11

[newintown]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 11:30pm

The show is bland lowbrow garbage. If you like bland lowbrow garbage, own it. But don't pretend it's gold.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 11:34pm

I like BLTs and Mac and Cheese...I'll own it. Chicken tenders too!

[broadwayfever]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 11:56pm

Hey newintown...and so is your review.

[N2Theater]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 2:36am

Having seen the show in SD and last week here I'm surprised at the mean spirited reviews. While this show is nothing ground breaking it is an engaging show. I still hum a few of the tunes and think it is hands down Wildhorn's best score.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 11:09am

I think the reviews are pretty fair, and until Wildhorn learns that throwing a bucketful of pastiche ballads at the wall and hoping that something sticks isn't the proper way to write a musical, I suspect he will have to settle for "success" in parts of the world where musical theatre tastes are less discerning.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 11:28am

Theatre is a business. Broadway is a business. You only get one chance to make a first impression. After that, you either ride on success or find a way to successfully reinvent yourself and overcome past failures.

So, you're speaking of financial success rather than artistic? As Broadway has proven time and again, financial success and artistic success can be mutually exclusive. As for Wildhorn, his reputation was based on Jekyll & Hyde which received raves in its premiere and pre-Broadway tryouts, then the horribly produced Broadway production was panned yet received a long run yet again lost money, then enjoyed major success overseas, on tour and regionally. Then he received a Tony nomination for his score to Civil War and both Civil War and Scarlet Pimpernel were nominated for Best Musical. Producers often think of these things and they are really the ones who count when it comes to receiving an Broadway production.

Regardless, with all the biased opinions around here regarding anything Wildhorn, it stands to reason critics do it as well.

[minicko88]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 4:35pm

WOW! Just WOW! This show is wonderful. I have no idea how the critics got this wrong. For once, Wildhorn has a show that makes sense. I absolutely loved it. Laura Osnes is stunning, and I can't believe she didn't simply get raved for her performance. I feel Jordan was very good, but Osnes was superb. The lady who played Blanche, I am not going to even try and spell her name... was probably the best part of the show. Before the reviews, I would have guessed Tony for her. But now, doubtful... On the flip side, I can see how many people on this board found it to be boring. My friend was not a huge fan. He did love the score. It is truly sad that these reviews could very well kill this show. I do love broadway's word of mouth though, so hopefully that catches on. I wish the best for this show...

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 5:55pm

"The show is bland lowbrow garbage."

Whoah, talk about deja vu...not.

[SamIAm2]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 6:47pm

The pull quotes are now posted on the show's website here:
B&C pull quotes

[roadmixer]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 7:03pm

Nice job on the quotes!

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 7:05pm

I can't find the other thread about this.

[littlebutterfly10]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 10:41am

The pull quotes were up outside the theater yesterday as well. They really did a wonderful job with them - it looks great.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 11:03am

I haven't seen the show, but I've been following the board, and feeling that I should see this because of the two leads (no, I'm not a Wildhorn fan, so that is definitely not a draw).

But I've been watching Broadway theatre for more than 50 years now, and having been an off-Broadway and concert producer myself, those reviews are simply not money reviews, particularly at this time of year. FOLLIES may have made a splash in September, when it was the lone new show and had a positive review from Brantley (after the half-pan he gave it in DC), but now the show is struggling (most of the people I know who have seen it have not liked it, and word-of-mouth nsg).

With no stars and mediocre reviews at best, B&C is going to be a really hard sell. So yes, all you B&C fans, get out the word if you want this show to run!!!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 3:29pm

Hyperbole just put down a whole continent because they dare like his music. Wow. I will take him over La Chuisa any day of the week.

I told people on line in back of me buying tickets to an unnamed show (Christmas Gift for Mrs R) to see it. Coming home on the train were a couple who had seen it and loved it.B/C commercials should be reactions from people outside the theater who just saw it.

Switching gears - Top Ticket price for Porgy & Bess $ 150. Ah for the good old days when tickets increased in $ 5 increments. Looks like theater will not be for an occasion unless we get discounts as the madness will continue unabated.

What will they be 5 years from now? Who knows & unfortunately who cares. What a pity

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 8:51pm

I saw the show yesterday and enjoyed it, in spite of its many shortcomings. It's 1,000% uninspired and totally routine, but it's entertaining enough (particularly the second act, when things really get rolling). The leads are fine, if nothing incredible (save for their voices, which are wonderful) but I think that may be because this show's depiction of Bonnie and Clyde is sort of...blah. The book is pretty plodding, but it's fine enough. The score is very nice, though. Again, uninspired, but nice. The lyrics were, by far, the worst part of the show for me. Cliche-ridden and at times, laughable. The set is nice (I actually like the projections) and the orchestrations are lovely. The direction moves the show along at about as fast a clip as possible, and the cast is very admirable. I wasn't blown away, but I wasn't really bored, either. I'd give it two and a half out of four stars. I don't think Brantley's pan is warranted.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 9:32pm

I'm confused.

Is this show a celebration of the two scum killers?

Is it a celebration of OMG amazing young, sexy talent?

Is it a pathetic, paper thin excuse for mass murder with an ambitious, far fetched parallel to modern crises?

Is it a musical biography/history lesson?

Is it a WOW talent show that will have you gripped from start to finish as you watch people do things that you will never be able to do?

That's what I'm getting, depending on what post I read. I've yet to read anything suggesting this is a good musical nor a compelling argument as to why this tale needs to be told through music and what telling it that way does for our understanding of human nature at its darkest. What, besides the eye candy onstage, did audiences take from this show?

[broadwayfever]

Posted: 12/6/11 at 2:27am

What you get from the show is a better understanding as to how two individuals could transform from little kids wanting to be famous to individuals who would become infamous. It shows how they were a product of they're upbringing and their environment. It shows how love can sometimes blind you and make you do things that you normally wouldn't do. It basically gives you a point of view of how Bonnie & Clyde came to be and why they did the terrible things they did. The songs that they sing pretty much tell the story but more importantly it gives you an insight as to what that individual is truly thinking and feeling.

I think what it's also trying to say is that as individuals we all have this need to feel significant and that we all choose different vehicles to fulfill that need. Some choose lawful ways and some choose unlawful ways. Hence, why I think they focus on the time period of when this all took place. And that is, when times get tough, people are more willing to sacrifice their morals in order to fulfill their human needs.
All in all, this is a great show...and I really loved the music. I've seen just about every musical that's currently playing on Broadway right now and if I had a choice to see any two shows again, it would be the Book of Mormon and Bonnie & Clyde. And by the way, I've seen them both 3 times.

[SamIAm2]

Posted: 12/6/11 at 8:56am

broadwayfever: *****

[broadwayfever]

Posted: 12/6/11 at 2:27pm

^ Well thank you!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/6/11 at 2:35pm

I've yet to read anything suggesting this is a good musical nor a compelling argument as to why this tale needs to be told through music and what telling it that way does for our understanding of human nature at its darkest. What, besides the eye candy onstage, did audiences take from this show?

If those are your expectations for every musical, I expect you enjoy very very very few of them. People can enjoy any show they want for any reason. It doesn't have to have anything to do with the demands or expectations you place on a show. It is possible for people to walk away from a show taking away nothing more than being entertained. And that is enough for most. If a musical provokes thoughtful debate or analysis, that's great, but hardly required.