BULLET FOR ADOLF Reviews

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 12:52am

Today is Wednesday, August 8, marking the official opening night performance of Bullet for Adolf, a new comedy by Woody Harrelson and Frankie Hyman, in its American premiere at Off-Broadway's New World Stages following previews that began July 19. Directed by Harrelson, performances will continue through Sept. 9.

The cast includes Marsha Stephanie Blake, Raul Casso, Brandon Coffey, David Coomber, Shamika Cotton, Shannon Garland, Chris Myers and Nick Wyman.

"During the summer of 1983, in the sweltering heat of Houston, an unlikely friendship is formed when a couple of mid-western rubes with uncertain futures meet up with a slick New Yorker on the run from his past," according to press notes. "The disappearance of a WWII artifact sets off a chain of events that proves that nothing changes the present like a blast from the past. The characters that populate this hysterical, rapid-fire new comedy by real-life friends Woody Harrelson and Frankie Hyman are based on real people, though the events depicted are fiction and the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent."

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 2:54pm

Saw it on Friday and enjoyed it. It is quite funny and very raw.

[pretzelman2]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 3:06pm

Saw it Saturday and found it...eh. Handful of funny lines interspersed amongst a stupid plot and stale humor. Transitions best part. Ben Brantley was sitting near me; maybe he just has a critic's poker face but he didn't look like he was having fun.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 9:02pm

Anything posted yet?

[aaronb]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 10:16pm

I thought it was terrific. I posted a review here: http://scribicide.com/2012/08/08/if-in-the-first-act-you-have-hung-a-pistol-on-the-wall/

[followspot]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:39pm

Entertainment Weekly is positive (B+)
E.W.

[followspot]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:52pm

Backstage is negative
BACKSTAGE

[followspot]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:54pm

AMNY is very negative (no stars)
AMNY

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:56pm

Poor review on Theatermania:
http://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/reviews/08-2012/bullet-for-adolf_60256.html

Poor review on Talkin Broadway:
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=2089682

Poor review on Curtainup:
http://curtainup.com/bulletadolph.html

I was one of the first to post just how AWFUL this was. By far, one of the worst off-Broadway shows of 2012. Even the reviews note how slow-moving (2 hours 30 minutes) this was and how audience members bolted at intermission. This is twisted sick humor: how could someone even think of trying to make a comedy about Adolf Hitler??? Who thought this up? It just blows my mind how sick this is (and I've seen it all in NY theater.) Unfunny to the extreme with very poor acting. And the reviews show it.

Wouldn't be surprised if this abhorrent show posted a closing notice this Sunday. I hope it does.

[followspot]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:57pm

Faster Times is mixed to negative
FASTER TIMES

[followspot]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 12:06am

New York Times is negative
NYTIMES

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 1:13am

Without a doubt the worst professional show I've seen in New York. (I've seen hundreds).

[willep]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 1:23am

I haven't seen it, but it would have to be pretty darn bad to be worse than that "Beirut" that i saw Off-Broadway a couple years back.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 7:18am

Ha. I love that EW is the only positive review.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 7:52am

Really says a lot aheir theatre critics (and I say this as an unashamed EW subscriber...)

Steve, I'm not sure--maybe you were joking--but the reviews don't make it really sound all that much like a comedy about Hitler--except for the thrown in plot element of a gun used to try to kill him... I mean this isn't Springtime for Germany, is it? (And I'm not sure having a "sick" comedy about Hitler, or not, seems to be the issue with what's wrong with the play, anyway...)

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:13am

"I haven't seen it, but it would have to be pretty darn bad to be worse than that "Beirut" that i saw Off-Broadway a couple years back."

Yes, it was pretty darn bad, and a lot worse than Beirut.

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:31am

"Really says a lot aheir theatre critics (and I say this as an unashamed EW subscriber...) "

And I say this as an unashamed Town and Country subscriber:

Who are you to presume from reviews how much of a show's plotline is offensive? I saw it, and can state that a good deal of it was very offensive, and that it was also appallingly unfunny.

See it before telling us all what's wrong with it.

[D2]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:59am

"...how could someone even think of trying to make a comedy about Adolf Hitler??? Who thought this up? It just blows my mind how sick this is (and I've seen it all in NY theater.)..."

Uhm, have you seen THE PRODUCERS?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 10:18am

^^^ This.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 10:50am

But the Producers makes fun OF Hitler.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 11:02am

It's not really about Hitler at all, it's a plot device.

Mind you, I use the term "plot" loosely here.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 11:20am

the oven joke.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 3:04pm

AfterEight, I never said the plot wasn't potentially offensive. I just was curious if it was more about Hitler than any of those reviews made it sound like, from Steve's comment. Enjoy your Town and Country!

[aaronb]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 3:14pm

Joking about Hitler is a victory for us. If he had won the war, we wouldn't be able to do it so easily.

That being said, they don't really joke about him in the play.

Don't be stupid, be a smarty! Come and join the Nazi party!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 3:53pm

Most critics have their head up their ass anyway