BYE BYE BIRDIE Reviews- Page 3

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 9:53pm

PJ, I have loved all your posts today.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 9:57pm

"I really didn't like the teen ensemble to be quite honest. And "The Telephone Hour" was cute and one of the highlights of the show but that's not really saying much considering the rest of the show was really boring. In a great BIRDIE production, this "Telephone Hour" would have been horrendous. But in this production, it works in a weird, twisted way."

I didn't like the ensemble either. They were really fake and annoying and they couldn't sing or dance together. I'm sure the screaming stage mothers in the audience didn't help.

And I originally liked "Telephone Hour" but as I watch the video again I couldn't make it all the way through. The choreography was just plain stupid and I hated the little platform wall things they were spinning on.

"How Lovely To Be A Woman" was the best number in the show.
Updated On: 10/15/09 at 09:57 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:05pm

DrunkChita has spoken.

[MarkK]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:14pm

Matt Windman- amNY is Negative

Though occasionally entertaining, it suffers from weak direction and the catastrophic miscasting of John Stamos, Gina Gershon and Bill Irwin.

Gina Gershon brings real sex appeal to the role of Rose, Albert's long-suffering secretary and love interest. But her failed attempts to sing and dance are pathetic and painful to endure. She even appears self-conscious and embarrassed of her inabilities. (I was particularly troubled by a New York Times feature article from last weekend where Charles Strouse claimed that Stephanie J. Block, who played Rose in the Roundabout's preliminary workshop version of the revival, didn't have what it takes to play Rose. Well, at least the very least, she would have been able to sing and dance the role. I'd rather have an adequate leading lady than a miscast C-list movie actress any day.)
Matt Windman

[Producer2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:17pm

you ain't seen nothing yet........

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:18pm

Drunk Chita, I agree that "How Lovely to Be a Woman" was one of the best numbers, although, for me, "One Boy" was the best in the show. Allie Trimm really did shine in this production.

As for the reviews, I'm surprised at the reception Funk is getting -- when I saw the show, I found him to be extremely bland. And as for Bill Irwin, while I didn't dislike his performance, it did grow to be irritating in the second act, so I can understand where some of the critics are coming from.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:20pm

The New York Times doesn't look good (negative):
Review: http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/theater/reviews/16byebye.html

"If you get a chance, send a few dozen get-well cards to Henry Millerâ??s Theater, the new, handsomely renovated outpost of the Roundabout Theater Company empire. Flu season has arrived, and an especially mean virus appears to have attacked the cast of this revival. I donâ??t think itâ??s the swine flu that has flattened Robert Longbottomâ??s production of this popular 1960 musical about rebel rock â??nâ?? roll versus small-town America wholesomeness. The symptoms in this case include tin ear, loss of comic timing, uncontrollable jitters and a prickly disorientation that screams, â??Where am I?â?? and â??What am I doing?â?? Theatergoers may feel an empathetic urge to rush home and bury their heads in their pillows."
Updated On: 10/15/09 at 10:20 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:20pm

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/theater/reviews/16byebye.html

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:22pm

I'm skipping this but going to see Chita herself at Birdland.



"The queen of all show-business gypsies"..."the pied piper of razzle-dazzle"..."vibrant physical presence."

An unqualified RAVE!!!!! Even if she can't sing.
NY Times Review

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:25pm

Who would have thought Funk would make out the best?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:28pm

"the show’s shiny pastel (and willfully synthetic) appearance may be meant to capitalize on the currency of the hypnotically slick “Mad Men,” the multi-award-winning television series set in the same era. (Incidentally, the film version of “Birdie” figures in this season of “Mad Men.” What a hall of mirrors is American nostalgia.)"


---Production staff of "Promises Promises" are you listening? Mad Manning these old musicals don't work

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:29pm

Brantley's right on the money. The cast is great.

Just not in this show.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:33pm

"Rose Alvarez, played by the luscious Ms. Gershon. Bringing to mind the physical ripeness of Ava Gardner at her peak, Ms. Gershon also seems to share the lack of confidence in her part that Gardner often projected on screen.Rose Alvarez, played by the luscious Ms. Gershon. Bringing to mind the physical ripeness of Ava Gardner at her peak, Ms. Gershon also seems to share the lack of confidence in her part that Gardner often projected on screen."

A beautiful - but damning - review of Miss Gershon.

For once, Ben is pretty much on the money. I suppose it figures that it's with the smelliest flop revival in years.

P

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:34pm

I'm thinking the Times was poorish to mixed.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:34pm

Who would have thought Funk would make out the best?


I'm kind of shocked. I didn't hate him like a lot of people here did, but I never would have guessed he'd make out the best.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:48pm

These reviews are so bad it's depressing. They aren't even fun to read.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:56pm

"DrunkChita has spoken."

What?

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 10:56pm

I refuse to judge Nolan's entire performance, because I haven't seen it, but when I first read the reviews on BWW, I was getting the impression that he was boring and completely unattractive. Shortly after I read these reviews, I saw his performance on GMA and I LOVED it. I thought he had lots of sex appeal and he sold the song extremely well. Everyone else on BWW hated that GMA performance, but I really liked it a lot. I don't know if he's good in the role, but he has certainly left a very good impression on me.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:00pm

where's the Word of Mouth review? I'm sure they all loved it as they do everything else.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:01pm

John Simon liked it:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aYrUL2_J6C7E

[yankees1253]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:03pm

Didn't watch the Word of Mouth yet but will later:

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/did-our-real-people-reviewers-put-happy-face-bye-bye-birdie/

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:05pm

Trish2,

May I just say that your Oucha Magoucha made me LOL. Haven't heard that expression in years. Thanks for the laugh!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:06pm

One need only watch the GMA clip of "Honestly Sincere" to know that Brantley is SO wrong about Nolan singing on pitch. I found his performance incredibly uncomfortable to watch and listen to.
Updated On: 10/15/09 at 11:06 PM

[gustof777]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:11pm

it boggles my mind that Funk was not torn to shreds as i found him to be the worst of the bunch, which was really saying something. For once I'm disappointed that Brantley wasn't nastier as I found the production beyond appalling and was almost giddy to read "Little Mermaid" level pans.

[wexy]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:17pm

One of the guys that I work with that knows his stuff did not like it. Says the singing was not good at all.
I a subscriber so I'll wind up seeing it good or bad.