Ben B's Look at 2006- Page 2

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:08am

How many shows can this man insult in one review?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 12:26pm

Sorry to correct you Margo but the only review I read about BEE was Kissel's. Barnes gave it a mixed review (Two stars) and basically said it was mediocre (very positive on cast; construction *book, score, direction...* was mixed) but nothing incredible. I wouldn't say he "HATED it".

And I also wouldn't say that all of last years Best Musical nominees got the same level reviews. Spelling Bee most definitely was the standout of the four review-wise. It got all raves/very positive notices save for the two aforementioned ones. DRS, TLITP, and SPAMALOT all got VERY mixed reviews. Spelling Bee definitely, without a doubt, got the best reviews of any show last year.

Here are their review threads...they basically speak for themselves:

SPELLING BEE: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=848454#1009352

SPAMALOT: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=842513#878029

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=846598#968083

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=840909#850422
Updated On: 5/21/06 at 12:26 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 12:55pm

I agree with Brantley....this may be the dullest season since the dreaded CARRIE/LEGS DIAMOND season in the late eighties. It was so bad, I kept waiting for someone to announce a revival of STARMITES.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 12:59pm

I'm not sure where the point of disagreement is here.

Reread my post. I said that Spelling Bee got "mostly positive reviews," with two notable exceptions, which is exactly the case (other than accidentally subtracting a star from Barnes' review). It's a pretty bad review for the show:

"Its intimacy and sly humors might well flourish more readily in an off-Broadway ambiance, but, like Queen Victoria, I was not amused. I was not even entertained.

How do you spell C-L-O-Y-I-N-G?

But it is meant to be a musical. And William ("Falsettos") Finn's lyrics and, most particularly, music are mediocre on a grand scale."

I wouldn't call that "mixed" on the score or even the show itself (though yes, he did like the performances and maybe found some of it amusing -- he contradicts himself after saying "I was not amused" -- though "gimmicky").

I also said that the other three got very mixed reviews, which is exactly the case. What did I say that was inaccurate?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 3:53pm

Actually, all four of last year's Tony nominees received mixed reviews.

I guess I was just basing my reaction on this statement. All four of them didn't recieve mixed reviews, Spelling Bee got raves save for two or three mixed to negative comments and was the best reviewed show of the season. I just didn't think that DRS, Spamalot, and Piazza's reviews were nearly as good as Bee's were so I guess I just got confused that you put them all in the category of recieving mixed reviews when in fact, Bee got excellent marks.

Sorry bout that...

[Doogie]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 6:36pm

Matinee of Drowsy yesterday was sold out.