Brantley on LSoH: Huge Dissapointment

you can't read it unless yyou belong to the web site but I don't know if I really want to read it anyway

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interesting that Brantley compares it to AVENUE Q and the GREASE revival as i did. i wouldn't say his take is a "huge disappointment" but the review is decidedly mixed. The show will probably still sell, though. Look at THE GRADUATE for Pete's sake.

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I'm not a member of the website and it came up clearly for me.

(I agree with Mr. Brantley 100%)

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I actually am a subscriber to the sunday times..... (oh but my name is not Penny.. nevermind.)

I read the review...I don't think it sums up to a "huge dissapointment"

I honestly don't think that most reviews in New York are any more negative than anywhere else. And critics here are sometimes INSANELY positive. Melanie Griffith, anyone?

Phantom05, huh? I'm a bit confused. Aren't the vast majority of Little Shop reviews very positive?????

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Al. I agree - gloating would be crass, so it's good you didn't start jumping up and down and flag waving and making it a point to tell everyone how right you were about what the reviewers might think.

As a good old fashioned smartly written post, you did that all without being obvious.

A for Brantly, I'll agree he probbaly didn't like it - but I don't think he was discouraging people from going and enjoying for themselves. A pan? Not sure if I would call it a pan. Certainly not a rave, but it was a lukewarm "acceptance" of what he saw.

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You're right Balladeer,Clive Barnes(who I truly believe should retire, ever since reading that a backstreet boy was the greatest Billy flynn of all time)did indeed, enjoy the show, however it's almost more insulting to devote ONE lukewarm line of "praise" on the female lead of a musical, than to take the time and pan her. Again, this is my opinion.

And calling Audrey an "ingenue," as Barnes did, shows either that he has no understanding of the show or that Kerry Butler misplayed the role. Or, and more likely, both.

I saw the show off-broadway ages ago, enjoyed it, but I have no great desire to run to see the new incarnation. I think it's great that a show that I have no great passion for can inspire so many people here, pro and con.

That said, I really don't think Kerry is going anywhere. Whether she is Ellen Greenes worthy sucessor or not, Kerry is very well-liked in the Broadway community and does her job well. She has a loyal fan base. And for a lot of people, Kerry makes a dandy Audrey. And the producers have had enough trouble with this show as it is, I don't see them making radical changes now. I think it will do just fine and have a good run. Remember, Brantley hated MILLIE and 42nd SREET and his opinions didn't matter for either show.

But Brantley's review is interesting in that it isn't just about LSOH. It's about him wishing for more intellegent, ORIGINAL shows to join the fun-campy ones. He wants more risks to be taken. For that reason alone, I suspect he'll be very gentle with TABOO's flaws...and will give it a rave even if it isn't perfect.

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Sheekala!!! 'Britney as ANYBODY'!! Bite your tongue, missy! :)

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