Chicago Sun-Times "Urinetown" Review

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 6:00pm

Here's the link to the Sun-Times review:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-urine28.html

I couldn't agree more with this review. If you're in Chicago, you HAVE to see this show. I hope it has a long run in Chicago.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 7:01pm

Good! I have an audition coming up for it to a replacement cast member. Hopefully this means it will run long enough for me to possibly be in it!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 7:05pm

Another thought:

This has been a big year for Chicago theater, with sit-down commercial runs of Urinetown, Spelling Bee, and Wicked. If the former two at least somewhat meet the success of the latter, that will likely lead to more shows having sit-down runs in Chicago, meaning...more jobs for Chicago actors (like myself).

[ChicagoPLAYer]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:54am

**SPOILERS**

I saw the show on Saturday night with my girlfriend and the show is AMAZING! The audience laughed from start to stop.

I saw Urinetown in it's final year on Broadway and the show at the Mercury Theater was better. The set was more interesting, the lights were incredible and the show is cast perfectly. If you have never seen a show at the Mercury Theater before, this is the one to see. The intimate stage works so well with this ensemble show. The whole set is a steel jungle-gym that extends into the house.

Officer Lockstock and Little Sally are perfect. Lockstock is dark, cynical (and quite a hottie) and Roni Geva as Little Sally doesn't miss a beat of humor, while still downplaying the jokes. Adorable! "Tell Her I Love Her" was funnier than I remembered it being on Broadway.

Hope and Bobby were the stand-out vocalists in the show. "Look at the Sky" complete with Defying Gravity moment sounded fabulous and "Run Freedom Run" stopped the show completely. If you go see the show, watch Bobby for a quick "Spelling Bee" joke! The girl playing Hope is TINY and she plays the role more legit than her Broadway counterparts.

Mr. Cladwell (Michael Accardo) has an amazing voice and his assistant Mr. McQueen (Rob Lindley) nearly steals every scene he is in. I have seen actress Christine Sherrill in a lot of shows in Chicago, but her role as Pennywise is her best to date. She belts "Privilege to Pee" and has you in stitches at the same time. Her reveal of being Hope's mother is hilarious.

The whole ensemble works their butts off in the show as the poor people, Cladwell's staff, and the rest of the cops in Urinetown. All of them are incredible triple-threats who make all of their quirky characters different. "Snuff That Girl" was similar to the Broadway production, and the dancing was flawless.

Hands down this is one of the best musicals I have seen in Chicago in several years. It's just as good as anthing you'd see downtown, but for half the price. The theatre is also in a really cool part of town near Wrigley Field.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:26am

Here's what the Trib said:

http://www.americantheaterweb.com/News/newsinframe.asp?id=129473

Not as positive as the Sun-Times though.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:08pm

It's sad, but now whenever I read Hedy Weiss's reviews I ponder what made her say that. In this review it seemed like she was glad to champion a "Small, northside" show to stick it to Wicked (The "Big Downtown" show) again. I'm incapable of believing she reviews anything on it's theatrical merit any more. I can't wait to see her trash "Spelling Bee" next week. I wonder if she'll even bother to watch it before she reviews it.

[teddyp2]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:32pm

You go Chicago!!!!

Amazing Show!! In the words of the Sun Times:

"URINETOWN IS BACK AND IN BETTER THAN BROADWAY FORM!"

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 1:04pm

Joe--

I agree that Hedy Weiss' now infamous "Wicked" review was ridiculous, but aside from that, she's actually a pretty good critic. One may not always agree with her, but she writes very well and I feel she does know what she's talking about (again, that "Wicked" review being the exception). And I don't think she's going to write a bad review of a show just because it's "commercial." What evidence is there that she is against downtown commercial shows?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 1:10pm

That said, Chris Jones' review in the Tribune is actually rather negative.

[thez914]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:27pm

I have to say, when I first read Weiss' review, it did seem a little too giddy. Especially for a production that I found to be, at best, lukewarm. I can't agree more with Chris Jones in that the biggest problem with the production was that it was trying WAY too hard. It fell into the same rut as many Shakespeare re-incarnations where the director and performers don't rely enough on the power of the material. And no way in hell did this production come anywhere near the Broadway production.

Granted, I saw a (late) preview for the show as well as an understudy for Hope. And I can't agree more that Roni Geva as Little Sally is reason enough to see this production. I'm not one to bash, but I can't help but be puzzled about the praise this show is receiving.