Curtains 3/10 Evening: A Mini-Review

Sorry to start another thread, but...

I have never fallen so deeply in love with a new show as I did tonight at CURTAINS. As the curtain is set to fall on that other brassy love letter to Broadway now at the ST. JAMES, the curtain rising at the AL HIRSCHFELD reveals one of the smartest, funniest and all around entertaining shows in years, a worthy successor to the kind of Broadway musical that makes a Broadway musical a BROADWAY MUSICAL! Unashamedly basking in the old-fashioned glow of the tried and true, it is so expertly polished it blinds with the energy and light of a supernova. It has everything a musical needs to succeed and so seldom gets: it gets its brass from a fast-moving book and tuneful score with convulsively funny performances to match from Debra Monk, Edward Hibbert and an all A List cast, all packaged in a slick, dazzlingly directed, choreographed and designed production; it gets its heart from Karen Ziemba - honestly, is there any other actress who radiates simply from the joy of performing more warmly than she?; and it gets its soul from David Hyde Pierce, who infuses the entire affair with that ineffable something extra that makes one realize early on they are witnessing what will be regarded as a legendary, iconic performance being created right in front of them by a gifted performer who with this role becomes a bona fide Broadway Star.

What a wonderful piece of work. Get a ticket any way you can. Anyone who has an interest in musicals past, present and future needs to see this - a perfect example of the model Broadway musical. They do make them like they used to. And when they make them this good, all I can say is: Thank God!

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Love the review! I'd love to hear your thoughts expanded at some point in the future.

I can't wait to see this show again. If it's anything remotely close to how it was in Los Angeles, it's a hit.

"a perfect example of the model Broadway musical. They do make them like they used to."

For what it's worth, which I fully admit isn't anything, I disagree entirely with this sentiment. I think, as in the case of DROWSY CHAPERONE, this is a piece which appeals to those desperate to like something - and they'll take what they get, no matter the quality. I found almost nothing redeeming in Los Angeles, and the work I'm reading that's been done has been negligable.

I wish them no harm whatsoever - if their project is a success, the more power to them. But I can't believe that this is what's passing for quality creative product, on any level.

Updated On: 3/11/07 at 03:33 AM

It's the best musical I've seen since The Producers in 2001.

I can't wait to see it again....and I just saw it last week.

It's a non-stop smile and the feel good show of the year.

Why do our LA posters assume nothing has happened to the show in the six months between LA and Broadway?

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Best12 - That's the whole point. It's NOT a brilliant show. It's NOT a revolutionary show. It doesn't try to make a statement, it doesn't try to be profound, it doesn't try to do anything.

It's unpretentious fun. You can't over think it.

Oh well, everyone's entitled to their opinion.

There are changes ranging from small to major in the show's book, score, choreography, staging, orchestration, dance arrangements, set and costume design.

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It's a show that doesn't require anything from the audience. You don't have to think about it.

When I think of a "brilliant" show, I think of Stoppard, Hare, Sondheim.

All Curtains wants to be is entertaining. And it succeeds.

Updated On: 3/11/07 at 10:31 AM

I haven't been to a show yet where I didn't think about it, and somehow still managed to love it as the "best" anything.

I "think" about every show I see. This isn't a question of suspending my disbelief. This is an issue of poor writing, thinly-drawn characters, and a few good laughs. That's it, IMO.

Besides, this is a whodunit, by its own proclamation... so we're not supposed to "think" when we go into the theatre? That makes no sense.

D2: I'm glad you loved it that much. But the show would have to be drastically overhauled for me to get to that level of praise. Perhaps it was, but even smaxie's general comment doesn't lead me to believe so. But if it's any consolation, there were plenty of people in L.A. who loved it too.

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Updated On: 3/11/07 at 10:38 AM

I don't think there should be a difference, if there's no mystery in the mystery.

Also... This isn't the first musical comedy whodunit.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (for example) is far superior to Curtains.

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You're all entitled to your opinion and I'm glad we all can have respectful disagreements.

In the same vein as you, I say that I don't understand the unabashed praise for Spring Awakening.

What I liked about Curtains was that it was a nice and simple show, with simple songs and a simple plot. In a season that, thus far, has had mostly artsy shows, it's refreshing to see something simple.

This thread was D2 giving us his review. There are plenty of other CURTAINS threads, and I've seen some of the strongest dissenters on this thread go into those and also give the exact same opinions.

How many times is it necessary? We know you didn't like it, and we know the reasons why. You're entitled to your opinion, and D2 shared his.

Once.

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Well, I'll put my toe into this pond with my opinion based on the LA production.

I loved it. Was revolutionary? No. Did it change the future of the Broadway show? No. Was it high art? No. Was it a great mystery? No.

However, I smiled for 2 and 1/2 hours. I tapped by toes. I liked a lot of the music (can't wait for the cast album). I thought most of the performances were terrific. The production values were fun. The book poked fun at musical theatre in an affectionate way. It did what it set out to do, entertain folks (at least about 90% of the audience anyway). To me that was a success.

(BTW, the only real mystery about Edwin Drood, is why Rupert Holmes thought that the incomplete source material would make a wonderful musical. The show within a show concept was one layer too many for me. Based on the Broadway production, even with the excellent cast, I was scratching my head most of the time. I couldn't wait for that show to end.)