DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES - Opening Night Critics' Reviews

I’ll be very curious about tonight’s reviews. I haven’t really read the Previews thread because I wanted to wait until I had a chance to see the show, which I finally caught on a quick weekend trip last week. Not quite sure where this sits on the “Tony season” gauge, but it was riveting and Kelli was heartbreaking, and I love a well-crafted “artisan”/“prestige” score that’s not so dependent on commercial bops, as it were. I also caught Here We Are the day after and it was nice to see the other side of the “movies to musicals” spectrum with two cerebral and provocative (by today’s pop standards) pieces of dramatic/dark comedy musical theatre. 

My appreciation and love of this show only grew upon seeing it on Broadway after seeing it ATC last year. Two phenomenal performances from Kelli and Brian who really bring this show to life and rip your heart out. Simply stunning.

As someone who respected and liked it at the Atlantic but developed a much greater appreciation after listening to the album (haven't seen it on Bway yet), I wonder if some of teh critics will be even more effusive on Broadway.

And, will those effusive notices make any significant mark on its ticket sales?

Given J Green relationship with the composers mother, will someone else review it from NYT?

I'm hoping for Elizabeth. 

A number of people have spoken about appreciating the show more after seeing it again or listening to the score a bunch of times.  That is fine for the people on this board, who see things multiple, in some case many, times.  (I am not talking about super-long runs either).

The average theatregoer does not do that.  I have four friends in the NYC area who, having seen it this early, mainly because they like Kellie O'Hara so much, were emphatic in telling me not to buy tickets when I make my Spring trip. They cited non-stop dreariness and a score so lacking in musicality (their words) that they could not imagine what it took for the leads to learn the songs.  I am expecting this show to get excellent reviews, but not appeal to 'the masses', which will be required to sustain a run (and maybe even make it to the scheduled closing date).

I know that people who have not seen a show should really not comment on it; I am not discussing its quality, simply sharing the reactions of people I know well, who are not in the habit of seeing things more than once if they dislike a lot / hate it the first time.  Bottom line: I am not sure that reviews are going to matter at all for this one.

I saw this yesterday and admired it more than liked it. O'Hara and D'Arcy were incredible. 

I did hear complaints on the way out about it's tone and being too depressing so I wonder if that pops up in any reviews. I assume not and this will be a critical darling with mixed audience reviews. 

Updated On: 1/28/24 at 07:47 PM

Theatermania's review is up:

 

https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-kelli-ohara-and-brian-darcy-james-tear-our-hearts-out-in-days-of-wine-and-roses_1727508/?fbclid=IwAR0Zy3QfOjX2grON6Pd317VFlInBzTCuPHiikzVh0cNqelqnGhq897nt4ik

As always, Sara Holdren creepts into my head and steals my thoughts more perfectly than I could ever articulate them. Very mixed from Vulture. Dont have a gift link to share.

DTLI Consensus: Raise your glass to the best new musical of the Broadway season, bar none.

9 positive (including the NYT), 1 mixed.

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/days-of-wine-and-roses/

 

rosscoe(au) said: "Honestly what did I miss? This should have been something I enjoyed."

And it's okay if you didn't. There is nothing wrong with that. This show was not your cup of tea...or glass of scotch. It happens. 


 

 

Hoping these reviews make a big difference at the box office.

This show has been struggling during previews - hopefully, more people will see it. 

Also -- they have got to figure out some better marketing approach on this show. In a recent interview, the ever opiniated Patti LuPone took aim at the marketing teams for Broadway shows that seem to have no idea how to sell their products. Of course, she is right, and while the subject matter for Wine and Roses is especially challenging, the marketing for the production is almost comedically inept and misleading.