TheZhivago twitter has been quiet. I'm hoping for good reviews for TheZhivago Table.
Des McAnuff’s staging looks expensive but ugly, with cheesy video close?ups of actors, giant Soviet propaganda posters, eruptions of fire and the occasional explosion or gunshot to wake us up. To Siberia with it.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
I can see Cote didn't pull any punches.
Also, Deadline asks why people are speaking with British accents.....does he not know that Tam Mutu is British? And does everyone in the show use British accent?
http://deadline.com/2015/04/doctor-zhivago-musical-broadway-review-1201413548/
They could pull some positive comments from the Talkin' Broadway review with creative editing.
"...explodes with a cautious passion and sensual triumph..."
"...a genuine jolt to the heart..."
Leading Actor Joined: 7/7/04
"Here, however, it’s all bang and no seduction. These formidable chemists have come up with an unwieldy mess, daunting in scale, assaultive on the ear, humorless and resistant to any involvement on the viewer’s part in this sweeping tale of love, revolution and war. In a word, it’s stinko."
Wonder when the notice will go up. A shame but I knew it was coming but not this harshly. Making Neverland's reviews look good by comparison. Still hoping for cast album.
Wonder when the notice will go up. A shame but I knew it was coming but not this harshly. Making Neverland's reviews look good by comparison. Still hoping for cast album.
My gut says they'll announce after Tony nominations. I don't think they'll see much love there. A May 3 or May 10 closing wouldn't surprise me. It's disappointing, as there's a lot of talented people in the production, but it just doesn't work.
Leading Actor Joined: 7/7/04
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/2/14
All would take for this show to succeed is for some critic to say something along the lines of " just like les mis!" And people will flock. I hope this show succeds. I want new works to be successful.
Hopefully this show will receive some critical love.
Haven't seen the show so I can't and won't comment on the reviews, but all your comments on the forum here remind me of one of my favorite quotes from a movie:
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. - Anton Ego
Stand-by Joined: 10/17/14
im hoping that the reviews will be positive, i missed my chance in seeing this when it debuted in Sydney to critical acclaim, but i'm afraid it may not be the same on Broadway. I also really like the song 'Now' but hopefully there's more to like then just one song...
considering the rear mezz. wasn't even open during previews will make the capacity % drop much lower in the coming weeks. Really don't see how this show will survive much longer.
Leading Actor Joined: 7/7/04
I think one universal positive thing that can be taken away from this show is Paul Nolan's performance. Truly extraordinary.
^I am glad that he's nominated for an Outer Critic's Circle Award, I also hope he ends up being one of the few Tony Nominations the show ends up getting.
"considering the rear mezz. wasn't even open during previews will make the capacity % drop much lower in the coming weeks. Really don't see how this show will survive much longer."
Wonder why they chose such a large theater? It's on the higher end of seating capacity. I believe only the Gershwin and Lyric have more seats.
Maybe they needed the huge stage of the Broadway
Leading Actor Joined: 7/7/04
"The folks behind the new Broadway musical "Doctor Zhivago" promise it is "sure to steal your heart." They apparently hope to do so by bludgeoning you into unconsciousness and then cutting you open with a scimitar."
"Visually beautiful but one-dimensional, the show that opened Tuesday at the Broadway Theatre is breathless and bombastic to the point of silly..."
" Will someone kindly tell the projection designer that it's not necessary to project a massive photo of Lara when she's ALREADY onstage? And will someone please tell the prop guy in charge of weapons that the rifle discharges are so loud that they're triggering snowfall that's supposed to fall from the rafters later in the show? Oh, and one actress' attempted decapitation may have been a touch unnecessary on top of the several executions, group hangings and spilled guts."
"One actor in "Doctor Zhivago" fake-vomits onstage after a bout of drinking and athletic Cossack dancing, and after almost three hours of this highly choreographed mess, you might want to, too."
They had a field day with this review.
Shocked there was no comparison to Wildhorn
Seems like all the vitriol not heaped on ISHBY & Living On Love were saved up for Dr Z.
The good Dr is about to be expelled from medical school. No way this can be salvaged with these savage reviews. Their marketing pre opening was non existent to the point it made Honeymoons look genius by comparison.
Nolan indeed was great in it and his one big ballad was one of the best solos you will ever hear.
Old Rex Reed chimed in with saying Mutu was "a bus and truck Alfred Drake" OUCH!!!!!!l The critics seemed to be channeling their inner Brantley. God knows what he would have said but it could not have been any worse than what others said.
Featured Actor Joined: 5/5/14
""considering the rear mezz. wasn't even open during previews will make the capacity % drop much lower in the coming weeks. Really don't see how this show will survive much longer."
Wonder why they chose such a large theater? It's on the higher end of seating capacity. I believe only the Gershwin and Lyric have more seats."
And the New Amsterdam! But my guess is they needed the stage and backstage.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/2/14
They could use "Visually Stunning" as a pull quote. It sounds like they could have made some changes during the preview period but didn't.
Understudy Joined: 5/12/05
New York Daily News:
"Doctor Zhivago is an epic miss."
Leading Actor Joined: 7/7/04
"I’m pretty sure a threat like “I may have to visit your student friend and tell him how you cry out with pleasure when we make love” was supposed to bring a shiver to the spine rather than a giggle to the lips, but there is unintentional comedy sprinkled throughout. I still haven’t recovered from the Russian breakdancing bit – or the vomit that followed."
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
This TheaterMania review is hilarious.
http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/reviews/doctor-zhivago_72612.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=21apr2015
Videos