FELA! Reviews- Page 2

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 9:05am

While I try never to wish ill on any production brave and lucky enough to make it to the final Broadway cut, the reaction to FELA is bothersome to me. Maybe I'm just not with it any more, but FELA struck me as basically a one-man show with a lot of agit-prop thrown in. I admit -- and have admitted from the get-go -- that I simply don't care for this kind of music. If they wanted to promote this as a special event or whatever the euphemism is, I wouldn't be as concerned. I'm sure that Brantley isn't going to let go on this one and his reviews of any subsequent musicals, no matter what their respective merits, are going to go back to this non-musical (as far as I'm concerned) for comparison. I'm sure everyone on this board is going to throw rocks as me for saying these things. Nothing, however, is going to change my dissatisfaction with this piece.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 9:57am

" Nothing, however, is going to change my dissatisfaction with this piece."

Same here. I never wish ill-will on a production, but I really wonder how many people will go to see this based on the reviews, respond with much less enthusiasm, and then hesitate to buy tickets for future Broadway shows because they were so disappointed. That's the only reason I find it upsetting that this received so-called "money" reviews.

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 10:56am

Because the book is whisper thin (and problematic), you need to really be carried away by the songs in order for the show to work. I think the music is glorious and am planning to go back to the show for the third time this weekend. But if you don't respond to Afrobeat, there isn't a whole lot to hold onto.

I think it's a stretch to say that people will buy tickets based on money reviews and then be turned off from more musicals. The people buying tickets based on reviews are usually already pretty savvy. It might make someone trust a particular reviewer less, but I don't know that it would sour them to theater in general.

It is interesting that two shows with largely negative responses on the board have gone on to such great reviews this week. While I do love Fela, I deeply despised In the Next Room. The joys of divisive shows!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 11:11am

The NY Post review is up and is pretty positive, although she has problems with Act II. I can't post it or see how many stars she gave it though...I'm on my BBerry.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 11:29am

Strange Fela, Finan's Rainbow and Ragtime got rave reviews and none of these look to set the box office alight?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 11:30am

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/plenty_of_afro_heat_kQGx3P1vFBYrLx0bbPQ1VK

She gave it 3 stars out of 4.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 12:31pm

I'd be sorry to see a thrilling production like FELA close while crap like MEMPHIS runs.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 1:56pm

I'm wondering if I'm missing something, but it appears only six new musicals are opening this season:

Memphis
Fela
Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark
The Addams Family
Million Dollar Quartet
Sondheim on Sondheim

And six musical revivals:

Finian's Rainbow
Bye Bye Birdie
Ragtime
A Little Night Music
Promises Promises
La Cage aux Folles

Should make for a rather bizarre Tony broadcast.

ETA: Forgot a revival

Updated On: 11/24/09 at 01:56 PM

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 2:15pm

Actually, Matt, I think the Tonys may even be skimpier than that -- at this point, there's no guarantee that Spider Man will make it in time for Tony consideration for this season. Of course, there's always - and always has been, I think -- some unknown show (at this point) that someone may bring in at the last minute. And the fate of all musicals that will have opened by the end of this year is very uncertain -- the treacherous months of January and February are looming.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 2:19pm

Isn't Women On The Verge supposed to arrive in the Spring?

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 2:19pm

Wait, is Catch Me If You Can not coming in this spring? Apparently I'm not up to date.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 4:41pm

And what about MINSKY'S?

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 5:31pm

I just don't understand these rave reviews...I don't get it. No one I know who has seen the show has cared for it, myself included.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 6:23pm

you can add Come Fly With Me to the new musical list. And is it possible that Burn the Floor also gets consideration as Best Musical??

[sopranobiz]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 12:26am

NY Times got it right. This show is unlike anything I'd ever seen.