GALILEO Previews — Page 2

malcs98 said: "I feel like I’ve been noticing a common theme with most new musicals these days that has become even more amplified with both this and Wanted: not only does the book juggle way too many side-plots, but it can’t seem to figure out the tone."

What also compounds that frustration is that, at least in both of these cases, they had multiple OOT tryouts to gather themselves and fix the problems - which also highlights a disconnect between the writers and the critics about what parts of the show need to be fixed.

malcs98 said: "I feel like I’ve been noticing a common theme with most new musicals these days that has become even more amplified with both this and Wanted: not only does the book juggle way too many side-plots, but it can’t seem to figure out the tone."

Nobody wants to produce theater anymore, which requires hard decisions. They just want to give their friends and colleagues jobs.

Because I'm one degree from someone involved in the production, I followed the Berkeley Rep production and all the reviews closely. I heard multiple reports, one long detailed account in an email. Alas, this sounds like the same level of confusion in tone and structure - the weighting of element in plotting - with a dollop more of the Chess self-awareness added, as if the ultimate fix on any earnest piece of storytelling is to insert that thin line between meta self-consciousness and camp. I'll own a subjective response: not my taste. I found the Arbiter's Henny Youngman shtick counterintuitive in a show whose beloved signature was hearts-on-the-sleeve emotionalism. If this has any whiff of that Chess strain to unite winking and weeping, it doesn't sound like previews will offer the opportunity for correction. Again, I'm always surprised when exhibited problems out of town are not addressed (see Queen of Versailles).

Updated On: 11/11/26 at 10:58 AM

The reception in SF was mostly negative. This never should have moved to Broadway. Today’s producers are mostly delusional, it seems. I’m also surprised that Raul Esparza stayed with this and didn’t know better.

ACL2006 said: "Do we take bets with what show closes first: Galileo or Wanted?"



The Shuberts will have both the Jones and the Shubert available for a new show this spring. I bet both current productions will close in January

I heard “42nd St” is already eyeing the Shubert.

CoffeeBreak said: "Agree with the above. Most of it. The show is pretty big mess. Agree with the campy (yes why was he being burned at the stake from his knees? - was that a thing), to attempting honesty, to faux care to milked empathetic musical theater line readings. The book is tonally uneven and doesn't blend with the music. The music is, with the exception of a song or two, bland BLAND. What was with the campy rock "2 sides" song - with that silly staging? The thing one might remember most is "ah's". Which might be best because the lyrics are basic rhyme time. Light/sight and so on. To start, cut Mr. Kushnier's pointless, awkward falsetto song in Act 1.

Ms. Esparza, Ms. Woods & Mr. Kushner all sound great. Unfortunately, they keep them in the same big notes and it becomes dulling. Mr. Kushner handles the acting better. Mr. Esparza starts the show as a slightly flamboyant, flippant, sarcastic person with modern style approach to the text. Ms. Woods goes traditional musical theater. Both come off as bad actors in this. great vocals but bad actors. The supporting roles are off too.. The acting styles, tones and believability are all over the place. The scenes are flat and inactive - maybe they can fix some of this staging.

The direction and design is wholy choppy along with the book and music. It's like they used pieces of the CHESS set and rearranged them and put the orchestra in the pit. And the choreography? At the top of Act II - a campy ego song for Kushner's character - the ensemble did the end of "Merano" looking up at Kushner and twice did raised "spirit fingers". There's also a lot of religious / Sister Act-like choreography. It all felt so basic and uncreative?

The first act was an hour 22 and the second over an hour. The first act feels like it will end many times - then continues. We can't follow the music cues - just more. Both felt much longer than they were. The second act is quite dull with a lot of Mr. Esparza and Ms. Woods in dark spaces doing very slow book scenes with bland acting. People next to us? - asleep. Thank goodness they got to sing.

This was a weird night and show. The audience was appreciative - it sounded as if the biggest fans of Mr. Esparza and Ms. Wood were in the balcony. The fan stans. I also prefer to Wanted to this. If they don't do some major work here - the Shubert will be free early 2027. If reviewers saw this first preview they would have a hay day with their reviews. Can't recommend. But they have time ... ? Even picking up the pace will help.

This topic has a universe of possibility to pull from and work with - and they don't seem to find a story. Mayer finishes it out with his Hedwig ending redux."



Jordan Roth called it "ASTOUNDING"!

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "malcs98 said: "I feel like I’ve been noticing a common theme with most new musicals these days that has become even more amplified with both this and Wanted: not only does the book juggle way too many side-plots, but it can’t seem to figure out the tone."

Nobody wants to produce theater anymore, which requires hard decisions. They just want to give their friends and colleagues jobs."

ONE MORE TIME FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK

After seeing this last night, I was thinking the songs were unmemorable. But today, I remembered many of them - the one where they sing “Louder, Louder” over and over, and the one where they sing “2 Sides, 2 Sides” over and over, and the one where they sing “The Power and The Glory” over and over. And all the ones that had the “ahh, ahh, ahh”s that sounded like the Bells of Notre Dame. I guess there’s something to be said for ear worms.

Half of my row left at intermission, but otherwise the audience tonight was very enthusiastic. While I, too, am happy to have Raul Esparza back on Broadway, I wish it was in anything but this.

Both acts' opening numbers have camp potential. It's not every day you see a papal coronation or a man burned at the stake while dancing nuns cavort upstage. But for the most part, this is astonishingly dull. The songs are the sort you forget while you're hearing them.

The curtain falls on act one with Galileo exactly where he was 90 minutes earlier, lamenting that he can't teach Copernican heliocentrism. The subplot with his illegitimate daughter and her suitor has an arc to it, at least. Joy Woods sings the hell out "When," though I wish it had come an hour earlier to establish some stakes.

The set must be the ugliest on Broadway. It's like if the Cloisters were reimagined in plexiglass and dorm room LED lighting.

Updated On: 11/11/26 at 11:23 PM

Maybe a "toned down" version of Being Alive would have won Esparza a Tony Award, but it would have been inauthentic to the entire arc built for Bobby in that production of Company and eliminated a moment for which he received extensive praise..