GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER Reviews- Page 2

[ntrackbar]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:15pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "The Observer is negative.

"A sweaty, janky garbage fire."

"Would I rather see an Aerosmith jukebox musical than this “original” rubbish? Hell yes.""

 

You totally buried the lede - “BROADWAY NICKLEBACK”

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:17pm

ntrackbar said: "You totally buried the lede - “BROADWAY NICKLEBACK”"

You know, I really should've posted that whole paragraph because it's so...incredible.

"Such moments, if there were more, could have saved the show, especially with a cast this appealing and given John Rando’s bright, comic staging. But there’s the music. Such crummy music. Mark Allen’s ersatz score sounds like rock, it resembles rock, but in its robotic squareness and thuddingly stupid lyrics, seems more like an algorithm synthesizing Top 40 hits of the past several decades. To put it in Billboard terms: Nickelback is generally regarded as the ****tiest rock band in history, right? Gettin’ the Band Back Together is Broadway Nickelback. By not taking the characters seriously or trusting the audience to invest in quality original rock (as Once, Spring Awakening and others did), the creative team thinks bro-mantic farce, bombastic stage effects and chorus girl T&A will tap a huge market."

[smidge]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:19pm

You say garbage fire like it's a bad thing!

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:22pm

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:26pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "After that stupid press release stunt about Sayreville, NJ being a "co-producer" on the show and getting the mayor of the town involved with the stunt, KD couldn't even be bothered to follow through with the stunt and list it with the other 30 producer names on the title page?

"

It' s not like they print those things on a copy machine in the back room!  IF they get another delivery of Playbills, it will like appear there.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:44pm

WAIT!  Marilu Henner hands out Rice Krispie Treats?!   Well, NOW let me go buy a ticket.

[msmp]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:46pm

Let's be honest: after these reviews, is Sayreville going to want to be in the Playbill? :P

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:46pm

@dramamama611 Playbills are printed each week (and the deadline is usually the week before they are printed) BUT opening night title page inserts are printed the evening before opening when there is a last min change. Would have been easy to do an insert. I think it shows that it was a hastily arranged press stunt and that they didn't even bother to follow through with the stunt.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:48pm

Jesse Green for NYTimes is up and is negative.

"The show aims so low that all it achieves is a ruckus in the tuchis."

"Originality isn’t novelty, and the show is such a calculated rehash of a million tired tropes that it can best be described with Broadway math: “School of Rock” plus “The Full Monty” divided by “The Wedding Singer” — and multiplied by zero.”

Updated On: 8/13/18 at 09:48 PM

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:49pm

“...it's a mystery why [director John Rando] felt the need to have the performers constantly jump offstage and race down the aisles as if heading for the exits. It makes it look as if they're trying to escape before the reviews come in.”

Priceless.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:58pm

@dramamama611 Playbills are printed each week (and the deadline is usually the week before they are printed) BUT opening night title page inserts are printed the evening before opening when there is a last min change. Would have been easy to do an insert. I think it shows that it was a hastily arranged press stunt and that they didn't even bother to follow through with the stunt.

 

Well.  I did not know that...(that they're printed weekly) but still it may have just missed the deadline.   I'm not trying to stick up for Davenport; I just can't stand the oh-so-quick to judge mindset.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 9:59pm

"[Mark Allen]'s tunes are so rote they’re textureless, and his lyrics make about as much sense as random phrases sent through several passes of Google Translate.

“I took the safe road / to a life of stocks and bonds,” Mitch sings. “And bonded years / the same day reloaded / and hindsight crystal clear.” So true."

Crying actual tears of laughter right now.

[Elegance101]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:04pm

I love how Jesse Green talked about the "original musical" thing. Just because it's not based on anything doesn't mean we should forgive its (extreme) shortcomings.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:11pm

"There are 12 Grundleshotzes, one of whom, Sarah Saltzberg, also provided “additional material.” (I wish it had been subtractional.)"   –– Jesse Green, NYT


For some reason this made me laugh out loud.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:21pm

It’s sad when you have to consider “BROADWAY NICKELBACK!” as one of your pull quotes.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:35pm

Question: Since it's been noted that Ken's schtick is scripted, does he now collect an ACTOR'S salary????

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:37pm

How is this capitalized at $12.5 million?!

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 10:43pm

dramamama611 said: "Question: Since it's been noted that Ken's schtick is scripted, does he now collect an ACTOR'S salary????"

I think I read somewhere that Ken doesn't always do the speech, sometimes one of the actors does it. But I would guess that no, he's not being paid by Actors' Equity.

Updated On: 8/13/18 at 10:43 PM

[EJ24642]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:07pm

THR is negative too:

"But if there's one thing Getting' the Band Back Together isn't, it's original. After only a few minutes, you'll be getting the feeling that you've seen it all before." 

"Director John Rando (Urinetown, On the Town) keeps things moving at a sufficiently brisk pace, but it's a mystery why he felt the need to have the performers constantly jump offstage and race down the aisles as if heading for the exits. It makes it look as if they're trying to escape before the reviews come in."

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:08pm

A one-star review from Time Out New York:

"Gettin’ the Band Back Together gives us no reason to care about the insipid Mitch—who, in the age of Facebook, somehow knows nothing about what has happened in his hometown for the past 20 years—nor does it even treat the band’s reunion with much enthusiasm. We barely see the guys rehearsing, and two of them have to be blackmailed into joining the group at all, but the show awards them women as participation prizes. Mitch’s love interest is played by the talented Kelli Barrett, whose career to date suggests the result of an inadequately specific wish to a genie. (“Yes, yes, you will originate roles in three Broadway musicals!” the malevolent spirit cackled as he readied the scripts for Baby It’s You, Doctor Zhivago and this.)"

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:15pm

I still had a great time at this show.
*shrug*

[A Director]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:17pm

What's next for the Belasco?  Too soon?

[GroupAGroup1]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:17pm

A priceless bit from Adam Feldman: "Ricky, by the way, reveals himself to be Jewish when the gang is booked at an orthodox Jewish wedding (“I’s chosen, yo&rdquo, leading to the musical’s nadir: a mortifying Jewish-themed rap that turns into a call-and-response session with the audience. “When I say matzo, you say balls!” he yells into the crowd. “Matzo!” Balls."

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:20pm

re opening night playbill and the inserts:

it's the gospel. if you are there, you're in; if not, you're not eligible. 

[EJ24642]

Posted: 8/13/18 at 11:29pm

A Director said: "What's next for the Belasco? Too soon?"

I'm curious if the review will cause the %cap to go down. If they continue making around 30% of their potential and they're not playing to crowds, I don't think they'll last too long