#2
Posted: 10/6/16 at 9:09pm
Here's the reviews so far...
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-HOLIDAY-INN-Opens-on-Broadway-20161006
#3
Posted: 10/6/16 at 10:46pm
That New York Times review is such a bummer. What a grinch!
#5
Posted: 10/6/16 at 10:57pm
It was Isherwood. Aside from the cast, it's safe to say he didn't like it but he calls the song "White Christmas" infernal so I'm guessing he wasn't ever going to like this.
#6
Posted: 10/6/16 at 10:58pm
Poor Corbin needs to get out of Zac Effrons shadow! High school musical 3 came out 8 years ago.
#7
Posted: 10/6/16 at 11:02pm
That was particularly unnecessary. He didn't even mention that Corbin has delivered two excellent performances on Broadway prior to this and post High School Musical.
#8
Posted: 10/6/16 at 11:24pm
Isherwood was hardly the only critic who didn't warm to the show. The increasingly vital Jesse Green was left quite cold by it. http://www.vulture.com/2016/10/theater-review-holiday-inn.html
#9
Posted: 10/6/16 at 11:28pm
Unfortunately.. gotta say I'm not surprised really by these. I definitely was not so into this show when I saw it a few weeks ago.
#10
Posted: 10/6/16 at 11:34pm
I thought Isherwood was dead on here. This is pandering, made-to-license mediocrity.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#12
Posted: 10/7/16 at 4:59am
Critics are always going to come to shows like this with a negative bias. Take one of our most respected composers, shovel in most of his most popular songs that were not written to belong in the same show, and tie them together with the slimmest of books.
What you get might be a very decent revue, if the performers are up to it, But critics don't review revues. The last show of this kind was Right Work if You Can Get It. This featured the songs of George Gershwin with a very silly plot starring Kelli O'Hara and Mathew Broderick. This is how Brantley's review began:
Every now and then, a bubble of pure, tickling charm rises from the artificial froth of “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” the pastiche of a 1920s musical featuring songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Most of this show, which opened on Tuesday night at the Imperial Theater, registers as a shiny, dutiful trickle of jokes and dance numbers performed by talented people who don’t entirely connect with the whimsy of a bygone genre.
And this show was a hit, or very nearly. Brantley, as a charter member of the Kelli O'Hara fan club, for which I don't blame him, spends half of the remainder of the review trashing the show and the other half praising Ms. O'Hara.
My own guess was that Roundabout didn't have the money, and/or perhaps the time to put on a major revival on the level of Anything Goes or Twentieth Century, So they chose a relatively inexpensive show that had enough hit songs to at least please if not really connect with its audience.
#13
Posted: 10/7/16 at 7:36am
Bleu is the only thing really worth seeing here...
#14
Posted: 10/7/16 at 8:20am
Isherwood hit the nail on the head with his review. "Bland" and "basic" are the perfect words to describe this show.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#15
Posted: 10/7/16 at 9:28am
Well, should I be saying "Yikes!" to myself yet?
I tend to usually share the same POV as Kad, OBE, 10086...on so many topics so I'm hoping for the best. Were either of you able to be there for yourself? I watched the old movies and kind of expected some degree of how a few of the songs would be represented. I knew about the firecrackers and jump ropes. How does "Shakin' The Blues Away" relate to decorating a Christmas tree? Is it supposed to be some kind of "We Need A Little Christmas"?
Anyway, I do like BP and CB. We have tix for Christmas week so I hope the hustle and bustle of holiday cheer will help. We have tix for so many shows between Thanksgiving week through New Years Eve that if a less than perfect show/stinker creeps in, I guess we can just suck it up. At least if I see a non-profit theater production, in my head, I tend to consider it a donation.
I Can Has Cheezburger With This?
Updated On: 10/7/16 at 09:28 AM
#16
Posted: 10/7/16 at 9:35am
CATSNYrevival said: "That New York Times review is such a bummer. What a grinch!"
Agreed. And he said the kid delivering the bank notices was "implausible" are you kidding it's a musical comedy the whole thing is implausible.
#17
Posted: 10/7/16 at 9:45am
I also thought it was odd that a young boy on a scooter was delivering bank documents! But then I realized that's how it was back then, before we had child-labor laws. 
Updated On: 10/7/16 at 09:45 AM
#18
Posted: 10/7/16 at 10:02am
It was implausible but the whole thing is implausible so who cares? I just didn't think the joke was as funny as Gordon Greenberg apparently thought it was.
Steve C.: Yes, basically, "Shakin' the Blues Away" is a big cheer-up number. It's hands-down the best production number in the show and one of only two times (the other being Bleu's second-act firework tap solo) the show rose above a shrug for me.
I went into the show with very little expectation- I hadn't even read the initial reports here.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#19
Posted: 10/7/16 at 10:11am
These are kinder than I expected them to be, truth be told. They aren't wrong. At best, I thought it was "pleasant". It's simply the book, it doesn't really matter or have any real interest. The dancing was great, and I'd likely buy ticket to see Bleu dance in just about anything. Been a big fan since he was in ITH.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#20
Posted: 10/7/16 at 12:21pm
@ Steve C, I liked the show and enjoyed it for what it is...I had zero expectations and was taken with Bleu's performance. This said, while I enjoyed it, there is plenty that doesn't work...
It's brainless, uninspired fluff...
My biggest complaint with the show is that it's uninspired...
Coming off their last season, one would expect more from Roundabout...As some have suggested and mentioned, perhaps they spent the majority of time, energy and budget on last season...
Updated On: 10/7/16 at 12:21 PM
#21
Posted: 10/7/16 at 12:49pm
Thanks BBF's (BroadwayBoyFriends)
It's always nice to get your feedback. As for HI, it sounds like I won't leave the theater in misery.
I Can Has Cheezburger With This?
#23
Posted: 10/8/16 at 11:17am
Totally disagree with these comments but not really surprised given the current climate.
Poster Emeritus
#25
Posted: 10/8/16 at 4:31pm
There were so many classics that Roundabout could have revived, so I was already disappointed in the choice to do a commercial Berlin jukebox musical. These reviews just make me even more disappointed.
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