Isherwood Fesses Up To Being The "Odd-Man-Out" In His Dislike For TENOR

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:41pm

Theater Talkback: Odd-Man-Out Syndrome

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 2:04pm

I find it interesting that he says it isn't a critic's responsibility to describe audience reaction. While I agree with him that critics shouldn't have to do that, I also think that critics shouldn't report misinformation. He actively did this in his original review, which can be proven from looking at this new entry.

In his initial review he said "But the heady ether of prime farce never materializes in this labor-intensive but laugh-deficient evening."

Now he says "But a fair portion of the audience was howling consistently at the antics onstage."

I agree that he shouldn't report audience reaction if he doesn't want to, but he shouldn't say ANYTHING if he's going to be misleading.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 2:15pm

Agreed.

This article comes off as a conflicted and odd attempt at back-pedaling while still trying to stay firm in his original thoughts on the show. It's a really odd piece.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 2:26pm

Good old Isherwood. Anyone who publishes an article in the NY Times entitled "COAST OF UTOPIA Is A Bore. There, I Said It" has my goodwill forever.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 3:46pm

I'm getting sick of all of this recent follow-up after reviews are written. I mean, just write your review, express how you feel, own it, and then shut up. Reviewers aren't meant to back-pedal, do follow-up editorials and debates, or try to make nice. Reviewers need some gumption, but frankly, Isherwood gets odder by the day.

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 4:29pm

Frankly I appreciate his willingness to fess up to his departure from conventional wisdom, but I am surprised that he did it.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 5:17pm

I have a very oddball sense of humor. Everyt time I've seen a comedy or farce on stage I sit there cracking a smile once or twice while the rest of the audiences howls in laughter. So I'll pass on LEND ME A TENOR.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 5:57pm

As a newspaper journalist, it seems to me like someone was taken to the whipping shed and was told to respond to some kind of backlash. I'm sure he didn't want to write this.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 5:59pm

As a former newspaper journalist, I'd wager the more likely scenario is someone had column space to fill and this was the low-hanging fruit of the moment.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 6:04pm

Wonder what old David Merrick would do about him were he still alive?

How about a vampire musical about Broadway with Merrick as the Vampire, To stay alive, he must drink the blood of critics.

[Brick]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 10:09pm

Calvin, yup. The whole article could have been said in one paragraph.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 11:05pm

I'd loved to have seen the embers set by David Merrick under either Brantley or Isherwoodl He would have had a field day!