I have never seen a joint review like that before, nor have I ever laughed so much while reading a review.
That was so delightfully bitchy.
The conversation was immature and sounded like twp dated theatre snobs who are stuck in the 50s.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
That NYTimes review was really something special. This may have been my favorite quote, and they should use it as a pull-quote with some omissions:
“The adapters of this “King Kong” seem to have two stories they wanted to tell. One is a morality tale about the evil of trapping a living being in a cheap entertainment scheme. To judge from my own misery in the audience, I’d say this is a theme they mastered.”
I can smell all the stiff drinks being poured at Rockefeller Center right now...
As an Australian, I am so embarrassed this is the show we've decided to try and export to the world. We can do theatre so much better than this.
Damn.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/24/14
This conversation was everything. They absolutely hated it!
BroadwayConcierge said: "OMG. We have a dual pan from Brantley AND Green!!!"
Yet, somehow still a Critic's Pick?!
haterobics said: "Yes, somehow still a Critic's Pick?!"
LOL!
haterobics said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "OMG. We have a dual pan from Brantley AND Green!!!"
Yes, somehow still a Critic's Pick?!"
Hysterical.
I'm surprised by Jesse Green. I was not big fan of this either, but there is a fine line between panning something while still being helpful and informative to your readers and just being mean to show off how clever (he thinks) he is. At least when Brantley says something negative, he helps paint a better picture of the show for readers. Green comes off as needlessly nasty.
Updated On: 11/9/18 at 11:00 PM
Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but King Kong’s now is on Twitter. Kind of interesting to see how it moves and whatnot for a good minute.
(Edit: sorry if the embedded link doesn’t work - I’m on my phone!)
HogansHero said: "I cannot envision a scenario in which the producers care what people think of the book music or lyrics. They just want the answer to the question "is seeing the puppet must see theatre?" to be an emphatic yes."
True, if they can sell tourists on it, then they don't. But if they didn't, why did they replace the composer and bookwriter 3 times?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/10/04
What a duo of nasty elitist men who have never created a single thing in their lives.
I'd you don't like it, fine. To sit there and troll it is sophomoric and demeaning.
Jesse green is such a bottom feeder.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
They pretty much said what the other reviews have said and what non-elitists on board have said about other shows. The difference is that they actually went into detail by providing actual lyrics.
massofmen said: "What a duo of nasty elitist men who have never created a single thing in their lives.
I'd you don't like it, fine. To sit there and troll it is sophomoric and demeaning.
Jesse green is such a bottom feeder. "
One could argue that the nastier people are the ones who charge $175 for a piece of utter trash. There is nothing redeeming about the show. They’re saving their readers good money. It could be a service
massofmen said: "What a duo of nasty elitist men who have never created a single thing in their lives.
I'd you don't like it, fine. To sit there and troll it is sophomoric and demeaning.
Jesse green is such a bottom feeder. "
You’d all make a great trio.
massofmen said: "What a duo of nasty elitist men who have never created a single thing in their lives.
I'd you don't like it, fine. To sit there and troll it is sophomoric and demeaning.
Jesse green is such a bottom feeder."
Have you seen the show? I'm guessing not. If a show is sophomoric (or worse) and demeaning (an insult) to its audience, why should it be treated as something worthy of a serious review? Let them go make their fortune on the carnival attraction they've put in a broadway house. There is no exegesis within the parameters of theatre criticism for this show. It's too bad that there is no precedent for declining to review shows that fall beneath a certain level. This is not a show where reasonable minds can differ.
I have no doubt that King Kong is a hot mess, but that dual review is incredibly smug.
edit for word choice
It seems like if you plainly describe what happens onstage, it reads like a diss.
I like how they thought the two of them getting together would result in a kinder review. Ha!
I thought it was hilarious. If the show is a steaming of a mess as people seem to think it to be, then why shouldn't the review just flat out say it?
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