LEND ME A TENOR Reviews

Today is Sunday, April 4, marking the official opening of the Anthony LaPaglia, Tony Shalhoub and Justin Bartha led Broadway revival of Ken Ludwig's Tony-nominated farce LEND ME A TENOR, at the Music Box Theatre. Stanley Tucci makes his Broadway directorial debut. Previews began March 12.

Anthony LaPaglia stars as opera singer Tito Merelli, Tony Shalhoub is producer Sanders and Justin Bartha makes his Broadway debut as the producer's assistant Max. Joining that trifecta onstage are Jan Maxwell as Maria, Mary Catherine Garrison as Maggie, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Diana, Jay Klaitz as the Bellhop and Brooke Adams as Julia.

The 1930s-set play "is a madcap screwball comedy that takes place when Tito Merelli, the fiery-tempered and world-famous Italian superstar, arrives in Cleveland, Ohio to make his debut with the local opera and promptly goes missing," begin press notes. "As Saunders, the show's presenter, conspires to cover for Tito's absence, placate his hot-blooded wife, and distract his most passionate fans, chaos on a truly operatic level ensues."

My best to all involved.

Backstage is a critic's pick but feels Bartha is miscast (WTF?)

http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-broadway/ny-review-lend-me-a-tenor-1004080406.story

I thought Bartha was the strongest of the leads. That review is whack. Faster Times is mostly positive, and Reuters and the AP are very positive.

http://thefastertimes.com/newyorktheater/2010/04/04/lend-me-a-tenor-review/

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63318O20100404

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gRuqi4htnnCPD0wgmC3WFDiiuxOAD9ESHPUO0

David Finkle from Theatremania is a rave.

http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/reviews/04-2010/lend-me-a-tenor_26212.html

Wow... Isherwood is HIGHLY negative. I didn't see that coming. Why does he have such terrible taste?

http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/theater/reviews/05lend.html

But the heady ether of prime farce never materializes in this labor-intensive but laugh-deficient evening

How one can call this production laugh-deficient is beyond me. The audience was roaring the night I was there, and I thought the laughs were definitely well-deserved. Boy has Isherwood been off this past month. I want to know why Brantley didn't review this one since it's fairly high-profile.

Updated On: 4/4/10 at 10:23 PM

Wow. That's bizarre. What kind of stick did Isherwood have up his ass when he saw this?

Isherwood's review is very disappointing. But he is not the only one to comment on a slow first act, and negative comments about the leading men. He does seem to justify his viewpoint. Plus he gives nice notices to the women, which suggests he was not determined to be negative. Sounds like it might have some basis.

But, I will still see it because I like this play so much. I just hope the negative review is balanced by enough positives to avoid doing too much damage. Any thoughts?

But he is not the only one to comment on a slow first act, and negative comments about the leading men. He does seem to justify his viewpoint.

First of all, Murray doesn't count. The Backstage critic only disliked Justin Bartha and USA Today didn't love Shaloub. These are individual preferences. Isherwood seemed to hate the whole thing from start to finish. And the first act isn't slow. The first 15 minutes of the first act are slow, but after that it moves along very quickly. And how exactly does he justify his viewpoint? By saying he has the attention span of a 5 year old on Christmas?

Isherwood also doesn't seem to really understand what farce is, commenting on the implausibility of the plot.

No other words re: Isherwood but FAIL.

...am I the only person who loved Justin Bartha? (and admittedly had no idea who he was before this show)

---

No, EVERYONE loved Justin Bartha except for Isherwood and David Sheward from Backstage. I still think he gets a Tony nomination.

"Mr. Bartha['s]...attempts at singing are dubious at best. The ending really should have been tweaked to avoid exposing his deficiencies in this regard."

Seriously?!
Bartha's not being a real opera singer is a distraction for Isherwood?

His review is a fraud. He misses the boat entirely that Tenor is a farce and a farce is not about realism in every detail...

This is one the most insincere attempts at a review I've ever seen.

Updated On: 4/5/10 at 11:57 PM