LEND ME A TENOR Reviews

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 1:39pm

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.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 2:35pm

I'm expecting some really fantastic reviews for this.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 8:00pm

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

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 8:02pm

USA Today 3 out of 4 stars. Feels Shalhoub is giving subpar performance (WTF again?)

http://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/reviews/2010-04-05-tenor05_ST_N.htm

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 8:03pm

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

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 8:07pm

New Jersey News Room is Positive

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/movies/lend-me-a-tenor-looks-like-a-winner

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:08pm

David Finkle from Theatremania is a rave.

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

[musicalman2]

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

Talkin' Broadway is very mixed to negative, but with a rave for Mary Catherine Garrison
Talkin' Broadway Review

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:23pm

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

[ljay889]

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

UGH. Is he kidding? Come on.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:28pm

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

[aspiringactress]

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

So, he LIKED "Come Fly Away" and disliked this?

...

[musicalman2]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:30pm

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?

[RyToast1]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:31pm

wow!! I saw the show last night, went in with no expectations and LOVED it. Do you think this bad review from the Times will hurt the show?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:34pm

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?

[bertandrew2]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:38pm

Isherwood's review is spot on. This show never gets off the ground.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:39pm

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

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:40pm

"Isherwood's review is spot on. This show never gets off the ground."

I'd completely agree with that if I didn't think it was 100% wrong.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:42pm

No other words re: Isherwood but FAIL.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:49pm

He's also SUCH a hypocrite. His reasoning for liking Rock of Ages last year was that he found it funny even though he recognized that the actual writing wasn't very good. His "people will be entertained" attitude, however, disappeared when he reviewed Lend Me A Tenor. He says the writing isn't good, but even though the actors work really hard and get the laughs (he must have noticed that everyone else in the audience was laughing), it's not a good show.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:53pm

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

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:55pm

I thought Bartha was wonderful.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 10:56pm

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

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 11:14pm

Um. What show did Isherwood see...?

I don't think I've EVER disagreed with a review more. Wow.

[gcontini2]

Posted: 4/4/10 at 11:57pm

"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