LEOPOLDSTADT Reviews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 9:35am

Tom Stoppard's 19th Broadway show, the Olivier-winning Leopoldstadt, opens at the Longacre Theatre October 2. Previews for the Patrick Marber-directed production began September 14. 

Set over several decades, beginning in 1899 Vienna, Leopoldstadt follows the lives of a singular extended Jewish family into the mid-20th century in an exploration of the human condition, legacy, and resilience.

rchard), Sarah Killough (Travesties), David Krumholtz (Numb3rs), Colleen Litchfield (The Crowded Room), Tedra Millan (Present Laughter), Aaron Neil (Leopoldstadt), Seth Numrich (Travesties), Anthony Rosenthal (Falsettos), Christopher James Stevens, Sara Topham (Travesties), Dylan S. Wallach (Betrayal), Reese Bogin, Max Ryan Burach, Calvin James Davis, Michael Deaner, Romy Fay (Best Foot Forward), Pearl Scarlett Gold, Jaxon Cain Grundleger, Wesley Holloway, Ava Michele Hyl, Joshua Satine, Aaron Shuf, and Drew Squire.  

 Marber, who led the West End production, helms the creative team featuring Tony-winning scenic designer Richard Hudson, costume designer Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Tony-winning lighting designer Neil Austin, and video designer Isaac Madge. Sound and original music are by Tony winner Adam Cork, and movement is by Emily Jane Boyle. Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Maureen Kelleher, and U.K. casting is by Amy Ball.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 9:37pm

Can't wait to read these. I was able to watch this when the National presented it onscreen. Curious to hear about new cast members. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 10:22pm

NYT Critics Pick from Jesse Green –– in which he refuses to highlight any of the actors because of the universally strong cast. (I can't really blame him, though Uranowitz and Krumholtz stood out to me the most.)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/theater/leopoldstadt-review.html

There were also major profiles on Stoppard in the New Yorker and the Washington Post this past week. So all this good press should sustain their good sales through the next month or two (Covid or other natural disasters aside).

Updated On: 10/2/22 at 10:22 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 10:43pm

DTLI Consensus: A moving, epic 60-year saga with many moments guaranteed to leave you verklempt.

10 positive (including the NYT), 2 mixed, 1 negative.

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/leopoldstadt/

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 10:44pm

I still haven't decided whether I should see this or Take Me Out. Some reviews suggest it's skippable. Tough decision. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 11:14pm

These reviews are stellar and will provide for a very effective advertising campaign to sustain them through January. WSJ said its hard to imagine a better play. 

I'm biased, because im 1/4 Viennese Jewish (my grandmother was chased out of her home there in the 1940s; she returned after the war to find her next door neighbors, and once-close family friends, living in her home, wearing her clothes, etc.) but these reviews made me tear up reading them with these beautiful quotes of Stoppard's language. Cant wait.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 11:25pm

gibsons2 said: "I still haven't decided whether I should see this or Take Me Out. Some reviews suggest it's skippable. Tough decision."

imho TAKE ME OUT is a slick production of a thin play, buoyed by star performances. It's an entertaining night out, and you could probably see an equally well-acted production at a regional theatre sans stars.

LEOPOLDSTADT is an excellent production of a great, necessary play, beautifully acted and staged. Not a perfect piece of writing, but the type of big, sprawling play that you might be glad you saw 10-15 years from now...like The Inheritance, Indecent, The Ferryman, Constitution, Charles III, or some of the August Wilson OBCs.

Updated On: 10/2/22 at 11:25 PM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 7:18am

Annnd now I can exhale. I didn’t even realize opening night was last night. I saw one of the first previews and loved it so much I was anxious about what critics would say. So glad the majority of reviews are positive! 

[BETTY22]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 8:49am

WOW - Critics Pix! 

Washington Post is also a rave......this is going to sell out fast. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 10:18am

I’m not surprised. It did win the Olivier for Best New Play. Thinking more about it, plays from the West End that does well and then transfers to Broadway tends to get positive reviews from critics.

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 10:22am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "gibsons2 said: "I still haven't decided whether I should see this or Take Me Out. Some reviews suggest it's skippable. Tough decision."

imho TAKE ME OUT is a slick production of a thin play, buoyed by star performances. It's an entertaining night out, and you could probably see an equally well-acted production at a regional theatre sans stars.

LEOPOLDSTADT is an excellent production of a great, necessary play, beautifully acted and staged. Not a perfect piece of writing, but the type of big, sprawling play that you might be glad you saw 10-15 years from now...like The Inheritance, Indecent, The Ferryman, Constitution, Charles III, or some of the August Wilson OBCs."

I agree. I still remember getting rush tickets to watch TAKE ME OUT back in 2003. That was well worth it and back then it was groundbreaking. This revival was excellent too but didn’t feel as groundbreaking to me. Between Take Me Out revival and Leopoldstadt, I’d opt for Leopoldstadt.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 11:44am

BETTY22 said: "WOW - Critics Pix!

Washington Post is also a rave......this is going to sell out fast."

I took a look at Telecharge earlier and a lot of dates now have limited availability in the orchestra. This makes me so happy! 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 12:17pm

Did anyone try the day of rush line? How many people and how early is it reasonable to show up?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 12:17pm

gibsons2 said: "Did anyone try the day of rush line? How many people and how early is it reasonable to show up?"

If no one responds in the next week, I'm going to try on the 15th and will let you know 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 12:22pm

So...I could be wrong, but a few weeks ago I got a ticket for January, which I thought would be the closing performance....I now see on Telecharge that tickets are on sale through March!! Potential extension announcement coming??

[ELP]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 4:55pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "These reviews are stellar and will provide for a very effective advertising campaign to sustain them through January. WSJ said its hard to imagine a better play.

I'm biased, because im 1/4 Viennese Jewish (my grandmother was chased out of her home there in the 1940s; she returned after the war to find her next door neighbors, and once-close family friends, living in her home, wearing her clothes, etc.) but these reviews made me tear up reading them with these beautiful quotes of Stoppard's language. Cant wait."

I can't imagine the amount of hurt and anger she must've felt when she saw her "close family friends" upon her return. Truly heartbreaking to read that.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/3/22 at 11:09pm

hearthemsing22 said: "So...I could be wrong, but a few weeks ago I got a ticket for January, which I thought would be the closing performance....I now see on Telecharge that tickets are on sale through March!! Potential extension announcement coming??"

Yes, appears to be on sale through March 12 (which also happens to be the 3-year anniversary of Broadway's shutdown). That extension feels premature, but...we'll see.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/4/22 at 9:08am

All these reviews actually make me want to see it, and hope it does return to Toronto eventually, despite being cancelled due to the pandemic.

[steven22]

Posted: 10/4/22 at 10:16pm

Any discounts available for this? 

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 10/4/22 at 11:26pm

I'm looking to buy tickets and see the have $104 seats on the far sides of the orchestra and mezzanine. They're marked as partial view. Anyone who has sat there or seen the show, would I miss much?

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/5/22 at 4:54pm

mattmarkowski99 said: "I'm looking to buy tickets and see the have $104 seats on the far sides of the orchestra and mezzanine. They're marked as partial view. Anyone who has sat there or seen the show, would I miss much?"

I just saw the play via the rush ticket (seat L13, far right side). I do not recommend far side seats unless its a $35 rush. Quite a few scenes happen in the back of the stage and I think you would have even worse view from a closer row. I recommend getting tickets as close to the center as possible, even if you'd have to switch to mezzanine. 

Also, wanted to thank everyone on this board who recommended Leopoldstadt. It's an exquisite play that just left me speechless. Jealous of those who have yet to experience it.

[aw42]

Posted: 10/6/22 at 8:19am

Saw this the day before opening - I had a more or less last row in the mezzanine center. Don't think the balcony blocked anything above. Though I had full view, would still recommend getting seats a bit closer to the stage if possible.

Would single out Uranowitz and Castelow, though everyone in the cast delivered

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/6/22 at 12:24pm

steven22 said: "Any discounts available for this?"

I think they have posted that they have rush now as well as a lottery. Otherwise, full priced tickets. 

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 10/6/22 at 12:26pm

I won the $47. Lottery and sat first row center orchestra. I entered during preview period and had a better chance then.

[chanel]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 11:25am

Village Voice rave, saying the play gets better as things get grimmer.
https://www.villagevoice.com/2022/10/07/an-immense-cast-achieves-aching-intimacy-in-tom-stoppards-leopoldstadt/