Legally Blonde Reviews- Page 5

[StageFan2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:21pm

I'd say negative to mixed. Not really anything positive but not a total pan. He doesn't seem overly enthused by any one aspect of the show. It's harmless fun.
Updated On: 4/29/07 at 10:21 PM

[JumpJumpJumpSoHigh]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:21pm

I'm thoroughly perplexed by what passes as a "review" these days, especially coming from someone in a position like Brantley's. He seems to spend all his energy coming up with the best possible metaphors and plays on words to describe the show, without ever (well, rarely) giving an actual opinion on anything. And all of the opinions he DID give were sort of like "it's fine but not great." Vague much? Tell us what you thought worked, and what you thought didn't work! Oy.

~JJJ

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:22pm

The reviews seem more postive than when Wicked came out.

Hm. I loved LEGALLY BLONDE.
I plan to see it many times.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:22pm

caryme, I don't know if Orfeh has much of a shot at a Tony win. A nomination, yes, but I don't think a win.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:22pm

I would not say Brantley's was a negative review at all.

Brantley isn't shy about panning shows. He was kind to this one. I think he knows this isn't his type of show, but has conceded that the people it was meant for will enjoy it and it's not half bad.

I am surprised at his lack of mention of the score and book. He didn't really go into detail. I felt the review was just kind of wishy-washy.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:25pm

Brantley's review is apathetic. The sort of review you would expect from someone into Moliere being asked to critique Charlie's Angels.

He probably doesn't mention the score because he considers it servicable.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:27pm

It was just kind of an odd thing to call a review persay. But I would not say negative.

[lawyerman]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:27pm

that was absolutely not a negative review from brantley.
it was mixed, and id say that as far as his reader-base goes it was positive- your daughters will love this campy fun show. He clearly had an eyebrow-raised, roll of the eyes good time.

he just wasnt a big fan of laura bundy and had to sound smarter than this show, which he is.

but that was not a pan and i also think this show will be around for a year minimum.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:28pm

I liked The Wedding Singer better. I miss it. I don't think I'd miss LB if it closed.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:28pm

Like people have said (what seems obvious to me from the review) it probably was not his kind of show but he knows the show works for the kind of audience its aimed at, he also knows its one of the better movie turned musicals to come out.
He was very kind to this , we all know he does not hold back if he hates a show.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:29pm

Nowhere in reading that review do I get that he had a good time...I agree its not a negative review but I don't think its anywhere fair to say he actually, even begrudgingly, liked it.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:30pm

Who cares what the critics have to say? This is a critic proof show.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:31pm

Jimnysf i have to agree its a critic proof show but its great to see it getting some good reviews.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:31pm

I will admit I don't know a lot about the contenders for the featured category this year, but from what I can see, there is no clear front runner like with the Best Actress. I HOPE Orfeh wins...but a nomination alone would be lovely to see.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:31pm

The reviews seem more postive than when Wicked came out.

For the same reason My So-Called Life was cancelled after one season, but Dawson's Creek ran for 5 years. People don't realize how important the teenage girl market can be until something unexpectedly becomes a huge commercial hit. Because Wicked defied all expectations, they're now hesitant to be too negative, so they won't look stupid for panning it if/when it's still running 10 years from now.

[massofmen]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:32pm

wonderful wizard i think you might have misspoke. Let's look at the popular musicals that were made from popular movies and see how they faired...let's seee...okay
Saturday Night Fever
Footloose
Wedding Singer
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (only lasted cause of Lithgow..after he left they were open for all of 4 months)
Hairspray (the only anomoly and that was already a movie musical)

so based on precedence...looks like your point is kinda disproved.

and it won't win best musical either. Ave Q won and you think that has touring and commercial value? It already falied horribly in Vegas and now its touring on a special agreement contract.
Millie won and it didn't even recoup its investment on bway and toured for all of a year on full production and then tiered.
Show will not win best musical. It will barely be nominated.
nominations:


SA
LoveMusik
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins

and the most commerical of that bunch? Mary Poppins. That would KILL on the road.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:34pm

There is so much to pull out of Brantley's review to sound like he loved it.
Reading all the reviews posted so far, they are in great shape.
Considering No Musical this year (except SPRING AWAKENING which is doing OK. but no Fireworks at the Box Office) has been praised by everyone, I think they are gonna be a Hit.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:35pm

I really do not see how Mary Poppins could tour. I see so many techincal elements thata re geared towards that specific theater.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:35pm

People compare this fanbase with that of the Wedding Singers. It is indeed a critic proof show and it is different from Wedding Singer because Wedding Singer's did not have a teen girl fanbase before it came out. It had to be developed which took months and by then, it was too late. I saw TWS multiple times in previews and the amount of fans that accumulated towards the end of the run was astounding. The stage door was quiet towards the beginning.

This show already has thousands of teen girls foaming at the mouth from the movie. Plus the Wedding Singer fanbase that will carry over and the multitudes of fangirls that already exist on Broadway.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:35pm

footloose was hardly a flop it ran for over 700 performances and has become massive around the world(since they changed the production from the mess what was on broadway) and is doing huge business here in the UK

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:37pm

I would think Mary Louise Wilson is the front-runner.


And, massofmen. This has been discussed to death on threads. You cite Avenue Q winning which WAS unexpected, but what about these:

Millie winning over Urinetown
Spamalot winning over any of the other nominees
POTO over Into the Woods
The Lion King over Ragtime.


And all the movies you listed got reviews worse than Blonde's (with the exception of Hairspray, which got some great reviews)
and for some of them (DRS, Saturday Night Fever) they're older movies that aren't as popular today. Blonde is very recent and still popular with a teenage fanbase. I will do well.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:37pm

THEATREDUDE

Your right poppins is going to be a nightmare to tour, the show closes in the UK next year and then heads out on tour with its massive sets but they are already finding that the tech aspect of touring a show like that is not going to be easy.

[fflagg]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:39pm

Touring be damned.

The Best Musical of the season is GREY GARDENS. For adults by adults.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:40pm

Poppins can't tour. Well, it can but I think it will lose some of its magic. For me, the beauty of Poppins lies in its magnificent sets and Disney tricks and I just don't see them being able to translate that as well on a tour. Legally BLonde has far more touring potential. Imagine the masses of teenage girls in every state that would flock to this show just seeing the name!

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:40pm

I'm very interested that Margo has no presence on this thread considering his vitriol towards the promotional clips from SF...