Light in the Piazza Reviews- Page 6

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 10:39pm

Clive Barnes is truly worthless. Simon is one of the few reviewers that I like to read on a fairly consistent basis, even though I don't always agree with him. I think he's a smart man.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 10:50pm

Here's Clive on COMPANY:
"...The music is academically very interesting. Sondheim must be one of the most sophisticated composers to ever write Broadway musicals, yet the result is slick, clever, and eclectic rather than exciting. It is the kind of music that makes me say, "Oh, yeah?" rather than "Gee whiz!"...

Here's Clive on FOLLIES:
"...It has some of the best lyrics I have ever encountered...Sondheim's music comes in two flavors---nostalgic and cinematic. The nostalgic kind is for the pseudo-oldie numbers, and I must say that most of them sound like numbers that you have almost only just forgotten, but with good reason. The non-hit parade...gives little in return. It has all the twists and turns of yesteryear but none of the heart...The man is a Hart in search of a Rodgers, or even a Boito in search of a Verdi..."

Here's Clive on A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC:
"The real triumph belongs to Stephen Sondheim who wrote the music and lyrics. The music is a celebration of 3/4 time, an orgy of plaintively memorable waltzes, all talking of past loves and lost worlds. Despite the idea of a waltz-musical, which somehow suggests one of Strauss's, or the title, so redolent of Mozart, it seems that Sondheim is aiming at the lilt of Mahler...Good God--an adult musical!"

Here's Clive on PACIFIC OVERTURES:
"Sondheim's music is a style that might be called Japonaiserie (Leonard Bernstein quite often seems to be trysting with Madame Butterfly in the pit)...Musically, there is a disparity between Sondheim's operetta-like elegance and ethnic overlay, but even this succeeds with all its carefully applied patina of pastiche--that on demand can embrace Sullivan or Offenbach. Sondheim is the most remarkable man in the Broadway musical today--and here he shows it victoriously...the music and lyrics are as pretty and as well-formed as a bonsai tree..."

Here's Clive on SWEENEY TODD:
"Sondheim's score--the most distinguished to grace Broadway in years--owes more to Mahler, Alban Berg, and Benjamin Britten than Weill. The score is, of course, popularly intended, nothing highbrow, gorgeous lyricism...and lyrics as deft as Sondheim can make them...it will be talked about for years.

Even in this small sampling, not bad at all.
Updated On: 4/19/05 at 10:50 PM

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 10:55pm

It's good to know that he was semi-competent and "aware" of talent in his day - but Margo is right. He's too old! The attacks at Guettel's score and praise for the book only, show that he clearly wasn't attentive at Piazza.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:00pm

I noticed there were no pictures of Lucas at the opening night photo ops....were photographers ignoring him? or is he still pissed off he didn't get to direct...

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:24pm

"The attacks at Guettel's score...show he wasn't attentive at Piazza."
Barnes is hardly the lone dissenter on the score.

I find it very interesting and amusing that critics are bashed when their opinions don't align with the cheerleaders on Broadwayworld. I seem to recall a tirade against Howard Kissel not too long ago that vilified him up and down and around the block. But since he's written a valentine to TLITP, Kissel is suddenly, without comment, deemed worthy and quoted like scripture. Funny...
Updated On: 4/19/05 at 11:24 PM

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:26pm

i dont think anyones opinion is scripture.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:28pm

he was SLEEPING...that's enough for me to discredit his opinion of the show.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:30pm

Including the positive, I assume.

[Plum]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:33pm

I'm siding with MusicMan on this one. Isn't it funny how critics are the minions of Satan when they don't like a show board posters adore, but when they bash a hated show, they magically become the authority on all things theatrical? The critics haven't changed that much in the past year or so- only people's opinions have.
Updated On: 4/19/05 at 11:33 PM

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:49pm

A tip of the hat to Plum.

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:53pm

i dont think this one was posted...
USATODAY REVIEW

Posted: 4/19/05 at 11:58pm

NEWSDAY REVIEW

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:03am

VILLAGE VOICE

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:08am

this ones pretty rough.
JOURNAL NEWS

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:12am

Music Man - I totally agree with you. Well said.

For those of you that haven't read Broadway Abridged, most of the Bway Abridged scripts are better and more entertaining than the actual shows - it's a riot. I adore that site you should all check it out - especially WICKED and PIAZZA - PIAZZA's is perfect.

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:16am

THE COURANT

[Mattio98]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:17am

Yes, I have to agree with MusicMan as well. I have yet to find a reviewer with whom I consistantly agree. All I ask of a reviewer is that he/she be fair and open-minded when reviewing a show. However, I do take issue with people like Brantley because you can almost taste his bitterness even when reading one of his reviews....even the good ones! I take issue with him because he I find him to be very closed-minded, especially when it comes to musicals.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:23am

There is nothing wrong with the negative - but it should be justified and explained.

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:30am

i still cant find a reuters one, and i guess you need a subscription to check the wall street journal site. those are all the ones Margo mentioned I think. Are there others ive missed?

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:35am

Wall Street Journal will be out on Friday.

Feingold, per usual, gets it right. This is a man who loves and understands musicals and how they work. Another one for the scrapbook.
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 12:35 AM

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:46am

I've just been a little upset over this because I was batting a thousand for being completely out of sinc with the critical response to the shows I've seen - and then they have to go and almost like something I did. It will all be ok, however, as soon as they all come along and wet themselves over Streetcar, which drove me screaming from the theatre at intermission to the nearest bar. As soon as that happens, I'll be able to look on this as the exception which proves the rule.

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:57am

i dont think i read em often enough to know who i agree with most frequently or if I ever agree with any of em... i prefer to go to shows without reading critics opinions-- if anything im probably more likely to read opinions from posters here, but i still try to see shows without being influenced by it all. its only when shows like the producers which eVeRyOnE seemed to love did my opinion get colored, and with that I was disappointed in the end.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 1:08am

Feinstein's review is one I can definitely appreciate. Well-written and thorough.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 1:54am

DGrant, you hated STREETCAR?

[paradox_error]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 9:34am

I agree with MusicMan, except on one major point.

Most of the reviews I have read about LITP on this board have been negative. Positive reviews have been scarce, with Margo being one of the few people to be extolling the show's virtues.

On the contrary, it has received mostly positive reviews, with a few raves.

And many of the posters that said it was terrible have come on and said how much they disagree with the reviews, but no one commented.

But then when someone says that Clive Barnes doesn't know what he is talking about the SAME people that were disagreeing with the other reviews came back to defend him...

It makes you think...

And more than any other critic, I trust Margo's opinion.

He's usually spot-on.
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 09:34 AM