MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Reviews- Page 2

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:35pm

CoffeeBreak said: "GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "Damn those weekly grosses that just got posted..."

Sadly this one won't be around much longer. It costs so much and those grosses are damning for an early close. Sooner rather than later."

I mean...they were holding out for the reviews. They got ones that couldn't possibly be any better. It will be an uphill climb, but I bet they feel a lot better about things now than they did an hour ago. If reviews like these can't boost them, nothing can. We'll find out.

Kudos to the producers and production team who had faith in what they had.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:37pm

It’s just a shame that this show is seemingly destined to die a quiet death, rather than build up for some kind of future life with these notices. 

At least there’s the possibility of a cast recording?

[binau]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:38pm

Large claims from the from the NYtimes! It has probably convinced me to go...

“Maybe Happy Ending” a ravishing addition to the catalog of Broadway nerdicals. The term is high praise, honoring supersmart, usually small-scale shows — like “Fun Home,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Kimberly Akimbo” — that nevertheless have big emotional impact. This one, directed with breathtaking bravura by Michael Arden, gets bonus points for difficulty, too: Under cover of sci-fi whimsy, it sneaks in a totally original human heartbreaker.

Updated On: 11/12/24 at 02:38 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:50pm

DTLI Consensus: Most definitely one of the best new musicals to open on Broadway in years. 

13 positive (including the NYT).

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/maybe-happy-ending/#google_vignette

[TigerBait88]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:53pm

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "Damn those weekly grosses that just got posted..."

As has been said for three weeks now, the show was heavily papered for the entire preview run before the first preview performance even began. The weekly grosses have largely been identical every week because of this. The most important grosses for this show will be next week and the week after that. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:56pm

I’m getting last Tuesday’s grosses no matter where I look.

Excellent reviews for MHE. It will be a happy mood backstage! 

[binau]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 2:59pm

TigerBait88 said: "GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "Damn those weekly grosses that just got posted..."

As has been said for three weeks now, the show was heavily papered for the entire preview run before the first preview performance even began. The weekly grosses have largely been identical every week because of this. The most important grosses for this show will be next week and the week after that."

Yes but they likely only paper because they are trying to fill the houses as there is nothing that sucks the air out of a theatre like it being half empty so it's a good strategy to keep the atmosphere and build work of mouth.

Obviously, these reviews are pretty much the best case situation they could have ever hoped for and I'm a little shocked - I don't remember the last time a a show had these kind of unanimous reviews especially when the word of mouth on this board has been pleasant but not passionate. And now the NYTimes has just compared to 3 previous best musical winners?

I'm very curious to see if it's possible for this show to turn it around. It's an uphill battle especially this time of year but this will certainly be an interesting data point I can't wait to see what happens.

Updated On: 11/12/24 at 02:59 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:15pm

We didn't see this in Atlanta but did catch it in Seoul at Lifeway where it had similar critical acclaim.  Seeing here in ny we thought it was the same director Kim Dong-yeon and set designer as Seoul with more money.   The direction, staging and design are very similar with Broadway money.  The fireflies, traveling on suitcases, separated rooms, title projections, plant, circular windows on walls are quite similar.

Glad it made it across the pond we didn't know it was a different team on the show. The NY team must have seen video of the Seoul version.  It's too much the same.  There was also something special with an all Asian cast that made it very unique to the story which was clear even to our English speaking group. 

Maybe they can turn around the grosses here. It was a critic darling and award winner in S Korea.  It as a shame they didn't keep or use an Asian American director and cast.

Updated On: 11/12/24 at 03:15 PM

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:16pm

I can't recall such a lopsided ratio of just about 100% positive reviews to empty seats in years... Makes me sad as I was completely charmed by it and wish it a better financial fate. Also hoping for a cast recording here. 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:29pm

Seeing as everyone seems to be obsessed with the NYTimes reviews… maybe this one will quickly turn around its fortunes 

[Ravanne_1]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:35pm

If they are depending on the reviews to start filling the theater, then they'll have no excuse after this week to explain the dismal numbers MHE has been pulling. Their gross and capacity are up slightly this week (84.16% vs 78.15% and an increase of just over $3K for the week) but ticket prices are at total bottom basement (down to $44.79 this week). We're going to have to see if the positive reviews are going to get an audience. They're still posting discount codes so how much of an increase they're likely to see at the box office remains to be seen. But without a radical shift, MHE will join a lot of other critical darlings that died quick Broadway deaths.

[merle57]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:39pm

First new musical to receive unanimous raves in two seasons -- the Times favorably compares it to several recent Tony winners.  So happy for all involved, especially for Darren Criss who made such a passionate commitment to this show. Hopefully, the show will catch on since Broadway needs a warm, charming and moving musical. This has been a tough box office this fall except for McNeal and Sunset, so a new hit is very welcome. 

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:39pm

I cannot see a world in which grosses turn around, but this must be a massive encouragement to producers and investors everywhere who consider capitalizing shows not on the basis of financial viability but, simply put, to give poignant and original art a mainstream platform.

These reviews are a massive win for the industry. Makes me so happy to see!

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 3:44pm

it's a VERY minor uptick in grosses this week, but considering it was press week which probably resulted in more comps then usual, I'll take it.  Also furiously hoping that this magically catches on, though realistically despite these reviews they'd need a huge shift in marketing to get people interested.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 4:00pm

Financially, Kimberly is a bad comparison. This show costs a ton more. David Stone has lots more money than these producers that he was willing to pour into the show; Shubert was also willing to let him continue at a loss for a long long time.

Even if they go on waivers and slash $100K from the running costs to bring it down to 650ish, they’d still have to more than double the weekly gross, consistently.

How Shubert and the producers want to handle this remains to be seen. There’s a ton of shows in the pipeline. 

Updated On: 11/12/24 at 04:00 PM

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 4:26pm

NY Daily News/Chicago Tribune

BROADWAY REVIEW: ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ musical romance is far from robotic

https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/11/12/broadway-review-maybe-happy-ending-darren-criss-helen-shen/

[inception]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 4:27pm

Reading this thread makes me happy I cancelled my Tammy Faye ticket and got one for this instead later this week.

Even though it's chilly,  just seeing the sun shining instead of Pacific Northwest gloom has made this trip worth it already. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 4:31pm

Friends have been getting offers for papering all this week.  The balcony was open last week with papering and show didn't make full capacity.

[Dan6]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 4:46pm

7 shows on this trip so far (9 to go), and with the possible exception of Ragtime, this has been the clear highlight. So glad to see it getting the love it deserves, and I can only hope it makes a difference. I'm telling everyone I know not to miss it.  

[altonido]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 7:36pm

The three Tony-winning musicals that Jesse Green compares "MHE" to had one significant advantage: By the time they arrived on Broadway, "The Band's Visit," "Fun Home" and "Kimberly" had all received raves off-Broadway and had become hot tickets at their intimate venues.  They came to Broadway virtually guaranteed raves all over again and with NY theater audiences already familiar with the titles.  Even with its several previous productions, "MHE" came to Broadway as pretty much an unknown quantity, hence the low grosses during previews.   Let's hope that today's reviews turn it into a genuine "sleeper" hit.

Updated On: 11/12/24 at 07:36 PM

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 7:43pm

altonido said: "The three Tony-winning musicals that Jesse Green compares "MHE" to had one significant advantage: By the time they arrived on Broadway, "The Band's Visit," "Fun Home" and "Kimberly" had all received raves off-Broadway and had become hot tickets at their intimate venues. They came to Broadway virtually guaranteed raves all over again and with NY theater audiences already familiar with the titles. Even with its several previousproductions, "MHE" came toBroadway as pretty much an unknown quantity, hence the low grosses during previews. Let's hope that today's reviews turn it into a genuine "sleeper" hit."

This is an excellent point. You cannot arrive on Broadway these days without some sort of buzz and hype. An out of town 3-4 years ago doesn't provide momentum in a tight market full of known IP, revivals and Hollywood stars. I saw the show and thought it was a work of art. Maybe one too many endings, but worth supporting. I hope they find their audience. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 7:56pm

Holdren from Vulture weighs in with the first lukewarm review

When Robots Meet Cute: Maybe Happy Ending

https://www.vulture.com/article/theater-review-maybe-happy-ending.html

"If it sounds like I’m equivocating, it’s because I am a bit. On the one hand, Maybe Happy Ending does what it sets out to do, and the question is whether that’s what you come to theater for, or even just whether it’s what you’re craving on a given day. It’s sweet, it’s charming, it’s got jokes (“Okay, baby,” says Oliver loudly to Claire as they attempt to masquerade as a human couple at a cheap motel, quickly following it up with the helpful tip, “Human couples call each other babies”). If its songs are tuneful without being particularly revelatory, it’s no great loss, because neither do they feel like the true engine of the show, which is more driven by plot and character than by music. There are sparks of wit throughout — as when the robots open their mouths and let out a dial tone, or a stored recording of someone else’s voice, or that three-note progression that always precedes disappointing news. There are also moments of beauty: The sequence in which Claire and Oliver finally encounter the fireflies on Jeju unites set, video, and lights (by Ben Stanton) in a luscious swirl while also bringing a section of the production’s orchestra onstage to striking effect.

Then there are also the places your mind might wander."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 7:59pm

NY Post is a 4-star rave

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ review: Romantic robot musical is glorious on Broadway — really

https://nypost.com/2024/11/12/entertainment/maybe-happy-ending-review-romantic-robot-musical-is-glorious-on-broadway-really/

"Instead of predictable bombast, the tender musical’s many heartbreaking and uplifting moments sneak up on us and provide an increasingly rare sensation for a genre that has become formulaic and derivative: surprise."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 7:59pm

4 out of 5 stars from The Guardian

Maybe Happy Ending review: heart-grabbing robot Broadway musical

Darren Criss and Helen J Shen play advanced robots falling in love in an unusual and visually stunning show that could have afforded some better songs

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/nov/12/broadway-musical-maybe-happy-ending-review

[corninthesky]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 8:34pm

How do advance sales look?