No Porgy and Bess reviews thread? — Page 2
#27
Posted: 1/13/12 at 12:23am
Sorry come Tony time the lead girl from ONCE will be walking away with the award and Jan's bag....
#29
Posted: 1/13/12 at 1:00am
Just home from the opening and party. There are powerful performances onstage at the Richard Rodgers.
#30
Posted: 1/13/12 at 3:07am
How long do we have to wait for the cast recording? 
#31
Posted: 1/13/12 at 3:16am
Norm vs. Raul?
Audra vs. Jan?
Audra vs. Jan?
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
#32
Posted: 1/13/12 at 4:29am
again cristin milioti will be walking away with the tony
and by the way im not sure why people are freaking about Jan Maxwell performance, it was far from tony worthy.....
and by the way im not sure why people are freaking about Jan Maxwell performance, it was far from tony worthy.....
#33
Posted: 1/13/12 at 7:51am
I think it's Elena Roger v. Audra. All indications are that Elena Roger is truly amazing in this role.
#35
Posted: 1/13/12 at 10:48am
"and by the way im not sure why people are freaking about Jan Maxwell performance, it was far from tony worthy....."
You're one of the few who think that.
Personally I think Jan gives a truly great performance and I hope she wins a Tony for it. As for Porgy and Bess, not even an incredible performance by Ms McDonald could get me to see the cliff notes production of an American Classic.
You're one of the few who think that.
Personally I think Jan gives a truly great performance and I hope she wins a Tony for it. As for Porgy and Bess, not even an incredible performance by Ms McDonald could get me to see the cliff notes production of an American Classic.
#36
Posted: 1/13/12 at 11:19am
I saw it and really enjoyed it. I have not seen the full version so I have nothing to compare it with. Would love to see it now.
This is not a bad show. The evening I saw it there were a lot of students in the audience. I think this is a great introduction for them to the piece itself and to theatre. Hopefully, in the future, they will be able to experience the entire piece.
I have to agree with the "thinness" of the sound of the orchestra. After looking in the pit, I expected the sound to be fuller than it was.
It's a hard call as to who should get the Tony, if McDonald & Mawell are nominated. I can see votes cancelling them out and another actress getting the award. JMO
This is not a bad show. The evening I saw it there were a lot of students in the audience. I think this is a great introduction for them to the piece itself and to theatre. Hopefully, in the future, they will be able to experience the entire piece.
I have to agree with the "thinness" of the sound of the orchestra. After looking in the pit, I expected the sound to be fuller than it was.
It's a hard call as to who should get the Tony, if McDonald & Mawell are nominated. I can see votes cancelling them out and another actress getting the award. JMO
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#37
Posted: 1/13/12 at 1:53pm
The aggregation of the 18 reviews on Curtain Critic is actually mostly positive. Scored a 75 overall: http://www.curtaincritic.com/Shows/THE_GERSHWINS__PORGY_BESS_REVIEWS-90.html
#38
Posted: 1/13/12 at 1:54pm
Was looking at the photos -- was the party at Sleep No More? Because that's awesome.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
#39
Posted: 1/13/12 at 2:54pm
The Tony for best lead female is a bit of a quandary this season, seems to be the hardest category to judge, my guess there will be a scatter-gun season this year.
#40
Posted: 1/13/12 at 3:52pm
What is Terry Teachout talking about? WSJ:
"Norm Lewis is vastly more convincing as Porgy, though his part has been rewritten to disguise the fact that he couldn't have sung the opera-house version (he doesn't have the high notes)."
Haven't seen the show, but Porgy is a bass-baritone role, and Lewis is pretty much a bari-tenor, yes? Isn't it the LOW notes that would be a problem, particularly projecting them in an opera house?
"Norm Lewis is vastly more convincing as Porgy, though his part has been rewritten to disguise the fact that he couldn't have sung the opera-house version (he doesn't have the high notes)."
Haven't seen the show, but Porgy is a bass-baritone role, and Lewis is pretty much a bari-tenor, yes? Isn't it the LOW notes that would be a problem, particularly projecting them in an opera house?
#41
Posted: 1/13/12 at 5:59pm
Surely Terry Teachout means LOW notes?
One of the many disconcerting things about the current Porgy And Bess is how the melody of "I Got Plenty Of Nothin'" is rewritten so that Norm Lewis can sing it.
One of the many disconcerting things about the current Porgy And Bess is how the melody of "I Got Plenty Of Nothin'" is rewritten so that Norm Lewis can sing it.
Behind the fake tinsel of Broadway is real tinsel.
#42
Posted: 1/13/12 at 9:59pm
Negative from Martin Bernheimer, the Financial Times' opera critic:
"George Gershwin’s creation bears little resemblance to the showbizzy diminution concocted here ...
"It makes barbaric cuts, reducing the daring sprawl to just two and a half hours. It takes arrogant liberties with the music, adding and subtracting at will. It alters characters and relationships, reshapes the plot. It replaces a symphonic orchestra with a sleazy pit-band, compounding the insult with slurpy arrangements..."
"In all, this dumbed-down Porgy favours pizzazz over fidelity. Less than a sometime thing, it celebrates plenty of nothing in dubious ways."
FT Review
"George Gershwin’s creation bears little resemblance to the showbizzy diminution concocted here ...
"It makes barbaric cuts, reducing the daring sprawl to just two and a half hours. It takes arrogant liberties with the music, adding and subtracting at will. It alters characters and relationships, reshapes the plot. It replaces a symphonic orchestra with a sleazy pit-band, compounding the insult with slurpy arrangements..."
"In all, this dumbed-down Porgy favours pizzazz over fidelity. Less than a sometime thing, it celebrates plenty of nothing in dubious ways."
FT Review
#43
Posted: 1/13/12 at 10:35pm
Another review from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/theater/did-the-gershwins-porgy-and-bess-meets-its-goal.html?_r=1&hpw
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/theater/did-the-gershwins-porgy-and-bess-meets-its-goal.html?_r=1&hpw
#44
Posted: 1/20/12 at 9:35am
I see most shows with my friend Jeff, and he writes rather detailed reviews of them for his blog. I'm going to start posting them from time to time in these threads, after the opening night bustle of activity has died down.
REVIEW: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
REVIEW: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
#45
Posted: 1/20/12 at 1:44pm
the Huffington Post review: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/theater-glorious-porgy-an_b_1219403.html?ref=tw
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