Pacific Overtures Reviews

[pab]

Pacific Overtures Reviews#0

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:19pm

They have started coming in:
Review

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#1

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:22pm

Linda Winer for Newsday

[grownupgroupie]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#2

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:24pm

Well those are some differing opinions!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#3

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:26pm

I wonder what Clive will have to say about this show. He's USUALLY right on the ball with his reviews.

[Merrydothe]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#4

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:30pm

My roomate just saw this last night. Apparently she sat in one ofthe front rows. She said it was very different, clever and interesting. She liked it a lot. The sets (the floating aspect) seemed so amazing. Whats the ticket situation with this? She said it was Limited Engagement? Im sure you folk have some info. Thanks in advance.

[pab]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#5

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:36pm

"Well those are some differing opinions!"

And that's what this board is all about.

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#6

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:37pm

Clive as in Clive Barnes? Well, I certainly have to disagree with you there- but a lot of my bias against him comes from how he reviewed Sondheim shows back when he was with The New York Times. He's an okay critic, just not my favorite.

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#7

Posted: 12/2/04 at 7:44pm

WARNING! This review is extremely spoiler-heavy.
Hartford Courant Updated On: 12/2/04 at 07:44 PM

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#8

Posted: 12/2/04 at 8:02pm

Theatermania

[VeuveClicquot]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#9

Posted: 12/2/04 at 9:59pm

Clive Barnes is a moron who knows nothing about musical theatre, and was nearly responsible for its downfall in the 1970s when he was the first string critic for the Times. (He hated "Follies," and preferred "Dude," which should give you an inkling about his tastes, or lack thereof).

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#10

Posted: 12/2/04 at 10:51pm

Talkin' Broadway

[VeuveClicquot]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#11

Posted: 12/2/04 at 11:08pm

Nice review from Mr. Murray.

I haven't seen the show, so I don't know whether I agree with him or not, but that was an extremely well written (not to mention entertaining) review. The "beige" concept was visceral, and well sustained throughout the course of his piece.

I wish that some of the "old horses" (Brantley, Barnes) at the newspapers would get replaced by better writers like Mr. Murray, who obviously has a clue about musical theatre, and the historical knowledge to back his opinions up.

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#12

Posted: 12/2/04 at 11:12pm

Eek. Murray's not my favorite, just because I seem to have disagreed strongly with him on a few occassions. But yeah, there's better writers outside the big NY dailies- I like Heilpern in the Observer and sometimes Marks in the Washington Post. Updated On: 12/2/04 at 11:12 PM

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#13

Posted: 12/2/04 at 11:27pm

Associated Press

[VeuveClicquot]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#14

Posted: 12/2/04 at 11:30pm

Interesting. Mr. Kuchwara seems to agree with Mr. Murray, down to minor details. I feel a consensus rising.

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#15

Posted: 12/2/04 at 11:44pm

Well, since the reviews are coming in, I feel free to speak.

SPOILERS!

This isn't a wonderful production, which really disappointed me after the transcendent evening of theater that was Assassins. I wouldn't call it beige, exactly...but it didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. If you're going to go Noh, go Noh. Some of the brasher elements reminded me a little more of Kabuki. I dunno.

Wong was okay but not exceptional- I thought he was strongest when telling the story of the courageous king. I wish he'd had that much force of personality throughout the rest of the show. Especially when he was revealed as the emperor right before "Next."

The most affecting moments in the show were the climax of "There Is No Other Way," which was very well-acted, the beginning of "Someone in a Tree," thanks to the lovely interplay between the the Boy and the Old Man, much of "Please Hello," and the allusion to WWII in "Next," which was just disturbing. More of the show needed to be like "There is No Other Way" - quiet, understated, and devastating.

I don't get why Manjiro is kept in the almost-dark while Kayama is singing "Bowler Hat." The contrast between them could have been staged better, I think. And I really didn't like the staging of "Four Black Dragons," but it's the only number that was that bad.

The ensemble deserves a lot of credit for their high energy in dancing, carrying screens around, trying to enunciate with giant fake noses, and playing their various roles. The actors playing Manjiro and Kayama could perhaps have done a bit more to clear up the fuzzy outlines of their characters, but considering how they were written, I can't blame them too much. And they all sang well.

The orchestrations, strangely, sounded the most tinny to me in some of the quiet numbers. But overall, considering the space restrictions of that theater, they did the best they could. And I can't deny the beauty of that score.

I loved the "island" aspect of the set design. And the lighting was very nicely done, as well. I'm probably forgetting some things, but I'm really sleepy. Feel free to yell at me if there's a huge hole in this. Updated On: 12/3/04 at 11:44 PM

[pab]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#16

Posted: 12/3/04 at 12:02am

New York Times

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#17

Posted: 12/3/04 at 12:13am

Nicely written review by Mr. Brantley- he managed to articulate some things I was thinking but couldn't write. Updated On: 12/3/04 at 12:13 AM

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#18

Posted: 12/3/04 at 12:18am

Washington Post

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#19

Posted: 12/3/04 at 12:21am

Bergen Record

[leomaxfrank]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#20

Posted: 12/3/04 at 2:26am

this is so sad...

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#21

Posted: 12/3/04 at 2:31am

Newark Star-Ledger

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#22

Posted: 12/3/04 at 2:32am

Here comes Clive...
New York Post

[MargoChanning]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#23

Posted: 12/3/04 at 2:37am

Plum,

I'm not seeing Pacific Overtures until the end of the month, so I can't weigh in one way or another about these reviews, but please don't ever downgrade your own particular gifts in these matters. I frankly find your opinions on theatre to be more perceptive, well-considered and interesting than Mr. Brantley's most of the time.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

[Plum]

re: Pacific Overtures Reviews#24

Posted: 12/3/04 at 2:45am

*blushes*

Thank you, Margo. That means a lot. If I was sleepy before, I'm borderline delirious right now (I've slept 6 hours in the past 3 days), and my thoughts on Pacific Overtures aren't terribly clear. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if that wasn't because the production itself was muddy. I knew what the point was beforehand, but I can't say it was driven home too well. A stronger staging of "Bowler Hat" would have been incredibly useful there, I think. But right now I really need to finish my essay and sleep...