RAGTIME Reviews- Page 3

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 8:53pm

How the review reads is beside the point, most people will just look at the star count for easy reference.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 8:58pm

While I agree with you skittles, I just think it's interesting to note. Also, the USA Today star count is buried inside the review, so you have to look for it. A lot of people wouldn't see it unless they read the review anyway.

[Trish2]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 9:02pm

I don't mean to be a pessimist ( as i wish the show the best), but even aside from stellar reviews, do you really think the general public is going to clamor to see this show for years to come?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 9:04pm

"I don't mean to be a pessimist ( as i wish the show the best), but even aside from stellar reviews, do you really think the general public is going to clamor to see this show for years to come? "

No. But what show fills these qualifications nowadays anyway besides WICKED, BILLY ELLIOT, MAMMA MIA!, PHANTOM, and JERSEY BOYS? Practically any show that opens lately has an uphill climb ahead of them.
Updated On: 11/15/09 at 09:04 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 9:13pm

"I don't mean to be a pessimist"

HA.

And no, I don't, but that was never the point. Not every show needs to be the next Cats, Phantom or Les Mis just to be worthy of a Broadway run.

Updated On: 11/15/09 at 09:13 PM

[Trish2]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 9:30pm

Well sure thay can be worthy of it, but it's tough all over right now. It's more an issue of the state of the economy right now. I imagine the majority of people (with limited budgets) will pick shows with more familiar names and subject matter at this point in time.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:08pm

Oh, Matthew Murray. What a moron.
Matthew Murray is an idiot

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:08pm

Murray is VERY Negative, of course.

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/world/Ragtime2009.html

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:10pm

Real NY Times link

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:11pm

That WAS Brantley's review.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:11pm

I sometimes get the feeling that TheEnchantedHunter is a BWW alias for Matthew Murray.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:13pm

"The show is hardly one of Sondheimesque complexity." -- Ben Brantley, THE NEW YORK TIMES

There's a quote for the poster!

LOL!

P

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:14pm

That WAS Brantley's review.

You don't see that everyday, folks. *Bookmarks El Paso Inc. for the future*

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:18pm

While I think most of Murray's review is a bit harsh, I agree with his assessment of Noll.

"Noll mines none of Mother’s rebellious warmth, remaining a chilly cipher throughout - her rendition of the role’s traditional empowerment showstopper, “Back to Before,” is enthusiastically inert."

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:23pm

The El Paso thing was weird. Someone will be in trouble tomorrow.

I knew Brantley would never give it a rave, he had too many problems with the material itself.

But that quote stuck out to me as well: "The show is hardly one of Sondheimesque complexity." Ok. And Legally Blonde was? Brantley gave that a positive review. To use that as a negative against a show is such a cop-out unless it's applied across the boards.

frontrowcentre, that makes perfect sense.

Updated On: 11/15/09 at 10:23 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:25pm

For what it's worth, Theatermania is very positive (not that it matters)
Theatermania's review

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:30pm

I actually found that Noll radiated warmth when I saw the production and provided a stronger anchor for the show than Marin Mazzie, whom I adore, but who was chilly in the role. Mazzie's "Back to Before" is unbeatable vocally, but I didn't really buy into her journey.

Murray's review is almost nonsensical in places.... Ragtime has a smart book and even better score that "mistake epic grandeur for intimacy with erotic abandon"? Would a smart book and score do that? Does Ragtime's score mistake grandeur for intimacy? I think it embraces the epic aspect pretty wholeheartedly, though I would argue that there are truly intimate moments interspersed.

[morosco]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:31pm

I'm surprised Brantley didn't relish the 28 member strong orchestra.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:32pm

I know I will get killed for this, but I think LEGALLY BLONDE is a better score than RAGTIME. I really do. I will qualify this by saying I saw both shows in their original Broadway productions with the original casts. I think Laurence O'Keefe and Neil Benjamin (BAT BOY, SARAH PLAIN AND TALL and LB considered) are as close to this generation's Kander & Ebb as we have, and while RAGTIME's score may be A&H's best it does not mean it's to everyone's liking and I certainly prefer BAT BOY and LB to any whole score of A&H's though they can write some stirring anthems and lovely ballads. Hate me if you must, RAGTIME is definitely and no question a better show than LB or BB but I think O'Keefe's scores set out to do more and even if the LB score falls short of its goals it is more ambitious than the very anthemic and traditional RAGTIME score. Hate me if you must, it's just my opinion. For once Ben and I agree on something.

P

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:42pm

What time was the show today? How could the Brantley review appear in that El Paso thing so early and then pop up in the NY Times hours later? Something seems VERY odd here...will thread and posts be deleted...?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:44pm

I believe curtain was at 7 tonight but the reviews are usually done before opening night.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:45pm

Entertainment Weekly gives the show an A.

Positive overall, but Stephanie Umoh gets WALLOPED!

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20320112,00.html

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:46pm

What the **** is "rebellious warmth"?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:49pm

Wow, before this production I had no idea how many people loathed the Ragtime score.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/15/09 at 10:49pm

I don't understand how the Legally Blonde score "sets out" to do anything. It's so pedestrian. All the songs say the same thing - don't give up on your dream, you can do it, etc.

Ragtime has a nuanced, beautiful score with a brilliant use of repeated themes. Legally Blonde is trite and bland.

And that's all I have to say about that.