Rave Reviews for James Barbour in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

[eslgr8]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:39am

I went again tonight (that's me with sensational James Barbour in my latest avatar) and the show (already good when I saw the 2nd preview three weeks ago) is even better than it was the first time. The first fifteen minutes have been tightened; you move right away into the storyline, plus a lovely song (Home At Last) has been added for luminous Lynne Wintersteller to sing right at the top of the show, where music had been lacking. The showstopping Blood and Swash remains an Act 2 highlight, and Act 1 features the delightful Whitecliff by the Sea, She's a Damn Fine Wench, and All God's Creatures. But it's the gorgeous and deeply moving I Will Always Be There, This Emptiness Inside Me, and Another Time, Another Place that give the show its heart and soul. The LA Times panned it (so?) but deserved raves have come from LA Weekly, the Hollywood Reporter, and Backstage West. Click on the links below to read how good this show is. It's being extended through the beginning of August and will be workshopped in New York later this year!!!

HOLLWYOOD REPORTER:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000947890

BACKSTAGE WEST:
http://www.backstagewest.com/backstage/showguide/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000953980

LA WEEKLY:
http://www.laweekly.com/theater/theater_results.php?showid=3258&Sumbit.x=64&Sumbit.y=17

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 10:40am

Steven, thank you so much for those reviews. I love them.

Your pic with Barbour is great. Lucky guy.

By the way, do you know when will this show close? You said that the show extend to August.
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 10:40 AM

[QuiteSo]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 10:45am

I was wondering where he had gone, hah. I had heard he went to LA - fabulous, fabulous performer (and nice avatar with him!)

[fluerette]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 12:34pm

I'm so excited to see it! My friends and I are going next week.

[Sheri]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 1:28pm

I'm going next month and I can't wait to see it. As always thanks for your wonderful re-cap Steven. Great photo with James Barbour, BTW! Wish I could see him at the Hollywood Bowl with Kevin this August, but alas,... too little money and vacation time.

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 1:57pm

Sheri, me too. I want to catch him and Kevin in Camelot crazily.

I am thinking if it is possible that I can catch " Ghost" and " Camelot" together.
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 01:57 PM

[eslgr8]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 2:01pm

I believe it will be closing on August 7 now, which is exactly one week before Camelot. I'd much rather see James Barbour inches away than in the cavernous Bowl, so I'll try to catch TGAMM a third and final time at the end of the run, and skip Lerner and Lowe.
Steven (not Steve :))
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 02:01 PM

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 2:04pm

Damn! I make mistake again.

Forgive me, Steven.
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 02:04 PM

[WSStory]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 12:11am

I saw the 3:00 show today. I loved it. I think it needs a bigger theater. Good music, great performances all around. Any word of life after this production? I hope so! Go see it!

[eslgr8]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 2:29am

Yes, imagine how much better even it would be on a Broadway size stage. There will be a 4 week workshop in New York later this year and then they're going to do it in another city, but I don't recall where. I'm hoping to see it a third time right at the end of the run, to see the final result!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:26am

No link to the LA Times review? That's hardly fair, isn't it?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:53am

I adore Mr. Barbour, but in the picture from the production provided by Steven he looks so uninterested and detached. I truly hope that is not the case with his performance.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 11:27am

He's a ghost, and not particularly happy about being dead or having the widow Muir and her kids in his house. Don't read too much about his magnetic performance from the picture. (It was interesting for me to see that he doesn't smile when you take a fan photo with him. He looks good no matter his facial expression.)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 11:30am

Glad to hear that! Has anybody else noticed that Barbour seems to always play the misanthrope?

[ca_muzikgurl]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 11:53am

Having seen the show a couple of times, Barbour is far from detached and uninterested. The show really comes alive when he's on stage. He steals practically every scene he's in and he'll only get better with time.
As far as him not smiling, that depends on who is standing next to him.

[sanda]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 6:49pm

is there any other person who have seen the show? More review, please.

A desperate Barbour fan is crying 3000 miles away.

[fluerette]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 7:06pm

I saw it a few weeks ago and I really wanted to go again but it was sold out. I absolutly loved it. I though all of the actors did a wonderful job. It has been one of the most enjoyable shows I have seen! James Barbour was, of course, terrific. I agree, he did steal whatever scene he was in! I was quite sad I did not get to meet him after the show. I did talk to the other actors who were all very sweet! This show definitley deserves to go on Broadway.

[sanda]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 7:15pm

(wept my tears) Thank you so much.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:09pm

bumpidy bump bump....

Sorry guys for this bump but my Aunt just called me while she was at the JCC walking with her friend. They randomly started talking about mean and nice neighbors and it happened to come up that next door to my aunt's friend *who she walks with* lives...JAMES BARBOUR!!

Just thought that was a weird coincidence.

I personally never have heard of him but I am checking out his website now.

Oh- and I have to pat myself on the back for S.E.A.R.C.H.I.N.G. for this thread instead of starting a new one...

Have a good night everyone

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:28pm

James Barbour is soooooo smolderingly sexy. Mmmm. Love him in Assassins.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:50pm

It must be the "going up the bridge" and "getting clear" in Scientology that helps him smolder.