Reviews... what do you think?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:29am

So I was looking at the post about "What went wrong with Little Women" and I thought that it had a lot to do with the negative reviews that it got. A friend of mine really wanted to see the show, but her father didnt because he read poor reviews, saw it anyway, and loved it.

So do reviews seem to kill shows? Does anyone think they should be stopped so that people can develop their OWN opinion on shows so that they can live?

I know this will absolutely NEVER happen... but what do you think?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:31am

I think stopping them might be just as counteractive as what they actually do. It's a bit of a vicious cycle, sometimes good and sometimes bad. If there were no reviews at all, you could run into the same problem of people having no idea what to go see - then, maybe a tiny little show that truly deserves to be seen but never gets the publicity of a huge musical with star power, etc, would be hidden.

I think the bigger problem is in the nature of a lot of the criticism, but that's something that we could go on about for years.

Then again, I'm biased. I want writing them to be my job.

Updated On: 5/29/05 at 11:31 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:33am

Sorry to get off topic - but are you Act4Ever from Musicals.net?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:39am

No I'm not. ...At least I dont think so (Could have signed up a long time ago, but I dont post there or anything.)

And Emcee, you made a very valid point. Such shows like Avenue Q or Spelling Bee may have never even made it to the Great White Way if it wasnt for their reviews Off-Broadway.

Maybe somethng like only highlighting positives? Lol... I dunno... I just think certain shows would have been seen more with out poor reviews.

[riv]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:40am

I've thought for a long time that, by and large, the same critics should not be reviewing both straight plays and musicals. Newspapers and magazines should have two different people doing them.

Or at the least, send a music critic along with a drama critic to review musicals. Similar to the way many papers sent both their drama critic and opera critic to review Porgy And Bess when it originally opened back in 1935.

Interestingly, this past season saw the New York Daily News send both their theater and film critic to Spamalot, and additionally had one of their music critics attend All Shook Up along with Howard Kissel. Both shows received two reviews. I'm all for that kind of approach.

Updated On: 5/29/05 at 11:40 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:41am

Well, either way, Act4ever, this is a huge catch-22. If we only highlight the positives, what about stuff that truly is bad? Good Vibes... etc.

I think criticism is really important, though, and a big part of art as an institution, especially when it's become so commercial. All of these things are sort of a big domino effect.

Updated On: 5/29/05 at 11:41 AM

[Act4ever]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:44am

yeah... wishful thinking for the shows I'm gonna miss, I know. But I guess that is the beauty of theatre.

[bwaybaby891]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:47am

I don't think that reviews kill shows because if they did, Wicked would've closed before it opened. Reviewers hated it but it stayed open and has been playing to 100% capacity for a long time.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:51am

I think the idea of reviews killing shows is kind of dependent on the show. Wicked is something that's going to be a tourist draw - it's huge, elaborate, eye-popping. Its subject is something almost everybody knows. Bad reviews weren't going to change that. The reviews were mixedish, though, weren't they?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:55am

yeah... they were mixed. More negative, though - i think.

Regardless - not many shows are bigger than Wicked. Chitty wasnt nominated for a Tony, but the classic flying car (and Raul, of course) and gonna bring in audiences! Regardless of what the reviews say

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 11:56am

God, I hope so.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 12:03pm

The only thing that kills a show is people not buying tickets. That's it. If people want to read reviews and base their theatre-going on the opinions of critics, that's their business. Many shows with poor reviews have managed to market themselves into commercial hits.

But I think it's a critic's responsiblility to be objectively descriptive enough so that even if they dislike a show they can interest those who may enjoy it. Peter Filichia always says that his job is that of a matchmaker -- he matches up audiences with the shows they're most likely to enjoy, no matter what his own opinion may be. I try to emulate him whenever possible.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 12:04pm

If people actually listen to the reviews, then they're narrowminded. People need to start forming their own opinions. I can't tell you how many times I've agreed with people on here and disagreed with them on different shows. It's just a matter of taste.

[Act4ever]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 12:23pm

Well thats almost exactly what Im talking about. For someone who is untheatre savvy who is going to NY for the first time and wants to see a Broadway show - they may have no other source on how they should spend their $100 than reviews. Then those people (mainly tourists, not your average theatre goer) dont buy those tickets (that keep a show a live) and then the show closes.

I mean, when people ask me what to see I always give my opinion. Then I proceed to tell them to look up all the shows and go to the one that seems like they would most enjoy. Unfortunately, your average American wouldnt a. think of that on their own, and b. know where to find that information.

[riv]

Posted: 5/29/05 at 12:23pm

It's fine to say folks are narrow-minded and need to form their own opinions, but they have to see the product first. In the case of Broadway, we're typically talking about spending considerable money. This isn't like the movies where it's thought to be no be deal to sit through a mediocre one because you've only wasted ten bucks. It's easy to blow off critics when you only squander a small amount on a film. On Broadway, you can be out $100. Considering that, you can bet people will still listen to critical appraisal and be very careful about picking and choosing.