Riedel - the pettiest man on Broadway

I find this truly nauseating today, from "those who can't be a critic, write columns" Riedel:

> "It's possible director Rob Jess Roth could get a special citation for Worst Direction in the History of the Broadway Musical"

However Lestat may have misfired, to attack Roth like this is just overwhelmingly mean as well as completely off-base. Many reviewers didn't like the music, lyrics and especially the book, but no major critic, especially Brantley in the Times and Barnes in the Post, laid into the director of the show. A number of critics said it had improved since SF, and one even commended Roth for "moving the show briskly along".

I wonder if Riedel is just jealous of Roth, or if he has a personal vendetta - and what could even be in it for him now, given Lestat's difficulties facing survival. Otherwise, it just seems the ultimate in being childish and petty.

Maybe we could give him some soup. That always makes me feel better when I am sick...

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I think the important thing to remember is that you're getting angies over a gossip columnist from the Post. Keep in mind from where the message is coming.
That said, many critics and commentators toss out the "so-and-so moves the proceedings along briskly" comments when they have nothing better to say about the direction. Roth hasn't really proved one of the great directors with his only other previous Broadway outing (Beauty and the Beast, it must be said, succeeds for many reasons besides the direction).

ETA: I don't want to make this sound like I am also attacking Roth. I haven't seen Lestat (have seen Beauty) so I can't comment on his direction for that.

Updated On: 5/5/06 at 08:31 AM

His column is what it is.

In person, he is very charming, nice, and knowledgable.

I find Ben brantley much, much more irritating and petty than Mr. Riedel...

I met him at a party once about 10 years ago when he was still writing for the Daily News. I thought he was a slimy little toad. Sure, he's entitled to his opinion, but he rubbed me the wrong way at that party when he trashed Christine Baranski, saying everything she did was just the Christine Baranski show, over and over again.

He's a nasty, crude little fellow. Napoleaonic even.

I thought it said "prettiest" too and so I got to thinking about who is the prettiest man on Broadway. Can we hijack this thread? I vote for Bradley Cooper (see above at Foster).

Isn't Roth's reputation pretty much built on "B&B," which could've been directed by any competent drone, considering Disney's micromanaging?

"Isn't Roth's reputation pretty much built on "B&B"

He was fired from "Aida" after it was deemed a disaster in it's Atlanta tryout, along with the writer who is also the same writer on this show.

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