I hate Davd Cote's reviews in Time Out NY-- they have a very limited word count in that magazine and he wastes half his reviews on flowery nonsense trying to be clever when he could use those words to actually review other facets of the production.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
The charming, irresistible musical "She Loves Me" opens with a group of people arriving for work one midsummer day and dreaming of playing hooky. Thank goodness they don't.
An astounding cast, a nifty story and memorable songs turn this revival into a celebration of classic musical construction. It's worth skipping work to see.
Director Scott Ellis, who helmed a revival in 1993, does so again as part of the Roundabout Theatre Company's 50th anniversary celebration. His last version actually ran longer than the 1963 original and helped repopularize it.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
It’s one month late for Valentine's Day, but Roundabout Theatre Company's enchanting staging of She Loves Me sends a message straight to the heart of romantic musical comedy lovers. Designed as a pastel-colored, art nouveau jewel box, the 1963 show has been directed by Scott Ellis with effortless buoyancy and sophistication. It's also ideally cast, with an ensemble led by Laura Benanti, whose silvery soprano was born to sing this role. Add in Zachary Levi, projecting throwback charm with winning confidence, and Jane Krakowski in top form and you have a revival that will delight admirers of this musical favorite while providing a perfect introduction to those encountering it for the first time.
Vulture is Positive with something interesting to note about the orchestrations,
The orchestration for 21 players has been reduced to 14. This is, admittedly, quite an improvement over the 1993 orchestration for eight; much of the music in that production was synthesized.
Hoping for a love letter from Brantley for Ms. Benanti!
Incidentaly, I think all raves, which do not contain any negativity towards individual actors, should come with the disclaimer "This review has been approved by Patti Murin."