SHE LOVES ME Reviews- Page 4

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 11:36am

I adore SHE LOVES ME and this revival; though it does seem like this musical holds an especially fond place in theatre lovers' hearts, that perhaps the public at large doesn't exactly get.  I've recommended the show to everyone, and frankly, a number of my friends who are not weekly theatre goers, thought it was just "fine." One was even fascinated about why I thought it was such a great musical.  And I guess that's why the show has never really had a commercially successful run, but how lucky are we that it has been presented on Broadway in near perfect productions each time.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 12:15pm

A dear childhood friend and I saw the '93 revival and went in not knowing anything about the show.  I remember as the curtain came down on that production, we both looked at each other and proclaimed that we loved it.  I liked this production even better, and I found myself just smiling from ear-to-ear throughout. I do hope it extends, because I would very much like to see it again.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 12:31pm

Well said Queen Alice and Joey. It is fascinating how SHE LOVES ME divides audiences.   For some, like myself, it's everything a great musical should be and more.  Poignant, funny, charming, warm, romantic, subplots and plot in delicious balance, sophistication without pretense, and perhaps best of all, a love story with protagonists who seem singularly suited to each other, both ideally and ironically.  In so many musicals we are asked to simply take as an article of faith that the romantic leads are destined for each other.  But Georg and Amalia are a completely different kind of pair.  Theirs is a meeting of hearts and minds before they even set eyes on each other; before they do all the things they ultimately do - meet cute, fight, bat eyes, flirt, exchange gifts, surprise, provoke and beguile each other, and finally fall in love in the flesh.     

For many others, it's just an ok show.  It's never been a huge hit yet it's a show that is so fervently beloved by so many people that it has a very special place at the top of the canon and is now getting its second highly acclaimed Broadway revival.   

The two camps were very much apparent at the preview performance I saw.  There was palpable enthusiasm mixed in with an equally palpable reception that might be labeled nonplussed - in both the correct but uncommon and incorrect but common senses of that word.  In short, it seems that many of us simply value everything SHE LOVES ME offers far more than many others do.  

Which is, as has been said, fine.  It is what it is.  Like oysters, it's not for everyone.  And it doesn't need to be.  But oh the pleasure it gives those whom it is for!

What surprises me, however, is that some posting here seem to have a low to modest appreciation for the score.    I simply find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't respond to these sublime melodies and exquisite lyrics.  Try as I might to accept that, it's a real challenge.

Updated On: 3/24/16 at 12:31 PM

[DeeKDee]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 2:18pm

PalJoey said: " 

I liked Zachary Levi, and I liked that he brings such an audience of teenage girls to the theater. (I had no idea Chuck left him such a big star.) 

"

As a much older fan of Chuck, I have found many of his younger fans know him as the voice of Flynn Rider in the Disney movie Tangled.  Chuck has also been on Netflix and has picked up fans there.

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 3:56pm

 

Well, it was delightful for me to discover him for the first time--and at the same time see the stage door thronged with kids (who weren't even born when the last revival was on Broadway!) discovering this wonderful old musical just because they came to see him.

 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 4:03pm

PalJoey said: " 

Well, it was delightful for me to discover him for the first time--and at the same time see the stage door thronged with kids (who weren't even born when the last revival was on Broadway!) discovering this wonderful old musical just because they came to see him.

 

 

"

YES!!!!

[Peter2]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 4:05pm

Could the disappointment some people feel about this wonderful show (count me among the people who love it to bits) have to do with changing times and the expectations that go along with them? I mean, if your favorite current musical brings down the first act curtain with this:

 

     Something has changed within me
     Something is not the same
     I'm through with playing by the rules
     Of someone else's game
     Too late for second-guessing
     Too late to go back to sleep
     It's time to trust my instincts
     Close my eyes and leap!
     It's time to try
     Defying gravity
     I think I'll try
     Defying gravity
     And you can't pull me down!

 

You might not know what to do with a musical whose first act ends with the heroine, abandoned and alone, singing forlornly:

 

     Charming, romantic, the perfect cafe
     Then as if it isn't bad enough, a violin starts to play
     Candles and wine, tables for two
     But where are you, dear friend?
     Couples go past me
     I see how they look
     So discreetly sympathetic
     When they see the rose and the book
     I make believe nothing is wrong
     How long can I pretend?
     Please make it right, don't break my heart
     Don't let it end, dear friend.

 

Mind you, I *like* Stephen Schwartz and don’t mean to “pull him down”! (Though I admit I don’t care for Wicked and find these particular lyrics really generic and terrible.) I’m just pointing out that most of the megabits on Broadway nowadays are in a style very different from the intimate and specific She Loves Me.

[mattyp4]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 6:29pm

Peter2 said: "Could the disappointment some people feel about this wonderful show (count me among the people who love it to bits) have to do with changing times and the expectations that go along with them?"

 

Well, I'm like one of the only people to express my disappointment in She Loves Me on this board.  So you're probably referring to me.  But I didn't really care for Wicked either.  I can appreciate the lyrics in She Love Me, but as a whole the show was a little too saccharine for my tastes. 

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 6:50pm

I think you're referring to the palate of a particular generation, Peter2. And in that context, you're observation is most definitely a valid one, but I think music plays a larger part than lyrics in determining what resonates with younger people. Scores with a modern, pop sound are the ones that more often appeal to that demographic. Regardless, it's great to read that Zachary Levi is incentive for younger audiences to take in this production of She Loves Me. Perhaps it'll open their eyes to a genre they never knew they'd enjoy, which is most definitely something to celebrate.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 7:08pm

mattyp4 said: "Peter2 said: "Could the disappointment some people feel about this wonderful show (count me among the people who love it to bits) have to do with changing times and the expectations that go along with them?"

 

Well, I'm like one of the only people to express my disappointment in She Loves Me on this board.  So you're probably referring to me.  But I didn't really care for Wicked either.  I can appreciate the lyrics in She Love Me, but as a whole the show was a little too saccharine for my tastes. "

 

But you didn't see the whole show, so you really aren't able to properly label the piece. A musical that has an act one finale with an attempted suicide and an abandoned lover lamenting loneliness and potential heartbreak is not overly saccharine. Sure by the end, the show is sweet as candy, but it certainly covers some deep themes. Also, I think it's a brilliant act one finale. Being that many golden age musical have big showstopping act 1 finales, a quiet and powerful solo to close the act is very refreshing and poignant. I am so glad that this revival has introduced me to this wonderful show, I am so enamored with it. 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/24/16 at 8:41pm

Ljay, I am right there with you. I discovered "Ice Cream" when I read that list of Sondheim's favorite showtunes and saw it on there. I remember checking out the OBCR from the campus library my first semester away in college, and didn't think much of it--I was 18 and was into stuff like CHICAGO, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and FOLLIES. SHE LOVES ME seemed kind of small when I was that young and so unaware of the artistry that characterizes some of the best musicals. But I still downloaded the music and once in a while, "Ice Cream" or "I Don't Know His Name" would come on, and once I remember paying attention to the actual lyrics and the performances and I fell in love with those two songs but didn't listen to anything else from it. Little by little, I started listening to more and more songs over the years, and by the time the revival was announced--basically a decade later and all that comes with that--I was completely charmed by the score and was so excited to see it live.

However, I had no idea what the book was like or how the songs emerged, and I definitely wasn't prepared to be so floored by its beauty and joy and artistry and by how melancholy it is. I certainly can't see how it could be described as saccharine for the reasons you mentioned. Not sure how it is usually played but Amalia's takedown on Georg during the dinner scene is harsh and cuts deep. When he sings "yesterday I loathed her," you believe it; when she sings "I was so nasty...well, he deserved it...but even so..." we, as the audience, believe those lyrics because we have seen it. I thought the cast and especially Scott Ellis did a fantastic job at grounding every scene in emotions and sentiments that felt very real to me without sacrificing the sweeping romanticism and charm that permeates every single moment (no let's make things dark or gritty or silly for the sake of it--I will never get over that god awful Broadway revival of GUYS & DOLLS). When Krakowski sings "I Resolve" in tears, I was surprised since Barbara Baxley sings it as more of a comedic song in the OBCR. So personally I was as enamored by it (to borrow your word, Ljay) as I was surprised by how touched I was by all the emotions. And I will unabashedly admit that my eyes got misty at the end, I loved the way Benanti and Levi play the finale.

Oh and can we stop acting like mattyp4 needs to be in some sort of support group? Can people not take criticism anymore? This is the kind of silly mentality that drove some of the great posters of the board like Phyllis and Namo away.

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 1:31am

After having listened to the cast recording from the 90s version lo these many years, I finally saw it tonight. Absolutely wonderful. Watching Benanti sing "Will He Like Me" and Levi sing the title number (among so many others)....just wow! Funny. Heartwarming. Lush. And the music and lyrics are simply brilliant. What a great old musical with a cast that is hitting it out of the park!

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 2:11am

I discovered "Ice Cream" when I read that list of Sondheim's favorite showtunes and saw it on there.

Off topic, but does anyone have a link to that list? I'd very much like to read that.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 2:36am

This thread discusses the subject! https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=916273

The place I read the list was the book Sondheim on Music. The album Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim used part of the list, and I know that one of the many concerts for his 70th birthday was one including a setlist of these songs...I believe there were plans to record but I know it was never released.

Updated On: 3/26/16 at 02:36 AM

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 2:59am

Thank you, gypsy!

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 9:48am

Saw the show last night with my daughter. A lovely night at the theater, a crowd pleaser. The cast is excellent. They really click. I'm recommending this to everyone. Don't go expecting groundbreaking theater or dance numbers. Go with the mindset of enjoying a funny show with great singing and performances. There are a couple fun extras too. No spoilers, 'nuff said. 

[Peter2]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 2:43pm

mattyp4 said: "Well, I'm like one of the only people to express my disappointment in She Loves Me on this board.  So you're probably referring to me.  But I didn't really care for Wicked either.  I can appreciate the lyrics in She Love Me, but as a whole the show was a little too saccharine for my tastes. "

 

Actually, I didn't have any one person in mind--nor did I mean to impugn your taste or anybody else's. In, fact, I was most of all thinking of a couple young relatives, high school girls, who visited me here in New York a while back and saw several performances. They loved Wicked, but thought The King and I was boring. Fine about enjoying Wicked (my aversion to it is my loss, I'm sure), but I just can't comprehend finding The King and I boring, either dramatically or musically, especially in such an excellent production. 

 

I think Cupid Boy2 is right--pop-based musicals are the thing today, ready-made for amplification, and it's only natural younger audiences would respond to this; whereas traditional shows like The King and I and She Loves me were written for an acoustical world (even if amplification is used nowadays), with a more classical (old-fashioned) sound coming out of the orchestra. With traditional shows like this, I think you have to lean in a little more--they're not meant to wipe you out. 

 

But sorry, I'm getting way off the topic of this thread, so let me come back to She Loves Me. One of the things I love about it is that every single song is specific to the character and the dramatic moment. Each one is placed just so, and a song in the first act might not have a payoff until the second act. Bock & Harnick didn't even try to create a standard, a big hit. I also love the structure--to me, it's even better than the great old movie--with the first act where all these nice, likable people for some reason argue and become more and more disagreeable. You don't really understand why until you get towards the end of the act. Then comes that utterly wonderful second act, where misunderstandings are cleared up, friendships renewed, and romances blossom. The warmth and charm of it are just irresistible. It's my dream of how real life should be.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 3:13pm

I'm not quite sure its a generational thing - not at least what I was referring to about SHE LOVES ME being a show that theatre lovers love, but that mainstream audiences are a little apathetic too. Commercially, the show has never caught on with the public. Even in the 1960s the original Broadway and London productions both closed in a matter of months at a total loss despite good reviews.

Updated On: 3/25/16 at 03:13 PM

[woeisme3]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 11:43pm

Saw this tonight- it was absolutely delghtful in every way. It deserves best revival- I hope we get a cast album so bad!

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 3/25/16 at 11:55pm

I just got to see this tonight. There's not much to say that hasn't been said. This was my first exposure to the show besides the songs Vanilla Ice Cream and Will He Like Me? I thought this was a perfect production of a perfect show. The direction, choreography, and design were all first rate and really added to the magic and beauty of this show.

 

Laura Benanti was a rapturous revelation as Amalia and embodied everything I love about the musical theatre. Zachary Levi, whom I had never seen perform before, made me completely fall in love with him. By far one of my favorite leading men in a musical I've seen in awhile. Jane Krakowski was so lovable and hilarious and her I Resolve was so heartbreaking. Also, those legs! Gavin Creel has such a glorious voice and charisma for days. I adored him even when I hated him. Michael McGrath, Byron Jennings, Peter Bartlett, and Nicholas Barasch were also all very charming, funny, touching, and endearing. Really, I fell in love with the entire cast and all of their characters. If I could go work in that parfumerie, I would.

 

I really hope they record an album because I want to relive these performances, especially Ms. Benanti's, forever.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 3/26/16 at 12:29am

I fear that charm and sophistication are somewhat lost on general audiences nowadays.  They're used to their entertainment being fast paced and tightly packaged and have trouble relaxing into the more leisurely, thoughtful qualities of a gem like this one. 

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 3/26/16 at 6:10am

Talking about the show with my daughter, she summed it up this way, "Like the chocolate mentioned at the beginning, and the ice cream in the second act, the show was sweet and delicious."

[devonian.t]

Posted: 3/26/16 at 7:02am

I know this will sound snobbish, but I think the thing is that the mainstream 'romantic' musicals are bombastic, shouting their emotions in Andrew Lloyd Webber belt-style, so that the audience gets spoon-fed every character's arc.  'She Loves Me' allows the audience to meet the characters half way.  Sadly, a lot of the popular audience just isn't that clever.  (Don't want to get political, but just look).

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/26/16 at 10:21am

I fear that charm and sophistication are somewhat lost on general audiences nowadays.  They're used to their entertainment being fast paced and tightly packaged and have trouble relaxing into the more leisurely, thoughtful qualities of a gem like this one.

 

This is actually what Hal Prince said about audiences in 1963 when he was lamenting the early close of the original production of SHE LOVES ME.  In his context, he meant that audiences then wanted bigger spectacle and fast paced comedy (this was the era of HELLO DOLLY, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS, etc).

[forgetmenotnyc]

Posted: 3/27/16 at 12:07pm

I enjoyed myself Wed. night  March 23rd - but did find the lyrics for the bright uptempo group numbers to be unintelligible. In other words, I think you will find yourself enjoying this show more if you do some homework and listen to the cast albums a few times first. IMHO, that's part of the reason that this is being called a musical for music theater enthusiasts...people who have already analyzed it's music are going to be the ones who hear and comprehend it clearly.