"STEEL MAGNOLIAS" Review Thread!- Page 2

[Matt_G]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:11pm

You're absolutely right, Munk.

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:17pm

"Despite an ensemble featuring high-profile veterans of stage, film and television, sitting through "Steel Magnolias," which is set in a beauty parlor in a small town in Louisiana, is like watching nail polish dry."

Hey Matt!! Whatta you think of the reviews so far? I must've written them ALL

[Matt_G]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:18pm

Except for one or two, I think they're good. Thanks for asking!

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:19pm

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Updated On: 4/4/05 at 11:19 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:19pm

I haven't seen this production, but you do have to admit that they don't have the strongest material in the world to work with...

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:26pm

So, 3 extremely positive reviews so far. I really want this show to do well.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:35pm

Doesn't matter one bit what the other reviews sad, Brantley is GOD in the theatre world, and that review will resonate louder than ever at the box office! Hate that its a fact, but it is.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:39pm

Well, what do you think of Brantley's cold review of LA CAGE then?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/4/05 at 11:41pm

Umm, I have one word for you...

DEMOCRACY????????????

[Razz77]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:05am

Yes I wouldn't say that Brantley's words alone can make or break a show -- he gave near-raves to both "Democracy" and "Gem of the Ocean" and they have both seen extremely short lives...Also - his so-so reviews for All Shook Up left it playing at almost 100% capacity last week and all of the scathing reviews of Good Vibrations are still managing to keep it in the 70s. I wouldnt say a negative review from Brantley would flatout kill this production of "Steel Magnolias", especially with the built in fanbase, positive word of mouth, and relatively positive reviews in other sources. I really hope this production does well..

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:07am

Exactly. With a show like STEEL MAGNOLIAS, it's popularity is enough to get people to buy tickets. With SPAMALOT, even if it got terrible reviews, I'm pretty sure it would still be a hit.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:09am

Brantley LOVED Democracy and for a PLAY it did FABULOUS business. Until Recently, when as most plays do after about 6 months or so, faltered...they dont have the staying power. Unless they are limited runs they need STELLER reveiws to pull them through, especially from BB. Steel Magnolias Advance, in my guess, won't look as pretty tomorrow because of Ben's review. The NY theatre going auidence, and it is sad to say, (and not EVERYONE is like this, but believe me they do exist) listens to that one man about their ticket buying habbits. Democracy did QUITE well out of the gate and it was because of his review. GEM OF THE OCEAN faultered big time, and while the review was respectable it wasn't a winner. The life of the play on Broadway depends on his review.
Updated On: 4/5/05 at 12:09 AM

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:10am

wow. i'm very surprised about some of the great reviews this show is getting after people's opinions here on this board. but i want it to do well. yay for frances sternhagen!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:11am

I'm glad to see that you know so much about how things actually work on Broadway. So, since you seem to predict the future of every Broadway show based on BB's reviews, tell me, what will happen with DRS? WICKED?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:14am

Munk, where your bitterness comes from twords me is beyond me. I say what I think just like everyone else, just because you disagree with me on MOST things, doesnt mean you need to lambast me with sarcasm. Anyway...Musicals are a whole different story.

Back to the subject at hand...I didn't HATE Steel Magnolias, just didnt think it was all that great of a production, and agreed for the most part with Bens review. Glad it is getting some good words said about it, but not the raves this production could have recieved. Updated On: 4/5/05 at 12:14 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:17am

Ben Brantley doesn't make or break shows, but I think that perhaps along with Kuchwara, he's one of the few critics who has a good possibility of being a factor in the fate of a production.

And as for this production- I didn't even realize it was happening until a couple of weeks ago. My interest level hasn't risen since. Updated On: 4/5/05 at 12:17 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:17am

No, it just means that I'm right. But to say that the success of plays depend on Brantley's review is irrelevant.

The Graduate - had a GREAT run - got terrible reviews
Democracy - amazing reviews, not a great run
Gem of the Ocean - amazing reviews, terrible run
Retreat from Moscow - nice reviews, not a great run
Anna in the Tropics - Pulitzer price, nice reviews, bad run

There are others, I just don't see how your theory measures up...

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:20am

Im not turning this thread into this...its for Steel Magnolias, and it deserves to be the main focus. All I said was Brantleys review will resonate loudly at the Box Office and I stand by that.

[Plum]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:25am

How can you ever prove that? See, I think that this show is going to have crappy BO because it's a play with almost no hype in a crowded season. If it closes in a few weeks, who's to say what caused it? No one takes a survey asking people why they didn't buy tickets to a show.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:28am

It has a crappy BO, because most plays, like it or not, do terribly on Broadway unless they have a huge star. It's not reviews that break a show, it's just the level of interest is low for plays.

[Plum]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:29am

*chough*Twelve Angry Men*cough*

Just saying...it's possible to have a play survive with no big star.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:31am

No, I'm agreeing with you. There are those that enjoy nice runs. I think MAGNOLIAS will run longer than something like GEM, not not quite as long as PROOF or 12 ANGRY MEN. It has more of an interest than something like ON GOLDEN POND.

[Plum]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:33am

Gem deserved so much better. You don't think On Golden Pond will be helped by James Earl Jones?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:34am

ok. enough you two.
some of these reviews are impressive, some not.
but to me what that divide says is that reviewers are judging the work much more than the production and/or performances.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:58am

No, I don't think JEJ will help ON GOLDEN POND at all. With the tons of other plays and new musicals on Broadway, if I were coming to New York to see shows, I wouldn't even think twice about ON GOLDEN POND. It's just not appealing, and I think even with JEJ, it won't hang around for very long (for a play.) To be honest, the only thing I've seen him do before was THE SANDLOT or something like that. Most of my generation knows him from the Verizon commercials and nothing else. It's one of those shows that I'm not really exicted to see, but I'll see it anyway. I think most people feel like that, but I might be VERY wrong.