SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews
SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews
SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#1
Posted: 10/1/09 at 1:20am
Post 'em here!
"Haunted by loss and mindful of the consequences of his long-ago escape from the Vietnam draft, Arthur Przybyszewski (Michael McKean) toils away, making good doughnuts at the shabby Uptown shop that his late Polish father once ran," begin production notes. "Enter Franco (Jon Michael Hill), a 21-year-old kid with dreams to spare: he wants to make some money, satisfy a financial debt, improve the shop and generally be heard."
SUPERIOR DONUTS - Mr. Letts' first play back on Broadway since August: Osage County began preview performances at The Music Box Theater on September 16, following its 2008 world premiere incarnation by Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.
The Superior Donuts cast includes Steppenwolf ensemble members Yasen Peyankov and James Vincent Meredith, with Jane Alderman, Kate Buddeke, Cliff Chamberlain, Michael Garvey and Robert Maffia, all reprising the roles they originated.
The absolute to cast and crew - Break legs, all!
Best,
- Mike 
Stand-by Joined: 5/13/03
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#2
Posted: 10/1/09 at 1:33am
I saw the show tonight....I don't have a playbill so I don't know anyones name except the leads and I am still marinating in the show but here are my thought
I had a BIG of problem with these inner monologue moments that McKean's character often goes in and out of. I don't remember anything he said in any of the SEVERAL because they completely took me out of the story line. I could see them starting or ending each act, a la Beverly in AOC, but they just happen abruptly and sound like someone reading paragraphs from a book and less like insight into McKean's character.
Also- The TERRIBLY SLOW and OBVIOUSLY fake fight choreography killed me. It doesn't help that the fighting is between older gentlemen who probably aren't super limber.
Other than that, I found it interesting. NO WHERE NEAR as brilliant as AOC. Loved Jon Michael Hill. We wll be seeinf more from him for sure. I thought the guy playing the Russian dude needed a bit more time to settle into his character - they didnt seem like one as people. Still felt really put on. And the Cop lady talked too much with her hands which seemed very unnatural and kind of annoyed me.
I was entertained and certainly laughed out loud but it reminded me too much of American Buffalo (which I saw someone else mention in another thread...therefore making me feel less bad about having that opinion). I really wanted to love this and I will probably forget all about it by the weekend.
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#2
Posted: 10/1/09 at 1:58amI'm looking forward to Brantley and Simon on this one. I liked the play very much, but not enough to see it beyond one more time, which surprised me. It has great beauty, but it seems like it needed one more final draft.
Feb. 28 - Looped, Feb. 28 - Next to Normal, March 4 - Hair, March 11 - A Little Night Music, March 24 - Time Stands Still, April 6 - La Cage Aux Folles, April 10 - Anyone Can Whistle (City Center), April 10 - Looped, May 9 - Enron, May 15 - A Little Night Music, May 15 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Little Night Music, June 20 - A Little Night Music, June 23 - Red, June 23 - Sondheim on Sondheim, July 13 - A Little Night Music, July 18 - The Grand Manner (Lincoln Center)
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#3
Posted: 10/1/09 at 5:26pm
The Associated Press is Very Positive:
"Sometimes doughnuts can have nutritional value — at least dramatically.
Such is the case with "Superior Donuts," Tracy Letts' appealing, sweet-tempered comedy-drama that opened Thursday at Broadway's Music Box Theatre...
Be warned, though. "Superior Donuts" is unashamedly sentimental, certainly a change of pace for the author of the combative "August: Osage County" and such offbeat works as "Killer Joe" and "Bug." But it's got heart and more than a few laughs, a recipe that makes for an evening of fine entertainment."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091001/ap_en_re/us_theater_review_superior_donuts
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#4
Posted: 10/1/09 at 6:28pm
The Wall Street Journal is Very Positive:
"If "A Steady Rain" is the theatrical equivalent of a Scott Turow novel, then "Superior Donuts" is "You Can't Take It With You" rewritten by David Mamet, a dark comedy about a workplace "family" of charmingly wacky characters who suddenly find themselves caught in the deadly undertow of reality. The setting is a rundown six-stool doughnut shop in uptown Chicago whose proprietor, Arthur Przybyszewski (played to perfection by Michael McKean), is a burnt-out hippie whose hard shell of cynicism is cracked open by a young black man (Jon Michael Hill) who fast-talks his way into a job behind the counter. Much of what happens thereafter is obvious, but not all—the audience at the preview I saw gasped twice, both times loudly, at a surprising plot twist—and Mr. Letts, who is best known on Broadway as the author of "August: Osage County," takes scrupulous care to balance laughter and sorrow in exactly the right proportions. The result is a heartfelt piece of dead-serious entertainment that holds your attention all the way from the first punchline to the last blackout."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574443522232262350.html
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#5
Posted: 10/1/09 at 6:32pmI must be out of the loop.. I thought this play sucked. Did they rewrite it during previews?
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#6
Posted: 10/1/09 at 6:50pm
I'm suprised by the glowing responses so far as well. I like the play well enough and truly enjoyed the leading men, but the story itself is trite and predictable.
And to agree with the tommygirl: the fight is painful to sit through....embarrasingly bad.
I thought at best the production would get mixed reviews that leaned toward positive.
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#7
Posted: 10/1/09 at 7:58pm
Talkin Broadway is Very Positive.
"...truth is what Superior Donuts is most deeply about. Letts investigates in this play how you can find it and what it means when you do, when you should hold on to some ancient version of it and when you should trade it in for a newer model, and what relationship (if any) it has to succeeding at your chosen goals. One suspects that the way Letts has fused all this together won’t capture the public imagination quite the way his last play did - the end result isn’t flamboyant or audacious enough for that. But it’s warmer, more human, and more thoughtful, in every way living up to the mantra of Franco’s book, which defines these characters’ lives and, Letts argues, should probably define all of ours, as well: “Never stop moving.”
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/world/index.html
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#8
Posted: 10/1/09 at 8:08pm
Broadway.com's Word of Mouth is Very Positive.
http://www.broadway.com/videos/show/superior-donuts/word-of-mouth-review-superior-donuts/
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#9
Posted: 10/1/09 at 8:24pm
USA Today is Very Positive.
"Letts' second Broadway outing, Superior Donuts (***1/2 out of four), which opened Thursday at the Music Box, marks an even greater departure from August than that play did from his earlier efforts. Donuts— which, like August, arrives via Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre — is considerably shorter and less patently ambitious. But the key difference lies in its soft, warm center. No one who has studied Letts' writing could say that the guy doesn't have a heart, but he has never worn it on his sleeve as unabashedly as he does here."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/reviews/2009-10-01-superior-donuts_N.htm
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#10
Posted: 10/1/09 at 8:37pmIsherwood will be reviewing this one, as he reviewed it at Steppenwolf. He gave it a pretty favorable review back then, while noting a few problems he felt should be fixed.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#11
Posted: 10/1/09 at 8:45pmI loved the show...I'm so glad it's getting good reviews.
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#12
Posted: 10/1/09 at 9:16pm
Variety is Positive:
"The play's chief weaknesses are in its major conflicts. Franco's gambling debts feel more like a necessity to introduce the threat of violence than an organic part of the character. And his claim of having produced the Great American Novel is fine until narrative convenience dictates that only one copy written in longhand exists. Similarly artificial is the redemptive fight Arthur gets into when he stands up to the thugs who have taken advantage of Franco. Landau and fight director Rick Sordelet's carefully choreographed staging of this scene further weighs on its impact.
But regardless of the derivative aspects of its characters, and situations that feel too forcefully shaped, "Superior Donuts" is oddly satisfying. Maybe it's the heartfelt nature of Letts' love letter to a changing Chicago. Or maybe it's just the spark of a writer whose words are so alive with poignancy and wit that they take hold of you even in a less than perfect context."
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941283.html?categoryid=33&cs=1
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#13
Posted: 10/1/09 at 9:19pm
Backstage is Very Positive:
"A misanthropic old man is brought out of his shell by a bubbly youngster. Individual entrepreneurship is crushed by creeping consumer monoliths like Starbucks and Whole Foods. The little guy takes on nasty criminals and, though beaten and bruised, wins a moral victory. Though these plot points may sound like fodder for a made-for-TV movie, in "Superior Donuts," Tracy Letts uses them to fashion a funny and moving evening of theater. Just as he rethought the dysfunctional-family play in "August: Osage County," here the playwright brings quirky twists to familiar themes and finds universal truths in them. This transfer from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, directed with no-nonsense toughness by Tina Landau, handily avoids sentiment and delivers a slice of life as fresh and tasty as a doughnut right out of the oven."
http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-broadway/ny-review-superior-donuts-1004017987.story
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#14
Posted: 10/1/09 at 9:31pm
Here is Isherwood's review from the Steppenwolf production, for those who are curious or might want to compare once the Broadway review is available:
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/theater/reviews/30donu.html?pagewanted=1&sq=superior%20donuts%20review&st=nyt&scp=1
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#15
Posted: 10/1/09 at 9:45pm
"Or maybe it's just the spark of a writer whose words are so alive with poignancy and wit that they take hold of you even in a less than perfect context."
Absolutely spot-on.
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#16
Posted: 10/1/09 at 10:13pm
Entertainment Weekly gives it a B.
"Superior Donuts' sitcomesque story, by August: Osage County playwright Tracy Letts, won't linger, but you’ll likely leave craving a cruller."
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20309280,00.html
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#17
Posted: 10/1/09 at 10:23pm
Charles Isherwood is Positive:
"If "Superior Donuts," directed with an apt light touch by Tina Landau, possesses the nostalgic appeal of a classic sitcom, it is also hampered by some of the genre's standard flaws. A subplot about Franco's gambling debts feels contrived, like one of those dubious byways cooked up by writers in the later seasons of a series, when inspiration flags and the characters' interactions have begun to go stale. The ancillary characters: the two cops, the blustery Russian and the eccentric old lady who frequents the shop (Jane Alderman), might have come straight from the Sidekicks, Neighbors and Friends rack, although the excellent actors imbue them all with a sharp specificity...
Don't construe the sitcom comparison as a simple sneer. Who doesn't like to spend the occasional evening, clicker in hand, with a few episodes of a beloved old favorite? The style and setting of Mr. Letts's new play strongly evoke Norman Lear's groundbreaking shows of the 1970s, which mixed smart jokes and social commentary in satisfying proportions. "Superior Donuts" may be familiar and unchallenging, but it's also comfortable - and no, there's nothing wrong with that."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/theater/reviews/02donuts.html
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#18
Posted: 10/1/09 at 10:25pm
Newsday is Mixed-to-Negative:
"No one can accuse Tracy Letts of repeating himself. In the years before he won every award but Miss Congeniality for the sharp-tongued 31/2-hour family melodrama "August: Osage County," the playwright was known for such edgy, outlaw miniatures as "Killer Joe" (homicidal Texas trash) and "Bug" (infestation paranoia in a seedy motel room).
In "Superior Donuts" - which opened last night at the Music Box Theatre where "August" closed its long run in June - the Chicago playwright (by way of Tulsa) has created a sentimental, safely old-fashioned, surprisingly creaky rescue-fantasy and urban soaper."
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater/these-donuts-not-entirely-fresh-1.1489697
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#19
Posted: 10/1/09 at 10:57pm
John Simon is Very Positive (he gives the show four stars):
"For the second time this week comes to Broadway a play from Chicago and again with cops, though not in principal parts.
“Superior Donuts,” by Tracy Letts, is superior to “A Steady Rain” starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. While not a prize-winning epic on the level of his “August: Osage County,” it’s a pleasing boulevard comedy nonetheless.
What is impressive about Letts -- that rare phenomenon of actor turned successful playwright -- is his scope. His “Killer Joe,” “Bug” “Osage” and now this are very different plays and all of genuine interest."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601098&sid=azQrlpnof5uE
"My art belongs to Dada."
-Tom Stoppard, Travesties
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#20
Posted: 10/1/09 at 11:00pmThese reviews are about what I expected. It's not a masterpiece on the level August was, but it's very good in its own right.
Stand-by Joined: 5/13/03
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#22
Posted: 10/1/09 at 11:39pmWow, Isherwood made it a critic's pick. This means it will replace Rock of Ages on the theatre page on nytimes.com... finally.
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#23
Posted: 10/2/09 at 12:02am
Love this show !!! (Btw, I think they made some changes to the "fight" scene, according to people that have seen it recently. )
Going back on Tues. Thrilled with these reviews !!!
re: SUPERIOR DONUTS Reviews#24
Posted: 10/2/09 at 12:27amHonestly, virtually every play in the last 10 years pales in comparison to AUGUST, so as its follow-up, this was always going to have an uphill climb. That said, I still loved it, and think it'll garner some pretty steady word-of-mouth.
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