TAKE ME OUT Reviews- Page 3

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 10:30am

I'm not really surprised by the reviews. Dare I say, I almost expected it. I'm a little biased because it's one of my favorite plays of all time. I can relate to its subject matter and it really hit home (no pun intended) with me  on a very personal level the very first time I saw it at the Public. I think it handled its subject matter brilliantly. I also saw it when it transferred to the Walter Kerr. I loved everyone in that original cast. 

I am looking forward to seeing this Thursday with my BFF. 

Updated On: 4/18/22 at 10:30 AM

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 10:43am

Luscious said: "InTheBathroom1 said: "Also, important to note that many of these critics are white gay men which this play is targeted at. Reactions might’ve been different were the critical establishment a little more diverse. This is coming from someone who liked it too. It’s okay to take opinions and reviews with a grain of salt."

I agree completely. ALL reviews, be they from wannabes or so-called professional critics, should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially, critiques of preview performances. The reason for my post is that I saw several people on the previews thread who questioned whether or not they should buy tickets for the show based on the negative comments. As a long-time member of this board, it is my experience that the comments and opinions of those here (especially those who run to see the first preview performances and can't wait to post their negative critiques and rip a show apart) are not an accurate indicator of whether a show is actually any good or not. And certainly not an indicator of my enjoyment of it."

Then...why are you here?

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 11:09am

Mostly I come here to discuss shows I love and keep in touch with Broadway from a distance. I can't afford to travel, and most of the time it's okay--but lately I keep reading about productions its really frustrating to miss, even if the productions receive mixed reviews here (which I fine by me; I like diversity of opinion and having my own responses challenged). 

Really wish it was possible for me to see this production. I've never read the script, but I saw a hit and miss (baseball pun?) regional production 15 years ago, and what struck me was just how awful the script itslef was. Maybe that's not the case, and the choices the production I saw only emphasized, or created weaknesses. 

Among the big problems for me: 1) the primary antagonist is a moron, which reduces the whole plot to empty melodrama--there can't be a real conflict because the bad guy is a cartoony mentally defective bigot and the gay man is some sort of heteronormative "ideal" with no flaw, so all the drama is one-dimensionally black and white. 2) I am sick, sick, sick of writers who think the only way to create a humorous gay character is to make said character a queen, as in the case of Mason--it's the laziest approach to gay comedy. 3) Why on earth does this story need to be narrated primarily through the eyes of a straight man?

Would love to see this in a top level production that challenges my perceptions. But from my experience of it, the whole thing just seems to play to the most generic ideas, and even if those generic ideas are accurate (there are gay men "just like regular straight men," whatever one wants to mean by that; homophobes are generally mindless bigots; yes, some men are queens, and good for them) it just doesn't make for interesting or challenging theater. There's nothing in this show you haven't already seen in every Very Special Episode of your favorite 80's sitcom that had a guest character (a long-time friend of one of the protagonists, though you never saw him before and would never see him again) who turns out to be gay. Oh there's full-frontal. That was new. If you need that.

[Lauren2]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 11:42am

I did not know much about the play and ended up loving it! My two standouts were Patrick J. Adam’s and Michael Oberholtzer, there performances were incredible! They both deserve Tony nominations! Patrick J. Adam’s is Kippy, and Oberholtzer in that one poignant scene at the end was just spectacular. As for Ferguson and Williams they were fine but not standouts in my opinion. Ferguson played the character really well but he always plays the same characters and that is what I saw. As for Williams he was good but I didn’t see Darren Lemming, I just saw Jesse Williams playing a baseball player. I feel Williams and Ferguson will get nominations since that happened last time but Adam’s and Oberholtzer should as well!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 12:00pm

@joevitus

This revival was my first exposure to the play, but FWIW, Jesse Tyler Ferguson's performance didn't read to me as a stereotypical "queen," as much as he was just kind of a dweeb. Less of a Prior Walter, and more of a Rod from Avenue Q (but not repressed).

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 12:07pm

JBroadway said: "@joevitus

This revival was my first exposure to the play, but FWIW, Jesse Tyler Ferguson's performance didn't read to me as a stereotypical "queen," as much as he was just kind of a dweeb. Less of a Prior Walter, and more of a Rod from Avenue Q (but not repressed)."

Glad to read this. Do they do something like the dumb thing in the production I saw where he wants to wear the sports ring, but insists it be put on his hand like he's (a woman) getting engaged?

Updated On: 4/18/22 at 12:07 PM

[dshnookie]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 12:40pm

joevitus said: "JBroadway said: "@joevitus

This revival was my first exposure to the play, but FWIW, Jesse Tyler Ferguson's performance didn't read to me as a stereotypical "queen," as much as he was just kind of a dweeb. Less of a Prior Walter, and more of a Rod from Avenue Q (but not repressed)."

Glad to read this. Do they do something like the dumb thing in the production I saw where he wants to wear the sports ring, but insists it be put on his hand like he's (a woman) getting engaged?"

I don’t recall this, but I could be wrong. However if it did happen, it would’ve been completely in contrast with Jesse’s portrayal of the character, so I really don’t think it happened. 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 1:12pm

quizking101 said: "Idk, but Featured Actor in a Play looks like a hot race with Ferguson, Pendleton, Cooper, Sam Rockwell, and probably Patrick J. Adams (if he’s petitioned to featured - though that’s a little like category fraud to me).

There is such a wide swath of potential nominees that I could imagine the field could expand to six as it has in the past."

I think Rockwell goes lead, the featured actor there will probably be Criss, and he may get in. I think Julian Robertson may have a chance for his final scene alone in “Skin of Our Teeth”

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 2:29pm

Thanks, dshnookie.