THE LITTLE MERMAID Reviews- Page 10

[camncal]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:22pm

i didn't follow the other disney broadway shows, but i thought Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins got decent reviews, or did they not? anyone?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:27pm

SticktoPriest, I hear you. I had only seen the movie once though, so I went in with no expectations. But I kept seeing what was wrong with it, instead of what was right. On that note though, the audience in the theatre the night I saw it, seemed to enjoy it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:28pm

Despite its long run, BEAUTY was NOT well received in 1994. Thankfully it lost all the major Tony awards to Sondheim's PASSION, which was far superior.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:34pm

"They had hardley anthing positive in the reviews... and I find it extremly hard to belive that the show is that bad!!!! I sincerly doubt that with the cast that they have."

Well, the show is that bad (and I thought even the harshest reviews were being kind).

[roadmixer]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:36pm

And PASSION was closed at the time of the Tonys and to my knowledge (I stand to be corrected) never recouped. This is my point... There is an ongoing disconnect between what the critics like (and the Tony voters) and what the public will make into a profitable commercial venture or a global juggernaut (Mamma Mia!, Wicked etc.).

I wish that I could find it but there was a great article in the New York times a number of years ago about the differences between what the New York theatre establishment likes versus what the tourists (middle America) want to see.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:37pm

"Well, the show is that bad (and I thought even the harshest reviews were being kind)."


blah, blah, blah, blah We've heard it all before

Updated On: 1/11/08 at 05:37 PM

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:40pm

I LOVED the movie, and wanted the show it to be good very badly. But after looking at everything (reveiws, OBCR, clips, etc), I think I would find it awful. For the very same reason that you all think it would be the best thing since sliced bread.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:43pm

This show's weekends will always sell, every performance, inlcuding Friday nights.

They will hit problems around mid-September when suddenly the weeknight audience dries up after schools reopen. People just don't spend 121 bucks to see a cartoon, unless it's supposed to be damned good. Theatrically magic. LION KING promised (and delivered) classical story, heroic and inspired 'artistic' staging. AIDA had an 'adult' title, and even sounded sexy, and looked sexy in the ads. But there's something embarassing about spending over a hundred bucks to see an attenuated, mediocre version of a child's animated film, no matter how good the product on which it's based. Even THE WIZ juiced up WIZARDS OF OZ so it played to adults.

So come fall, look for major scheduling changes (maybe the first show to sustain indefinitely 2 matinees on Sunday, 1 and 5?), the elimination of as many weeknights as possible somehow. It can still make lots its money if it does 5 sell-outs a weekend. But it's going to have trouble staying at 100% capacity after summer ends.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:46pm

Roadmixer,

This is just nit-picking, but Passion was not closed at the time of the Tonys in 1994. It ran for 250+ performances and didn't close until January 1995. But it was NEVER a popular piece with the public -- was constantly on the half-price line and never sold old, I believe. And word of mouth during previews was pretty dismal -- they did some fixing, but not enough to suit the general public's taste. Not that it makes any difference in the grand scheme of things, but I saw it (after the official opening) and it's probably my least favorite of the Sondheim canon. Even many diehard Sondheim fans had trouble with it.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:48pm

The Word of Mouth people liked it for the most part. But honestly, what can you expect from them?

http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=558970

[nmartin]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:48pm

"Passion was closed at the time on the Tonys." That's not right.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:51pm

And PASSION was closed at the time of the Tonys

- UM wrong. And here's Passion's list of awards

Tony Awards

* Best Musical
* Best Score (Stephen Sondheim)
* Best Book (James Lapine)
* Best Actress in a Musical (Donna Murphy)

Drama Desk Awards

* Best Musical
* Best Music (Stephen Sondheim)
* Best Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim)
* Best Book for a Musical (James Lapine)
* Best Actress in a Musical (Donna Murphy)
* Best Orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick)

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 5:57pm

"I am not surprised.

Disney has always gotten bad reviews with every single show they put up."

Josh, "The Lion King" got raves and was possibly the best reviewed show when it opened.

[PotO2]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:09pm

@Roadmixer and misschung on the 9th page

I completely agree.

I'm getting pretty sick of hearing the same people repeatedly bash The Little Mermaid! Especially when those people have said that everyone has their own opinion, yet they state theirs like it is fact. No, it is not a fact that The Little Mermaid is a terrible show. Many people really enjoyed it.

I also encourage the people not to let critics sway you completely! Be like a critic is supposed to be and go in with an open mind! The worst that is going to happen is you are going to see (at least hear anyway) pretty much the same stuff you saw in the film. Because there are certain people who continually bash the show, it is making it look worse than it actually is. As people have already said, the common theater goer isn't going to be as critical as a critic.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:12pm

As people have already said, the common theater goer isn't going to be as critical as a critic.


- Well duh. The average theater going tourists don't have the taste or knowledge of a critic.

[PotO2]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:15pm

My point exactly! I'm saying that even though a critic was critical about a part of the show, the odds are that the tourist won't be.

[misschung]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:19pm

Or they just have different tastes. I mean, lord knows I love The Homecoming, but Brantley's review held it up to be the second coming of Christ. Everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

I'm genuinely sorry for the faults in this show. It had/has potential to be much better than it is. But it does have strengths, and I think a lot of people will like it.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:25pm

"blah, blah, blah, blah We've heard it all before"

Ditto my good sir, ditto.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:48pm

http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=558970

I love this

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:50pm

Is Hillary about to cry?

[PotO2]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:57pm

It seemed she was either about to cry, or pass out.

[truman]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 6:59pm

lol where did they find those people??

[keen on kean]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 7:00pm

They need to give Hillary (on broadway.com) a Xanax and some oxygen.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 7:04pm

Sherie Scott must have REALLY upset her...

[PotO2]

Posted: 1/11/08 at 7:08pm

Um, no, considering she never said she disliked Sherie...