THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews- Page 4
THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#75
Posted: 2/20/09 at 7:32am
I don't think that's fair. I went to SOML VERY excited, wanting to like/love it. The show BROUGHT the comparisions to mind CONSTANTLY. There were specific chords in the music that immediately transported me to SITPWG, there were LINES that brought me there.
If the show didn't bring him to feel, analyze or react (as it did not me) that is not necessarily his fault.
The ONLY moment the show almost made me FEEL anything was the moment that Chase tells Gets NOT to come visit. But then that intense emotion is dropped cold. It doesnt develop into anything.
Just because someone doesn't LIKE a show, doesn't make it THEIR fault or that they didn't "get it". If it doesn't work for the audience member (critic or not) that is the fault of the production...and in this case the book, lyrics and score.
The actors were admirable in their performances...with what they were given.
You aren't wrong for liking it anymore than he is for disliking it.
Leading Actor Joined: 2/12/09
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#76
Posted: 2/20/09 at 8:15am
"Are the gay overtones really that apparent? Can't two dudes be best friends and one have a semi-strange fixation on the other without them being gay?"
I don't think most straight men sing songs about butterflies and making snow angels with each other. That may be what is considered a bit gay.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#77
Posted: 2/20/09 at 8:21amI'm very upset...it seems everything I love is trashed by the critics. So depressing. I hope it can run at least a month or two...
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#78
Posted: 2/20/09 at 8:37am
I saw the show last week & all I could think was the headlines will read "Opens on Thursday, closes on Friday!" It made "TOS" look like an extravaganza, but I loved "TOS." I hated "SOML."
The people next to us left halfway through, leaving their programs and ticket stubs on the floor.
****************************************************************
NEW YORK POST is negative
1 1/2 STARS
'STORY' ISN'T LONG FOR LIFE by Frank Scheck
JUST because the economy is shrinking, must Broadway musicals down size, too? "The Story of My Life," which opened last night, is even more minimalist than the late, unlamented "Glory Days" and "[title of show]" - a two-man show as skimpy in artistry as it is in production values.
Ironically, this "Story" - representing the Broadway debuts of Canadians Neil Bartram (music and lyrics) and Brian Hill (book), who met while performing together in "Forever Plaid" - revolves around a eulogy. It will probably require one soon for itself...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02202009/entertainment/theater/story_isnt_long_for_life_155990.htm
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#79
Posted: 2/20/09 at 8:40am
It's not a bad show because it's small. I don't mind small.
It's a weak show AND it's small. I think it will be lucky if it runs 2 months.....I don't see it getting any Tony noms. I think it will find even less of an audience than TOS.
Leading Actor Joined: 2/12/09
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#81
Posted: 2/20/09 at 8:50amI wouldn't be suprised if Gets got a nomination for Best Actor. It's a weak category.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#82
Posted: 2/20/09 at 9:21amWithoutATrace, maybe because you like trash?
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#83
Posted: 2/20/09 at 10:03amSo LadyDramaturg, now the NYTimes theatre critic is too stupid to get Story of My Life as well? I suppose he only thinks shows with spectacle and explosions are good too, right? I mean, none of these negative critics could possibly have intelligent perspectives that you just happen to disagree with- they're just stupid. All of them. The two Word of Mouth reviewers on Broadway.com are the only critics with any brains in all of New York. They're the only ones who understand what good theatre truly is.
Wanting life but never knowing how
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#84
Posted: 2/20/09 at 10:06am
In the meantime, we get the picture, but just for the sake of completeness...
Bloomberg is NEGATIVE:
"We know we are in trouble when mawkish parallels to the sentimental movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” -- with its hero, George Bailey, its angel, Clarence, its attempted suicide off a bridge -- become a running subplot. We also get pretentious quotations from Mark Twain and John Donne.
More pretentious yet is the way the dialogue keeps turning into recitative, which veers into spurts of song with pedestrian lyrics and near-tuneless music (mitigated, somewhat, by the able Jonathan Tunick’s astute orchestrations). By the time we get to the fourth iteration of “Saying Goodbye,” we are sorely tempted to follow suit."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601098&sid=ayfjU7EEbaOI&refer=movie
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#85
Posted: 2/20/09 at 10:31am
The New York Daily News gives the show 2 OUT OF 5 STARS:
"Gets and Chase are likable actors stuck playing stick figures.
There's the chipmunklike Alvin, in vest and little-boy sneakers, and the brooding Thomas, in a dark-blue, all-grown-up Brooks Brothers.
Besides being formulaic — whenever Tom gets stuck while writing the eulogy, it's time for another crumpled piece of paper and a flashback — the creators frustratingly dangle plot points.
Why did Tom split with his fiancée? Did Al jump or fall? We're never told. Real life isn't neat and tidy, Alvin says. But no one ever said musicals are real life."
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2009/02/20/2009-02-20_sorry_but_the_story_of_my_life_is_not_wo.html
Newsday is a PAN:
"It would be lovely to be able to say nice things about "The Story of My Life," the two-man musical that showed up on Broadway last night with no hype and lots of obvious care.
But, really.
The 90-minute show, written and composed by newcomers from Toronto, is banal, improbable and unrelentingly derivative. And boring? Please. The production, directed by Richard Maltby Jr., does have a handsome dreamlike set by Robert Brill and engaging performances by Will Chase and Malcolm Gets.
But even these good actors are defeated by a piece that, under the guise of exploring the ups and downs of a lifelong small-town friendship, can't come up with anything better than "relationships die/without our knowing why." And life is "like stories in the lake/and the ripples they make.""
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/exploreli/ny-ethoriz6040665feb20,0,3881667.story
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#86
Posted: 2/20/09 at 10:34amYup. Critics got it right ladies and gentleman.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/08
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#88
Posted: 2/20/09 at 10:54am
can't come up with anything better than "relationships die/without our knowing why." And life is "like stories in the lake/and the ripples they make."
Are those actual lyrics in the show?! No wonder...
Broadway Star Joined: 10/10/07
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#89
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:00am
can't come up with anything better than "relationships die/without our knowing why." And life is "like stories in the lake/and the ripples they make."
Are those actual lyrics in the show?! No wonder...
if they are going to pan the lyric they could at least get it right... it's "relationships thrive or dissolve without our knowing why". sorry, that just bothers me.
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#90
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:20am
I highly doubt now if this show will even get nominated as Best Musical...It's probably
BILLY ELLIOT, 9 to 5, NEXT TO NORMAL and TOS..I dont know why people keep forgetting Title of the Show- its a good solid show.. I really wish it gets nominated comes Spring.
Damn! We have two badly panned (new musical)shows this season, huh? THE STORY OF MY LIFE and TALES OF THE TWO CITIES. Good that I missed both of it!
WAT- Did you like both of these two shows...I am starting to believe that I should probably go with the shows you dont like and pass on shows that you like. Remember - Xanadu and Passing Strange last year? (you know I'm just kidding! 
)
J*
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#91
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:21am
dramamama611- Are you sure we oughta see AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' in Boston? WAT likes that show!??
J*
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#92
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:25am
I think ROCK OF AGES will take TOS' potential last slot. N2N, BE, 9 TO 5, and ROA are my predictions for the nominees...
I think the Tony committee will nominated ROA over TOS for one main reason. ROA will still be running come Tony time.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#93
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:32am
I really have not seen ROA but if they will overlooked TOS just because another show is open.. it's really sad! TOS deserves it. Its a small intimate show and it was well written. I like the show, I know some people hated it.. I thought it was funny and witty. It's just a jukebox musical over an original well constructed musical is mind boggling..well I have not really seen Rock of Ages~and I should not probably comment!
any how...It's good they postponed or cancelled VANITIES- uh..that's another show that would have the same fate as TSOML! Ive heard the score and it was B-O-R-I-N-G !
J*
Updated On: 2/20/09 at 11:32 AM
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#94
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:46am
Yes, Jaystarr...you need to see AIN'T MISBEHAVIN. It is awesome!!
I don't think I love "trash" as PRFRMR20 posted. My top four favorite musicals of all time are Ragtime, Parade, Caroline or Change, and The Light in the Piazza...and all four of those are true brilliance.
I found a lot of good in The Story of My Life (acting, score, book, direction, lighting), and I'm sorry the critics did not agree. I've seen it three times so far, and I hope I get to see it again soon.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#95
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:46amSHREK will take the nomination before [TITLE OF SHOW] and ROCK OF AGES.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#96
Posted: 2/20/09 at 11:54am
Oh, I very much think SHREK is going to be left out of the game. As is ROCK OF AGES.
Another popular cartoon vomited up onto a Broadway stage, ANOTHER jukebox musical, or an original musical with an original score mounted by true lovers of musical theatre?
I'm betting [tos] will get that fourth slot.
-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: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#97
Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:10pmI see your point Wanna Be. If CRY-BABY can be nominated...anything can happen.
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#98
Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:13pm
Shrek doesn't have its nomination in the bag, but it'd be pretty hard for it to lose it, considering that
A) It's actually GOOD
and
B) So many theatre giants are associated with it.
I don't see Rock of Ages getting nominated for anything but Featured Actor and maybe some techs.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: THE STORY OF MY LIFE Reviews#99
Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:14pmJ! you made me laugh...though it does give me pause!
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