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#1

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/11/14 at 5:20am

Post 'em here, kids!

It's time, once again, for ev'r'ybody to welcome the BRAND-NEW BROADWAY SEASON!
#3

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/11/14 at 8:50pm

OT, but not: have other shows opened on 9/11? I can't recall. I realize time passes, but it seems a date that some producers would opt out of, just because the day remains a somber one in NYC.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#4

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/11/14 at 11:29pm

Guess no one cares.

Seems to be getting mixed-to-positive reviews.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#6

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 12:26am

It's interesting how the boards seemed to be unimpressed, but the critics are definitely saying otherwise. Always interesting when that happens.
#8

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 8:35am

Yep. Absolutely no one cares. This must be the shortest review thread of a Broadway show in the history of LimelightMike review threads.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#9

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 9:04am

Interesting how Brantley luxuriates praise on Tavi Gevinson while most other critics (correctly) identify her as the weakest link. I guess his love affair with attractive blond actresses continues.
#10

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 9:17am

Gevinson is, as most of the critics note, the weak link in the chain. And I love what Variety says about her voice. Something about setting off car alarms? In any event, this is hardly the "sensational" evening at the theater that Brantley suggests. And while no one on this site much cares, everyone else will now be duped into spending money they can't afford to see a play they won't remember 20 minutes after they've left the theater. And, BTW, is fashion blogging now an entree into making one's Broadway debut?
#11

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 9:28am


^Mrs. Roxy?!
CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES
#12

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 9:33am

It just goes to show how much smarter critics can be than the audience!
#13

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 10:10am

Interesting how regularly the esteemed critical fraternity commands us to feel empathy for personae who merit nothing more than scorn, contempt, and thorough aversion.
#14

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 10:39am

After Eight: Are we talking about the characters or Tavi Gevinson here?
#15

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 10:40am

I was going to skip this. I'm starting to think twice since there's such a disparity between the critical and audience response.

As my father likes to say, "There is only one opinion that matters...MINE". And despite his general hatred of the theater, he encourages me to form my own opinions...
#16

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 10:53am

LucyEth,

I'm talking about the characters.

I might also add that the acting is bad, the direction is bad, and the play itself stinks.

#17

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 11:06am

I still don't want to see it, too much competition for my dollar and time. Grosses showed the same disinterest lets see if the reviews give it an uptick.
Up In One
#18

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 11:15am

Interesting how regularly the esteemed critical fraternity commands us to feel empathy for personae who merit nothing more than scorn, contempt, and thorough aversion.

It's no more or less interesting than your histrionic pronouncements that everything stinks, or your constant assertions that critics and prize committees conspire to foist subpar art on the public, or your belittling comments to those who dare call you on you BS.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#19

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 1:33pm

I honestly have heard very little from folks I know that have seen this that would make me want to spend money on a ticket. Even the age bracket the play is written for/about are cool on it.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#20

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 1:48pm

I haven't read much on the boards about it, but I did check the reviews last night and was pleased by how positive they are. It did seem like a relatively minor work to me, but it's beautifully performed and a wonderful production. It's entirely worth attending, in my opinion.

It also strikes me that saying Gevinson is the weakest of the three isn't really a very disparaging remark given how wonderful the three person cast is. She's the youngest and least experienced of the performers, but I found this to be a rousing debut--she plays the character with complexity and heart, and it's a role that would have been all too easy to make shrill and bitchy. I think she found something wonderful and earnest and sentimental in Jessica. And yet I still felt Cera and Culkin were "better" than her.

The play itself might not dig incredibly deep, but the writing is effortless and real, and it has lovely moments of grace and a lot of good humor.
#21

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 2:54pm

I skipped on seeing this when I had the chance because of the reaction here. I don't think critics reviews will make me think I made a mistake when everyone who seems to be about my demographic (and the characters') thinks it's not a must see.
#22

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 4:07pm

I'm looking forward to seeing this show. As I haven't seen Gevinson I can't comment on her work, but I still find it jaw-dropping that the Steppenwolf Theater of all places would cast a "fashion blogger" who has no stage experience in a major role.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali
#23

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 4:17pm

I don’t think Steppenwolf would cast Gevinson just because she is somewhat known as a fashion blogger. They clearly thought she was the best fit for the role, experience or not.

I saw this in Chicago and agree with what Sauja said – Gevinson is the weakest in the cast, but I surely would not consider that an insult, because I thought Cera and Culkin were fantastic. She did some very sincere, deep work as Jessica – she just didn’t look as comfortable on the stage as her costars. I think it’s a pretty terrific debut for an 18 year old.

I thought it was interesting to read Chris Jones’ review of the show at Steppenwolf and then his review of it again in NYC: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/broadway/chi-this-is-our-youth-broadway-review-column.html
#24

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 4:59pm

Well it does sound like Chicago was the better fit for it. Too bad they couldn't have kept the thrust stage feel at the Cort.
#25

THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews

Posted: 9/12/14 at 5:27pm

In Chicago, nobody was more than 8 rows away from the stage. It was a very intimate experience, and the consensus seemed to be "This is fantastic, but I wonder how this will come across in a much larger house." It's a small play probably meant more for off-Broadway than Broadway. Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre was the ideal space for the play.

I saw it at the beginning and end of the Chicago run, and I have to say that Tavi improved very much throughout the run. Yes, Michael and Kieran were stronger, but Tavi wasn't "weak" at all.

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