The Anthem is the worst show I have ever seen.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/2/14 at 9:39pm

After taking the theatrical ecstasy that was Lady Day and Hedwig on Saturday, I had to suffer through the suicide Tuesday that was The Anthem at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre.

It is the first show I have ever left at intermission. Ever.

It is devoid of redeemable qualities.

The attractive performers, god bless them, all have the dead eyes of the bartenders at Flaming Saddles as they go through their mandated dance routines.

It offers such lyrics as "the Temple of Mating / is for fornicating."

This has something to offend everyone's sensibilities.

[brdway411]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 1:15am

Randy Jones is a good friend of ours so we may have to go sit through this.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 4:30am

Gee, if he (?) sees that post, he probably won't WANT you to go.


Kad....what a fabulous Saturday you must have had!

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 7:57am

Randy Jones is very much a he - he's the original cowboy from the Village People. Because of course he's in this.

And yes, Saturday was incredible and Audra and NPH provided two of the best performances I have ever seen.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 8:06am

Your misery has kind of made my morning, Kad.

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 9:27am

I really enjoyed this show a lot (as someone who enjoys sci-fi). Randy Jones from the Village People stars in it, along with a whole mix of other Broadway stars. There are aerialists climbing to the ceiling and swinging from ropes, catchy disco tunes, a disco ball, and performers who have strong powerful Broadway voices. And of course an interesting sci-fi plot by Ayn Rand as well. The sight gag later in Act II involving Randy Jones' entrance and a lyric from a Miley Cyrus song had me cracking up hysterically. The cast was very friendly and everyone stayed afterward in the lobby to chat. Don't just believe me - the show got a rave in the NY Times too (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/theater/a-spoofy-spin-on-ayn-rands-anthem.html). It runs 2 hours 30 minutes including the intermission.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 5:47pm

So I'm going to go right ahead and guess he makes an entrance on a wrecking ball.

I like Randy, he's good people.

I certainly hope Liza's Headband will report back on the ecstasy of finally seeing an Ayn Rand musical.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 5:51pm

It looks like a wheel-less Starlight Express. In other words, the perfect embodiment of Ayn Rand!

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 6:46pm

It's Xanadu and Starmites' ugly stepchild.

And sadly, Randy does not make an entrance on a wrecking ball.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 7:03pm

Dang. I kinda want a modified version of his outfit.

I wonder if Ayn Rand would consider him a maker or a taker?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 8:29pm

That's kind of a personal question, isn't it?

[chanel]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 8:37pm

A decent writeup--plus Randy Jones says why he wanted to do the show.

http://www.out.com/entertainment/michael-musto/2014/06/02/12-hottest-hollywood-hunks-all-time?page=0,1

[chanel]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 8:39pm

Followed in the same column with Katie Finneran talking (in her act) about preparing for "Getting Married Today".

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 9:17pm

I also saw this. It's hilariously awful and misguided. Knowing they had a decent thing with the aerial work, the director managed to insert an absurd number of numbers with people hanging onto anything they could find. See it just to answer the question: what's left that they can dangle off of?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 9:36pm

It's really true. They kept doing the aerial thing over and over- disconnected from anything that was going on. The applause was, uh, tepid.

The aerialist guy was nice to look at.

[newintown]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 9:44pm

A friend (whose judgement I trust) said "this show aims for mediocrity, but falls far short of the mark."

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 9:51pm

The composer's note in the program begins with this sentence:

"The Anthem is a fabulous show that is exciting, fun, beautiful, and entertaining."

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/3/14 at 10:00pm

Starmites was all I could think of the entire time. And how wonderful a dash of Sharon McNight would've been.

[mschwager]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:34pm

So apparently this production abrubtly closed yesterday. I'd have to assume it was something more than "scheduling conflicts."


Anthem Closing

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:42pm

Close call, I only saw Jason Gotay was in this in the closing notice. Had I saw he was in it earlier, I might have attended...

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:43pm

What in the hell was Jenna Leigh Green doing in this show?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:46pm

I'm truly sorry I didn't see this thread until today because the original post would have totally cured my post-birthday hangover!

'The attractive performers, god bless them, all have the dead eyes of the bartenders at Flaming Saddles as they go through their mandated dance routines' may be the most wonderful sentence ever constructed 'round these here parts.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:52pm

I totally would have seen this but I guess they were too good to paper.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 3:56pm

I can't believe they didn't paper. The house was MAYBE a quarter full when I saw it, and from what I've heard that was the norm.

And Robbie- why, thank you!

[AntV]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 4:04pm

They did paper, just apparently not where you were looking.