The Blue Flower — Page 2

Clearly, this show is very polarizing. If you like to see a little ground being busted and being done well IMHO in your musical theater, you'll see it here.

And it's an exaggeration that the strange language is used though out. Maybe 10 minutes of it spread throughout the show. And sometimes it's very emotionally effective. Watching Kudisch communicate sometimes with it was a tour de force.

Other times, especially in the beginning, it was very distancing.

It may have been cut. I can't recall a lecture.

The lecture was at least 10 minutes of nonsense. Could have been cut in half if each line wasn't recited twice, first in made up language, second in english.

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I haven't seen this show in New York yet, but I did see it in Boston last winter and I absolutely loved it. I left wanting to see it again, and I am beyond thrilled that it has come to New York with such a talented cast.

I do agree it is like a piece of modern art- which I think could be one of the most exciting concepts for theatre I've seen in a long time. I disagree that the made up language was unnecessary- Dada artists really did go to the extreme and not speak in a language, so in reality the writers were being true to their inspiration.

There were no walk outs when I saw it in Boston, but I think patrons who frequent the ART sometimes expect unconventional pieces of theatre like this. However I could see how it isn't for everyone, but I think that it's worth a visit. It may not be your favorite, but if you go in with an open mind its worth taking in.

Unfortunately, I caught the third performance at 2 hours and forty-five minutes long, with a talkback during which audience members were asked, with good reason, which stuff they understood and which stuff they did not. I'm not sure, but there may be a lovely 100-minute musical in there somewhere...

For me, though, the worst thing about the made-up language was listening to the poor elderly man behind me read every single English subtitle aloud to his wife...yikes!

Was very pleasantly surprised and would definitely recommend it. This show is a winner!! [Disliked it at Prospect Theater a few years back (almost three hours, amateur cast, confusing plot).]

But this is a totally different show and that's what made it so great: it's currently 2 hours 26 minutes, has a huge Broadway-studded very talented cast (especially the always great Mark Kudisch), some of the most gorgeous music I've heard in a long time, and very easy plot to follow via dialogue and supplemented via on-screen projections. Was tempted to even purchase the $20 cast album for sale in the refreshment lounge. Nobody walked out at all, very enthusiastic applause, and quite a few people even gave it a standing ovation.

Two minor quibbles: There are some very bright lights (bright blue and bright white) shining throughout much of Act II which were really hurting my eyes. Also, some audience members (seated up front on the far sides) were craning their necks to read some projections when cast members were blocking their view of the screen (the "blocking" needs to be worked on). The words should be higher up on the screen and/or there should be additional monitors to show the words.

Overall a winner and definitely recommended. (Very glad I saw the 2 hour 26 minute version, and not the 2 hour 45 minute version. These 20 minutes of cuts made a HUGE difference!!)

I loved this! Saw it on Saturday night. Amazing performances and staging. Very entertaining and easy to follow. Much less confusing than MAMMA MIA... At intermission, I overheard a lady complaining she didn’t know what was going on, but really she just seemed mystified by the title. What’s the “blue flower”? –she kept asking, as if she were thereby missing the gist of the plot. (Maybe that could be better addressed at the very outset.) Marc Kudisch’s ‘rise of Hitler’ speech or non-speech was beyond brilliant. Haunting score. Can’t stop listening to the CD.

A few years ago, I was thrilled by Kusturica’s punk-opera production of THE TIME OF THE GYPSIES [Le temps des gitans]. Not the same thing at all, of course, but THE BLUE FLOWER seems to offer its own mixed-up, multimedia hommage to “gypsy music” (among other things); and it’s equally pitch-perfect. Or more pitch-perfect!

This may be the kind of show that critics love and audiences loathe.

I am prepared for good reviews, but all this very perceptive commentary on The Blue Flower has yet to change my opinion which is that it is incomprehensible.

I love all the postings here - even if I disagree - because no one has written "you silly twit...", for instance.

Congratulations all.

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It's a WEIRD show. I saw it last week (sadly Kudisch was out so I'll need to go back) and have no idea what to make of it. The first thirty minutes are, I think, the shows biggest problem because it's not even really a musical at first. You almost forget that's what you're seeing so around a half hour into it when people start singing it's almost a little shocking. My friend left at intermission but I was intrigued and wanted to stay, and I'm glad I did. Some of the music is really beautiful and I have a feeling that if the show is recorded it's the type of musical that's going to play SO much better on disc than it does in the theater.

The other day someone asked me what it was about and I said I think it's like SUNDAY IN THE PARK meets WARHORSE meets the end of SPRING AWAKENING meets THE GLORIOUS ONES.

Want to confirm after speaking with my friend that the discount code I mentioned above is

JGBF

$40. best seats available without handling charges if you phone or visit the box office.

Don't have the number handy

Thanks, sskeats2!

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