The Color Purple Reviews- Page 6

[aegeusrocks]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 10:35pm

What's with all the references to "Ragtime" by critics who didn't like it? Were they expecting something to that effect, because they do realize that this isn't written by Flaherty and Ahrens....

Oh, roninjoey, I figured that you and everyone else reading knew about Princess Bride, and I don't think I understood your remark about how prolific he was the first time I read it. Now I get it, and I agree, that would be marvelous to have a shelf full of his CDs, but keep in mind that Sondheim wasn't always fast in bringing out new musicals, especially when his most recent one was still playing...I expect to see great things from Guettel in the future, and hopefully many of them.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 11:59pm

Very true, Sondheim's shelf does encompass five decades of work (especially with the Sondheim Sings! series).

I think "Ragtime" is the only other musical with African American oppression in it that these people can think of. I suppose we can't expect them to realize that Ragtime is an extremely ambitious offering by two established artists who have had years of experience writing for the musical theater and therefore it's unfair to compare Dessa Rose and The Color Purple I mean Ragtime and The Color Purple. And that's totally disregarding Caroline, Or Change! Although I believe Caroline got a mention somewhere.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 4:11pm

Sorry to rebump this but for everyones information, it got quite a positive review (3 stars) in the Post. Barnes called it "wickedly winning" and raved for the cast.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 4:44pm

Regardless of the critics, I still found the play to be amazing. Yes, they squeezed in too many details into the 2.75 hour play, yes...the emotional connection to the audience on Celie and Nettie's plight wasn't quite successful, sort of short-lived, but the singing, the staging, and the acting were all award-winning in my opinion. I do wish they could tweak it so that the emotional connection would be more lasting. BTW...the opening night performance was amazing especially with Oprah in the house :)

[ellenoshalom]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 4:47pm

This is amazing period, some critics just don't get it.

[sciguy]

Posted: 12/6/05 at 8:37am

I think the critics got it right: mixed
I wanted to like this show, but was left unfufilled.
NY magazine was negative and made the point that I have been trying to articulate when they said "It's as if they put all of the ingredients of a great musical into a treasure box and just let them tumble out."
I'm sure the show will do well and it definitely needs to be seen, but "really great" it is not. IMHO