[The] [ Official] [TOS] [Review] [Thread]- Page 2

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 10:36pm

New York Sun is a rave!

If you see only one mega-meta-micro-musical this year, make it "[title of show]."

Their bawdy, brainy, blissful creation should speak to anyone who aspires to make something that nine — or 922 — people might want to hear.

review by Eric Grode

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 10:55pm

New York Times... It's a gold-medal RAVE, bitches.
Isherwood raves

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:04pm

"Peculiar and quite adorable ...catnip for show queens...an acutely (and cutely) self-conscious 21st-century update of putting-on-a-show shows like Rodgers and Hart’s 'Babes in Arms' or Cole Porter’s 'Kiss Me, Kate.'"

--Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:10pm

OK, Isherwood does say [tos] was "silly inconsequential" but follows it with “but at least it has the smarts to acknowledge it. And as performed by Mr. Bowen, Mr. Bell, and Susan Blackwell and Heidi Blickenstaff, the talented girlfriends they rope into their makeshift, make-it-up-as-we-go-along opus, it is genial, unpretentious and far funnier than many of the more expensively manufactured musicals that make it to Broadway these days.

the wit and energy of its execution and the warmth of its performers keep the show from being a mere compendium of in-jokes and metatheatrical gags. Mr. Bowen’s lyrics are often clever, his tunes ear-friendly but melodically substantial enough not to sound too wan in a keyboard-only arrangement. (The musical director Larry Pressgrove, tucked in the back corner of the stage at the keyboard, is the only musician.) Mr. Bell has a savvy ear for the quirky appeal of droney everyday chatter, with its weird digressions and inanities.

As a performer, Mr. Bell has a cuddly, golly-gee manner that is endearing. In contrast Mr. Bowen takes a more businesslike approach, which includes an obsessive need to correct his friend’s every grammatical lapse. Ms. Blackwell’s idiosyncratic humor is a distinct asset. Learning that the authors have earned a lot of attention from an Internet video promoting the show, she cracks, “I’m gonna go on YouTube and announce that I want a golden pony.”

The cheery Ms. Blickenstaff is the strongest singer in the cast, and the only one to have appeared on Broadway previously, mostly as an understudy. If “[title of show]” has a purpose larger than mere diversion, it is to expose the obstacles — internal and external — that artists on the fringes of the business claw past every day to keep their aim true and their egos from imploding.


For all its throwaway charm, “[title of show]” can lay claim to a certain worthy pedigree. It’s an acutely (and cutely) self-conscious 21st-century update of putting-on-a-show shows like Rodgers and Hart’s “Babes in Arms” or Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me, Kate.” But no, you don’t have to be an expert in the lineage of this genre to enjoy it. It would definitely help, however, to share a belief that a life in the theater is a worthy calling, and that a fresh new musical — however insignificant — is something worth cheering.

To the [tos]haters: Unwrap your hard candy. And suck it.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:11pm

catnip for show queens

Okay I want the t-shirt!

[Sauja]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:15pm

Can any review that calls a show "insignificant" be called a rave? It's very, very positive, but even he says that the last third lags and admits that it's not a thing of consequence. So let's put down the gold medal and be happy that it medaled at all, shall we?

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:15pm

Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow

[NJgirl]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:16pm

that's the quote I want to see them pull for press...lol


So glad this got a rave from "the gray lady, baby!"

Can't wait to see the show on Saturday.

Shocker that Broadway.com hated it....guess Hunter can tell them where to go again.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:19pm

So let's put down the gold medal and be happy that it medaled at all, shall we?

I think you need to stop sipping the Bitter Tea Of General Yen!

Those New York Times pull-quotes are solid 24-karat gold.

[splendoris]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:23pm

Obviously the first review posted here summed it up best - you love it, or hate it. But I'm so glad for all the love!

[Sauja]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:23pm

It's a very, very nice review. I just think "rave" is a bit strong. I'm not hating on the show (which I haven't even seen yet!). I'm just being picky about word choice (I edit--sue me).

[folkyboy]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:23pm

i forwarded the Times review to practically every one of my friends. i have been talking about this show ever since i saw it Off-Broadway and to have seen it ON Broadway was only more of a dream come true!

SUCH SUCH sweet bliss!

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:27pm

I was there tonight at Opening and loved it. The cast and audience had sooo much energy. It makes me nevrous bc the show is such a small show. I hope it doesn't close in 3 months.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:28pm

Word of Mouth is Very Positive:

http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=568705

TOM: I would not recommend this show to two groups of people: toddlers and stupid people.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:32pm

toddlers and stupid people.

That explains the posts on ATC!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:37pm

Actually, I believe bitter people applies to ATC.

[mikem]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:38pm

The Word of Mouth review for this show is one of the very few times where I've felt that the Word of Mouth concept actually worked. Ellen and Tom in particular seem pretty theater-savvy, but are not theater-obsessed like us folks on the message boards. They all said that half of the references went over their heads (Georgette made a comment about how she felt left out and out of place at first because she was missing all the references, and both Ellen and Georgette said they didn't know who any of the messages were from until Patti LuPone's), but they all still really liked the show overall. Hopefully, their reaction is a sign that the "average" theater-goer will still enjoy the show despite missing the references.

By the way, I hope that Word of Mouth keeps Ellen and Tom around. They are both very articulate and very entertaining.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:41pm

[more than] nine people's favorite things:

****

Charles Isherwood - New York Times
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/theater/reviews/18titl.html?ref=theater#
Eric Grode - New York Sun
http://www.nysun.com/arts/the-mega-meta-micro-musical/82144/
Howard Shapiro - Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20080717_Making_a___show_about_making_a_show.html
Joe Dziemianowicz - New York Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2008/07/18/2008-07-18_title_of_show_the_little_musical_that_co.html
Michael Feingold - Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-07-29/theater/title-of-show-from-off-off-to-enthusiastically-received-broadway-show/1
Peter Filchia - Theatermania.com
http://www.theatermania.com/peterfilichia/permalinks/2008/07/21/title%2Dof%2Drave/
Carol Tang - Show Business
http://www.showbusinessweekly.com/archive/498/The_TitleofShow.shtml

***

Matt Windman - amNew York
http://www.amny.com/entertainment/stage/broadway/am-title0717,0,2265407.story
Brian Scott Lipton - Theatermania.com
http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/14542
David Cote - Time Out New York & NY1
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/Living/theater_reviews.jsp
Michael Sommers - Newark Star-Ledger
http://www.nj.com/theatredance/ledger/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-2/1216355825319820.xml&coll=1
Ellen, Georgette & Tom - Word of Mouth - Broadway.com
http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=568705
Robert Feldberg - Bergen Record
http://www.northjersey.com/betterliving/news/Theater_review_title_of_show.html
David Sheward - Backstage
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/nyc/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003829022


**

Michael Kuchwara - Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iiicM_ho8o_iLMxvjDiKNzh9LiLQD91VTUHG1
Julie Congress - nytheatre.com
http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage.php?t=titl6688
Malcolm Johnson - Hartford Courant
http://www.courant.com/entertainment/stage/reviews/hc-titlerev.art0jul18,0,1292798.story
Jacques Le Sourd - White Plains Journal News
http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/ENTERTAINMENT/807180305/-1/SPORTS
Jeremy McCarter - New York Magazine
http://nymag.com/arts/theater/reviews/48671/
Amanda Cooper - CurtainUp
http://www.curtainup.com/titleofshow.html
Elysa Gardner - USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/reviews/2008-07-20-title-of-show_N.htm


*

Matthew Murray - Talkin' Broadway
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/world/tos.html
Marilyn Stasio - Variety
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117937758.html?categoryid=33&cs=1
Linda Winer - Newsday
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/stage/ny-ettitle5766304jul18a,0,377369.story
Terry Teachout - Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121632924528963349.html?mod=2_1168_1
John Simon - Bloomberg News
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aULI5cO6HQiU&refer=muse


½*

Clive Barnes - New York Post
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07182008/entertainment/theater/this_broadway_musical_really__expletive__120374.htm
Updated On: 8/5/08 at 11:41 PM

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:43pm

So would it be safe, from these reviews, to label [title of show] as something you'll either really really love or be really really irritated by?

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:44pm

I'm so glad it's getting good reviews.

I just hate how it keeps getting said that Heidi is the only one who's been on Broadway before. Hunter was in GRINCH.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:48pm

I'm upset they keep on saying only four chairs and a keyboard.

So what's Larry sitting on?

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:51pm

A stool?

[Boq101]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:08am

TOM IS GAY?!

[sweeneynut]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:11am

Sigh. As broadway.com gets it wrong once again: " Bell, Bowen and lady friends Heidi Blickenstaff and Ellen Blackwell."

Connie or Tulita Pepsi would be so much better.

[Pocketsquared Fanadu]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:19am

You don't know me and I don't know you, but I am in love with you for that last line...That's the essential gist of this wonderful, endearing show that let's us all feel like we've been there, and they got past where that there was. AND THEY OPENED ON BROADWAY TONIGHT!!! [gist]