Theater Reviews Question

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 2:30pm

Do you prefer reading reviews, or do you base what you see on what seems interesting to you?

Personally, I like reading reviews because it amuses me, but I decide what I want to see based on what Im interested in.


****Judgement free zone***

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 2:46pm

I do both. Reviews are most useful when I'm on the fence about seeing a show.

It would have been helpful to see the reviews of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory BEFORE buying a ticket.

I love Frank Rich's book that is a collection of many of his NY Times reviews. It's great to get a good sense of shows I never saw on Broadway.

[msmp]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 2:50pm

As an out-of-towner, I mostly use reviews as a tiebreaker when deciding between shows. If there's something I really want to see because I either am interested in the property or because of a particular actor/actress, reviews aren't usually enough to persuade me not to go. But if it's something where I'm trying to fill out a 3 or 4 show weekend (we try and see as much as possible because we can only go to NY a couple times a year), reviews do tend to persuade me in one direction or another.

I do tend to read more than just the Times review in order to get a better sense of the strengths/weaknesses of the production (and not just because I tend to find Green/Brantley too caustic when they dislike something). That seems to be unusual, though, since the Times still predominates when people talk about reviews.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 3:59pm

Its only a piece of the equation. Its more important to here WHY the rave or pan, than just the result.

That being said, I think Ive been more persuaded TO see a show rather than not.

[jagman1062]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 5:53pm

I tend to read the reviews, particularly when I know a critic's opinions often align with my own.  However, I've seen shows that critics panned, but I wound up liking (Women on the Verge...), and vice versa.  Sometimes it's a crap shoot for me.  I've had the same experience with theater threads where people loved a show and I didn't care for it.  I would say though that I more often agree with the critics, so unless I REALLY want to see a show, I rely on their reviews.  I'm now semi-retired and don't have the income to see as many shows as I used to, so I'm more selective about what shows I see..