"This is a war!" In My Life in the NY TIMES
"This is a war!" In My Life in the NY TIMES
#0"This is a war!" In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 9:22pm
Anyone else see this from today's New York Times?
Aparently Brooks has declared war on the critics. His weapons are multi-million dollar advertisements!
Combating Critics' Pans With a Blitzkrieg of Ads
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#1re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 9:28pmWell, gross was up 13% last week, though it's still pretty abysmal. But, good for him for being aggressive about saving his show. It's an uphill battle (and it may never break even), but if he can overcome the reviews and get a bit of a run out of it, good for him and the hardworking cast.
#2re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 9:47pmYou know what? Brooks is right, 8 people shouldn't determine the success/failure of a show. I have not seen this show, I'm sure it must be quite bizarre, but still I admire him for being so passionate.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#4re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 9:51pmFor some reason I absolutely want to see this show, just seems like something I would adore. Please anybody with good words, help encourage me to get my ass there and not see sweeney AGAIN cause as of now its an addiction. Other than the day I get response from New Paltz on acceptance or not, the fateful day the cd is released and the day I get back to see it are the most anticipated days for me
Jazzysuite82
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
#5re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:01pmwell while I'm in agreement that 1 critic shouldn't destroy a show (i.e Ben Brantley), if 8 critics all said the same things, ya gotta start to wonder. Now the "8,000" people Brooks mentions are the same people who you see on those commercials saying " It was better than Cats." Not saying that they're not entitled to their opinion, but just because an audience likes something, doesn't mean it's great. Look at the television programs around. Look at Mamma Mia! Besides the general buzz around the city isn't very good and I don't think is ALL based on critics. My personal belief is, if it's crappy theatre close it and put something there that could be good. No use taking up a theatre.
bwayfan3
Broadway Star Joined: 10/11/04
#6re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:08pm
I mean some parts of me totally agree. The show, in my added opinion, was terrible and there are probably a lot of better things out there that will never get to see the light of day becuase they don't have the financial backing that Brooks was able to obtain for this particular production. I don't think it should be on Broadway.
But rayandallthatjazz is right. 8 people shouldn't determine the success or failure of something. However at $100 a pop, fans rely far more on theater reviews than they do on movie reviews. It doesn't seem fair that some of the worst movies in the history of filmmaking can do well at the boxoffice because people are willing to ignore the negative reviews.
#7re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:11pm
Search for my review. I liked it.
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
#8re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:11pm
Having not seen the show, but good or bad is it not the most orignal show that has been on Broadway in years, in that case people should support it. Maybe instead of seeing "RENT" or " WICKED" one more time spending the $25.00 on so on a rush ticket here, would be money better spent..
LET THE FLAMES BEGIN...
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#9re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:13pm
Yes. It is probably the most original show we will see ever...and with the way original shows are panned....
#10re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:22pm
But thats the thing that gets me, this seems to be a bloodsport on these boards..
People waiting to first preview to come so they can post HOW BAD A SHOW IS.
And this one seemed to take the cake some people on this board had there minds made up before the show opened, it just seems the in thing to do was to throw **** at others peoples hard work.
But the same people scream not another Disney musical, don't support the orignal shows, you end up with Disney.!
#11re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:24pmAs with all shows, go see it for yourself and draw your own conclusion.
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#12re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:29pm
Yes. I knew this show would be bad. But I found it enjoyable. So what it isn't the next "Show Boat?"
It's still an entertaining show, worth my time.
Jazzysuite82
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
#13re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:29pm
First of all, original only works if it's good. It's great that there's a new Broadway musical. I don't think people are refuting that, but if it's bad, then it's bad. People can work hard on a bad show. Believe me, I've been there. Just because people worked hard at it doesn't make it good or enjoyable. It's a shame that people worked so hard on it and it's bad, but there shouldn't be a pass for hard work. NO ONE on broadway is doing a half-assed performance. Even the bad performers give it there all. It has nothing to do with original vs Disney or anything else. If Disney put out a great show that wasn't based on a film and it was original and it sucked. Guess What? people would complain.
PS It is not the most original show on broadway in recent years. There's been plenty of original work that is groundbreaking and actually good. If you wanna skip the Wickeds and the Rents of Broadway, I say don't go to In My Life, go to Off-Broadway. Thats where edgy, original, daring, and GOOD work is being presented.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#14re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:35pm
Well, I still found IML enjoyable.
I say, Off-Broadway is a jungle. See IML.
If you don't like it, have a LI Lemonade.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#15re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:43pmThere was so really bad aritcle on BWW earlier today about "bring back susan summers..." about how IN MY LIFE sucked. I believe the opening line was "I've never wanted to boo more in theater than this show."
spintoboy
Chorus Member Joined: 10/14/05
#16re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:46pmBrooks is forgetting that it isn't just the critics who didn't like IN MY LIFE. Plenty of "ordinary folk" who have seen the show thought it was awful, with the result that the word of mouth is not positive. True, some people have enjoyed it, but they seem to be outnumbered by the ones who thought it was dreadful.
#17re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:53pmWait...who is Brooks thinking about suing? I'm confused...
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#18re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 11:24pm
Brooks should learn something from Rosie O: if people aren't coming to the theater, they aren't interested in seeing the show.
Once again I have to say, if this had opened off-Broadway (like The Last Five Years) it may have had a longer run.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#19re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 11:25pmEveryone I know who has seen it have all said the same thing. Not one of them mentioned liking it. They never seem to be able to describe it. I'm going to try and see it this week. How are the Rush seats?
alli2
Broadway Star Joined: 1/6/05
#20re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/7/05 at 11:50pm
"it may have had an longer run..."
WTF? So, okay, wait, did I miss something? When did it close?! Can you see into the future and see how long it's going to run?
Jesus f*cking Christ, I hate went people make remarks like that.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#21re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/8/05 at 12:28amI just read that article - OUCH. It makes me want to see the show sooooo bad. If only I could make it to NYC for Christmas. Anyone wanna put me up for a night, so i can see this show? haa. It sounds god-awful - yet amazing.
Jazzysuite82
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
#22re: 'This is a war!' In My Life in the NY TIMES
Posted: 11/8/05 at 1:12amwow Alli umm you're a little intense about this. I think it's totally reasonable to assume the show will close soon enough. ESP with the ticket sales the way they are. It's now playing at 44% capacity regularly. Now I'm not saying it'll close tomorrow, but if this continues, it's only logical that the show will close and it will not have had a long run. But who knows? If there's a miracle, it could do an ok run. If there's a miracle...
WOSQ
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
#23re: 'This is a [losing] war!'
Posted: 11/8/05 at 10:20am
It is not because In My Life is an original musical. It is not that the critics wrote bad reviews. That's their job--to give their opinion of the performance they saw.
It is because the show is ghastly, and the word of mouth is worse. Memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. In My Life cannot even be called an artistic success, a 'success d'estime', with a by-the-book love story, a silly, sometimes offensive conceptual framing device and songs that are not memorable.
I don't like to throw around words like brilliant, awesome, great, terrible or awful because they have become generic. When these terms really apply, these words which ought to have specific meaning, now do not. So when I call a show 'ghastly', pay attention.
I cannot believe the angel will let another 1.6 mil be thrown at this debacle. That's bad producing. Save money and save face and pack it in. Can you imagine what is being said in the Edison Coffee Shop as we write?
Julia Roberts needs a theatre and the Music Box will do very nicely.
Corine2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/14/03
#24re: 'This is a [losing] war!'
Posted: 11/8/05 at 11:56am
It is a VERY entertaining train wreck.
You have to see it to believe it.
It made my 10 worst list!
Something is downright fascinating about trainwrecks!
The show could be decent if they removed the commercial songs(Dr Pepper, Volkswagon and the SKELTON dance,oy!)
Updated On: 11/8/05 at 11:56 AM
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