UPDATED! John Reviews 11 Broadway Shows - Mamma Mia and Spelling Bee Added!- Page 4

[justme2]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 6:36pm

Well.....don't worry, I didn't like Mamma Mia either. :)

I saw it twice just to get a chance to see and hear Dee Hoty live.

I was just hoping Carolee was in good voice and you might have enjoyed listening to her.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:52pm

We're still waiting!

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 7:27am

Hola gang! Just going to work now. I make a tentative promise that it'll be done before sunset. I'm going to see the NYC Phil in the park this evening so no promises.

Sidenote: I saw Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett in a resaurant in the Village last night. They were very much a couple and were enjoying a meal with their family and friends. I wasn't so declasse as to bother them, and they were on the table right next to mine. They are both incredibly gorgeous up close. At one point Josh Hartnett started choking and it was kinda dicey but he recovered. I thought I'd have to take action! Let me tell you one thing, they both ate A LOT. And spent a HUGE amount of money.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:00am

UPDATED! I ADDED REVIEWS OF MAMMA MIA AND SPELLING BEE. THEY'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST POST.

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:33am

It saddens me that all of the intelligence and emotion in Spelling Bee wasn't evident to you. I find there to be at least three moments in the show that brought tears to my eyes (one being the "I Love You Song"). I personally think this is one of the best scores around currently and truly brings out the emotion and motivations behind all of the characters. It's the kind of show that I've seen three times and am still falling in love with the characters and finding out new things about them each time I go. I wouldn't call anything so complex and textually layered, "pure fluff."

[Copeman63]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:47am

Wow... What ever happened to just seeing a show and not being such a bitch? I haven't been over the moon for every single show I've seen, but you should consider youself lucky for seeing 11 shows... Lighten up and enjoy the show!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 12:39pm

I thought John's comments on SPELLING BEE were spot-on.

Updated On: 7/14/05 at 12:39 PM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 1:04pm

kidmanboy: Tears were brought to my eyes a few times during the show too. Tears of laughter, for I thought the entire show was hilarious. And, listening to the CD of the show, I do appreciate the intelligence of the lyrics, and the emotion of the characters in SOME of the songs, I just didn't think the score itself was particularly memorable. I'm happy that you love the show, and I think it's great when one show really impacts someone. This just isn't my show - I trust you'll respect my right to an opinion?

copeman63: No one more than myself appreciates how lucky I am to have seen these shows. And Broadway has done itself proud by entertaining me every single time (perhaps with the exception of one show). I adore musical theatre, and am rarely as happy as when I'm waiting for the lights to dim and the curtain to go up. So some of my comments are bitchy... They're meant to be amusing-bitchy rather than evil-hatred-bitchy. I'm sorry if it comes across that way, it's one of the pitfalls of the written medium, and of being an amateur critic. But, don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed near every single show I've ever seen, just some more than others. And I don't think highlighting good and bad points of a show is deplorable - many users seem to like hearing about what's going on with their favourite productions.

Updated On: 7/14/05 at 01:04 PM

[musicnmath]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:03pm

The reviews have returned! yay!

mamma mia -- SIX UNDERSTUDIES!? That's stretching it just a bit. yikes. I saw it waaaay back in previews in SF. I'm not an ABBA fan, but was mildly entertained.

bee -- I really want to see this show because it appears to be hysterical and poignant. So I downloaded the songs and was underwhelmed (though I love "6 languages" to an arguably inappropriate degree). Which is fine, there are musicals where the music isn't the thing. I still really want to see this show for all the same reasons I originally did...so it sounds like I'm on the same wave length to you. In your defense, I don't think it's a diss to a show to say that the music is not the high point....as long as there's something else that outshines it. Good reminder that there's SRO. I'm going to try and rush it next weekend when I'm in NYC, but if not I'll go SRO for $25. :)

So when are you going to see the unique experience that is Light in the Piazza?

"I adore musical theatre, and am rarely as happy as when I'm waiting for the lights to dim and the curtain to go up." -- I can't tell you how much I agree with this. So few people understand. It's that moment of tense and soaring possibility. sigh. I need to go see me a show again.

[justme2]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:15pm

Thanks for posting again jczelyph! I enjoyed all your reviews, and your Mamma Mia review was pretty close to what I felt about the show. Glad Carolee managed to shine through (as usual!)and I'm looking forward to seeing her in Lestat here in SF!

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:18pm

Haha, I'm glad you like the reviews.

Mamma Mia: Yes, six understudies! Although only one was not so good as I'd hoped. The other characters aren't too important. Eddie and Pepper, for example. I might be wrong in my recollection of six though, because some were announced before the show and I was so shocked there were more, I Kinda zoned out. The show was entertaining and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't overwhelming. Not one of those transcendant moments of theatre.

Spelling Bee: I totally agree that it's not a "diss" to say that music wasn't the high point of a show. I never meant that really. The show is absolutely hysterical and, poignant (in metered doses). I think for me, it's interesting to note that DRS was at least as funny (or more suited to my rather purile sense of humour anyway), and a more spectacular production with far more exciting music.

Piazza will be soon, although I'm not running to see it, and there are shows I want to see before it. I think I'm going to give Lennon a miss, and I saw The Lion King recently in London and feel no particular urge to see it again. Ditto The Producers.

I love your phrase, "It's that moment of tense and soaring possibility." It sums it up perfectly.

justme: Thanks! Carolee was delightful. I didn't know that she was going to be in Lestat! I am excited now! Very excited. Inappropriately excited!

Updated On: 7/14/05 at 02:18 PM

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:23pm

jczelyph -- totally agree with Mamma Mia. It's been this "hot ticket" for so long and when I saw it, I was totally underwhelmed. The concept isn't that creative and if you're not an Abba fan I think you could be majorly p*ssed to pay so much for the show. I also sat 2nd row orchestra on the left side and the sound MANY times BLEW us out of our seats -- and not in a good way. Everyone in that part of the theatre jumped about 15 feet up when the orchestra started at the beginning of the 2nd act.

Updated On: 7/14/05 at 02:23 PM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:28pm

That's so funny because the exact same thing happened. What was most amusing was that the music is so melodramatic, with all these swirling, mixed-up voices and snippets of songs, as if to highlight some kind of dramatic maelstrom. When in fact the drama is as limp as lettuce, and the second act remains as easy-going as the first (with the exception of the rather odd opening number of Act 2. Diving On Acid, as it should be called.

[LittleBitRacist]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:31pm

thats funny, my parents saw Spelling Bee two nights ago and said the EXACT same thing. I was just in NY the past weekend and saw/have seen the shows you reviewed and agree for the most part. I was embarrassed for harvey fierstein, like honestly embarrassed. I did Fiddler at my catholic school this past year and for catholic high schoolers to put on a more ethnic production of fiddler on the roof than a broadway cast that is pathetic. This production was too wrapped up trying to find the symbolism behind the beggar and the little boy dancing ghetto at the wedding to look for any character development or color within the show. So i agree on that one. I also totally agree on DRS and Altar Boyz, they were so much fun. thanks for the reviews!

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:46pm

littlebit: No problem, I just enjoy writing them. I'm glad you've enjoyed so many shows too - DRS and Altar Boyz are two faves of mine.

Don't get me started on Fiddler, it's caused enough harassment already. Suffice to say it was both the material and the production I found dull.

[Jilani]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:48pm

jczelyph, thanks for the reviews. I think Mamma Mia can be great fun if you accept it on its own terms (and if you are already pretty familiar with Abba music). I actually saw it twice - once was the national tour here in the U.S., when I thought it was just okay, and the second time was in London, when I thought it was much funnier (though I didn't notice any appreciable differences in the script). I really think it's just better when done by the English, for some reason. I wonder if you would have liked the London production more.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 3:56pm

Glad to hear you enjoyed Bee. Just wished you wouldve liked it a bit more.

PS: Where are your Wicked, FB, and 2nd ASU reviews?

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 4:43pm

Jilani: It's funny you say that because the production my MT friend raved about was the London show so maybe that's the difference. Weird... To be honest, I did enjoy the show and have probably been a little spoiled by seeing so many in a short space of time.

wickedrocks: I got tired and forgot to write them. They'll be there soon...

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 11:23pm

Bumping for the last 3 reviews, I believe.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 9:52pm

Still waiting on the other 3!

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 9:59pm

Fiddler is one of my favorite shows. Not this version though.