WAITRESS Reviews — Page 4

Show-Score's aggregate of critic reviews thus far is 78

To put it in perspective, the score of The Color Purple is 82, School of Rock is 72, American Psycho is 62, and On Your Feet is 75.

"Show-Score's aggregate of critic reviews thus far is 78

To put it in perspective, the score of The Color Purple is 82, School of Rock is 72, American Psycho is 62, and On Your Feet is 75."

That's actually pretty damn terrific.

Thanks for posting, Kad.

Updated On: 4/25/16 at 11:34 AM

I read almost all of the reviews and though the direction has gotten mixed notices, most of them seem to like the show overall, especially Jessie Mueller and the cast as well as the score.

I think Paulus is not a subtle director and her best work was done for Hair and Pippin, and Pippin had a lot of help from the Les Sept Doigts.

I think the show will catch on with audiences, though maybe this show needed a director like Sam Gold who would have kept things more nuanced.

Kad said: "Show-Score's aggregate of critic reviews thus far is 78

To put it in perspective, the score of The Color Purple is 82, School of Rock is 72, American Psycho is 62, and On Your Feet is 75.





"

That's really good. Poor American Psycho though.

To put it in perspective, the score of The Color Purple is 82, School of Rock is 72, American Psycho is 62, and On Your Feet is 75."

Don't forget Tuck with a 76! And Hamilton only got a 97, its not like its perfect.

But the perspective and ranking make sense, the whole field this year needed improvement put were passable and Hamilton is the kind of show that would still hang out with them on the playground.

Forget the mixed reviews-Waitress is going to be a huge hit. Audiences love archetypes when done well, as this show does. It's why romantic comedies are so popular. People leave the theatre happy. They see themselves in Jessie and relate to a time when they were once stuck and got out of it. People loves sassy best friends and ditzy best friends.

It's a bright, well-designed and well acted show with some very nice music. It's a winner. I will say the caliber of talent elevates the material. It may not play as well with less accomplished performers.

I do agree with the review that says the doctor isn't really dynamic in way that would make him compelling to Jessie, but I can overlook that.

Bettyboy72 said: "Forget the mixed reviews-Waitress is going to be a huge hit. Audiences love archetypes when done well, as this show does. It's why romantic comedies are so popular. People leave the theatre happy. They see themselves in Jessie and relate to a time when they were once stuck and got out of it. People loves sassy best friends and ditzy best friends.

It's a bright, well-designed and well acted show with some very nice music. It's a winner. I will say the caliber of talent elevates the material. It may not play as well with less accomplished performers.

I do agree with the review that says the doctor isn't really dynamic in way that would make him compelling to Jessie, but I can overlook that.



"

I think with the doctor thing, it really isn't ABOUT him. She needed to feel loved and safe....it could have been a plumber - as long as he was someone that didn't really know her or her predicament. Right place, right time.

Yeah I don't understand the reviews that criticize the show because you don't root for her and the doctor as you supposedly should.

I saw the show last Wednesday after seeing it twice in Boston last summer. I thought it was just OK... Nothing special and the changes didn't do much for the show... Nothing was really strengthened by the changes and I thought some of the were unnecessary and the new ending was disappointing. I thought Jessie was great but there was something missing from her performance that I can't put my finger on... I don't know if it was just all the changes in the show that messed wit her character, or her new song (which was average... I liked Door Number Three much better), but there was something that wasn't spot on. I don't see this one lasting much past the summer/January and don't see it doing well on the road, either.

Oh, and the sound design was better than it was in Boston (where it was absolutely atrocious the first time I saw it and slightly more tolerable the second time as I was sitting in the second row) but it still wasn't great.

For what it's worth, I didn't like Finding Neverland in NYC last year, and I loved it in Boston in 2014. I also saw School of Rock last week (the night before I saw Waitress) and left the Winter Garden smiling from ear to ear and I had the most fun I've had at the theater in a long time.

what is with this strange season

Thanks for sharing that article. I love Waitress but I have been waiting for someone to take note of the stalker vibe of Ogie's big number (other than those of us here on the board). I think the perception of that song and his nature have improved since Boston - partly because it's a better portrayal by Fitzgerald - and partly because they ensure that he is a nice guy after all.

I agree with parts of the article, particularly how suddenly Jenna is able to dispatch with Earl in the hospital scene, but I don't expect a big "oh what a horrible person I have been" number from Earl either. That's unrealistic.

For what it's worth, Diane Paulus said that they had people from Mt Sinai's sexual assault and domestic violence survivor program come and talk to the cast about how people may react to the show. Jessie Mueller has a link to the program in her Playbill bio and they apparently have cards with the SAVI contact info at the stage door for actors to give to anyone who confides in them, which I'm sure has happened.

I've tried getting an answer to this but can anyone elaborate on Laura Benanti's involvement with the development of the show?