WAR PAINT - Pre-Broadway Thread — Page 9

I saw it Friday night and enjoyed it a lot, largely because of the two leads (not to look too far into the future, but this is a show it's really hard to see surviving without two very charismatic and well-known stars). As others have noted, the men are not very interesting (I'd either like more of them or a lot less of them, since the only thing that distinguishes them now is that one's gay and one isn't). It definitely feels like the work of the "Grey Gardens" team -- and, as in that show (which I love, btw), it seems odd to me that there are many solos and a couple duets for the female leads but virtually no numbers in which they work with the chorus. I'm not asking for "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" but it would be nice to have a song or two that involved the prominent characters with the chorus.

Costumes are stunning - especially the NY social elites. Christine and Patti create a relationship without communicating directly. Christine's Pink is anthem for many women, my wife wept. Orchestrations are great.

Patti is hilarious. We loved the show, so happy we got to see it!

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "Costumes are indeed stunning but they sure make LuPone look diminutive. I've seen her in other things but, based on this, she sure does not look 5-2 (and, of course, Ebersole's heighten increases the contrast). I was guessing under five feet tall."

Standing next to Douglas Sills also really draws attention to her height.

I thought this was disappointingly bland. It certainly wasn't unpleasant... but not much happened. It was like a wikipedia page with songs. No real character arch, no real conflict.

The Act 1 closing song was terrific, as where the final two solo numbers for the leads... everything else was generically lovely but had no real impact.

It was very glamorous.

Those pictures look lovely. I wish I could hear some of the score.

JeaniusIsMe said: "KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "Costumes are indeed stunning but they sure make LuPone look diminutive. I've seen her in other things but, based on this, she sure does not look 5-2 (and, of course, Ebersole's heighten increases the contrast). I was guessing under five feet tall."

Standing next to Douglas Sills also really draws attention to her height.



"Well, Helena was actually quite tiny so it fits.

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "Forgot to mention that I attended a pre-show talk on Saturday and the speaker indicated that was the first frozen performance (and that they were "out of rehearsal time", which would make sense since it opens tonight. Take it with a grain of salt, since he also said that no one knows if the show is going to Broadway and that Christine Ebersole was the original choice for her role. (One interesting thing he did note is that the show was specifically dreamed up as a way to bring together two great ladies of the musical theater.)



"



See, the composer said on a radio interview recently that although they hope to go to Broadway - nothing was set in stone. Yet Liza (if I recall correctly) seem to have a different idea - that it is confirmed and going to the Nederlander. I hope they're right, but surely if it was confirmed they would say so. Unless they are waiting for the official announcement.

Ouch Nytimes . Positive for the two leads though and certain moments.

Chicago Sun Times is positive

http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/war-paint-a-musical-whose-beauty-is-far-more-than-skin-deep/

Brantley and the Tribune are mixed.

Updated On: 7/19/16 at 07:32 AM

Brantley's review really wasn't that bad. He seemed to echo a lot of what's been said here, actually. High praise for the two women and the score, but thinks the story is predictable and perhaps generic.

I don't think any of these reviews will sway anyone one way or the other about a transfer to Broadway.

I found Brantley's review to be weirdly bitchy and dismissive.

So it's not going into the Nederlander?

Kad said: "I found Brantley's review to be weirdly bitchy and dismissive."



Bitchy and dismissive, yes. But from Brantley, that's not weird.