WELL Reviews- Page 2

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 7:32am

WOW! This show sounds amazing. Brantley's review is unreal. I cannot wait to see it.

Updated On: 3/31/06 at 07:32 AM

[Esparzafan]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 9:46am

I'm amazed by the reviews. I saw the matinee on Wednesday and wasn't blown away by Well at all...in fact, found myself checking my watch and waiting for it to end. It wasn't a bad show...I just didn't feel that it was as brilliant as the critics have painted it.

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 9:50am

I went to opening night last night and my reaction was similar to yours, Esparzafan. I checked my watch religiously (about once every ten minutes) and could barely focus my attention on the show b/c it was so dull. Lisa Kron's voice was flat and monotone and I found her phrasing clumsy. Jayne Houdshell was excellent, but that was about it. I just don't get the hype.

I had seen it at the Public and really liked it. However, it just doesn't work in a big theater.
Updated On: 3/31/06 at 09:50 AM

[QMAN03]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 10:34am

It seems like alot of people are going out to buy tickets after seeing these reviews. That's good. I was scared after the attendance I saw last week.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 10:57am

my friends who went last night really enjoyed it. said howdyshell gives the best performance they've seen in a while. this is definitely on my list. i'm seeing one show a week until the tonys, i think.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:25am

I had thought about seeing the show when I am in NYC. But it is now a must see as a good friend called me the moment he left the theatre last week and said I HAD to see this show. When he says I need to see something, I see it!

[QMAN03]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:27am

I'll post back tonight with my review.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:53pm

Interesting that the NY POST review was not posted.

It was not positive at all, and, the only review that I actually agree with.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:52pm

Why didn't you link it yourself, Munk?

Not sure if you're implying some nefarious motive, but I posted all the reviews that were online last night up till 1am. The Post's didn't appear until this morning, long after I went to bed. I haven't posted it or any of the other half dozen reviews (most of which were raves) because 1) I haven't had time at work; 2) it's not my job -- anyone is free to add any links they want to the thread; 3) how many people are really all that interested in reading a dozen reviews that all basically say the same exact thing, repeating the same praise over and over, with one exception?

But lest I be further accused of somehow not being fair or whatever (and again it's not my responsibility to search for, post, read and excerpt 12-18 reviews, every time there's an opening -- I do it when I can just to make it easier for the other members of the site to get a general overall picture of the criticial reception to a given show and frankly I've grown tired of being expected to continue with what is a time-consuming chore -- and then putting up with getting crap if I leave one out, one that wasn't even available to be linked last night when I was posting the excerpts) here's the link the Barnes' review (I'll leave it to someone else to link the other raves):

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/66301.htm

Sorry you didn't like the show, but there's no reason to be bitchy to me because no one except Clive Barnes agrees with you.

Updated On: 3/31/06 at 01:52 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:56pm

Journal News is a rave.
Journal News

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:57pm

I am seeing it tonight and cannot wait.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:57pm

Star Ledger is a rave.
Star Ledger

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:58pm

TheaterMania is a rave.
TheaterMania

[DG]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:11pm

"Not that his has anything to do with what you're saying, but [I] consider Clive Barnes to be pretty clueless with his reviews. He's up there with Roma Torre (NY1) and Linda Winer (Newsday.) They just don't have any business reviewing theatre." - Munk, from last October, during the ODD COUPLE review period.

Margo - maybe this is why Munk didn't post the review. Even though he agreed with it, he apparently doesn't find Mr. Barnes' reviews worth anything.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:56pm

I for one appreciate all the postings you have done, Margo. I am sure it is hard work finding/editing and linking every single review. I hope Rob and Craig are paying you well for this wonderful service you provide. Thank you.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 3:08pm

Pay? Riiiiiight.....

No, the only payment I receive is the satisfaction that comes with spreading the joy and magic of the Theatre.

And that and $2 will get you on the subway.

[mikem]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 3:22pm

It is interesting to me how divergent people's opinions are. I went to the same performance as at least some of these critics, and I did not get the sense that the audience as a whole was as enraptured with the play as the critics seem to have been -- there was nowhere even close to a standing ovation (really very few standees). Response throughout was bolstered by a small "cheering section" in one part of the theatre, but my overall sense of the audience response was not the one you might have expected from the reviews. The show was heavily papered, and maybe the average attendee had minimal interest in the show or just didn't "get it," but I'm not surprised that there are people who are confused by the wild acclaim.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 3:45pm

How many stars did the Post give it?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 4:24pm

This is sort of off topic, but Margo, could you possibly find all the original RENT reviews and post links and quotes from them. I need to convince my homophobic boyfriend how wonderful this show is so he will see it with me. I am sure that if he would only see RENT it would change his life forever. Thanks...



Now back to WELL...

Do we see Tony noms? Will Houdyshell be lead or featured?

Updated On: 3/31/06 at 04:24 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 4:42pm

Houdyshell is likely Featured and may be the favorite to win it at the moment. The Best Play and Best Actress categories are very crowded this year, so we'll see if it nabs one or both of those. I wouldn't expect the design elements to be acknowledged.

Very few Rent reviews are online because few newspapers were online in 1996 and most don't have searchable archives that go back that far. Here's Brantley's original one from the Times, though:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?id=1077011420395&html_title=&tols_title=RENT+%28PLAY%29+&byline=%20By+BEN+BRANTLEY++&pdate=19960430

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 1:11am

Is it just me, or is Clive Barnes perhaps the worst reviewer writing? Not only does he not give a single responsible and critical reason for disliking this play, he spends his entire review showing off his erring knowledge of the style of which this play is not.

BTW, saw this play again tonight -- MANY open seats -- despite the raves. Sad sad sad!!

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 2:20pm

Saw the show last night.

I absolutely enjoyed it.

Very daring, original, and extremely entertaining in its own special way.

Jayne Houdyshell has the Tony for Best Featured Actress (hoping that's where she goes, as she is billed below the title).

Very intriguing piece of theatre, unlike anything I have ever seen on Broadway before.

I definitely recommend it.
Updated On: 4/1/06 at 02:20 PM

[Harpo]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 2:47pm

Touchme- Maybe it just takes a while for people to react and buy tickets? I just bought mine and I'm seeing it next Saturday. Getting excited!

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 5:16pm

touchmeinthemorning

Where were you sitting?

The Orchestra was 95% full.