What kind of reviews did 'Cats', 'Phantom', and 'Les Miz' get when they first opened?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 2:58pm

Sorry for the randomness of this question but I was just wondering what the general consensus of the reviews for these three shows were when they originally opened. If someone has snippets of specific reviews as well, that would be great. Thanks tons!

[TGIF]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 3:06pm

If you want, go to The New York Times' website. They have an archive of all their reviews. I am pretty sure POTO was positive.

Edit:
NYTimes Cats Review

Updated On: 7/9/05 at 03:06 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 3:15pm

Cats was very positive:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?html_title=&tols_title=CATS%20(PLAY)&pdate=19821008&byline=By%20FRANK%20RICH&id=1077011429520

Phantom was mixed-to-positive:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=940DE7DD1138F934A15752C0A96E948260

Les Miz got a Rave:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9B0DE7D81E3EF930A25750C0A961948260

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 3:29pm

To the best of my recollection, the reviews were all "very good" to "raves" overall. But I do remember that there was a bit of sourness in many of them, since each arrived in New York following phenomenal successes in London. Critical backlash on shows that come here as ready-made smashes isn't something new. I remember the harsh criticism of Sarah Brightman in Phantom. Rude and severe. (One going so far as to say "Ms. Brightman couldn't act scared on a subway at three o'clock in the morning." I've always remembered that quote, since it was such a direct zinger!)

There were also many criticisms of the elaborate CATS set and its "partial viewing" for audiences.

Both of these negative notices trickled into the Tony Awards. Brightman wasn't nominated for her performance in Phantom, while virtually everything else was. And the Cats set lost out to the central park unit set for the play "I'm Not Rappaport" (which was an amazing effort itself).

[magruder]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 4:45pm

Cats lost for set design, but to Ming Cho Lee's spectacular set for K2, not to I'm Not Rappaport.

[jo]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 7:36pm

It is interesting that while LES MISERABLES got raves on Broadway, it did get poor reviews in London when it first opened ( "the glums", as it was called then). Only a handful recognized the potential dramatic and emotional appeal it will eventually draw worldwide.

[toodramatic]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 7:47pm

The British and American reviews were very different...I dont remember Phantom getting great reviews (NY Times I think?) in NY.

[jo]

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

Margo,

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but could you also post the reviews for ASPECTS OF LOVE and SUNSET BOULEVARD, if you have them on file? I found Frank Rich's commentaries on Andrew Lloyd Webber's work ( CATS and PHANTOM) very interesting. Thanks.

Jo

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 8:29pm

Sunset:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9C0CE1DD1031F93BA25752C1A962958260

I don't see the Aspects review online.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 8:52pm

I have Frank Rich's review of ASPECTS where he commeneted that there is more heat and excitement generated by a trip to the bank than from a visit to the Broadhurst theatre. He hated the book, the score, the set, the direction. It was an outright pan.

"Brightman wasn't nominated for her performance in Phantom, while virtually everything else was..."

With good reason, I'm afraid. Though she sang the role well, her acting was woooden Part of that is the role itself. All Christine does is react to everything aroud her.

The overall reviews of CATS, and PHANTOM were mixed to negative. CATS drew praise for its spectacle and in some papers for the music, but the reviewers felt that PHANTOM didn't live up to its hype. LES MIZ got generally positive reviews in New York (unlike the original London production which received mostly negative notices.)

ALL of these shows arrived in New York pre-sold by the London cast recordings and the hype surrounding the British stagings. This made the shows critic-proof. AUdiences had already decided they wanted to see these productions and had bought up millions of $ in tickets long before opening night.

By the time of ASPECTS OF LOVE and SUNSET BLVD. audiences were not quite as sold. SUNSET drew on the strength of Glen Close's name and the reviews were favourable enough to enable it to run 2 years. Had it not been for the power of her performance, SUNSET might have closed a lot faster. Even so, despite the length of its run it was not a financial or artistic success.

ASPECTS got terrible reviews and managed to hang on for 9 months, but it was never a big draw at the box-office.

[RustyJusty830]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 12:07am

If I remember correctly, when Les Miz first opened, several reviews trashed it claiming that the plot was too confusing and intricate making it hard for the audience to understand.

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 12:10am

Not to threadjack or anything, but I can't find a review of 'Carrie'. Does anyone remember a quote from them?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 1:00pm

Yes! Thanks magruder... It was K2 beating out Cats for Set Design. My memory just ain't what it used to be.