What's The Most Vicious Theater Review You Ever Read?- Page 2

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 5:46pm

Wait a minute, Marquise.

Was that written about Ann-Margaret during her BYE BYE BIRDIE days or during her A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE days? :)

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 5:59pm

Mary_Ethel, if you don't want to get on my bad side I would suggest you lay off A-M, she's a goddess, she could do no wrong in my book. I forgive her anything. Kael would have been more wittier if she would have said "Ann-Margret acts with her behind", which she basically did in alot of her sixties movies, and what a behind that was!

She has since redeemed herself and i loved her performance in "Streetcar". Now I'm not saying she was "better" than Vivien Leigh, so before you snobs jump down my throat let me make that perfectly clear. All I'm saying she did an excellent job in the role, IMO. Updated On: 10/14/04 at 05:59 PM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 6:16pm

WOA!!!

All I was asking at what point during her career did Kael make that statement.

I agree that Ann-Margaret has done a splendid job of re-inventing herself from a "teeny bopper" singer-dancer to a respected character actress.

Honestly, I didn't mean to hit a nerve, Marquise. . . :)

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 6:31pm

oh no you didn't hit a nerve Mary_Ethel. sorry my post came off that way. I think Kael wrote that review in the '60s and i think it was for A-M's performance in the 1966 remake of "Stagecoach"....i think. Updated On: 10/14/04 at 06:31 PM

Posted: 10/14/04 at 6:44pm

Marquise - I liked Ms. Margaret in Streetcar, as well - and thought the whole production was pretty well done, including Treat Williams as Stanley - but especially Beverly D'Angelo as Stella.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:02pm

Well, I live in Boston, and Sandy Duncan is here with "The King and I." In the Globe review, I found the following closing line quite humorous...

"There was room in the program to thank "the official cough drop of `The King and I,' " but not to list the players who were making the music."

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:13pm

wasn't one of the dracula reviews simply: "it sucks"? if so thats my favorite

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:15pm

The John Simon review of Liza in THE ACT was especially ugly...as I recall, he described her chin, receding as in shame "so as not to take responsibility to what went on above it".

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:15pm

It would have to be when John Simon referred to Amy Spanger in "Kiss Me Kate" as having "the face of a nutcracker." For the record, I think she is SO hot, and John Simon is an asshole.

[Hank]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:16pm

That's easy: Ben Brantley on Thoroughly Modern Millie.
While most of the other reviews sounded like "The best musical in town, bar none" WOR, and "A winner everyway you look at it...I just can't wait to see it again" Star Ledger, Mr Brantley's bash was especially vicious and hurtful.
I can no longer download this review, but from what I remember, he even knocked the incredibly talented Sutton Foster. And he called the costumes "gaudy". They were briliant! Designer Martin Pakledinatz won a Tony! And the show won several other Tonys as well.
I could go on and on, but this review will upset me to no end.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:52pm

I saw a horrible review saying that Sutton Foster was arrogant and that Millie sucked.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 7:55pm

I'm pretty sure the NYT makes old theater reviews (like movie and book reviews) available for free.

[Hank]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 8:08pm

Yes, I'm sure they do, but I just don't feel like going through it anymore. Please excuse me.

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 8:41pm

You don't have to search!

It's right here!!

robbie, who agrees with every word of this review!
CIRCUS PONIES

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 9:57pm

Oh, it had to be Frank Rich's review of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton's PRIVATE LIVES. It dripped with venom!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:04pm

Screw the reviewer, for every one person who thought Sutton sucked in Millie, there were many, many fans to support her.

Also, didn't part of a Dracula review read, "It sucks!"?

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:05pm

To be honest, I don't think Sutton sucked...at all.

I thought MILLIE sucked. And the poor girl had to work very hard to put over crappy material.

I think the role of Jo March is a perfect fit for her. I just hope the material allows her to truly take off.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:25pm

I saw Liz & Dick get into their limo during the pre-Broadway tryout of PRIVATE LIVES in Philadelphia (my home town!).

[Amy Archer]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 11:39pm

I LOVED Millie's Tony Award-winning costumes! I think they are shown off to wonderful effect in this production still.

Posted: 10/14/04 at 11:46pm

Amy, you win the prize

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:21am

Amy, that was one of the funniest posts yet.

Watch it though, some crazed Millie/Sutton fan might get you.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:33am

Michael Feingold's review of Miss Saigon, titled "Heat Seeking Bomb" spent the first few paragraphs explaining how anyone responsible for putting that show on Broadway should have been tortured and killed.

I won't mention the show, but the New York Press' theatre listings used to describe one show as "a racist, woman-hating musical with a star who sings, dances and acts better than any other performer on Broadway who completely lacks charisma." Updated On: 10/15/04 at 01:33 AM

[andyf]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:47am

I'll always keep a special place in my heart for this one by John Simon:

"...unless you are a Boy George fan or a freak-show fancier, you'll find the pickings as slim as the slender thread trying to hold together the disparate halves of Charles Busch's revised book."

I never saw the show, so don't attack, but the review is so maliciously well-written I can't help but love it.

Sidebar - feel free to hate me for this one - I LOVED Millie and I thought the costumes were great. Can you at least admit that the costumes for the Moderns were good?

Updated On: 10/15/04 at 01:47 AM

[Amy Archer]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 6:21am

How could I forget the costumes for the Moderns? Luscious fabrics, cut with tasteful fringe. I'm surprised it didn't set a fashion trend in the workplace.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:05am

Some of the Bombay Dreams reviews were pretty dam* harsh.

The Toronto Star said "Bombay Dreams is a Broadway Nightmare" and flatly said lead Manu Narayan "can't sing, dance, or act." Ouch!

Others likened it to "bland curry." LOL