XANADU Reviews
XANADU Reviews
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
XANADU Reviews#1
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:10pmSince I'm the de-facto new review poster, I'll just save this for when the newspapers start posting.
re: XANADU Reviews#2
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:12pmI am a bit worried about reviews. Does anyone know who the Times sent?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: XANADU Reviews#2
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:27pm
Audrey, Cindi, and Randi loved it.
Audrey was "blown away," while Cindi thought it was "a great show," and Randi says it's "a lot of fun."
http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=550242
re: XANADU Reviews#3
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:28pm^ Big surprise.
LizzieCurry: No, you're more memorable
re: XANADU Reviews#4
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:29pm
...and that's good enough for me! If Audrey likes it, it can't be bad... right?
I also LOVE that Cindi and Randi are both "with an 'I'"
re: XANADU Reviews#6
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:35pmI think her name should be Audri
LizzieCurry: No, you're more memorable
re: XANADU Reviews#7
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:37pmThey all seemed to enjoy it, but with hesitation. I think the critics will respond similarly, trashing the writers and creative team, but praising the cast for a fun night at the theater.
re: XANADU Reviews#8
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:39pm...which, unfortunately, they couldn't do for Legally Blonde. I mean, I could tell the reviewers liked it in spite of themselves. Why all the hate, yet all the love for Xanadu? Ugh, I will never know.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: XANADU Reviews#9
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:44pm
No matter how bad the reviews are for Xanadu, one thing to keep in perspective:
They set out to make it intentionally bad.
Born To Reign - because there are problems in Legally Blonde. There are problems in Xanadu, but I seem to think the creatives set out to create them.
Updated On: 7/10/07 at 06:44 PM
re: XANADU Reviews#10
Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:47pm
But does that make it okay? If you sell me sh!t, it doesn't make it better that you're TELLING me it's sh!t, it's still sh!t.
And I don't think Legally Blonde's problems are any worse than most shows. But that's just my opinion (obviously)
re: XANADU Reviews#11
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:00pm
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/Living/theater_reviews.jsp
NY1 is up.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: XANADU Reviews#12
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:02pm
"If one must adapt the stupendously awful Olivia Newton John movie “Xanadu” for the stage, and it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to, it's at least in the right hands. Douglas Carter Beane's book is a perfectly-pitched parody in Christopher Ashley's infectiously campy production featuring some of the year's most comically inspired performances.
And while it's awfully light fare for Broadway, considering the amount of laughs you get per dollar spent, it's a comedy bargain.
“Xanadu” may be a lot of fun, but that doesn't make it great theatre, more of a guilty summertime pleasure. I still question the wisdom of doing this, but it does prove that, given the right talents, anything can fly on Broadway."
From NY1.
re: XANADU Reviews#13
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:04pm
“Xanadu” may be a lot of fun, but that doesn't make it great theatre, more of a guilty summertime pleasure. I still question the wisdom of doing this, but it does prove that, given the right talents, anything can fly on Broadway.
This quote might sum up this whole event PERFECTLY.
Updated On: 7/10/07 at 07:04 PM
re: XANADU Reviews#14
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:04pm
Looks pretty positive. 
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/8/04
re: XANADU Reviews#15
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:16pmBut seriously...who goes into Xanadu looking for good theater??
re: XANADU Reviews#16
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:23pm
Variety is most definitely a positive review from David Rooney.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934132.html?categoryid=33&cs=1
The only criticism seems to be for Tony Roberts as Danny, though it says he's better as Zeus, which I agree with.
re: XANADU Reviews#17
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:26pmWhy do they ALL insist on mentioning the "horrible crime" that is the movie?! Just write about the show for gosh sake's! The two shouldn't even be compared.
re: XANADU Reviews#18
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:27pm
Not to beat a dead horse, but it's going to happen. How many comparisons were made between LBB and Reese Witherspoon?
Unfair? probably. But that's how it goes.
re: XANADU Reviews#19
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:28pmIt's kind of hard not to mention the movie when it was the spring board for the concept. It's like not mentioning the documentary Grey Gardens or the Wendekind play Spring Awakening. It's kinda necessary. Plus the critics seem to be saying "Don't be fooled by the badness of the movie. The show is good." What's wrong with that?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: XANADU Reviews#20
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:31pm
The comparisons with Reese Witherspoon were expected...especially after seeing Laura Bundy's performance, which paled in comparison. Butler's performance was as good, if not better, than Newton-John's.
Butler has what Bundy lacks: star quality.
re: XANADU Reviews#21
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:34pmNothing is wrong with mentioning it, but I think most of the populus gets the point. Anyway, if people are reminded of the beyond horrible movie, they might think the concept is beyond repairing. (That's what I thought at first)
re: XANADU Reviews#22
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:37pm
'Whatever the show's future, Beane and the young producing team of Broadway neophytes have made it a guilt-free pleasure to visit "a place where nobody dared to go."'
Woo hoo! A rave!
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
re: XANADU Reviews#23
Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:39pm
"Anyway, if people are reminded of the beyond horrible movie, they might think the concept is beyond repairing. (That's what I thought at first)"
Katurian, that's exactly why the critics ARE mentioning it. People are being reminded of the horrible movie just from the title of the show, so the critics are saying that the concept is not only beyond repair, but pretty good. They don't want people to be left assuming that it's just the wretched movie on stage.
re: XANADU Reviews#24
Posted: 7/10/07 at 8:01pmWell so far so good!
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