End of the Rainbow Reviews- Page 2

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:11pm

David Finkle also writes for TheatreMania and is a member of the NY Drama Critics Circle. Nothing against End of the Rainbow - I haven't seen it - but Finkle is a legit critic.

[srg129]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:35pm

New York Post is positive: (3 of 4 stars)

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/take_on_judy_real_beauty_Q2jGxxlcq197VVVnKPbBYJ

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:37pm

Thetinymagic2, please corroborate your statement of "absolute truth" that "95%+ of the audiences for the past 2 wks LOVE it." I've heard and read a much more evenly split take on the piece. I'll wait soberly for your response.

[srg129]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:52pm

New Jersey Newsroom is negative:

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/new-york-theater/review-end-of-the-rainbow-reveals-trash

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:06am

That one's pretty bad: "It's trash. Pulp rubbish...you can’t deny her power even if she’s driving a third-rate hearse of a play."

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:09am

Brantley: "For that you can thank Ms. Bennett, who, as directed by Terry Johnson, is giving one of the most complete portraits of an artist I’ve ever seen."

I don't doubt this for a minute, but more as a slam at Brantley.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:18am

The Tony is, without question, Bennett's to lose. Particularly after these reviews.

I'm afraid that this is going to be a very predictable Tony season.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:20am

chrisampm - left you a PM.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:20am

oops - duplicate. (delete)

Updated On: 4/3/12 at 12:20 AM

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:23am

So FindingNamo, if Brantley's comment that "this is one of the most complete portraits of an artist I've ever seen" is true and damning, do you take it to mean he's seen too few portraits of an artist?

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:28am

Oh, Chrisampm, even we who love the show think Brantley's review is waaay over the top excessive But hey, he's ONE critic. As previously talked about here, the play sucks, but the performance is IT. Pelphrey can not act, and the play is slight. One of the rare cases of breathing HUGE LIFE into something mediocre. The music 7 Tracie is what makes it (for us).

[chanel]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:47am

Village Voice blog is mixed.

[chanel]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:47am

Sorry, here's the link.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/2012/04/judy_garland_co.php

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 7:09am

"The music 7 [sic] Tracie is what makes it (for us) you."

[BWF]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 7:19am

No, that would be us. Tracie is phenomenal in this ...

Updated On: 4/3/12 at 07:19 AM

[AngusN]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 8:19am

Personally, I loved the show from start to finish. I liked the script, I thought it was a clever combination of comedy and pathos.
As for Bennett's performance, I feel incredibly priviliged to have witnessed a truly remarkable piece of theatre.
Each to their own, if we all had the same taste, life would be so very mundane.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 8:42am

This theatre experience is ALL about seeing TRACIE BENNETT. Go with that in mind and enjoy!

I honestly don't know why some contributors to this site can comment before seeing the play.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 9:13am

I honestly don't know why some contributors to this site can comment before seeing the play.

Honestly. There oughta be a law.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 9:29am

There is a law. You'll see.

[followspot]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 10:22am

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:

"It's a brave, bravura performance without a single false note. When it comes to this year's Tony Award for best actress in a play — you have to hand it to Tracie Bennett. A–"

This crazy little show sure is racking up the pull quotes!

Updated On: 4/3/12 at 10:22 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 10:39am

This may go down in the annals of Broadway as the year of the more controversial, most simultaneously lionized and berated performances by women:

Bennett, Peters, Roger.

And more power to them for taking big risks.

Still, my bet is that the tonys may well go to do McDonald and Arianda. Not just because they are more safely not the subject of such polarization.

But because they are both absolutely sensational must-see performances.

[dreaming]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 10:45am

The case for Arianda lies in the fact that her show got very, very strong reviews. It helps an actor/actress when their show gets strong reviews (see past Tony winners-very few were from shows that got very poor reviews). The reviews for "End of the Rainbow" while lauding Bennett's performance, were all over the map for the show itself. That doesn't help her as an actress, fine performance or not.

[Theatrefan6]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:02pm

Here's what Curtain Critic wrote about the show and Bennett. They have a bunch of reviews posted there.
Curtain Critic

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:11pm

^disagree. Venus in Fur is, to my mind, possibly the best play of the season.

But that doesn't change the fact that what Arianda accomplishes is nothing short of a miracle, balancing broad comic realism with self-effacing moxie, 19th century psychodrama with classical showmanship, and a grand entertainment of contemporary sexual politics with uncommon intelligence, instantaneously toggling between two seemingly disparate women all the while propelled by a mysterious force of nature, convincingly repulsing, captivating, mesmerizing, degrading, confounding, spellbinding, and seducing Dancy while completely beguiling an adoring audience and, not least of all, proving that she is the most comically gifted actress to emerge in a generation in one uninterrupted solid two hours of theater that is, thanks to her as well as to a brilliant script, as thought-provoking as it is riotously funny.

Disagree with me or call me a fawning sycophant. I am not exaggerating.

Updated On: 4/3/12 at 12:11 PM

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 4/3/12 at 12:29pm

Garland was no saint. She was a complex, troubled woman who is rightfully considered one of the very greatest singers and all-around perfomers who ever lived. Her last years would make a gripping play. But as I've said before, THE END OF THE RAINBOW isn't it. It reminds me of when Howard Stern played Judy's audio tapes of her unfinished biography as something to be laughed at.

Updated On: 4/3/12 at 12:29 PM