NEWSIES Reviews- Page 4

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 1:04am

When did Musto become a theatre critic?
Or is that a joke?

[NYTheatre01]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 1:04am

Jeremy Jordan is engaged to actress Ashley Spencer. She has been on Broadway as Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, starred as Sandy in Grease on Broadway and also as a Diva in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 3:08am

'With this New York Times review, I'd say it's pretty much a done deal that 'Once' will easily win the Best Musical Tony.'

I agree with Times Square Regular and TheatreKid3 that Brantley is given credit for having more power than he actually has. If it were true, 'Lysistrata Jones,' which he raved about, would still be running. So would 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.'

A couple of seasons ago, Brantley raved about 'Fela!' And Isherwood raved about 'American Idiot.' And the show that won the Tony (and Drama Desk and Outer Critics) was the musical they both dismissed: 'Memphis,' which just hit over 1,000 shows.

And is any shocked that the Wall St. Journal, the newspaper of business & conservatives, wouldn't like a pro-union musical?

Finally, who knows how 'Ghost,' 'Leap of Faith' or 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' will play into the Best Musical race? Still, so far, I really like 'Newsies' ' chances.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 3:31am

I have a feeling that Leap of Faith and Nice Work will be nominated over Ghost.

[peachesr82]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 4:05am

I'm going to put my hands up and admit that I don't know much about Brantley (I'm UK based so don't always pay too much attention to US reviews) but of the few of his reviews I've read he just strikes me as a cynical, middle aged man who doesn't really seem like theatre and uses his reviews to vent his old man frustrations. Am I close here?
I can't imagine a few negative, and they seem few, will impact the Newsies box office much. The show is a juggernaut and one that surely will only pick up speed once the schools break for the summer. I wouldn't rule it out of a Tony, I think it has it weaknesses as a show, but it has a lot of charm. I certainly had a great night in the theatre, it was a lot of fun, and I didn't go in expecting some great life impacting piece of work, more fool the people who do. In the big picture it has much more of a shelf life than Once. Life beyond Broadway seems more plausible, even a transfer to London wouldn't shock me. Besides, if Memphis can beat American Idiot (yeah I know that was hit or miss too) then anything is possible.

[peachesr82]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 4:06am

I'm going to put my hands up and admit that I don't know much about Brantley (I'm UK based so don't always pay too much attention to US reviews) but of the few of his reviews I've read he just strikes me as a cynical, middle aged man who doesn't really seem like theatre and uses his reviews to vent his old man frustrations. Am I close here?
I can't imagine a few negative, and they seem few, will impact the Newsies box office much. The show is a juggernaut and one that surely will only pick up speed once the schools break for the summer. I wouldn't rule it out of a Tony, I think it has it weaknesses as a show, but it has a lot of charm. I certainly had a great night in the theatre, it was a lot of fun, and I didn't go in expecting some great life impacting piece of work, more fool the people who do. In the big picture it has much more of a shelf life than Once. Life beyond Broadway seems more plausible, even a transfer to London wouldn't shock me. Besides, if Memphis can beat American Idiot (yeah I know that was hit or miss too) then anything is possible.

Updated On: 3/30/12 at 04:06 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 6:02am

Brantley's review was to be expected. There's no way he was going to fall in love with a show like this.

He did give them a pull quote, though ("Jeremy Jordan is a star").

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 7:10am

'With this New York Times review, I'd say it's pretty much a done deal that 'Once' will easily win the Best Musical Tony.'

Actually, it was a done deal long before Brantley's Newsies review. Look, the minute the humorless scold in her Iron Curtain couture appeared on stage, it had every award sewn up.

Just walk outside the the theatre, and you see a giant picture of the two droopy drips looking dolefully at one another. It screams out, "look at what sensitive souls we are, pity us, cry for us, shell out your bucks for us, and vote for us come awards time!"

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 7:59am

Every day I visit this message board, I'm endlessly thankful for you, After Eight, a man who abhors the slightest glint of cynicism, ugliness, or negativity in his entertainment, but so generously shells out exclusively those things for ours!

Cheers to you! Cheers! Cheers!

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:20am

Growl- thank you for that. Hit the nail on the head and made me laugh!

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:27am

Updated On: 6/9/12 at 08:27 AM

[CukorLover]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:27am

So Whizzer, in your eye, is it Marshall against Gattelli for choreography this year? Who's your pick?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:40am

After Eight- Of course I'm disputing what you've said about Once. Yes Milioti screams give me the Tony, but because of her performance and not any ad campaign on the front of the theater. Of course they're looking mournfully at one another. Would it be better if they were caught doing a time step?

I've been hocking Once to co-workers and everyone I know; several friends are doing the same. The response has been positive and it's been because of the story, music and acting. Once succeeds at the fundamentals of musical theater and has the power to move willing audience in devastating ways. If it does win Best Musical it will be completely deserved.

CukorLover- I haven't, obviously, seen Leap of Faith yet, but will on Tuesday. Right now it is definitely between Marshall and Gattelli. Steven Hoggett is credited for "movement" in Once and should be nominated and Sergio Trujillo could easily be nominated for Leap of Faith. My personal pick is for should win: Marshall and will win: Gattelli.

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:48am

Updated On: 6/9/12 at 08:48 AM

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:54am

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/367kvk/

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 8:59am

...yeah...MUCH better!

[tazber]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 9:03am

I'm going with Gattelli too. I mean when you break it down the choreography is what makes the show.

[Patash]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 9:03am

I'm most impressed by Ben Brantley's attempt to discredit the show. But in reading his review three times, for the life of me I can't find a single thing he says that would make me do anything but LOVE the show. So it's been done before, so the choreography is wildly energetic but nothing new, so the plot isn't exactly real, etc., etc. While he goes on and on about those things -- do I really care about a realistic plot in a fun musical? -- all I read are things that tell me it's an "over the top" fun musical that I want to rush right out and see. Of course, he hates those, but some of us thrive on them.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 9:33am

What I care about is being surprised, getting something I didn't expect walking into the theatre.

Newsies is fine, if you like high-energy, low-thought entertainment; if you would prefer a vinyl placemat of the Mona Lisa over the real thing.

The show works very hard, but in the long run (like Memphis), there's no content, just gloss. It's very good gloss, but just gloss.

Updated On: 3/30/12 at 09:33 AM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 9:53am

Yes the choreography is the star of the show and without it the show would be next to nothing, but Marshall weaves her magic so well and makes the dancing seem so organic to the story when the songs themselves aren't all that organic to the plot.

Marshall has the balls to give Broderick and O'Hara, two non-dancers, a ten minute Fred and Ginger dance break in "S'wonderful." She takes her actors and bolsters whatever dancing talents they may have to show them off in the best possible way. Gattelli may win, but I personally wouldn't vote for him.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 9:55am

I think it's pretty sad when the choreography is the star of the show, and it's nothing but rehashed steps done repetitively, ad infinitum, in every big number.

[Sauja]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:00am

I've always disliked the criticism of Brantley that he seems to be too cynical or that he hates theater. And I dislike it for personal reasons because I've had people tell me before that I seem to hate everything. The fact is, I LOVE the theater, but when you see 100+ shows a year, your standards become higher, it takes more to impress you, and it becomes discouraging when mediocre things are praised endlessly.

This, by the way, is NOT a criticism of Newsies which I haven't seen but remain very enthusiastic about catching later this month.

But my point is: take apart his criticisms, disagree with what he has to say, say he wouldn't know a good show if it bit him in the ass, but to argue that he's a cynical theater-hater seems so silly to me because I've always assumed that he, like me, lives for the diamond in the rough.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:01am

Well, i've felt that way from the start. A bunch of rousing jumps and turns does not make a good show. BUT, because the dancing is what keeps this show afloat, i imagine people will still flock to it. I think Gattelli gave in to the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE craze, but was not smart about it or very creative at all. The average theatre joe won't know or care though. If you read most of the reviews they mainly say the dancing was athletic at best. Very few commented on the creative aspect. In fact, many called him on it.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:02am

Exactly, sauja - the "You're cynical!" "No, you're naive!" catfight is an utter waste of time; a waste of time indulged in frequently on this board.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:07am

Brantley's two-paragraph account of the choreography is exactly what I got from it having watched all the video promos from both Papermill and Broadway. Funny how that worked.