The New York Times review is a pan, not mixed. Brantley says that only 15 minutes of 150 minutes of the show recapture the joy of the old musicals. He does like O'Hara and some of the supporting cast but he doesn't like Broderick.
He doesn't even have much good to say about Kathleen Marshall and he loved Anything Goes.
If the show runs, this is a show that may play better when Broderick leaves the cast.
"Nice Work If You Can Get It has a glorious Gershwin score, frothy, screwball plot, strong ensemble and Kelli O'Hara. What it doesn't have is a leading man. Instead of adopting the role of a wealthy, irresponsible twenties playboy with light-footed élan, Matthew Broderick suffers through his dance routines, moving as little as possible, and frequently mopping his brow after a number. Worse, there is no chemistry with O'Hara."
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
I don't know why people are still harping on this "will it tour?" thing. After the AVENUE Q mess, it was stated that the tour people are a rather small percentage group after all. And they have different tastes also. They do not get together and say, let's all vote for a show that night tour.
"Given the talent assembled to fashion a new musical out of 21 of George and Ira Gershwin’s durably tuneful and witty songs, it should come as no surprise how entertaining “Nice Work If You Can Get It” can be. What’s surprising is how bad it gets. More surprising is the main reason it gets bad: the performance by Matthew Broderick."
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
It's actually playing much better with the crowds than the reviewers it seems. Broderick is a ticket seller and crowd pleaser which is why he was cast in this in the first place. That will not change based on some of the critics remarks. We all know he's not Fred Astaire. One knows that going in. His thing is comedy and he's very good in that department in this show. You either like his style or you don't. I happen to think it works in this show.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
Copperfield2 - we can quibble over semantics but read the New York Observer's review (the harshest review of the night - a pan in every sense of the word) and contrast it with Brantley's. Brantley certainly wasn't a huge fan but it was far from a pan.
He calls 15 minutes of the show brilliant and the rest mildly entertaining (not a ringing endorsement by any means but again, not a pan.) He raves about a lot of the supporting cast and even says in another, less-crowded season, NICE WORK would stack up quite well.
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
I wonder how the show would have been received had Harry Connick Jr been in the role of Jimmy, I imagine the reviews would have been a bit better. It should have a good run though.
It wouldn't be the same show if Harry Connick, Jr. were in it. That role, as currently written, seems tailored to Broderick's mannerisms. I find him charming in the role, though I was dreading seeing him going in.
"Well, apparently, the brothers — long dead, if I'm not mistaken — have a "new" musical comedy, which opened Tuesday at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. The show, which stars Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara, is called "Nice Work if You Can Get It," but please don't get the idea that the songwriting legends have been granted a second coming."
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
"Ms. O’Hara brings professional proficiency to her comic bits, including a Cockney maid impersonation that’s a tip of the hat to Lawrence. But she’s not a natural exhibitionist. And without a real character to play, she becomes almost as recessive as Mr. Broderick. In other words, aside from that “ ‘S Wonderful” duet, don’t count on chemistry between them."
isn't really a good pull quote.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Neither do I, but it also doesn't make me want to run away and never see it. If I have the time and the opportunity arises, I'll see it but it's nowhere near first on my list. I think that's exactly the type of attitude Brantley was conveying.
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
"Swirling with bootleggers and bathtub gin, the Prohibition-era musical comedy cocktail “Nice Work If You Can Get It” is a light-hearted romp, but unfortunately, it’s not as intoxicating as you’d hope."
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
I think if they offer some good discounts on the show, I'll go see it. Otherwise, I'll enjoy my memories of My One and Only and rewatch Funny Face on my TV.
How can anyone still expect Broderick to get a Tony nomination when most of the critics singled him out as the weakest link in the show? Esparza would have to get all pans to not beat out Broderick for a nomination.
And folks, these are not money reviews; the major critics were only mildly positive. Press people are now working overtime to make the reviews sound good, but lots of luck.
Could Ron Raines actually be nominated? I was sort of dismissing him but I don't really think Ricky Martin will be nominated which really only leaves Raul Esparza in contention.
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
I decided many years ago that for most readers, a mixed review can be just about as deadly as a negative one because I think it leaves most people feeling like they'll ultimately pass on buying a ticket (except for diehards).
I'm not implying that critics should be more positive than they genuinely feel about a show, but the results can be almost as damaging business-wise -- and then again, there's always the critic-proof, popular hit. Too soon to tell with NICE WORK. I think it could go either way...
I think we'll see Jeremy Jordan double nominated or Paul Nolan nominated before we see Ron Raines nominated. In fact, I think Ron is the least likely eligible person to be nominated other than Hunter Parrish and Harry Connick Jr.
The general consensus seems to be good show, shame about the leading man. I imagine the Gershwin estate will want Nice Work to be as successful as Crazy for You and be able to export to different countries and eventually schools and regional licensing.