I haven't seen FUN HOME yet (should be in the next couple of weeks) but the reviews alone make me want to recommend anyone to see it and the cast recording that is out is fantastic.
As for HEDWIG, I would recommend it as long as John Cameron Mitchell is still in it but he is leaving it very soon (I forget the exact date). I like the music but I don't really listen to it often. For me, it is the character/arc of Hedwig and the work of Mitchell that makes me love that show. It is such a brilliant piece to witness and to see his command over the audience.
SOMETHING ROTTEN: I loved it very much. It had its weak moments, and the second act kind of reminded me of The Producers, but it seemed they made improvements from the early previews and as an overall evening, I honestly didn't want it to end. The score was very catchy and tuneful...nothing earth-shattering but very fun. I loved most of the performances, particularly that of Brian D'Arcy James.
HAND TO GOD: I do feel at times that play tried hard to be vulgar just for the sake of being vulgar, and while I found the show funny, it didn't pick up for me until the end of Act One and then I found Act Two to be amazing. I think the play is definitely worth seeing for the work of Steven Boyer and Geneva Carr especially but the rest of the cast is also great (I will give another shout out to Marc Kudisch).
Fun Home without a doubt. Stunning. Unless truth and gay themes aren't your thing.
Followed by Hand to God - unless you are easily offended.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
You can't even compare the brilliance of Fun Home to whatever Something Rotten! is. I saw both this week and almost immediately bought a ticket to the post-Tony performance of Fun Home. I can't stop thinking about it.
I started coming on these boards a few months ago to get some impressions of the shows I was planning to see. Became very confusing (as the shows I had on my list were receiving both great reviews from the posts on here and not so great). Still I gained some insight and then went with what I thought would provide for a range of different experiences.
Honestly, I didn't even know about Fun Home until I came on here, and found myself adding it to the list (in place of Gigi). I'm glad I did, as I found it a very interesting theatrical experience.
I must admit that I didn't like it quite as much as I liked Next to Normal (which, while different, shows the nuances and struggles of a family dealing with complex subjects), but I did like it. And glad I saw it. It certainly touched on some subjects I've dealt with in my life, so it had a lot of meaning.
Something Rotten! though? Just a totally different show. Can't really compare the experiences. And the appeal of one doesn't disregard the other. They're just too different. If you're in the mood for thought-provoking with a message, go Fun Home. If you need something light-hearted, Rotten will fit the bill.