WAITRESS Reviews

[Dancingthrulife2]

Trish2 said: "Talkin' Broadway: http://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/world/Waitress2016.html

N-E-G-A-T-I-V-E

 

"

I actually agree that the set looks cheap. The color of the backdrop is off and it looks like amateurish photoshop.

[CindersGolightly]

"It's not Mueller's fault she can't make this work, but she's nonetheless miscast, with her slightly off-kilter streetwise attitude forever tangling with the earnest-but-trapped Jenna. Worse, Mueller's voice is constantly at odds with the music: She's often pulled so far into her head voice (by Bareilles, who employs that style for herself but doesn't know how to adapt it for someone with a markedly different timber) that she stumbles at giving much of the music even a general emotional anchor. Much of the rest of her material lands as monotonous, pseudo-country twang, which gives her no room to either charm or blow the roof off (which she proved herself capable of doing in the 2011 revisal of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever). Mueller, or anyone who creates a part, deserves better."

Y i k e s.

[Broadwaystar2]

quizking101 said: "Based on the way these reviews are going, at the very minimum, we are looking at certain Tony nods for Mueller (Best Actress/Musical) and Bareilles (Best Original Score)

 

"Because of 2 positive reviews???? Let's be real. 

 

[And Peggy]

Baking metaphors are so cliche for a show about pies, but it's apt in this instance. The half-baked incarnation I saw at ART was okay and would be perfectly serviceable for a particular level of theater. The version I saw on Broadway was a delicate, perfect souffle and I floated out of the theater on a cloud of sugar and light.

With time and distance I can look back on the show with a more critical eye, but my biggest beefs about the show still come from the source material and not the musical (and the movie reviews shared my cognitive dissonance here). I don't see a way for the musical to fix those flaws and still be Waitress (and they already tread dangerously too close to Alice! The Musical as it is) but it doesn't matter because it works. What's happening on stage at the Brooks Atkinson works. Future productions might seek to replicate these exact same ingredients in a different kitchen and wind up with a treacly, overly-sentimental version of the same recipe, but this one is perfectly balanced. It may not be a perfect book musical, but it's a "feel-good" hit that is more than the sum of its parts, just like the original movie. 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Stellar as Mueller's reviews are so far, this is Cynthia's award to lose.  That's pretty much a done deal.

[broadwayboy223]

I love Sara's score she's one of the only people I could've seen doing the score. After watching the film for the first time tonight I would say Regina Spektor could have done a good score as well. 

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Broadwaystar2 said: "quizking101 said: "Based on the way these reviews are going, at the very minimum, we are looking at certain Tony nods for Mueller (Best Actress/Musical) and Bareilles (Best Original Score)

 "Because of 2 positive reviews???? Let's be real. "

Given both the reviews and the positive reception for the show so far, I don't think it's unreasonable at all to suggest that Mueller and Bareilles will receive Tony nominations.

[bjh2114]

dramamama611 said: "bjh2114 said: "ACL2006 said: "No leading actress this season is a favorite to win. There's a three way race between Erivo-Mueller-Benanti."

I beg to differ."

How? "

Cynthia should start clearing her shelf for the award now.  I loved Jessie and Laura, but that award is Cynthia's.

[djoko84]

No one will beat Erivo. Getting a standing ovation in the middle of a show almost certainly guarantees a win.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

djoko84 said: "No one will beat Erivo. Getting a standing ovation in the middle of a show almost certainly guarantees a win."

Uh oh that happens at Waitress too. So maybe they will settle it with a dance off? 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Jessie had already won almost two years ago, so I would be surprised if she ends up winning this year.

[Dave13]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Jessie had already won almost two years ago, so I would be surprised if she ends up winning this year.

 

"

I haven't seen Waitress yet.  How would you compare Mueller's performance in Waitress compared to Beautiful? From what I am reading, it sounds like this is a better performance.  

[ebontoyan]

Jessie, while amazing, has not reached Audra's level yet.  I doubt Tony will reward her again so soon after she already won a Tony for Beautiful.   This is not a comparison of her roles in Beautiful and Waitress and which one is better. This will be a Tony voter thought process whether to reward Jessie so soon when there are other award worthy performances.  This will be Cynthia's year!

 

 

 

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Dave13 said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Jessie had already won almost two years ago, so I would be surprised if she ends up winning this year.
"
I haven't seen Waitress yet.  How would you compare Mueller's performance in Waitress compared to Beautiful? From what I am reading, it sounds like this is a better performance.  "

It's a different kind of show and thus it's hard to say if one performance is better than the other - they are hard to compare and I don't even want to try. That being said, in the catalogue of Jessie Mueller, this is a supreme achievement. She gets to show off more vocally as well. 

[MadonnaMusical]

Disappointed in these reviews, because this was one of the best things I saw all season. Still... it's selling well... it has commercial viability, and it will tour, and have a long life regionally... you can bet it will most certainly be nominated for best musical, best score, best actress... and probably a few more... 

[TFMH18]

ACL2006 said: "No leading actress this season is a favorite to win. There's a three way race between Erivo-Mueller-Benanti."

I admire Benanti's performance-- utterly delightful-- but it's simply not in the same class as that of the other two mentioned here, nor my personal favorite performance of the ladies this season, Carmen Cusack. Just my opinion! 

[GreasedLightning]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Jessie had already won almost two years ago, so I would be surprised if she ends up winning this year.

 

"

This means nothing...

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

MadonnaMusical said: "Disappointed in these reviews, because this was one of the best things I saw all season. Still... it's selling well... it has commercial viability, and it will tour, and have a long life regionally... you can bet it will most certainly be nominated for best musical, best score, best actress... and probably a few more... "

I wouldn't be too disappointed, the reviews were mostly positive. I think the problems that reviewers brought up were often relating back to the source material. I would imagine the production team was happy. Only a couple outright negatives, one of which was so aggressive I don't think it could be taken seriously. And any review that leaned towards mixed still told people they had to see it because of Jessie Mueller. 

[ClumsyDude15]

While I'm a little surprised/disappointed by some of the mixed commentary in the reviews, the good and positive outweighs it all. I loved this show in Cambridge and I cannot wait to see it again on Broadway. 

[Broadway Forever2]

I knew the reviews would lean a little mixed based on what it is about and some of the score I heard despite everyone hyping it up  as Hamilton's biggest competitor. I'm excited to see see it though. I liked the movie and it looks cute and something my mom and sister would like. And I support that  they tried to diversify the cast a little bit compared to the movie.

 

 

 

[a-mad]

Am I missing something?

You'd read this thread and assume that their was somehow a death knell for Waitress based on the reviews ("only 2 positive!!!!" )  Huh?  Did I read the same reviews everything else did?  While there was only one (suspect) outright negative, there were many positive, and some mixed, but mostly leaning more positive than negative.  If you just scan the outstanding review round-up from our very own BWW, it certainly does not paint a dire picture for this musical... 

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-WAITRESS-Opens-on-Broadway-UPDATING-LIVE-20160424

And did anyone really think even if this got across-the-board positive reviews (which, face it, very few of us expected) that it would even get close to touching Hamilton?

[Broadway Forever2]

a-mad said: "Am I missing something?

You'd read this thread and assume that their was somehow a death knell for Waitress based on the reviews ("only 2 positive!!!!" )  Huh?  Did I read the same reviews everything else did?  While there was only one (suspect) outright negative, there were many positive, and some mixed, but mostly leaning more positive than negative.  If you just scan the outstanding review round-up from our very own BWW, it certainly does not paint a dire picture for this musical... 

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-WAITRESS-Opens-on-Broadway-UPDATING-LIVE-20160424

And did anyone really think even if this got across-the-board positive reviews (which, face it, very few of us expected) that it would even get close to touching Hamilton?

 

"

what? I said "lean a little mixed" I realize that most are positive. It's just a few people on this thread seemed a little disappointed that they weren't outright raves. (just based on what I read of this thread) I was just saying that some of the "critiques" I expected based on what it's about. I'm really looking forward to this musical. It's the only musical this spring I'm actually going to go see. 

[a-mad]

^ I wasn't responding to your post directly... I actually thought your post was a reasonable summation of things... it was what I was reading earlier in the thread.

[Broadway Forever2]

a-mad said: "^ I wasn't responding to your post directly... I actually thought your post was a reasonable summation of things... it was what I was reading earlier in the thread.

 

"

Aah okay. Sorry now that I re-read your post I can see it's not directed towards me haha.  Ignore me. And i agree with you, I'm surprised at some of the negative response in this thread to the reviews. They are mostly positive. 

[dramamama611]

bjh2114 said: "dramamama611 said: "bjh2114 said: "ACL2006 said: "No leading actress this season is a favorite to win. There's a three way race between Erivo-Mueller-Benanti."

I beg to differ."

How? "

Cynthia should start clearing her shelf for the award now.  I loved Jessie and Laura, but that award is Cynthia's.

 

"

Gotcha.  And I'm on team Erivo, too.  Damn, she was amazing.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

a-mad said: "Am I missing something?

You'd read this thread and assume that their was somehow a death knell for Waitress based on the reviews ("only 2 positive!!!!" )  Huh?  Did I read the same reviews everything else did? "

No you aren't missing something. I don't get where people could see the overall reviews as disappointing for the show. As I said in a previous post, almost all were positive and even the mixed reviews leaned towards positive - and basically all of them said people needed to see Mueller's performance.

I don't see reviews mattering much anyway - they got the pull quotes they needed and they have lots of buzz already. The show has been sold out during previews and the coming months are selling well already.