BEETLEJUICE Reviews

[brdway411]

Well, I liked it better than Tootsie.

[MemorableUserName]

Holdren at Vulture is mostly positive:

http://www.vulture.com/2019/04/review-beetlejuice-is-best-when-its-at-its-most-antic.html

[Daddy Warbucks]

I saw Beetlejuice for the first time this week and while I frequently agree with the consensus on this forum, I found it to be one of my favorite shows of the season. It was so entertaining from start to finish and I had a smile on my face almost the whole time. I’m glad to see that the critics didn’t give this one the King Kong treatment and that there are some solidly positive reviews out there.

[MrsSallyAdams]

A quick skim of Show-Score suggests people love the set and costumes. More folks love Brightman than early word of mouth suggests.

There's a lot of criticism for the score and the material for the remaining cast members. While Sarah Holdren's review linked above is mostly positive it says something interesting: "The musical is supposed to have twin engines, Beetlejuice and Lydia, but only the first is fully firing. Caruso belts and sulks (the character is mourning her recently deceased mother, and Caruso also has to muscle her way through perhaps the musical’s least enjoyable song: “Dead Mom&rdquo, but she doesn’t quite open up—or even, really, seem like as much of a weirdo as she’s supposed to be—and the play tends to lose steam when we’ve got to spend too long without Beetlejuice himself on stage. "

As several have pointed out here Lydia and Beetlejuice drove the cartoon but Adam and Barbara drove the movie. The shift has hurt the narrative.

https://www.show-score.com/broadway-shows/beetlejuice-broadway

[MrsSallyAdams]

I hadn't heard this story before:

Elaine Stritch once visited Nathan Lane backstage at the “Addams Family” musical and famously told him, “They’re not paying you enough.” They’re not paying Alex Brightman enough to star in the ghost ship of a new musical called “Beetlejuice"

https://www.thewrap.com/beetlejuice-broadway-review-tim-burtons-ghosts-turn-scarily-uncomic-in-musical-misfire/

[MrsSallyAdams]

Ah, and I hadn't heard about the comedy molestation song. This sounds worse than the squid r*pe ballad they cut from "The Addams Family."

In this case, the piece de resistance is the song “Creepy Old Guy,” wherein the show’s adolescent heroine, Lydia (played by Sophia Anne Caruso) sings of her love for the sleazy title character played by Alex Brightman: “Way back when, I was just ten,” go Eddie Perfect’s lyrics. “Simple and sweet, everywhere fellas would stare, and I felt used, kinda confused / I would refuse to look in their eyes, but now I love creepy old guys.”

This, in a family musical in 2019 — and, yes, families will come whatever the creators think. Good luck.

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/broadway/ny-review-broadway-chris-jones-beetlejuice-20190426-qufnjwcktvdajnjtwm4hdudipi-story.html

[magictodo123]

So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see? 

[Mike Barrett]

Glad these reviews were better than expected. The trailer did not make Brightman look good in this show, however, the little I've heard of the music makes him sound waaayy stronger. Still don't care for the music in this but I may catch it someday for its set, since it doesn't seem like something that can be replicated on tour really. 

[bwayphreak234]

magictodo123 said: "So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see?"

Tootsie. 

[CT2NYC]

magictodo123 said: "So between this and Tootsie, which one would you prefer to see?"

In the Tootsie vs. Beetlejuice battle that's been brewing on here, I'm squarely on team Beetlejuice. If you're a fan of stale sitcom humor, see Tootsie. Also, if for nothing else, Beetlejuice is beautiful to look at, while Tootsie looks incredibly cheap.

[TobiasRagg]

MrsSallyAdams said: "Ah, and I hadn't heard about the comedy molestation song. This sounds worse than the squid r*pe ballad they cut from "The Addams Family."

In this case, the piece de resistance is the song “Creepy Old Guy,” wherein the show’s adolescent heroine, Lydia (played by Sophia Anne Caruso) sings of her love for the sleazy title character played by Alex Brightman: “Way back when, I was just ten,” go Eddie Perfect’s lyrics. “Simple and sweet, everywhere fellas would stare, and I felt used, kinda confused / I would refuse to look in their eyes, but now I love creepy old guys.”

This, in a family musical in 2019 — and, yes, families will come whatever the creators think. Good luck.

 


https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/broadway/ny-review-broadway-chris-jones-beetlejuice-20190426-qufnjwcktvdajnjtwm4hdudipi-story.html"

 

I didn’t find “Creepy Old Guy” to be an issue. In the context of the scene it worked. Lydia, Adam, Barbara, Charles, and Delia are trying to turn the tables on Beetlejuice by tricking him into going through with marrying Lydia because they had a plan. I just saw it as them being sarcastic and it was pretty funny. These reviews are making it sound like she was serious in this song. Lol

[RippedMan]

Beetlejuice doesn’t come off creepy or old so the song didn’t really work.

[DrowsyKaye]

In the strange Tootsie/Beetlejuice head-to-head that seems to pop up every now and then, it's interesting to see the two shows compliment each other; Beetlejuice is a beautiful show to look at with (in most eyes) an inert script/score, while Tootsie is being lauded for a hilarious book/score while the production design is a bit flat and ordinary.

All in all, an eclectic season for new musicals. Congrats to all who got their work out there!

[devonian.t]

These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already.

[Owen22]

devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

It's always a pleasure when the Broadway World posters' collectively-hated shows don't get the pans they think said show deserves.

[dmwnc1959]

devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

 

Wanna bet? I had totally given up on BEETLEJUICE, picked out my seat for FIDDLER (with credit card card in hand) waiting on this past Opening Night, but have now since put FIDDLER on hold. I want to have a fun birthday, so I’m seeing GARY for the matinee that day. I’m really on the fence now, and will wait until either the TONY announcements or whenever the Playbill Discount Code covers the summer months.

I had been listening to the OBCR’s of FIDDLER in the past week. But with these reviews I’m leaning towards BEETLEJUICE. It just looks like a blast. FIDDLER is a classic, but I’m in the mood for a little craziness.

Time will tell which one I’ll eventually see. 

 

[Miles2Go2]

Owen22 said: "devonian.t said: "These reviews will drive nobody to the box office who wasn't on their way there already."

It's always a pleasure when the Broadway World posters' collectively-hated shows don't get the pans they think saidshow deserves."

This is kinda why I’m hoping Tootsie wins best musical at the Tony awards, just to watch the posters on here go apoplectic. Lol   

[dramamama611]

You two are ridiculous.   Beetlejuice was NOT universally panned by the posters here.  Sure, lots didn't like it, but lots didn't HATE it either.   I, myself, was "meh" on it.   Same thing for Tootsie - I've read gads of people loving it here.

Your reasoning, gentlemen, is hollow.

[Miles2Go2]

dramamama611 said: "You two are ridiculous. Beetlejuice was NOT universally panned by the posters here. Sure, lots didn't like it, but lots didn't HATE it either. I, myself, was "meh" on it. Same thing for Tootsie - I've read gads of people loving it here.

Your reasoning, gentlemen, is hollow."

I agree Beetlejuice wasn’t universally panned on here. But I do think if Tootsie wins (I doubt it will; momentum is behind Hadestown), a vocal minority will be very, very public with their displeasure*

I actually hope I’m wrong, but, if I’m not, I’ll grab my popcorn  and sit back and watch the fireworks with bemusement. 

* see the Spongebob stans after the Tony Awards last year. 

[dramamama611]

But that's my point: no matter what musical wins, SOME people here will lose it.  It doesn't really matter what show it is.  People aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.  

 

[Miles2Go2]

dramamama611 said: "But that's my point: no matter what musical wins, SOME people here will lose it. It doesn't really matter what show it is. People aren't happy unless they have something to complain about."

Well, you got me there. Some people live to consider everything a micro-aggression (or macro-). lol

By the way, I enjoy your thoughtful analyses of shows you see  

 

[JudyDenmark]

People on this site will always find stuff to disagree about, but I do feel like there's more that's wildly polarizing than usual this year (Oklahoma, The Prom, Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Gary, Be More Chill to some degree... probably more I'm forgetting). Makes for some heated discussion, but oh boy are a lot of people inevitably going to be mad come Tony night!

I do feel like I'm seeing a lot more of "this show you love is horrible and therefore you are delusional for loving it" comments this year, which I could live without. By all means offer a thoughtful critique of the show, but I'm a big fan of not giving people sh!t for liking what they like. Just move on. (I can't remember the last time I despised a show as much as I despised TKAM, but it would be inappropriate of me to go on every thread and attack the taste of the people who love it. Art is subjective.)

Incidentally, I'm seeing Beetlejuice tonight and between the comments here and the pro reviews, I genuinely have zero clue how I'm going to react, haha. Kind of excited to go in so blind. 

[Miles2Go2]

Judy - I hope you’ll report back on your thoughts afterward.

[Mister Matt]

I do feel like I'm seeing a lot more of "this show you love is horrible and therefore you are delusional for loving it" comments this year

YES.  There's been a distinct spike in malice and unnecessary cruelty on the boards lately that's best left ignored.

[jayinchelsea]

Have to agree that these reviews will not sell full-price (or premium) tickets for this show. Weary of all these movie adaptations into subpar musicals. May this and PRETTY WOMAN join hands and jump into the neverworld, never to be seen or heard from again.