Jagged Little Pill - Reviews

[Lot666]

Auggie27 said: "A teenager falls for a guy. Her prior infatuation gets jealous. Okay. We get Effiie Melody White being cut out of her career. It's too much, as Cote opines as well. Musical theater craft is about balance and relative weight in storytelling. This song's purpose in the storytelling has been misjudged, regardless of the actor's power and achievement."

I disagree completely. As a person in my 50s, I find that outsized emotional responses to love (and many other things) are a hallmark of youth. These kids are in high school, and having had a very similar experience to Jo's when I was in high school, I can tell you that my emotional response at that time was every bit as "too much" as what Jo expresses during "You Oughta Know".

[Lot666]

Auggie27 said: ""Robert Hofler,The Wrap...I felt sorry not for Jo but Frankie, who had no idea at age 16 that she'd committed to a lifelong relationship with a lesbian who clearly harbors anger-management issues.""

This comment feels obnoxious and borderline homophobic. Either Hofler has never actually fallen in love (and definitely not when he was young), or he's simply a callous adult who lacks empathy.

[ctorres23]

theaterdude2 said: "Sorry haters, you lose."

As a hater, I'll take the L here. Honestly stunned by these reviews. If you had told me, as I walked out of the theater, that the New York Times would describe this show as "clear in its priorities" I would have laughed in your face.

I don't get it, but I guess that's art sometimes. Congrats to the JLP team on the positive reviews.

[bwayphreak234]

ctorres23 said: "theaterdude2 said: "Sorry haters, you lose."

As a hater, I'll take the L here. Honestly stunned by these reviews. If you had told me, as I walked out of the theater, that the New York Times would describe this show as"clear in its priorities" I would have laughed in your face.

I don't get it, but I guess that's art sometimes. Congrats to the JLP team on the positive reviews."

100% agreed, ctorres23. Describing any aspect of this show as "clear" is mind-boggling to me. Glad people are enjoying this, but this is one show I will not be making a return visit to.

[Kad]

I think Brantley and particularly Green are guilty of letting virtue signaling guide their reviews, and Green’s review of this one definitely does not change my opinion.

Green’s an odd critic- he often comes across as “stop having fun, guys!” So I’m not surprised that a jukebox show- a genre he openly thinks little of- earns his rave because it tackled Important Issues. He’s very much a “eat your vegetables” kind of critic.

[QueenAlice]

I haven't seen this production, and I agree with Brantley as often as I disagree with him, but I do think he often is searching for relevancy in his reviews.  I really do think it would be wise for The New York Times to begin phasing him out.  He's been the chief critic there for almost 25 years, and that in my opinion is too long for anyone to hold that kind of post and be consistently excellent and insightful.

[Lot666]

QueenAlice said: "I haven't seen this production, and I agree with Brantley as often as I disagree with him, but I do think he often is searching for relevancy in his reviews. I really do think it would be wise for The New York Times to begin phasing him out. He's been the chief critic there for almost 25 years, and that in my opinion is too long for anyone to hold that kind of post and be consistently excellent and insightful."

Green wrote the JLP review, but I agree with your comments about Brantley.

[yankeefan7]

NYT Critics Pick
“They finally fixed the jukebox”

Yeah !! Get tired of seemingly ever pop star getting their life story made into a Broadway musical. It seems from the reviews I have read that the songs actually work and move the story along. I understand the NY Times wants the review of any new show coming from one person but sometimes I wish both of them could review the same show when it opens.

[mailhandler777]

yankeefan7 said: "NYT Critics Pick
“They finally fixed the jukebox”

Yeah !! Get tired of seemingly ever pop star getting their life story made into a Broadway musical. It seems from the reviews I have read that the songs actually work and move the story along. I understand the NY Times wants the review of any new show coming from one person but sometimes I wish both of them could review the same show when it opens."

The show isn't Alanis' life story at all. 

[Miles2Go2]

I suppose if Green had panned JLP, those that didn’t like it would be virtually high-fiving each other. But people have 4 options when confronted with new information they don’t like (such an almost full-out rave from NYT of a show one hates). They can accept it (doesn’t necessarily mean agree), attack the message, attack the way it was delivered, or attack the messenger. It’s amusing (as someone who doesn’t see it until next month) to watch a few fall into the camp of hating the messenger as well as other responses. And yes, I’m aware if he had panned the show, those who adore it would likely be doing the same thing.

I may end up loving it or hating JLP, but I still read the New York Times reviews because even what I don’t agree I find them interesting as the rest of us do I would suppose.

For yankeefan7, Brantley and Green have done dual reviews before, in a back-and-forth conversation style. They did this for King Kong and also for Oklahoma! when it was at St. Ann’s.

[ACL2006]

I wonder with these reviews if this locks the show in as a Best Musical Tony nom?

[yankeefan7]

"The show isn't Alanis' life story at all. "

I know but most of them seemed to be the artist life story

[yankeefan7]

"For yankeefan7, Brantley and Green have done dual reviews before, in a back-and-forth conversation style. They did this for King Kong and also for Oklahoma! when it was at St. Ann’s."

Thanks for info, I did not know that and I may just google them and read both reviews.

[Auggie27]

Peter Marks in the WaPo, Cotes is the Observer, Shaw at Vulture, Chris Jones in the Tribune/Daily, Teachout, Isherwood, even Feldman in his mixed review and several others (the Post, with sociopolitically biased rancor) all raise the same issue of polyperspective, diffused focus, and peripheral characters and subplots weighted with an inappropriate amount of music. Those of us who raised these concerns as well - many die hard Morissette and Cody fans - are not “haters.” We are voicing takeaways about structure and musical theater craft. I can cheer the performers and wish the show a long run and still engage in a lively discussion about the baked in flaws in the concept, flaws identified in roughly 1/2 of the press reviews.

I was surprised that Green thought moving up “Smiling” (my own favorite song) radically altered the first act issues. It certainly helped but hardly changed the big picture focus; if anything, nailing MJ as the de facto protagonist makes her disappearance - and as two critics noted, devolution into an antagonist in other stories - more problematic. Green praises “Forgiven” while noting the amplification distorted and thus mushy lyrics’ failure to isolate actual ideas, only a wash of feeling. Green seems to want credit for his A.R.T. review, as if it was prescriptive and the team listened. Maybe, but most audiences can’t compare this iteration with the last. 

The reviews are split, predictably (this board got that right) but with Green in the plus column, decidedly weighted in favor of a hit.

[chanel]

Calls it "Angst! The Musical!" but says it has power.

http://www.newnownext.com/jagged-little-pill-review-broadway-alanis-morissette/12/2019/

[Jordan Catalano]

Yeah this whole “haters” thing will never not be ridiculous. Love a show all you want, but understand and accept your opinion is not the only one.

I do not understand these positive reviews. And I’ve said many times before that I am (and nobody on this board has challenged me yet) the biggest Alanis fan here. I think she deserves so much better than what’s being presented on the stage and it could have all been solved with a pair of scissors.

But I’m looking at the positive here that there is renewed focus on Alanis and hopefully the younger people who aren’t familiar with any of her music past “JLP”, will discover it. My favorite album will always be her follow up to that, “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie”, and I think the more people who find and fall in love with that album, the better off the world will be.

[JBC3]

This Helen Shaw review in New York Magazine captures much of my feelings about the show:

https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/review-jagged-little-pill-is-missing-the-essence-of-alanis.html

[Mister Matt]

Yeah this whole “haters” thing will never not be ridiculous.

And when devoid of irony, it's just juvenile.

[ACL2006]

It's always amazing when certain people dislike a show and then they get annoyed when the show gets positive reviews. Say what you want, but I think this could turn into a hit. Not saying a blockbuster hit like TINA is now, but I can see it running for a couple of years.

[VotePeron]

When talking about the concept of “haters” on BroadwayWorld, we need to remember that everything here is heightened because for the people that post here, theater means the world to us. Thus, it’s easier for everything to feel like an attack, or for people to get defensive. Things aren’t as untouchable as a movie - theater is a living and breathing event that we participate in.

I’m guilty of being super defensive when I both like or dislike a show, and I often feel there’s simply no middle ground to be had on this board. Everyone here is guilty of it - so labeling some as “haters” is just a lost cause. And telling people they’re wrong only makes their reaction stronger.

So, if you didn’t like JLP, that’s totally fine. I didn’t like Beetlejuice; I get it. I love Spongebob, but not the majority did here. It’ll always be that way. And that’s the great part of the thing.

[leefowler]

A "hater" apparently is someone who dares to not like a show that you like...is that about right?

[theaterdude2]

Jordan Catalano said: Yeah this whole “haters” thing will never not be ridiculous. Love a show all you want, but understand and accept your opinion is not the only one.

I'm not sure how many times (at least my) definition of "haters" needs to be clarified, but many are missing the point. Here it is again: 

The people I am referring to had MORE than a negative reaction to the show. I am not criticizing those with valid comments. It's the ones who spewed hate for the sake of it, the ones who clearly had an agenda, almost wanting the show to fail. Those people "lose" because the show is well-received. 

AGAIN, everyone is of course entitled to their opinion but if you read through the preview thread, you'll instantly be able to tell the difference.

So, its the people with a mean agenda, who spew hate and unhelpful comments that ARE haters. I don't know why its so hard for people to understand the difference, maybe they are not reading through the threads and just commenting blindly, but there is plenty of evidence of what I am talking about. 

If you're upset about being called out, maybe its time to take a closer look at your criticism and comments.

 

 

[leefowler]

Theaterdude2, did you ever REALLY dislike a show, to the point where it made you angry? If so, did you keep the anger to yourself?

[leefowler]

I think, in general, theater people tend to have outsized emotions and opinions about everything. So, the kind of person that will go on and on about how much they hate a show, will often be the same person who won’t shut up about how much they love another show. We’re all passionate here, in both directions.

[uncageg]

leefowler said: "Theaterdude2, did you ever REALLY dislike a show, to the point where it made you angry? If so, did you keep the anger to yourself?"

 

It is how that anger is expressed that I think is being commented on. There are many ways to express your dislike for something without being nasty or coming off like you word is the final say on the show. Those comments annoy me and at times my responses to them have shown my annoyance. I always try to end my opinions with JMO (Just my opinion) JMO