Joe Dziemianowicz — Theater Critic

Sam Rockwell has earned a reputation for bringing a whiff of weirdness and explosive emotion to his roles. He delivers the goods -- and so does costar Nina Arianda -- in Broadway's combustible revival of 'Fool for Love'...Daniel Aukin directs a well-paced production and guides the cast to juicy performances. Arianda, ever fascinating, turns on a dime from light to dark. Her May is sad, sexy and desperate. Rockwell's Eddie is seductive, scary and impressive with a lasso...In short order, she slips free of the rope. Catch and release is the story of their lives -- forever. They'd be fools to believe otherwise.

The late, great Harold Pinter installed wall-to-wall ambiguity in his 1971 memory play 'Old Times.' So it's remarkable when a flash of clarity comes in the Roundabout's stylized revival...Hodge, a Tony-winning actor, adds his own abstractions...The pleasures of the production come from watching three excellent actors...confidently wind through the words, pauses and poses. Owen ('The Knick') works his craggy good looks and is alternately rogueish and vulnerable. Reilly ('True Detective') looks the picture of pretty melancholy with her perennially pursed lips, but eventually reveals a sharp tongue. Best, a two-time Tony nominee who recalls a creamsicle with cleavage in her off-white jumpsuit, and lends sexiness, glamour and humor.

The show combines hearing and non-hearing actors who use American Sign Language. Some roles are played by two actors - one who sings and speaks, one who signs. Many in the cast do both at once. The result: Lines and lyrics look as poetic and provocative as they sound.

With 'Hamilton,' Broadway is officially the coolest place on the planet. And the smartest. And most exhilarating...It's even richer and more eloquent since its run earlier this year at the Public Theater...Hip hop is one flavor of the score. It's as if the speechmaking Founding Fathers are in the next room. And it's a deft way to depict the often-fractious relationships between these competitive 18th-century power players...But to call this a 'hip hop musical' is simplistic: rhythm and blues, jazz and Broadway are also part of a work that nods to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan and beyond. Since the Off-Broadway run, performances have all deepened, including Miranda's. He better conveys Hamilton's cockiness, contrition and all-too-human flaws. The charismatic Daveed Diggs aces his roles and lends laughs as Thomas Jefferson and the French general Lafayette. Jonathan Groff (HBO's 'Looking') is the picture of pouty petulance as King George III, who appears now and again to warble a Brit-pop tune of vengeance, venom and venality...The breathtaking Renee Elise Goldsberry brings grit and grace as the indomitable Angelica, Hamilton's confidante. As Eliza, the lovely Phillipa Soo captivates with her pure, sweet singing as Hamilton's devoted-despite-everything wife...If only every history lesson -- and Broadway musical -- dazzled so completely.

this earnest but plodding musical by Broadway newcomers needs lifelines of its own...The jumbled book, a joint effort by Smith and playwright Arthur Giron, is another issue. The creators have good instincts about a story worth telling. But their reach exceeds their grasp. Songs by Christopher Smith are serviceable but lack significance and surprise. You can hear the boilerplate lyrics coming a mile away. Even the potential power ballads don't have the structure to make an impact...the production self-sabotages with mood shifts...'Amazing Grace' has come to Broadway. But it still hasn't found its way.

With all that potential, 'Highway' is a road to nowhere that's potholed with contrived storytelling and characters from Central Casting. The only part of this long, meandering byway you'll want to use is the exit ramp. Blame two companies: Manhattan Theatre Club and Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, where the show ran earlier this year. Yes, 'Airline Highway' is a nod to affectionate and human group portraits of everyday lives, such as Lanford Wilson's 'The Hot l Baltimore,' but D'Amour's tale of modern-day, down-and-out New Orleans is missing a clear point and satisfying takeaway.

Revenge is a dish served tepid in 'The Visit.' The warmth hobbles this stark musical fable by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally. With this team, the show is certainly worthwhile. But it could really send shivers -- and doesn't. 'The Visit' pulls its punches...The score echoes earlier rhythms and melodies of Kander and Ebb and provides an evocative backdrop. Rivera's husky voice and high-watt charisma go a long way here. And it would have worked even better if director John Doyle's staging was less polite. Scott Pask's skeletal set and Ann Hould-Ward's raggedy clothes scream decay. But the performances don't go there...Wildcat? No. Claire and 'The Visit' are too domesticated for their own good.

The show is the brainchild of Broadway rookies...who wrote the breezy, hummable score that goes down easy from the start...Karey and John O'Farrell wrote the book, which, fittingly, reminds us that all the world's a stage...Even if you don't get every allusion, the staging by choreographer and director Casey Nicholaw...is consistently fun. And the formula works -- mostly. Some tunes and dance pieces recur. So laughs dry up as 'Something Rotten!' becomes a deju vu-sical...The cast is another big plus...John Cariani is solid as Nick's brother...Christian Borle...brings Jagger-like swagger to his plum role of Shakespeare...And as Nick, a guy who makes bad choices, James makes all the right moves, sings with panache and tap dances, too. He's a charmer who makes it look easy. When all is said and sung, James is something outstanding -- the show's living exclamation point.

The show is the brainchild of Broadway rookies...who wrote the breezy, hummable score that goes down easy from the start...Karey and John O'Farrell wrote the book, which, fittingly, reminds us that all the world's a stage...Even if you don't get every allusion, the staging by choreographer and director Casey Nicholaw...is consistently fun. And the formula works -- mostly. Some tunes and dance pieces recur. So laughs dry up as 'Something Rotten!' becomes a deju vu-sical...The cast is another big plus...John Cariani is solid as Nick's brother...Christian Borle...brings Jagger-like swagger to his plum role of Shakespeare...And as Nick, a guy who makes bad choices, James makes all the right moves, sings with panache and tap dances, too. He's a charmer who makes it look easy. When all is said and sung, James is something outstanding -- the show's living exclamation point.

Broadway's 'Doctor Zhivago' is an epic miss...this miscalibrated musical is yet another attempt to bottle page-to-stage lightning a la 'Les Miserables.' But electricity doesn't zap...The score by composer Lucy Simon and lyricists Michael Korie and Amy Powers resonates with occasional Russian-inflected melodies and lots of ardent power ballads. Respectable, but unremarkable, songs hang like wallpaper...Des McAnuff's direction is another issue...he fails to convey what matters most -- intimacy...We do understand that they're separated by revolution...We don't get enough of what's fueling their passion. Or why his writing is so important...As Yuri, London stage star Tam Mutu sings with a manly ardor and has a cleft chin deep as the Volga River. As the staunch Lara, Kelli Barrett's vocals are bright and clear. They're likable together but no fire. Without the inferno, the 'Doctor' remains in guarded condition.

Mixed-up romantic couples and larger-than-life eccentrics are meant to ignite bright comic fireworks. But too many lame jokes and broad-as-a-barn performances extinguish any chance of that, in a production directed by Kathleen Marshall. I laughed twice. One good moment came from Fleming, who's not half bad in her Broadway debut. 'How much longer can I play the young virgin?' middle-aged Raquel asks. 'Ten, twenty years?'...That's not much for two hours at Broadway prices. But at this point, there's nothing anyone can do about it.

As in the plays's 2013 run at the Public Theater, the cast is excellent. The Alisons all shine in solo moments. Sydney Lucas, the youngest, unlocks what she's feeling when she sings 'Keys.' Emily Skeggs, the coed, embraces her sexuality with the delightful 'Changing My Major.' Beth Malone surveys the dimension of her dad's life in the wistful 'Maps.' As the bedeviled Bruce, Michael Cerveris delivers an even greater emotional payoff than before. As his long-suffering wife, Helen, the exquisite Judy Kuhn is indelible as she sings of her life with conditioned dry-eyed composure.

As scenery and the stage floor glide, it's as though the audience is pulled along with Anna toward the gleaming palace and a new life. We're there with her. And just like that, this splendid revival emerges as majestic and intimate simultaneously...O'Hara more than delivers in her sterling star turn. She conveys Anna's feistiness and fair-mindedness in her acting and silky singing...You believe that Anna knows of romance when she sings 'Hello, Young Lovers'...Japanese star Ken Watanabe...gives O'Hara plenty to play off as the proud Siamese monarch...Watanabe's appealing take is looser and lighter. His English is a work in progress, so sometimes his lines and lyrics are blurry. It sort of works for a story of cultural collisions and changing times. O'Hara and Watanabe share warm chemistry, and when Anna and the king clasp each other tight for the joyous 'Shall We Dance?' no words are needed.

Matthew Morrison doesn't push. His ever-genuine and impressively easygoing star turn as writer J.M. Barrie in 'Finding Neverland' is what makes his return to Broadway after six seasons of 'Glee' cast such an irresistible spell. Less can be more, and he knows it. If only producer Harvey Weinstein and director Diane Paulus had learned that lesson...Barrie's scenes with the boys and Sylvia are the show's most big-hearted. Kelly, known for 'Mary Poppins,' is so sublime you wish she had more to do. 'What You Mean to Me,' a romantic pop duet she shares with Morrison, is the production's sweetest moment. Kelly is also center stage for the production's most touching moment near the end -- a breathtaking scene that suggests the people we love are like stars that look over us.

Something old. Something new. Loved Tyne Daly. Rest is goo. That's all you need to know about 'It Shoulda Been You,' a slight musical comedy about a wacky wedding that's small in size but big in cliches...Fortunately, David Hyde Pierce, in his Broadway debut as a director, cast the show with a couple of one-of-a-kind stars who help make up for their run-of-the-mill characters...The script by Brian Hargrove, a sitcom writer married to Pierce, serves some tart zingers. But his lyrics, written with no fewer than five others, are ho-hum. Music by Barbara Anselmi, who conceived the show, is pleasant lite pop. Most songs just express passing thoughts and are vaporous...In the end, the show is a harmless diversion. But this is Broadway. 'It Shoulda Been You' shoulda been better.

But the reason this beautiful ballet-happy show is so richly satisfying isn't luck. It's about director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon of London's Royal Ballet. Guiding his first musical, Wheeldon shows a vibrant vision and buckets of imagination, transforming the 1951 Gene Kelly-Leslie Caron film that inspires the show. He's also got a cast and design team at the top of their game.

So many people already have more than a passing knowledge of Tudor England, thanks to countless retelling of this story in books, TV, film, and an opera. The familiarity can be a drawback; the pacing drags a bit because we're awaiting the twist we know is coming. And the show could stand to fire more emotions. But this excellent ensemble shines. Parker cuts an impressive presence as the much-married monarch. Leonard is fetching and fierce as Anne. Briers brings uncompromising grace and smarts as Catherine (spelled with a K by the production). Brotherhead adds vulnerability as Jane, a living pawn whose own father can't recall her name.

So many people already have more than a passing knowledge of Tudor England, thanks to countless retelling of this story in books, TV, film, and an opera. The familiarity can be a drawback; the pacing drags a bit because we're awaiting the twist we know is coming. And the show could stand to fire more emotions. But this excellent ensemble shines. Parker cuts an impressive presence as the much-married monarch. Leonard is fetching and fierce as Anne. Briers brings uncompromising grace and smarts as Catherine (spelled with a K by the production). Brotherhead adds vulnerability as Jane, a living pawn whose own father can't recall her name.

The Eiffel Tower looms in the distance in 'Gigi,' a reminder that we're in Paris. It's easy to forget that because Vanessa Hudgens plays the title role of a 1900 French could-be courtesan like an all-American Gidget. The perky but ooh-la-la-less Broadway debut by Hudgens, a sufficient singer and actress known for 'High School Musical,' is par for the course in a shrill revival directed by Eric Schaeffer...Under Schaeffer's guidance, performances are all over the place. As the rich 'sugar prince' Gaston, who falls for Gigi, Corey Cott makes the most of the title song. But he's boyish and saccharine when he should be debonair and sexy. Howard McGillin's take on Honore is broader than the Champs-Elysees. Tony winner Victoria Clark adds grace notes as Gigi's compassionate Mamita. Dee Hoty is saucy and steely Aunt Alicia, who instructs Gigi to accept only the most special and sparkly jewels from men...As musical gems go, 'Gigi' is not Tiffany -- it's Jared.

The new Broadway comedy 'Hand to God' is so ridiculously raunchy, irreverent and funny it's bound to leave you sore from laughing. Ah, hurts so good...As in two earlier downtown runs of the show, Steven Boyer stars as Jason, and his acting and puppeteering are exceptional. Watching him do battle against his own dark side - Tyrone appears to yank him like a rag doll - is as good as physical comedy gets. It can't be outdone - and shouldn't be missed...But Askins, in his Broadway debut, proves deft at writing dialogue that's hysterical and at serving up insights about organized religion and family dysfunction. He's unapologetically profane - prompting a handful of walkouts after a line about body fluids at a recent performance. Their loss. Ultimately, Askins gets to what pain does to people. All the characters - even the cloth one - are up to their eyeballs in agony. Under the direction of Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the production zips by. It's not typical Broadway fare, but all involved deserve a big hand.

There's never much question about how things will end. But the stars make it intriguing with their contrasting portraits that open another chasm between the characters. Nighy is all tics and poses and ants-in-the-pants restlessness. Mulligan is calm and measured - and even at her most self-righteous, she never sounds like she's preaching. She even makes the melodramatic move of tossing a drawer of silverware work.

Wendy Wasserstein's 1988 play 'The Heidi Chronicles' was originally a bracing wakeup call about women's evolving lives. The Broadway revival is far less stirring...Chalk that up to the passage of time and a middling performance by 'Mad Men' star Elisabeth Moss...In its day, the play, which began Off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway and winning a Pulitzer and a Tony, was a heady blast of fresh feminist-themed consciousness-raising. Its landmark status is intact, but its impact has been blunted by the years: Such topics are now everywhere on stage, film, TV and even in Patricia Arquette's Oscar acceptance speech...Pam MacKinnon's direction is heavy-handed and lacks nuance...Worse, the characters are one-dimensional, so often we feel as if we're not watching people, but caricatures...Moss gives a capable if starchy performance. The actress is at her best when onstage alone, addressing students jokingly during a class, and woundedly during a speech. But it's a rare moment when Heidi and her chronicles come fully alive.

The stylish state-of-the-art locomotive by David Rockwell gleams in brilliant Art Deco glory. But that's nothing compared to the practically nuclear glow that comes off Kristin Chenoweth, whose singular talent and skills are tailor-made for a role originated on Broadway in 1978 by Madeline Kahn. Chenoweth is a stick of blond dynamite, a virtuoso comedian and singer. She uses her petite body, ample bosom and middle finger for a laugh. She hits every high C in the joyous and eclectic score that pushes the plot along expertly... In the show's title song, it comes out that the Twentieth Century famously gives passengers 'nothing but the best.' This production, fizzy and dizzy entertainment, does likewise.

Helen Mirren is so good as Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Audience' that the star of stage, film and TV never needs to worry about a scene being stolen from her. Effortlessly and consistently commanding and composed, Mirren can't be upstaged. She's the jewel in this crown. Still, her portrait never quite ascends to that elusive level of transcendence - or indelibility... Don't blame Dame Helen. The Broadway star vehicle she's driving lacks the high-octane fuel to take her there, even though it's stylishly directed by Stephen Daldry and eloquently designed by Bob Crowley.

David wrote and stars in the funny full-length sketch that aims for, but just misses, the lofty territory of great 1960s Broadway comedies...Fans will be pleased to know that David, a Broadway rookie, holds his own with seasoned stage pros in this solid production helmed by Anna D. Shapiro ('August: Osage County'), who is as good as it gets for shaking hilarity from family dysfunction...The best thing about the humor is that it's also unembellished and played without irony. These are just people, often very obnoxious people, lurching through lives and oddball dilemmas.