Matt Windman

'The Height of the Storm' is essentially a fuzzier, opaque reworking of Zeller's 'The Father,' which also depicted an elderly man named André (then played by Frank Langella) suffering from severe dementia in an intense and jarring manner. The principal difference is that 'The Height of the Storm,' in taking on a jumbled structure and always trying to play games with the audience, feels thin, repetitive and too conceptual.

I am hard-pressed to think of a better production of a Harold Pinter drama to play New York in over a decade than this sharp and absorbing London revival of 1978's 'Betrayal.' Directed by Jamie Lloyd, the relationship drama stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), Charlie Cox ('Daredevil') and Zawe Ashton ('Velvet Buzzsaw'). All three are making their Broadway debuts.

Both performances have become more focused and effective since the Off-Broadway run. Haunted and hurt, Sturridge gently relives a traumatizing experience as if participating in a group-therapy session. On the other hand, Gyllenhaal gets to have more fun and be far more energetic, at various points even running through the audience and playing bits of John Lennon's 'Imagine' on a piano. The lean production (directed by Carrie Cracknell, who has extensive London credits) hearkens back to the most basic elements of narrative storytelling and sharing of life experiences. And as in Greek tragedy, it produces a genuine sense of catharsis for audience members.

Despite an ornate and environmental visual design depicting a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub, first-rate leading actors (including Tony winner Karen Olivo, Aaron Tveit and Danny Burstein) and an updated/upgraded jukebox of hit singles to play around with, 'Moulin Rouge!' is not unlike earlier botched, inherently problematic attempts at bringing visually distinct movie musicals to the stage. Think 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Singin' in the Rain.'

As one would expect given their impressive bodies of work, McDonald and Shannon deliver superb performances that combine hyper comedy with underlying vulnerability. However, the revival is misconceived physically, with a lighting grid stationed far too low below the actors and a flimsy exterior backdrop, which affects the extent to which the audience is drawn into the play.

The cast is solid, including a pepped-up and gravely-voiced Brightman, assertive Caruso and delightfully dorky McClure and Butler. By not taking it seriously, 'Beetlejuice' may very well offer a reasonably fun time at the theater. But don't we expect better than that?

Using digital imagery, hazy lighting and a unit set resembling a pyramid of metal desks and filing cabinets, Goold's production moves fluidly and is consistently, engrossing, entertaining and disturbing - particularly when Carvel's Murdoch hints at a future of social media, cable news and misrepresenting the best interests of the general public.

The writers deserve some credit for not blindly following the film and making changes to the setting and dialogue in an attempt to better suit it to a new medium, but the resulting product is substandard.

: Directed by three-time Tony winner Jack O'Brien ('Hairspray,' 'Henry IV,' 'The Coast of Utopia'), this revival gets to the heart of Miller's writing and brings out increasingly intense and layered performances, making for highly compelling and confrontational theater. Period costumes, an extensive exterior set design and video projections between scenes further enrich a fine production.

Were it not for Lane's participation, 'Gary' might have premiered instead at the Public Theater or another Off-Broadway venue open to its combination of Shakespeare, physical comedy and sincerity. One can't help but admire Lane's willingness to take part in an unpredictable new work instead of another revival. He gives an absolutely committed performance as a sad and sensitive clown/struggling everyman while being backed by two superb comic actresses.

As directed by Joe Mantello (whose numerous Broadway credits include the recent revivals of 'Three Tall Women' and 'The Boys in the Band'), Metcalf and Lithgow (each a two-time Tony winner) give performances that are vulnerable but otherwise forgettable in the context of their distinguished careers. But what can you expect from asking them to play the Hillary and Bill Clinton of 'one of those other planet Earths'?

Directed by Rachel Chavkin ('Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'), 'Hadestown' contains a stunning visual design evoking both a New Orleans barroom scene and a smoldering mechanical underworld, complemented by the motion of turntables, a rollicking band, bold performances and expressive dance choreography. Whereas the previous Off-Broadway production was performed in the round, no impact has been lost in the transition to a traditional proscenium theater. The score - which contains airy folk-pop for the lovers and a livelier jazz idiom for the denizens of the underworld - comes off as distinctive and authentic by Broadway standards. Many of the songs are reflective in nature, which leads to some slow points, especially in Act Two. But, more often than not, 'Hadestown' is exciting, compelling and beautiful.

However, Russell and Driver lack the nuanced interplay and explosive electricity necessary to make the drama (which is rather thin and has lost shock value over the years) come alive. Despite frequent laughs from Uranowitz, the production becomes increasingly static and empty over the course of two and a half hours of long-winded scenes.

But for the most part, this production succeeds thanks to revealing and vulnerable performances all around, immersive intimacy (with the theater made to feel like a wooden communal hall), cute touches (including offering free chili and cornbread at intermission), a streamlined flow and new bluegrass-style orchestrations that work surprisingly well.

Jackson's performance (androgynous, sharp and emphatic) is superb - at first. Beginning with the famous storm sequence, her transition into Lear's state of madness is underwhelming. She essentially remains the same as before, just a bit sillier and looser. Similarly, the production as a whole loses impact as it goes along, owing to its extended length and the fact that many of its original flourishes begin to lose their luster and feel strained and disjointed.

'Jersey Boys' meets 'Motown' in 'Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,' the latest biographical/backstage rock and roll jukebox musical to hit Broadway and market itself to the baby-boomer demographic. And while not exactly profound or original, it makes for slick, straightforward, tuneful and altogether pleasant entertainment.

But speaking as someone who has attended many prior productions and is well familiar with its numerous audio and video recordings (including the overblown 1953 MGM film and a 1958 TV adaptation with the original leads Alfred Drake and Patricia Morison), the Roundabout's 'Kiss Me, Kate' (directed by Roundabout veteran Scott Ellis) strikes me as an unnecessary, underwhelming and miscast revival.

Whether or not it ultimately proves to be a hit, 'Be More Chill,' a sublimely silly, exciting sci-fi teen musical comedy deserves a place in Broadway history as an unlikely comeback story powered by a passionate fan following on social media.

Both can easily be found online and are far preferable to the play's problematic new Broadway revival, which is directed by James Macdonald ('The Children') and stars a top form Ethan Hawke (in his first Broadway outing since a disastrous 'Macbeth' in 2013) and an utterly miscast Paul Dano ('Ruby Sparks').

'Choir Boy' (under the taut direction of Trip Cullman) makes for highly engrossing, personal and poignant theater. It is a smashing start to the new year on Broadway.

In any event, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (which also sports a period score penned by Tony winner Adam Guettel and played live on organ and guitar) proves to be an engrossing, provocative and uniformly well-acted adaptation - and a fitting addition to a shifting Broadway landscape where an increasing number of plays (including 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,' 'The Ferryman' and 'Network') are gaining the muscularity to stand alongside musicals in prestige and box office power.

This meta theatrical concept is oddly appropriate for the campy concoction that is 'The Cher Show.' Directed by Jason Moore ('Avenue Q'), with bizarre and skimpy costumes designed by Bob Mackie and arena tour-style choreography, the production proves to be more tolerable than similar star-worship vehicles, though nowhere near as satisfying as 'Jersey Boys' (The Four Seasons) or even 'Beautiful' (Carole King).

Many important social issues - inclusion, arts education, community outreach - get run over by lame humor, underwhelming songs and ultra-hammy performances in this original musical, which is so flimsy, tacky and amateurish that it leaves you wondering how it got to Broadway in the first place.

Similarly to his previous work (such as 'Sleepwalk With Me') Birbiglia relies upon a well-honed 'nice guy' persona. In doing so, he comes off as heartfelt and relatable - not so different from any given audience member who is figuring out life as it goes along. There is an appealing smoothness and simplicity to his shows, which tend to be autobiographical in nature. Birbiglia excels at offering fun anecdotes, dramatizing conversations with offstage characters, making Seinfeld-style observations about daily life and performing occasional physical bits.

Following many twists and turns and creative team changes since it premiered in Melbourne in 2013, a $35 million stage musical adaptation of 'King Kong' (showcasing a 2,000-pound, 20-foot animatronic puppet of a silverback gorilla, which is operated by onstage puppeteers and computer technicians) is finally roaring on Broadway - and it is just as technically innovative and absolutely ridiculous as you would expect a stage musical adaptation of 'King Kong' to be.