Was co-written w Anna Jacobs, so wasn't all Jackson's work. I actually liked this much more than you (saw in its initial run off broadway) but agree that that book needed a lot of work (the VR subplot and some of the story points in the second half especially didn't really make sense) but I mainly enjoyed the ride and I really liked most of the music. I DID see it as a kind of black satire, and laughed a lot -- especially in the first half -- but the tone did feel a bit haywire as the show went on (and I get a sense this kind of humor isn't for you, which is totally fine.) In any case, I always enjoy hearing your take!
Thanks for sharing. I think I could have gotten into the humor if they had gone really campy with the performances. Like imagine if Dawn was played by someone like a young Kristin Chenowyth and she was just incredibly stupid. The issue was that I just felt so badly for the situation these two kids were in with their awful Pastor father. I've never enjoyed dark comedies like The Cable Guy, What About Bob or Death to Smoochy, where a lunatic is making some poor guy's life hell.
I saw 'teeth' last spring. Some of your questions would be answered by the movie. Although the musical isn't true to the film. For me, the first half was most successful. I thought that addressing the concept of Purity and the struggle was something fresh. Then it devolved into a horror flick - a bad one. I see the tickets advertised are cheap, and I feel like the buzz / reviews created a false sense of security for the producers. I enjoyed the film which had a message. This show mirrors the online gender war and is not feminist. It makes the women into predators as well. I wouldn't recommend it because it feels like two different stories.
I liked the beginning as well. This world of chastity pledges is fascinating to me and an interesting place to start a show. I recommend the show because it's so bonkers and you won't see anything else like it. Plus the tix are cheap. I think if you got really drunk and sat on the front row you could have a great time.
I wanted to like this musical as I liked the film (not my fave horror comedy but it is sufficient) but it felt off esp the second half. It felt rushed like when the girls get their "powers" and it wasn't explained well how. A lot of it felt edgy for edge sake as if a 13 year old wrote it and lacked any substance. Also they do need to age restrict this show to 18+. There was so much going on like when a lot of certain things fall from the ceiling and that pool scene
Yeh this definitely and ADULT show. I also wish they had spent more time with the empowered women at the end and less with the women tearing each other down at the beginning.
I haven't seen this show in part because I felt that it has probably missed the camp humor that was in the film. Also, the metaphor seems so extreme in its desire to be "on the nose" and make a point. There is theatre that can be grotesque but effective, for example Martin McDonagh. "The Pillowman" is extreme and horrifying, but it works incredibly well as a play. The shocking content is in service of the story and it elevates the story, in that case. But this just seems like a mess, to me. Also, there is really no reason to just make an audience uncomfortable for the sake of making the audience uncomfortable. But there is a difference between "trauma porn," and theatre that is truly experimental and daring in nature. A show like "Marat/Sade" is a show that really works for me, because all of the content covered into much deeper points. This just sounds uncomfortable, unfunny, and trying to me. It was actually playing at Playwrights Horizons when I went to go see a different show there, in the past year or so. I am really glad I saw the other show, because it was a really amazing play. Regarding "A Strange Loop," I really enjoyed that show. But again, that had a coherent narrative that had an emotional arc and compelling through-line for the protagonist. As you said, we grew to be invested in the protagonist with that and the show didn't then betray our trust by making us question that. There's a difference between having empathic characters do human and flawed things, and then making an audience hate a character. If it is going for a kind of Brechtian/theatre of alienation thing, I feel they should fully lean into that. But to me, it doesn't really work to straddle the line and go in both directions -between making the characters relatable and empathic and then making us hate them and question our trust in them. That just feels like lazy and manipulative storytelling, to me. Thanks for this very thoughtful review.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the PILLOWMAN!!! That play blew my mind and is etched in my memory. But that was written a master of dark comedy, the inimitable Martin McDonagh and it had an INCREDIBLE cast. I also hear great things about the musical Shockheaded Peter but sadly I never saw it. If you haven't seen Teeth I actually recommend it because the tickets are cheap and it's unlike like anything you will see on the Broadway stage. But it depends on your tolerance for this kind of twisted theater. Great insights on Strange Loop. I really enjoyed it as well for the reasons you describe. Thanks for the comment!
You're RIGHT! How'd I make that mistake? I as reading directly form the playbill! LOL Well now that makes sense why the music didn't sound like him! I'll have to edit that part of the video out. Thanks for the clarification.
There are lots of tricks I know. I rarely pay more than $50 for a ticket and sometimes I get a comp or press ticket because I have friends in the industry. Here's a good resource for scoring affordable tickets - broadwayonabudget.com
Was co-written w Anna Jacobs, so wasn't all Jackson's work. I actually liked this much more than you (saw in its initial run off broadway) but agree that that book needed a lot of work (the VR subplot and some of the story points in the second half especially didn't really make sense) but I mainly enjoyed the ride and I really liked most of the music. I DID see it as a kind of black satire, and laughed a lot -- especially in the first half -- but the tone did feel a bit haywire as the show went on (and I get a sense this kind of humor isn't for you, which is totally fine.) In any case, I always enjoy hearing your take!
Thanks for sharing. I think I could have gotten into the humor if they had gone really campy with the performances. Like imagine if Dawn was played by someone like a young Kristin Chenowyth and she was just incredibly stupid. The issue was that I just felt so badly for the situation these two kids were in with their awful Pastor father. I've never enjoyed dark comedies like The Cable Guy, What About Bob or Death to Smoochy, where a lunatic is making some poor guy's life hell.
Rogers and Hammerstein I guess it is not. LOL
LOLOLOLOL Although I would love to see Teeth as written in the style of R&H. That could be really funny.
I saw 'teeth' last spring. Some of your questions would be answered by the movie. Although the musical isn't true to the film. For me, the first half was most successful. I thought that addressing the concept of Purity and the struggle was something fresh. Then it devolved into a horror flick - a bad one. I see the tickets advertised are cheap, and I feel like the buzz / reviews created a false sense of security for the producers. I enjoyed the film which had a message. This show mirrors the online gender war and is not feminist. It makes the women into predators as well. I wouldn't recommend it because it feels like two different stories.
I liked the beginning as well. This world of chastity pledges is fascinating to me and an interesting place to start a show. I recommend the show because it's so bonkers and you won't see anything else like it. Plus the tix are cheap. I think if you got really drunk and sat on the front row you could have a great time.
I wanted to like this musical as I liked the film (not my fave horror comedy but it is sufficient) but it felt off esp the second half. It felt rushed like when the girls get their "powers" and it wasn't explained well how. A lot of it felt edgy for edge sake as if a 13 year old wrote it and lacked any substance. Also they do need to age restrict this show to 18+. There was so much going on like when a lot of certain things fall from the ceiling and that pool scene
Yeh this definitely and ADULT show. I also wish they had spent more time with the empowered women at the end and less with the women tearing each other down at the beginning.
I haven't seen this show in part because I felt that it has probably missed the camp humor that was in the film. Also, the metaphor seems so extreme in its desire to be "on the nose" and make a point. There is theatre that can be grotesque but effective, for example Martin McDonagh. "The Pillowman" is extreme and horrifying, but it works incredibly well as a play. The shocking content is in service of the story and it elevates the story, in that case. But this just seems like a mess, to me.
Also, there is really no reason to just make an audience uncomfortable for the sake of making the audience uncomfortable. But there is a difference between "trauma porn," and theatre that is truly experimental and daring in nature. A show like "Marat/Sade" is a show that really works for me, because all of the content covered into much deeper points.
This just sounds uncomfortable, unfunny, and trying to me. It was actually playing at Playwrights Horizons when I went to go see a different show there, in the past year or so. I am really glad I saw the other show, because it was a really amazing play.
Regarding "A Strange Loop," I really enjoyed that show. But again, that had a coherent narrative that had an emotional arc and compelling through-line for the protagonist. As you said, we grew to be invested in the protagonist with that and the show didn't then betray our trust by making us question that. There's a difference between having empathic characters do human and flawed things, and then making an audience hate a character. If it is going for a kind of Brechtian/theatre of alienation thing, I feel they should fully lean into that. But to me, it doesn't really work to straddle the line and go in both directions -between making the characters relatable and empathic and then making us hate them and question our trust in them. That just feels like lazy and manipulative storytelling, to me.
Thanks for this very thoughtful review.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the PILLOWMAN!!! That play blew my mind and is etched in my memory. But that was written a master of dark comedy, the inimitable Martin McDonagh and it had an INCREDIBLE cast. I also hear great things about the musical Shockheaded Peter but sadly I never saw it. If you haven't seen Teeth I actually recommend it because the tickets are cheap and it's unlike like anything you will see on the Broadway stage. But it depends on your tolerance for this kind of twisted theater. Great insights on Strange Loop. I really enjoyed it as well for the reasons you describe. Thanks for the comment!
Michael R. Jackson is credited with book & lyrics, not music.
You're RIGHT! How'd I make that mistake? I as reading directly form the playbill! LOL Well now that makes sense why the music didn't sound like him! I'll have to edit that part of the video out. Thanks for the clarification.
Please review screamed the musical
Is it playing in New York?
@ it’s in Vegas sorry
If I make it out to Vegas I'll check it out.
How do you afford to see every show? I can't even afford one
There are lots of tricks I know. I rarely pay more than $50 for a ticket and sometimes I get a comp or press ticket because I have friends in the industry. Here's a good resource for scoring affordable tickets - broadwayonabudget.com