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Is He Dead? Reviews
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A great night out... for the "Three's Company" crowd. Review by: SixAndEight, Apr 9, 2008 |
| Phhht. I try not to be a theatre snob (and I shouldn't be, since I haven't been to enough "real" Broadway shows to have a pedigree) but calling this show "fluff" is an affront to pillows. Typical farce, even including the very common "people going from door to door and just missing each other" gag, makes for a waste of money and time for anyone over 13. There were a few niceties; the sets and costumes were lovely and some of the actors did their ... read more best to cover the mediocrity of the source material. But Butz couldn't have mugged to audience any more obviously - it's clear the director took a wrecking ball to the fourth wall - and the jokes were as subtle as a carp to the face. I love goofy, somewhat sophomoric humor (Spamalot was great) but this just fails on so many levels that I was glad I didn't foot the bill for the show. |
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Don't go
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Dead On Arrival Review by: DoctorJoeE, Feb 27, 2008 |
| This play is getting decent professional reviews all over town, and for the life of me I can't understand why. It's not particularly funny, although Norbert Leo Butz does his rubber-faced best to squeeze a few laughs from the audience. The outcome is predictable 10 minutes in, but it's a farce anyway, so who cares? There's mild historic interest due to Mark Twain's authorship, and the play's production in an historic theatre once attended by ... read more Twain himself. (Ask an usher to point out the peephole in the ceiling where the theatre's original owner used to wave a handkerchief to warn his actress wife that she was over-acting.) But the material is hopelessly dated, even after David Ives' adaptation, and even Butz's over-the-top performance can't bring it to life. (One memorable line, apparently written not by Twain, but by Ives: "My friends, how is it that I can paint THIS, and still be starving?") If you insist on seeing this dog, get discount tickets, which are plentiful. And do it soon, because I just read this morning that it's closing March 9th. |
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Much Ado About Nothing.... Review by: DJ, Feb 21, 2008 |
| Funniest part of the show, were the two 'New Yawkers' sitting next to us. The woman put it best at intermission, "they should have left this play lost in a drawer." Talk about much ado about nothing. Best part: the set change. From French country side to upscale Paris. Also worth noting: Two mature woman who come n' go - loved them as we did the young girl (love interest). In short: Pros: characters mentioned and set. Cons: 1)the fluffy play. 2) ... read more The direction. 3)The lead male character who impersonates a woman, and tries to be funny. Operative word being: tries! This quickly becomes tiring. And that pretty much sums up the evening. |
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| 4 |
Review by: maria bugs, Feb 19, 2008 |
| went to see is he dead over the weekend. It was really a funn night out!! defintely recommend it. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Fun Review by: mollakinz, Feb 12, 2008 |
| I saw it last week and thought it was very funny! Some parts had me laughing out loud. It wasn't a great, life-changing show, but it was cute and I enjoyed myself. It's not a waste of money |
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Large Group
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The Entire Family, Seniors, Tourists
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It Should Be Dead! Review by: Slim, Feb 9, 2008 |
| This was such a big disappointment. It appeared to be an amateurish piece of fluff. Butz is a good comedic actor but this did not help in this trite farce. It is highly over-rated and not woth the discount price. |
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Very Disappointing Review by: Carol, Jan 30, 2008 |
| We went with all hopes of a fun evening--Twain and Butz could not be beat, but they were. The screaming and running around did not lend itself to a thin, preposterous plot. Butz is an accomplished comedic actor, but Twain, a normally incisive viewer of the foibles of society, did not make it on this one. |
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| 8 |
Butz is the Best!! Review by: , Jan 24, 2008 |
| Is He Dead is one funny show! The director and actors are to be commended for making this as enjoyable as it is. Butz is screamingly hilarious as his own twin sister. I'd see it again in a minute. |
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must see!
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Loved the play - well acted and sets were superb Review by: silverjoey, Jan 15, 2008 |
Without reading many reviews, I decided to go and see this play on a lark on January 12. I really enjoyed it. All the acting was first-rate, particularly the lead character when he assumed the identity of his "twin sister". The set design was also very good particularly as they transitioned from the first to second act. I felt the story, while set in the 19th century, did explore contemporary themes in a light-hearted way. Much of the ... read more audience gave the cast a standing ovation at the end of the performance. I would recommend this play to anyone who wants to enjoy a farce and see great ensemble comedic acting.
Plus the theater is truly lovely. I was fortunate enough to get a discount ticket in the orchestra section about 45 minutes before the show. I had an excellent seat which only enhanced the show.
Go see it! |
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Make an effort to see
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Fun Show Review by: , Jan 10, 2008 |
I thought this was a very funny and enjoyable night at the theatre.
Fluff, yes, but so what, sometimes it is just good to laugh.
I thought the cast was excellent, and really don't understand those last 2 reviews.
However, to each his/her own, everyones taste is different.
All I know is that I enjoyed it.
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Make an effort to see
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Is He Dead is a Stiff Review by: Schmendiman, Jan 7, 2008 |
Was really looking forward to this play, great fan of farce. Beyond the threadbare plot, this play is just simply not funny. Classic farces put everyday people into absurd situations forcing them overcome obstacles by concocting even great outlandish circumstances. There is no build up or comic set ups in this play at all. Norbert Leo Butz swans around in drag and simply plays to the house. It's not a clever piece. It probably wasn't ... read more even a farce in the first place, but, David Ives who adapted the Mark Twain original probably threw in a few door slams for good measure.
At the performance we attended actress Jenn Gambatese broke character and began laughing while Norbert Leo Butz chewed the scenery, very unprofessional and not worthy of Broadway. I wish Ken Ludwig had adapted the play, his Lend Me A Tenor and Moon Ove Buffalo are classic farces and ten times funnier than Is He Dead.
Is He Dead generates one or two laughs, David Pittu steals the show playing a quartet of comic characters. Overall, the piece is very boring, void of surprise and completey forgetable.
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Most Dissappointing Review by: Stuie, Jan 7, 2008 |
| Saw this show yesterday afternoon, and I must admit, was very very dissappointed. Simple silly one gag story line, acting nothing higher than community theatre, and although I think the star is a very talented actor, this was just nothing more than stage "mugging" and acting like a clown without a script, and quite frankly, I read reviews here that said show was "hysterical" well I did leave after the first act, but there was NEVER ... read more hysterical laughter in the house. I guess comedy is quite personal, but this show just never never delivered. |
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Is He Dead? Review by: Tom Bestor, Jan 2, 2008 |
It's one of those stories you'd expect in a movie -- a previously-unknown manuscript by a famous author is discovered years after his death. Except that's not the story of the play, it's the story of the discovery of the play. The play was written by Mark Twain in 1898, when he was 60 and broke. It was to have been produced at Bram Stoker's London theater, but the venue burned down and Twain stuck the play in a drawer, where it ... read more languished until 2002.
Adapted by David Ives, the play has been modernized somewhat (cut from three acts to two, and tightening the comic screws a bit), but it's still Twain's work, and has a very 19th century feel to it.
The setup is simple: a painter in 1840 France comes to the realization that his work will be worth far more if he has shuffled off his mortal coil. So with the help of a few friends, he fakes his death, and creates a fictional twin sister who handles his estate -- and the millions that come to it now that he is a celebrated (thanks to his demise) artist. Norbert Leo Butz (who was brilliant in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels") is very funny here -- especially in drag as the twin sister, which is most of the show -- and is ably supported by a cast with serious comic chops.
Just remember that "Is He Dead?" is a very old-fashioned sort of play. There is lots of falling in love, mistaken identities, physical humor -- and very little plausability. It's broad and silly and ludicrous -- and loads of fun. |
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It's delightful, but not to die for.. Review by: Dramamama, Dec 29, 2007 |
I saw this on the evening of 12/26.
What a delightfully funny show. It's a little slow getting started, but a real gem. It is a little more farcical than my tastes enjoy, but really well done.
The sets and costumes are gorgeous, and the cast has amazing chemistry and energy. It's so obvious they are having a great time.
I didn't LOVE the show, but it was great fun.
Butz is adorable and amazing,... read more, see him and laugh. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Recommended for:
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A Fun Show Review by: Mr. C, Dec 27, 2007 |
Norbert Leo Butz made the show. He deserves a Tony award nomination for his outstanding performance. A good supporting cast was delightful. It's a lighthearted fun time at the theater.
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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