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Romantic Poetry Reviews
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A nice way to spend an afternoon. Review by: Andre La Plume, Dec 9, 2008 |
| I saw this show with my girlfriend on November 16. We had no idea what to expect, but the tickets were discounted and we love going to NYC, so why not give it a look? The performance was not sold out, but almost so. The acting is very good, the singing is not the best, but better than average, and much better than I sing... If you are from Long Island, as we are, you'll find it a bit funnier than others might. It's not Billy Elliot, but I didn't ... read more expect it to be. |
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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:
Romantic Date, Adults
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| 2 |
AN INTRIGUING AFTERNOON Review by: Beth M, Nov 19, 2008 |
By Beth Mandelbaum
I saw Romantic Poetry this afternoon (November 19th) and am still trying to sort through my experience. One thing I can say is that I feel that if one looks at this musical with the so-called “high minded” cerebral expectations of most critics, it is very easy to see why this show was so poorly received. Seeing Romantic Poetry brought to mind an experience that I had quite a number of seasons ago, when I feel in love ... read more with Craig Lucas’ play Reckless, also a Manhattan Theatre Club production. A few weeks later, I spoke with two relatives who hated it and left at intermission. When talking with them I became very much in touch with how much I resonate with plays that are filled with extremely bizarre fantasies that seem to bear little relation to the realities of life. For me, what made Romantic Poetry fun, especially act one, was precisely this kind of high degree of whimsy and over-the-top ness. However, alongside of this kind of approach, Romantic Poetry also attempts to address quite a number of deeply significant issues of the life journey, especially the extremely difficult and often rocky road of romances and marriage, the need for love, its conflicts, and then its rejection and ultimate re-discovery; the exploration of different aspects of oneself, such as the “what does one really want to be when one grows up” questions; how do we find our dreams and our genuine self expression; how to we deal with failure; the crucial need for art and beauty, and by the show’s end, it would seem, connection with God and spirit (perhaps not so surprising given the centrality of faith in Shanley’s Doubt.). So in important ways, Romantic Poetry is treating extremely crucial issues of this world, but in a style that seems “out of this world” and in a world of its own.
For those who saw the extraordinary Pulitzer Prize winning play Doubt, or the play Defiance (both also at the Manhattan Theatre Club), by the same author and lyricist of Romantic Poetry, the highly respected playwright John Patrick Shanley, one might wonder, how such a fine writer could have created something so far from what we know and expect from this playwright. I only learned this from my reading, this playwright, in his early career, wrote the screen play to Moonstruck (and Danny and the Deep Blue Sea), which also treat the vicissitudes and combative nature of romantic love in working class settings. I wish I could remember Moonstruck better, to see how it relates to the mood and style of Romantic Poetry.
I have to share that when the play was over, there was almost universal agreement in the ladies room and on the line that this was one of the very worst shows that everyone had seen, and also that there were a noticeable number of audience members who left at intermission. As someone who is fascinated by so-called “flops” and generally finds them to be better than the newspaper/on-line critics would lead us to believe and some even quite good, I could say that Romantic Poetry might possibly be placed in the category of those fascinatingly fabulous flops that can be thought of as “collectors’ items.” Since the Manhattan Theatre Club is a non-profit theater company, the run of each production is time limited to begin with, so one can’t say it was a technically a flop because it only ran for a certain number of performances, etc. But in all honesty, I did feel as though I was seeing a show that in quite a number of ways did seem to miss the mark. (Or maybe I am just spoiled as I recently saw Billy Elliot, which I found to be in the category of an exceptionally good musical!)
I found the performers to be quite outstanding and extremely talented, which helped to lift the production and added zest. I also found the music by Henry Krieger to be good enough; and I found quite a number of the songs to be very enjoyable and accessible on first hearing. I also admired the range of styles of these songs as well, and if they are ever recorded, which I somehow doubt will happen, I would be quite interested in another listening. I would say that the weakest aspect of the musical were Mr. Shanley’s lyrics.
I was very struck by the set. When you walk into the room, you see a bright red curtain with a sparkly surface that is “convex” in nature (moves out towards the audience), flanked by two “concave” (inwardly curved) spaces covered with purple curtains made our of the same material, creating niches, with the pianist on one side and the other members of the very fine band/small orchestra on the other side. The mood feels very much like that of a nightclub or cabaret, as has been pointed out. This seems to allow for that strong sense of unreality and the bizarre which to me informs this musical, but in a positive way. While it is probably paying too much of a compliment to Romantic Poetry, I began to wonder this show is not in some way, perhaps not even consciously, paying tribute to the style of the landmark musicals of the 1970’s (and before), in which Stephen Sondheim and others, along with the brilliant work of Michael Bennett and Hal Prince, in shows such as Cabaret, Company, Follies and A Chorus Line, changed the theatrical landscape forever. In these groundbreaking shows, the form of the musical becomes abstract, conceptual, and non-linear, with scenes, vignettes, and dance numbers moving in and out of time and space, breaking away from the traditional book musicals which had graced Broadway for many, many decades before. And interestingly, Henry Krieger, who also wrote the score for Dreamgirls, a major musical directed, staged and co-choreographed by Michael Bennett, would seem to provide a possible historic link between Bennett’s landmark style and that of Romantic Poetry. And I may be on very thin ice here, but it is interesting to think about as I did sense some stylistic similarity.
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Alone
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| 3 |
Review by: melly , Oct 31, 2008 |
I went to see this and i actually liked it. even though it was quite short but it was funny and it had a storyline.
its a good play for a weeknight or even a date |
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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:
Romantic Date, Adults
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| 4 |
I'm surprised that the critics were so harsh. Review by: EleanorR, Oct 29, 2008 |
| Saw the play last night even though I've been hearing rumors that the critics were already lighting the kndling for the fire. Personally I enjoyed the show. Was it a great show, no. Was is enjoyable, entertaining, and interesting, YES! I think this is a great date night show for anyone. I think the critics got caught up in the pre-show fervor of sending a death blow to this play before it even started. Shame on them. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
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| 5 |
Great 25 SONGS Review by: Trebla, Oct 27, 2008 |
Finally there is a musical with songs that one can sing...
25 of them.
Also they gave out song list when leaving the show.
The book although written well would have very little interest for theatre goers...the third marriage for 2 people.
There is a bride and groom ,2 past husbands and another couple in it with the world's best looking male...Ivan Hernandez playing the dishwasher's groom.
There is a grand piano on one side ... read more of the stage and 4 musicians on the other side of the stage.
Anyway the greatest music in many years is sufficient for me by Henry Krieger. |
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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:
Adults
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| 6 |
Go to see ROMANTIC POETRY Review by: arcati, Oct 12, 2008 |
I saw Romantic Poetry just yesterday. Please go to see it. It is funny and touching. John Patrick Shanley wrote the play and the lyrics, and directed, too. (The music is by the man who wrote music for Dreamgirls.) Who knew that the author of Doubt could do this!
It is totally wonderful to watch and enjoy a cast none of whom can be faulted. You will enjoy it. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Recommended for:
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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