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The Fantasticks Reviews
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| 1 |
A great show! Review by: Claire, Jul 8, 2012 |
| I just saw The Fantasticks this afternoon for the first time, although I'd heard about it for years, and I was left completely charmed. At first, I too, thought it was a little cheesy and dated, but the second act blew me away. I feel bad for all those reviewers here who said they walked out at intermission -- if so, they missed the whole point. And I also believe those who complained about the simplicity of the set missed the point. Good grief! ... read more Since when does good theater require elaborate sets, special effects, or Disneyesque scores to move us or make us think? Good theater requires good performances and a provocative message, and Fantasticks delivered on both. Great show! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Alone
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| 2 |
Review by: , May 3, 2012 |
GREAT ACTORS,STUPID, BORING STORY, COULD NOT WAIT FOR IT TO END,
SHOULD COST $10 A TICKET, NOT $50 |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Seniors
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| 3 |
Awesome cast, cheesy love story for the kid at heart! Review by: Chachy, Sep 28, 2011 |
I appreciate small productions, with small casts and scarce props as long as the story is good. In this particular play the actors were amazing, fun & entertaining. The set and props were fine as well, but the story line was so silly. I felt I was watching a low budget disney story. That is how cheesy the whole thing was. I know mushiness is part of the appeal but watching teenagers fall in love is not my thing.
As in ... read more almost every off-Braodway theater the seat were a little cramped. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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| 4 |
Wanted my money back... Review by: luvi, Sep 1, 2011 |
| Went to see the show with a friend for her birthday. She wanted to see "baby it's you" but the tickets were sold out. The Fantasticks is is waste of money and time. They are better shows put on by High schools across the US and they don't cost 50 dollars per person. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Business Associate
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| 5 |
Charming Deconstruction of Romeo and Juliet Review by: Whales, Aug 13, 2011 |
| I went to see this with my mom because a man at TKTS strongly recommended it. At first I didn't much care for it, as it starts off with several slow numbers and cheesy romantic dialogue, but right around "Never Say No" I started enjoying myself like crazy. (Also I hadn't realized the cheesy dialogue was supposed to be that way.) It really is a great deconstruction of Romeo and Juliet. A lot of people complain about the lack ... read more of props and the small theatre, but I actually really liked that. The actors were great, even Louisa who was played by an understudy that night, although the males' voices sometimes couldn't reach the really low notes and some kind of microphone might have been nice. However, I wouldn't recommend this show if you are in NYC for a very short time and only want to see big productions. If you do like minimalistic styles and a good story above large ensembles and big dance numbers, then I would recommend this classic. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Family
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Seniors
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| 6 |
Don't go... Review by: Jane, Aug 12, 2011 |
| Recommended by the young lady at tkts. She said we'ld be singing the songs afterwards...I don't think so. Our friends only saw one show while in NYC and sorry to say this was it. We were lucky enough to see Billy Elliot and loved it. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Large Group
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| 7 |
Review by: Jim-NY, Jul 4, 2011 |
| For a small theater I never expected such an expert production. Everyone in the cast was at top level in performance. Juliette Trafton is not only talented but gorgeous. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| 8 |
A Delightful Revival Review by: aseatontheaisle, Jun 16, 2011 |
This revival may not be quite as good as the original play with Jerry Orbach that opened in Greenwich Village 50 years ago but it’s the next best thing. It is dated and changing sensibilities did require some politically correct modifications to some of the original show’s musical numbers: in an apparent concession to the feminist movement, “The Rape Ballet” became the “Abduction Ballet” (although the term “rape,” as it was used in the original ... read more production was clearly intended to convey the word’s Middle English meaning “to seize, take or carry off by force” with no particular sexual connotation.) But in a way, the fact that the play was dated only added to its charm and the bit of bowdlerization didn’t detract significantly from the play’s overall effect.
The staging, direction and choreography were all excellent and several of the performances were absolutely delightful. Juliette Trafton as The Girl (Luisa) was lovely and refreshing and she does sing beautifully. Dan Sharkey as The Boy’s Father (Hucklebee) and Bill Bateman as The Girl’s Father (Bellomy) were as entertaining in their roles as an old Abbott and Costello duo or burlesque act. McIntyre Dickson as The Old Actor (Henry) was wonderful in the role originally played by Tom Jones himself (who wrote the book and lyrics and directed this production). And Michael Nostrand as The Man Who Dies (Mortimer) is a Chaplinesque marvel to watch.
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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:
The Entire Family
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| 9 |
Quintessential musical theatre, no big names needed. Review by: zanderap, May 22, 2011 |
| Many of the negative reviewers of The Fantasticks seem to fault it not being what they expected from a New York City theatre production. If that's the case, they have a pretty poor idea of what theatre in New York City truly is. This show is the closest I have ever seen to a perfect musical, and it was the most enjoyable experience I've had seeing a show in a long time. It's not running ON Broadway for the simple reason that the ... read more show would never work there--it is a minimal show with minimal sets and props. But without such things, we are able to focus on what is truly important in a show. The book, the music, the story, the heart, the mood, and the intimacy of truly experiencing a show fully. No it doesn't star your favorite Hollywood or TV star. No it doesn't feature music by ABBA, Bono, or the Four Seasons. No it doesn't feature grand and lavish puppets. If you want something like that, there are always Hollywood and TV actors giving subpar performances on the next block. But if you want a wonderful piece of musical theatre, which has stood the test of time to become the longest running musical in history, then see the Fantasticks. Don't come in expecting lavish set designs or a big-name star, and you'll be surprised what you can take from it. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Seniors
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| 10 |
The Fantasticks is SuperFantastick! Review by: chrisnyc1, Mar 16, 2011 |
| The Fantasticks is SUPERFantastick. It just goes to show you that you don't need 65 million dollars to tell a story. This classic production, which originated at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in 1969, sill delivers the goods. Gorgeous French impressionistic music, lilting ballads, smart upbeats, romance, comedy, the Fantasticks has it all. It's a timeless tale that won't appeal to those who think Mamma Mia or Rock of Ages is theater,... read more, and thank goodness. It does not need towers of amplifiers to make up for the fact that those shows lack musicality, theatrics, and talent. No, The Fantasticks is a charming little show that packs the emotional punch of the 14 million dollar "Wicked" which stands like an ominous tower across the street. Best of all, this show still attracts top talent to its cast. Matt and Louisa were perfection, but El Gallo, per usual, stole the show. There is a reason a show lasts for 50 years, while we can't try to remember lesser shows that come and go. "The Fantasticks" is the real deal. It's the stuff theater legend is made of. Go see it! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Large Group
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Seniors
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| 11 |
Trite, cliche, uninspired - a definite NO SEE SHOW! Review by: arejaywhy, Jan 1, 2011 |
Fantasticks was absolutely awful. We (4 of us) all tried to find some good in the production - but could not. The songs were boring and redundant, and the performers could neither act nor sing. It would have been better if the NYPD officers didn't let us get through to the theater on New Year's Eve (2010).
I can't believe that we actually made it through ACT I without falling asleep or leaving the theater. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 12 |
Charming charming! Review by: ann, Jul 14, 2010 |
| The play is as charming as ever. Louisa is terrific and has a great voice. There was only one problem. I bought tickets through ticketmaster and used the discount code. My printed tickets said the play started at 2:30pm on the 14th of July but, in fact, it started at 2:00pm. I suggest calling the box office and don't trust ticketmaster on starting times. But don't let that stop you from seeing a classic production of a classic musical! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Kids
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| 13 |
Hokey, Corny, Cheesy, a real crime AVOID!!! Review by: Leaflea, May 11, 2010 |
| This is a hoax! Never have I felt so exploited! $58 at a DISCOUNT, regularly $120 -- REALLLY? It was the poorest, hokiest, cheesiest, corniest production I have EVER seen! They had planted people in the TKTS line to talk it up and hand out nice brochure. They prey on the naivete of the NYC tourist. The saddest was hearing one child of several with an older man, "Thank you, grandpa, for taking us to a Broadway show!" Don't tell me its because ... read more it is because it is "off Broadway" (that is decieving as well because it is IN the heart at 50th and Broadway with a Broadway address). Also, earlier the same day for $21 I sat in a MUCH nicer theater 10 feet from Brooke Shields. The only reason it has run so long is because there is always going to be the "green" tourist in NYC. Upstairs "The Perfect Crime" is playing. What an appropriate title. How can these people sleep with themselves? The Broadway Mafia. See South Pacific or Memphis for only $10 more than this if you want REAL and PROFESSIONAL theater. We laughed SO hard, because if we didn't, we'd cry over our loss of precious time in NYC. It was truly funny, but we laughed AT the show, not because of the show content. Not charming, the venue was a rat trap and COLD. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 14 |
A true classic, not to be missed! Review by: Belle, Apr 27, 2010 |
| If you read through several of the negative reviews below, you can clearly see that they are obviously written by the same person with a grudge, who thought they were going to see some lavish Broadway musical, not an intimate, warm and heartfelt Off Broadway masterpiece like The Fantasticks. Nearly all of the negative reviews deride the show for the same thing -- the lack of scenery. I'm sorry, but whoever wrote those reviews must not know ... read more much about Off Broadway, since Off Broadway is the place to find cool, smaller-scale quality shows. So instead of ridiculing what is probably the most successful piece of musical theater ever written (it's been running for 49 years), I say give new experiences a chance. You may find there's a lot more to love about theater than flying helicopters and falling chandeliers. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Large Group
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
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| 15 |
NOOOO! Review by: SO sad, Mar 31, 2010 |
| Seriously? How is this on Broadway?! Awful. I'm guessing it was suppose to be "funny" but it was far from it. Don't waste your time! Not even high school quality! |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Family
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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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