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The Ritz Reviews
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| 1 |
Bad play, worse usher Review by: kickline, Dec 7, 2007 |
| Awful, amateurish. Left at intermission. To make matters even worse, the usher in the mezzanine told me I wasn't allowed to chew gum. ("No candy!" he kept shrieking.) |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Spouse/Partner
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| 2 |
Better Second Act Review by: , Dec 3, 2007 |
| While I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, the 2nd act made up for a dull first act. The first act mundanely sets up the 2nd act, but it's worth. Those that walked out at intermission missed something fun. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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| 3 |
Rosie Perez is Fantastic!! Review by: marcello, Nov 28, 2007 |
| We went to see this on Saturday evening, Nov 24th and really enjoyed it! Rosie Perez was hilarious! The guys were gorgeous and it was great fun. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Business Associate
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Tourists, Adults
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| 4 |
Puttin On "The Ritz" Review by: Beth M, Nov 23, 2007 |
TERRANCE MCNALLY’S “THE RITZ”
By Beth Mandelbaum
While I may not be in the majority, I did find The Ritz to offer an enjoyable and entertaining two hours of theater; and I left with a smile on my face. I found the Roundabout revival of The Ritz to be well done, with very fine acting, some of which was exceptional, a fantastic set which plays a major “role” in the show, providing many laughs and also, on a deeper level, ... read more themes which I found to be extremely touching and meaningful.
I would like to share that I have long been a major fan of the work of Terrance McNally, in terms of such excellent plays as Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams, and Some Men; and as book writer for several extraordinary musicals, including Ragtime, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Full Monty, and A Man of No Importance. I consider him to be one of our finest playwrights/librettists and marvel at the wide scope of subject matter that he has been able to embrace and his powerful, clever and insightful style that captures a broad range of human emotions so extraordinarily well.
I realize that this play is definitely not for everyone’s taste, but despite whatever shortcomings have been noted, The Ritz does vividly portray, with comic twists, a very significant chapter in the history of the gay movement.
The Ritz offer the audience more than a glimpse, in a very farcical manner, of life in a gay bathhouse, which was such a prominent aspect of the full expression of gay sexual liberation in the 1970’s, notably at a time some years before the tragedy of the AIDS epidemic become a major threat. The direction by Joe Mantello has provided, for the most part, good comic timing, with the red doors of the three tiered bathhouse constantly opening and closing, men (and a few women) moving in and out of the spaces, running up and down staircases, bumping into each other, sometimes mistaking another’s identity to hilarious effect, with most seeking not only sex, but human connection, and even love.
This wild goings on of The Ritz, which was playwright McNally’s first hit play, were undoubtedly more shocking and unfamiliar in 1976, in it’s original incarnation on Broadway, as many wonderful plays about the gay experience, including the playwright Terrance McNally’s own extremely moving play last season at the Second Stage, “Some Men,” which I had the great fortune to have seen, have filled the theatrical landscape over the ensuing years. And I feel that the decision to maintain the period mood of the 1970’s in The Ritz was a good idea, as it really provides a good, though exceptionally comedic sense, of this aspect of the gay experience.
The activities in the bathhouse (there is no actual sex portrayed) provide both the background and the foreground for the wonderfully zany “plot” of The Ritz, in all of its slapstick glory and deeply human longings.
As for the acting, I have long been a fan of Kevin Chamberlin (Gaetano Proclo) since seeing him in Dirty Blonde and in Seussical. Proclo, has, as it turns out, has made the honest mistake of marrying into the “wrong” family. The funny and very consciously stereotypical prologue shows his Italian mob style family surrounding the death bed of the family patriarch, Proclo’s father-in-law, whose last words and wish, in no uncertain terms, is to have Proclo eliminated by his very macho, non-nonsense brother-in-law (Carmine Vespucci). Having no choice but to flee Ohio, Proclo finds himself in New York City. Fearing for his life, he asks the taxi driver to take him to the very last place that his brother-in-law would ever find him: hence his arrival at “The Ritz,” gay bathhouse par excellence.
It does not take very long for Prolco to figure out what is occurring at his “hideaway.” At first, he watches in amazed and dazed bewilderment at the procession of men in towels, kimonos, and other unusual attire stroll by. I |
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| 5 |
I didn't know theater could be this Horrible Review by: Jasny, Nov 20, 2007 |
I never walked out of a show ever, but this just sucked. The funniest joke of the night was when the usher told us not to forget our tickets when we left so we could get back in after intermission.
How could the Roundabout theater company after a hit like Spring Awakening come out with this junk? I like you RTC, but how could you put out something almost as bad as Bureigh Grimes? Guys who looked like they were on steroids had no lines ... read more and walked around naked without even acting. The premise was a joke. The song from cabaret was sacrilegious and insulted the very ground that the revival was done on. Honestly I can not think of one decent thing to say about the show. Sorry Rosie, tell your agent he/she should have gotten you a role in, In The Heights. I would love you in that.
What I can not understand is how a show this bad could have even one good review. I always thought people connected to the show are often positive with these reviews, but come on, this show sucked. To quote a prior reviewer, "This is two hours of my life I will never get back." Well only an hour for me, as I left half way through. Well this is just my opinion. Actually I think the girl next to us was high on drugs, and she seemed to liked it, although she added to the pain of those around her. OK, I am testing the limits of free speech and better quit before I become censured. I guess there is a reason that during a theater strike we were surrounded by empty seats. I love theater, Like the company, like studio 54, but the show just sucked. Even the set was partially obstructed from center orchestra. I wish I had a nice euphemism to replace the word sucked so I don't offend anyone, but there is just no other way to say it, other then how the producers did, it's THE PITZ! |
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Don't go
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| 6 |
ATROCIOUS! Dont waste your time!!!! Review by: NYer, Nov 7, 2007 |
| Atrocious - what a horrible waste of my time. There's an hour of my life I'll never get back. I left after the first act because i couldnt stand it anymore. DOnt waste your money or your breath on this awful production...I'm still spitting in disguist!! I wouldnt go to see this for free if it were offered to me....what were they thinking? |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| 7 |
Worst experience ever! Review by: NYer, Nov 5, 2007 |
Atrocious! If you want to waste your money - this is the show!!! Complete waste of time - left after the first act!
I've been living in NYC for a long time - and this is the first time I've ever been so dissapointed by a play! What were they thinking!?!?!?!?!?!?!? |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Adults
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| 8 |
Review by: , Oct 27, 2007 |
| One of the worst shows I have seen in years. Don't get me wrong, actors are great and Rosie managed to make me laugh a few times. But the play is really, really bad. It's like going to one of these barely average musicals that has no plots and relies on cartoon line stereotypes to get chuckles between songs but that you'd go to anyway just for the songs - except, here, there are no songs. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Tourists, Adults
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| 9 |
Fun at the Baths Review by: kindly, Oct 27, 2007 |
| Hilarious. Easily one of the funniest afternoons I've had in the theatre in years. Rosie Perez and Brooks Ashmanskas are both giving award-worthy performances. This entire production is laugh out loud funny. My partner and I were howling. The entire audience clearly loved it...huge laughs and thunderous ovation. Sweet, good natured fun with lots of eye candy. I'd recommend it to anyone. How refreshing to go to the theatre and laugh laugh ... read more laugh. I'll see it again. |
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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:
Tourists, Adults
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| 10 |
love the movie-HAD to see this Broadway revival! Review by: Canadian Broadway buff, Oct 25, 2007 |
| The 1976 movie with Rita Moreno, Treat Williams and Jerry Stiller had me in stitches. If I notice it on TV, I make sure I watch it so I HAD to see it on Broadway! Rosie Perez did an amazing job, just as good as Rita if not better. My ONLY disappointment was this version did not have Googie Gomez start her show by belting out the horrible imitation of Ethel Merman's " I had a Dream....a dream about "jew" bay-bay!!!" Fantastic entertaining show. ... read more It should have a longer run. I'd see it again. The finale reprise had the audience dancing in their seats. |
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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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| 11 |
Rosie Perez is wonderful Review by: Howaluna, Oct 25, 2007 |
| Rosie Perez added spice to the show. She was great! Really enjoyed the show. |
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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:
Adults
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| 12 |
Rosie Rules!! Review by: FJ, Oct 24, 2007 |
| I thought the play, props, costumes and actors were great. Rosie Perez is wonderful. A lot of eye candy. Go and see it. |
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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:
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| 13 |
Mediocre Review by: angelajoy, Oct 23, 2007 |
| Has some funny moments, Rosie Perez and Brooks Ashmaskas in particular have some hilarious moments. The second half drags quite a bit and I would probably have left early if I weren't so cheap. Some of the choreography is so kitschy that it's hilarious. Kevin Chamberlain was boring and hard to understand sometimes, but maybe he was just in character, hard to tell. Not in my top ten. I wouldn't go see it again. |
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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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| 14 |
Why revive for only a few laughs Review by: Ted, Oct 18, 2007 |
| Hardly a great play but there are a few laughs thanks mostly to the cast. Brooks Ashmanskas is great and Ashlee Atkinson is terrific in that Kaye Ballard/Nancy Walker tradition of female clowning. Rosie Perez is very good as is Chamberlin but he really needs to clear up his diction. It is a puzzle as to why it is being revived. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| 15 |
The Ritz - Loved it - 2 hours of laughter Review by: KT3509, Oct 18, 2007 |
| It was 2 hours of hilarity. Just go and enjoy it without necessarily picking it apart. Rosie was hysterical - the set was great and is indeed a wonderful stage depiction of a NYC bathouse in that era. Just sit back and enjoy the laughs. Its definatley worth going to see. |
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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:
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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