February 2011 Reviews - NYC

User avatar
angelenroute
Billy
Posts: 3831
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:05 am
Location: Malverne (Long Island), NY

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by angelenroute »

inspired wrote:Saturday Matinee, February 19
Billy: Jacob Clemente
My friend Michael, who I had once upon taken to see the show, went to this performance as well, taking his sister and niece. They loved it too and I can now share this review with them, so thanks for this!!! And LOVE Jacob!!!

Sean

"Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it." -Edward Albee
User avatar
inspired
Tall Boy
Posts: 104
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:04 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by inspired »

Impressions from last weekend in NYC seeing three BETM shows:

- I love the Imperial Theater – so much more intimate than the huge ones in Chicago and Cleveland (twice the size).

- The audience I was a part of for the Saturday matinee was fantastic, the best I’ve experienced. I said to myself, “NYC gets it!”

- The access to the stage door afterward is phenomenal. It’s like they put the exit doors where they are just to direct us to the stage door. What a coup for BETM fanatics.

- I was able to congratulate all three of the Billys and both Michaels after the shows. I kidded Jacob about having the hat on from his Samsung commercials (I’ve sent pics to the gallery). Also, got to have a conversation with Thommie Retter, and he is as pleasant as everyone describes him. He even asked me my impressions of the national tour, and talked about his role vis-à-vis Mrs. Wilkinson. Very nice to talk to and in no rush to leave.

- It’s amazing to see just how normal the child actors are after the show. After Jacob’s matinee show, after he was graciously done with the fans, he suggested to Ben Cook that they go over to Borders. After Sunday’s matinee, Gabe brought his scooter out of the building to go off somewhere. They cast a spell on these huge, paying audiences, and then leave minutes later like they’re any normal kid. I guess because that’s what they are – normal (but very, very talented) kids!

- The language in the show is rough –we’ve talked about it before. I am all for it because it adds the realism to this show that could easily be lacking. However, I do think that there should be some forewarning for parents to decide if their young children are ready for it (as well as the other mature themes presented). There were lots of kids under 10 at both the matinees, and I wondered just how many parents really knew what they were walking into. Don’t get me wrong – I believe the language is an absolutely necessary part of the show.

- I’ve seen three different companies now (Chicago, Tour, Broadway), and I’m fascinated by how they are all so closely similar. I know the intent is there to keep the quality consistent, and they have succeeded smashingly! Anyone who sees one production has a very good idea of how they all are. I haven’t seen a drop off in quality at all between the three. :D

- I’m not as crazy about the elevator sets as I thought I’d be. All the up and down actually came off as a bit distracting to me, vs. the quick in and out set movement of the tour (I can’t remember which way they did it in Chicago). And as others have mentioned, I prefer the staging at the end of the Dad/Tony argument scene where Billy just grabs a few items, then sits sulking behind the piano.

- The pacing of all three Broadway shows was noticeably faster than the tour’s. I noted in my Cleveland reviews how I thought there were maybe too many pregnant pauses, but on Broadway there were actually very few. Not good or bad, just different.

Mark
28 shows, 17 Billys, 11 cities
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Thanks for your excellent review, inspired. I am looking forward to seeing the NY show again this very week!
To answer your question about the set in Chicago, that was where the touring set was initiated. The only two venues that use the hydraulics are London and Broadway.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


To follow the forum's Twitter at http://twitter.com/BEForum, click on the direct link in Applies to All Forums above.
User avatar
angelenroute
Billy
Posts: 3831
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:05 am
Location: Malverne (Long Island), NY

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by angelenroute »

inspired wrote:I’m not as crazy about the elevator sets as I thought I’d be. All the up and down actually came off as a bit distracting to me, vs. the quick in and out set movement of the tour
Mark, thanks for your comments, they were fun to read! =) I singled out this bit as well because even though I enjoy the elevator-style sets very, very much, your comment speaks a lot to the success of the show without them. It makes me very happy to know--and I saw the Tour in Charlotte too--that the production works just as well without the built-in hydraulic sets. The success of the production without them is a great sign that such a building project will not be needed in future productions. And though I certainly mean this for other cities around the world mounting productions, I also mean for revivals should the original shows...require them at some point. =)

Sean

"Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it." -Edward Albee
mikey
Small Boy
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:30 am

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by mikey »

I beleive that there is a warning sign up at the Imperial Box Office regarding the strong language in the show.
mikey
Small Boy
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:30 am

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by mikey »

Where are the pics of Jacob with his furry hat from the Samsung commercials? I checked the gallery but they weren't there!!
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

There are no screen grab photos in our gallery. Go here http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... &start=100 for the youtube links that will show you Jacob performing in the hat.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


To follow the forum's Twitter at http://twitter.com/BEForum, click on the direct link in Applies to All Forums above.
User avatar
Rich B
Technical Advisor
Technical Advisor
Posts: 1671
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:22 am
Location: Virginia Beach, VA USA

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by Rich B »

mikey wrote:Where are the pics of Jacob with his furry hat from the Samsung commercials? I checked the gallery but they weren't there!!
I asked Jacob yesterday after the show if he got to keep the hat from the Samsung commercials but he said no. He does, however, have a similar 'furry' hat.

Rich
mikey
Small Boy
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:30 am

Re: February 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by mikey »

Yeah, my son wanted that hat. I found it here:

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Gifts/ ... ID=1992680

But it's sold out. The hat Jacob wears in the pic in the Gallery is nothing like the hat he wears in the commercials, it has no wolf ears and the fur is only on the inside. Those type of hats are all over the place. The wolf hat is hard to find! Oh well! Maybe next winter.
Post Reply

Return to “Reviews - Broadway”