You wrote, "But it's another thing to claim that the show was a hit (or was generally regarded as artistically dazzling) because then you're speaking for other people."
Where did I claim that the show was a hit? I have no particular opinion of the show as I haven't seen it. If anything, I'm a bit on the skeptical side about the show based on what I have heard of the score and what I've read about the show. I promise you that I'm not trying to make it sound like a hit. What did I wrote that makes you think that I was trying to make it sound like a hit?
Where did I say or even imply that it "was generally regarded as artistically dazzling"?
I'm not speaking for other people, except to the extent that I can state that a bunch of the people who saw the show at the Goodman or at the Signature did like it. This I know as a certainty based on what has been posted here over the years. (Unless those people were lying.)
It's Brantley who seems to be speaking for other people when he writes that the show has not knocked anyone's socks off. All I was saying (and I think I said it pretty clearly) is that such a statement is foolish because it professes to speak for everyone (which is something that I strive to never do). In this case, such a statement is demonstrably inaccurate.
You wrote, "As I read it, the critic is saying, 'this show has thus far not turned out to be either a popular or an artistic success,' or, to keep the metaphor alive, 'I haven't noticed any major knocking-off of socks.'"
If that's what he meant, he should have said it more clearly. And if he did mean that, then clearly he hasn't read this chat board over the years (no reason why he necessarily should) or some of the other reviews (besides the one by Isherwood) of the Signature production. Here are links to a few.
Theatremania review
John Simon, Bloomberg
Variety review
Not all of the reviews were as favorable as those that I linked, but, again, I haven't claimed (or even implied) that the show has knocked everyone's socks off.
Nor do I even care all that much if it comes to New York.
I'm simply asking for people (especially critics in major publications) to not make sweeping statements about other people's reactions to the show (or to any show).
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