HOME ALL THAT CHAT ATC WEST COAST SHOPPIN' RUSH BOARD FAQS

LOGIN REGISTER SEARCH FLAT MODE

not logged in

Totally (and Delightfully) Surprised by "If/Then" - A Valentine to Love, Life, and New York

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 11:55 pm EST 01/20/15

I was invited to this at the last minute, when someone else was unable to use the ticket. I've been on the fence for the entire year about seeing the show, because I was afraid the concept would be too tiresome, and the music does not sound that great out of context. (Also, I was very mixed on "Next to Normal", which I feel is uneven.)

I was blown away. I would say this is the first great musical of the 21st Century, a show that puts our modern life on display with sophistication, intelligence, and a dash of musical theatre razzmatazz. Heartwarming, thought provoking, it made me hug my husband and tell him how much I love him.

I found the storytelling to be magnificent. Lucid, complex, easy to follow, hitting so many right notes. The set is a marvel of design, the staging is the best thing I've seen Michael Greif do, the casting is wonderful.

It's also wonderful as a somewhat-sequel to "Rent", once the bohemians have grown up, turned 40, and settled into the same sort of domestic lives that their more conventional peers embraced when they were younger.

This is a show that I could take my non-theater friends to, and tell them: look, see, that's us on stage.

It's a shame it didn't get the industry love that it might have, but I'm glad it managed to run a year in this increasingly innovation and originality averse Broadway world.


reply |

Previous: One Claire To Rule Them All.... - Glitter 12:33 am EST 01/21/15
Next: re: Totally (and Delightfully) Surprised by "If/Then" - A Valentine to Love, Life, and New ... - joerialto 01:09 pm EST 01/21/15

Thread:


All That Chat is intended for the discussion of theatre news and opinion
subject to the terms and conditions of the Terms of Service. (Please take all off-topic discussion to private email.)

Please direct technical questions/comments to webmaster@talkinbroadway.com and policy questions to TBAdmin@talkinbroadway.com.

[ Home | On the Rialto | The Siegel Column | Cabaret | Tony Awards | Book Reviews | Great White Wayback Machine ]
[ Broadway Reviews | Barbara and Scott: The Two of Clubs | Sound Advice | Sound Advice Upcoming Releases CDs/Books/DVDs, etc. | Off Broadway | Funding Talkin' Broadway ]
[ Broadway 101 | Spotlight On | Talkin' Broadway | On the Boards | Regional | Talk to Us! | Search Talkin' Broadway ]

Terms of Service
[ © 1997 - 2015 www.TalkinBroadway.com, Inc. ]

Time to render: 0.001938 seconds.