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

LOGIN REGISTER SEARCH THREADED MODE

not logged in

Threaded Order | Chronological Order

TB REGIONAL REVIEW: "THESE PAPER BULLETS!" in LOS ANGELES

Posted by: T.B._Admin. 07:40 pm EDT 09/20/15

Sharon reviews this Geffen Playhouse production, which runs through October 18 in Westwood, CA.

Link TALKIN' BROADWAY REGIONAL REVIEWS: LOS ANGELES

re: TB REGIONAL REVIEW: "THESE PAPER BULLETS!" in LOS ANGELES

Posted by: westcoastthr 12:46 pm EDT 09/24/15
In reply to: TB REGIONAL REVIEW: "THESE PAPER BULLETS!" in LOS ANGELES - T.B._Admin. 07:40 pm EDT 09/20/15

Sharon - I, too, loved it! I was drawn into it from the start. It was very clever and well performed. Really liked the costumes and sets (loved the costumes). And, enjoyed B.J. Armstrong's music, which evoked early Beatles or the Rutles.

I do think that if you love Much Ado, or even just know the play a bit, and you know about Beatlemania, you'll enjoy it more than if neither of those things is familiar to you.

I was with friends who aren't really familiar with Much Ado (I think they might have seen only the Joss Whedon movie and never a live production), but are huge Beatles fans and they loved it. I've recommended it to numerous friends, none of whom seemed to get caught up in my enthusiasm for it. I don't think the title helps sell the show. It's just too obscure a title, even if you do know the play.

Thanks for your review. It was a fun night in the theater.


re: TB REGIONAL REVIEW: "THESE PAPER BULLETS!" in LOS ANGELES

Posted by: bicoastal 05:30 pm EDT 09/25/15
In reply to: re: TB REGIONAL REVIEW: "THESE PAPER BULLETS!" in LOS ANGELES - westcoastthr 12:46 pm EDT 09/24/15

Sadly I did not have the same happy feelings with this show. I don't know MUCH ADO but do know the Beatles. I thought the mod setting was great but found the costumes, though eye-catching, were ill-fitting and sloppy. I loved the music but thought the text bouncing back and forth between direct Shakespeare and new dialogue was jarring and wished they'd gone in one direction or the other. Loved Molly Parker, liked Justin Kirk, wondered why Don Best looked 15 years older than the other Quartos.

I also wondered why all the performances were so over the top and pushed, yet I didn't really get the sense there was a true ensemble at work. I blame that on the director as I blame the rather smug "we're so clever!" attitude I felt for most of the show. I would love to see this work, but for me it is still a ways away from being the solid entertainment it could be. IMHO



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: 0.012590 seconds.