I absolutely adored it when I saw it at the Atlantic, but no show is loved by everyone. I think it's highly praised because the music is beautiful, and it captures intimacy between characters in a way you rarely see in musical theatre. All elements of the show - music, lyrics, design, acting and direction - are in service of its themes: regret, loneliness, the yearning for companionship, and the ache of not living the life you are meant (or want) to live. And all of these themes are highly relatable to most people.
Regardless, I don't think that a thread bare story line is an issue in a musical. Shows like Company, Follies, Hair, A Chorus Line, Cats, Sunday in the Park (to name a few) don't have a strong story line, but it doesn't stop them from being an artistic or a popular success. |
