Front Mezz Junkies

“The production’s inventive design, committed performances, and infectious audience reactions make it a wildly entertaining theatrical ride.”

“There is a delicious cruelty at the heart of Così fan tutte, and Egoyan’s production is not afraid to put it under a very bright investigative light.”

“Somewhere inside the production, there is an interesting perspective buried in its attempt to externalize Hamlet’s psychological conflict, but it never develops into a cohesive theatrical experience.”

“What makes Safe House most compelling is the distinction it draws between protection and control.”

“It is an electrifying introduction, sharply silhouetted against the darkness of our knowledge, and from that moment onward, the audience is utterly locked onto Monsoon’s extraordinary performance.”

“The performances, particularly from Lane, Metcalf, and Ahlers, draw the pain closer than ever before, making it immediate and inescapable.”

“It is all fabulously excessive in exactly the way it needs to be.”

“It arrives with a superb confidence, fully aware of the traditions it is drawing from, and just as eager to run wild and free with them.”

“Even within that tightened structure, the production delivers a consistently entertaining experience.”

“Returning to KENREX in this new space does not simply revisit a story already told.”

“And it all adds up to something far greater than the sum of its parts, even as the man at its center fails to do the same.”

“Their commitment, precision, and sheer joy in movement carry the evening through its less defined stretches.”

“This is not a show that announces itself loudly.”

“His performance allows for humour without deflection and vulnerability without sentimentality.”

“It is a chaotic place, occasionally exhausting, often hilarious, and unexpectedly full of love.”

“Once the musical architecture locks into place, ‘the story and the storytelling take over and make Mexodus fly.’”

“That choice speaks volumes about how seductive shared madness can be when the alternative is isolation.”

“In this Chess, the checkmate comes by vocal firepower, and not just once.”

“In a season crowded with gaudy overindulgence, this small, sweet musical carries its multi-layered cake with surprising elegance.”

“It’s an astonishing piece of work, one that has only deepened and darkened on its journey across the Atlantic.”

“Here, it plays more like a Broadway-branded luxury good: pleasurable enough, immaculately packaged, and priced according to the fame of its creators, not the weight of its ideas.”

“And on Broadway, with this glorious company, that song has never sounded more urgent, more human, or more full of hope.”

“On Broadway, it’s a revelation of the highest order, possibly the best of the season.”

“It’s tense and exciting, with a spellbinding casting of a cutthroat, child-grooming glare that almost blinds us from the meandering plot that only really connects to the diehard fan.”

“It’s charming, lovely, and heartfelt, overflowing with honest engagements and conflicts that ring emotionally true, and we couldn’t be more engaged if we tried.”

“Groff is a true star, maybe in a way that Darin always dreamed of, and with his performance in Just In Time, Groff, the wettest and most wonderful man on Broadway, may well have moved up and beyond the character he is embodying in this bio musical.”

“Old Friends,” which opened on Tuesday at Manhattan Theater Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theater, is in that sense a lot like its predecessors. The 41 numbers it features come from the main pool, with an emphasis on songs from Sweeney Todd, Merrily Along, Company, Follies and Int...”

“It needs to be gulped down like a good strong rum and coke on a hot Cuban night, gazing out on the sunset and dreaming of the past when all seemed important and powerfully present.”

“And with that, Operation Mincemeat, the new musical, finds the exact right formula for hilarity and loving engagement, telling a near-perfect tale in the most inventive theatrical fashion.”

“This Gypsy is ultimately fine, interesting, and compelling, with McDonald finding nuance and strength in her character, but not the vocal stamp required -in my humble opinion.”

“Death Becomes Her might be the best dark musical comedy to come along in decades.”

“The robot heart of Maybe Happy Ending is fully charged and I hope this show remains unpacking those feelings for a long time coming.”

“This dynamic turn of events, although sad on a superficial level, never seems to really hit all that hard within this play.”

“The writing team does not seem to know how to create connecting tension to what the show is swirling around.”

“It’s a beautifully crafted construction of a mother coping with the daily onslaught that sickness and disease of one’s own child can bring.”

“It’s difficult to watch performers work this hard when the humor isn’t exactly there in the source material.”

“The visuals are what ultimately drive both of these vehicles, as well as America’s obsession with nostalgia and the known and already loved commodity.”

“Grey House can feel at moments unsatisfying and bewildering, but the overall descent is worth the tension my body had to endure.”

“It comes pretty close to being “Fuckin’ Perfect“, the most fun in a Broadway theater right now, and by far the best jukebox musical Broadway has seen in a while.”

“This fantastic new musical, maybe the best of the season, finds its way into our collective heart so beautifully but from paths unexpected.”

“The two actors dominate, taking full control of the energy and tensions around them.”

“It really is a wonder that Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman has never felt so alive and desperate, thanks to director Cromwell, unpacking layers upon layers of social commentary on the Black Person’s lived experience in America.”

“This Company has been elevated, and I hope it never comes back down.”

“Clyde’s is as tasty and filling as one could order up.”

“The Six strutt forward with queen-like assuredness, demanding to be taken seriously to the sound of whimsical harpsichord remixes and a driving pop score.”

“Adapted by the detailed Rona Munro, the precise entrance of the lead makes it clear that this one act one woman play is going to dive into family dysfunction from a foggy memory stance.”

“The Inheritance is most decidedly a masterpiece, almost measuring up to Kushner's triumph as it dives head first into 21st Century queer politics and the economic discrepancies that plague modern culture and society.”

“It never gives it away, nor holds our hand as we move forward into the unknown, and it is all done with such strange intimate power.”

“He may be a liberal, loud mouthed and self righteous, but he is one difficult Dick to be around.”

“It's perfectly formatted for success and full house growth.”

“The wind and the rain of this storm rips in at our “ability to love one another to the end“, soaking us in what is one of the most touching and engaging creations of family, death, and longing around.”

“It’s the creation of life and the taking away of that same gift that is simplistically engaging and direct, even when these men are at a loss for the right words.”

“The two leading ‘love birds’ square off in this classic play, face to face before diving in and shedding all of their superfluous armor in an intense coming together that is, simply, a great start to this engagement.”

“It’s dastardly delicious in its absurdity, craftily crazed but hard to dig deep in that shallow end of the pure waters of brilliant nonsense.”

“This movie to musical recreation delivers an ‘Unstoppable’ barrage of hilarious setups, one liners, and moments that will make you laugh out loud with a wise glee.”

“Manhattan Theatre Club’s INK is an All CAP Kinda Adventure.”

“Beetlejuice is full throttled riotous fun, and shouldn’t be missed, whether a fan of the movie, or not.”

“Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience, filled to overflowing with passion, artistry, and love, even as are hearts are crushed in the end by our human frailties.”

“It’s not a perfect rendering, but with Adam Driver (Broadway’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Spike Lee’s “BlacKKKlansman“) as Pale, the evening is thrilling, and the conversations on fire.”

“She’s a force of nature, and a King among Kings in the history of this iconic play.”

“It floats and sails with country jamboree-style through this inventive and daring revival”

“This is the conversation that must happen, as the debate outside swirls out of control, and unfortunately for us, the masses are missing the point of what is at stake.”

“Kiss Me Kate is just that kinda show; one of the finest old musicals around.”

“It sings and flies high with a harmonic beauty and wide wings in the much deserved bigger house while at the same time, intimately dashing its emotional private school book bag up hard against the shower room walls.”

“The Cher Show, with the astonishing Block as tour guide and hostess with the very mostest, is a show to truly ‘Believe’ in.”

“It showcases Van Hove’s brilliance in incorporating technical style and old-fashioned solid story-telling while playing sincere treatment to a classic film.”

“The ending registers, despite all the clumsy brushstrokes, giving us a painting that is filled with sorrow and sadness, but clearly The Waverly Gallery shouldn’t remain hung too long on the wall next to all the other masterpieces of Lonergan’s.”

“I loved the show and was so happy to have seen it.”

“This American Son knows how to keep driving forward.”

“It’s epic and old-fashioned, only in the way that it feels like a classic before it even gets midway through, making you wonder if this is actually new or a brilliant revival of an Irish masterpiece.”

“Maybe there is a good reason Richard Bean‘s play, The Nap, has found its way across the pond and into the Friedman Theatre.”

“Love and desire triumphs over power plays and deceit, giving us all a joyous slice of 80’s girl band heaven that truly is a place on Broadway’s Earth.”

“The set up is cute and surprisingly nuanced, even with the loudly annoying pre-show music blasting our ear drums...Whip smart and decidedly captivating...The cast as a whole enact the lives and loves of white men of privilege with integrity and exacting attitude. As directed with an easy playful style under the conceptual eye of Anna D.”

“So go forth, dive in, read up, or not, as you’ll enjoy every drop regardless of how you enter.”

“And I can attest to that, with the same being said about this draggy production.”

“Because what happens over the next four hours (two intermissions and one short break) is a solidly contracted dance towards death, filled with engaging and deep performances from a cast of pros relishing and finding humor in every morsel and whiskey shot.”

“It’s a dynamic and fascinating journey, played out in the very beautifully decorated bedroom of the older woman.”

“A dazzling spectacle that brings magic to life on stage.”

“Mean Girls feels fresh and funny, equal to the aging Wicked, and way better than the other girl power musicals that surround the show.”

“This is a once in a lifetime kind of production that will move you beyond anything that you've seen before, shattering your senses and tearing your heart to pieces.”

“It seems this Broadway stage tale had a hard enough time finding the little magic it did in this transfer, and although the legions of adoring fans will gather and make this musical a hit, I’m not sure it will rise up to the regal levels of other Broadway royals, like The Lion King or even Aladdin.”

“Without the four leads at the wheel of this thing, this trip with the free wheeling Buffett might have been a disaster, “Definitely, Maybe“.”

“Stories by Heart is sweet, engaging, sentimental, and charming, with some laughs and tender smiles mixed in to the batch, but also a bit too easy and dull on the ears, mind, and heart.”

“It’s a slow cooking machine here, but wildly satisfying in the end.”

“'Meteor Shower' is creating a dazzling display nightly. Don't miss the chance...Everyone wins in Martin's play.”

“These fine actors make this all look so easy, fitting into their perfectly tailor-made roles...It’s surprising and thoroughly engaging, keeping us on our toes and leaning in...A very current and complex play. It constantly surprises with its smart and sassy dialogue...I wanted more, I must say. More insight, maybe more hope for the future.”

“Lush and musically intoxicating…Once I found myself comfortably there, I could breathe in the humid warm air of the Caribbean, and even though those first moments are less than engaging, the first number…grabs hold of our hearts and souls quickly and we are transported...”

“Latin History for Morons is a deeply thoughtful story, told by a father who is trying to grow up while also trying to raise his children better than he himself was.”

“Maybe you could say that in this tale of greed, we are given varying shades of black, with not a lot of differing tonal quality to look at.”

“The musical, that is now making its Broadway debut is absolutely and quietly devastating in its magnificence.”

“Julie Taymor’s onslaught is straight on powerful and direct, energetically engaging, and dramatically concise.”

“I’m in love with this show; I’m in love with the message it sends and the lesson that there is perhaps wickedness thrust upon good people at times.”

“Hnath has given us quite a gift this past season with this intelligent and funny new play.”

“It feels a bit heartless, without a lot of subtlety and nuance.”

“And he does it pretty successfully with passion, intelligence, and a sly wink.”

“The only problem in this show is that the creators barely gives the piece a moment to catch its breath, constantly driving forward without a pause.”

“It’s in the blending of theatrical forms and ideas, symbols and styles, all entwined with wonder and creativity, to tell a story, unlike any other seen before.”

“Sadly the songs and direction are uneven and sometimes down right slow.”

“The 2 1/2 hours flies by, without a thought to the time. Regardless of who is playing the fox, and who is the bird.”

“It’s as delicious as that turkey bone is to Dolly.”