★★★ REVIEW: Days of Wine and Roses (Broadway) | musical starring Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2024
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OHMYGOD HEY!
Earlier this year, while I was in New York, I got to catch the Broadway transfer of DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES.
Based on a film of the same name, this musical is written by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas and stars Kelli O'Hara and Brian D'Arcy James.
Check out today's new video review for my thoughts on this show which has recently announced it will be closing at Studio 54 a month earlier than planned.
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00:00 | introduction
04:52 | synopsis / overview
09:04 | material / production
20:47 | performances
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#broadway #theatre #musical - Zábava
It is very interesting to watch you review a show that, as you said, you cannot find a way to appreciate, because i would bet that you try to find as much to like as you can. I get that these reviews are not fun to make, but i am glad you go through the effort, because i feel like i learn a lot watching you struggle with a show. And i always feel that you strive to be fair and honest and kind.
I saw it off Broadway and watching Kelli and Brian in a very intimate theatre was truly spectacular. It's always a privilege to watch people at the TOP of their game do their thing. But yes the show itself is strange and I agree with your review.
Saw it the other day and having a family with a history of alcoholism and addiction I’ve got to say it was incredibly well done. I was very lucky to get my father back but I know just how hard it is. Redemption and recovery isn’t guaranteed and for someone with first hand knowledge I was honestly grateful that it didn’t have a happy ending.
I wish they had focused an Act 1 on the down fall and added an act two that was all about recovery and redemption. That probably would have made the show a little bit better. It is hard to show an entire cycle of events in one act. Especially something as complicated as the journey through alcoholism.
I am happy when shows get good reviews but I am always more entertained when there are issues 🐸☕️
This show was depressing but also lavish. The score tbh is strong and underrated. Especially for Kelli O’Hara. I can see this getting at least some award nominations for its score and performances but this is by no means the best musical of the year.
I actually really loved this show. I saw it in mid-March and thought it was brilliant. I liked that it didn't sugar coat anything and I thought it was a pretty truthful and honest look at how devastating the struggles of alcoholism can be, especially the ending. The bedroom scene where he tried to get her to come home and the ending itself are both super memorable for me.
So I know that the story was not going to be my favorite and it wasn't but due to someone who didn't want to sit in the front row, I got a front row center seat and got to watch Kelli O'Hara sing from 3 feet away. That was worth it.
I so appreciate the care you took in explaining your position re this show! But, suffice it to say, I do disagree pretty strongly, for one reason alone: The score.
I genuinely feel that this show boasts a score that we'll remember and still be singing in 20 years. It's Guettel at his absolute finest, proving his relative genius and understanding of the genre, yet pushing us all as fans/performers/creators to broaden our idea of what musical theatre can sound like/how it can operate.
I mean, it's literally a jazz opera in the style of musical theatre, and at a score-level that blend (which would intimidate even the most seasoned composer) works perfectly, so harmoniously, so delicately. To me, it's an absolute feat of composition that has successfully broadened the definition of this genre. But, like was so often the case with Sondheim, audiences are a bit startled by it.
That being said, I do feel that your criticisms of the book do stand. But, at least for me, this genius score coupled with vocalists at the very top of their game (singing some of the most challenging material I've *ever* heard in musical theatre) wins out against it.
But thanks again for your review! Love your work, your channel, and it's always a pleasure watching you get passionate!
Ms.O'Hara is returning this Spring to the Met's production of The Hours with Rene Fleming and Joyce Didanoto. Check it out if you can.
I know that it is difficult to post negative reviews, but I really appreciate these. When people online are so consistently positive about every show, it makes me feel so incredibly cynical for not feeling the same way. I didn't quite understand all of the love for this show either. I had a friend tell me though, that they appreciated the score much more after a second watch...
I saw this show twice, first at the Atlantic and then on Broadway. When I heard it was transferring to Broadway I was a little worried - I'm a big Guettel fan (Floyd Collins is top 2 musicals for me), but coming out of the Atlantic I did feel this piece needed work. A lot of what you point out here was also evident there, agree with the speed-thru first half, jumping years and years, it was hard to get settled with this couple's story. And then the shift to recovery in the 2nd half felt tonally off, a choice that's not critically explored or debated, and gives Brian Darcy James a holier than thou, character shift that threw me off - when all is done what is the show trying to say? I felt like the show was also struggling with the '60's melodrama' genre of the original film, which I think they wanted to play with here in the narrative, but that melodrama doesn't necessarily work and feels disingenuous (Light of the Piazza uses that nostalgic aspect of the time period and original film much better in deconstructing it, Far From Heaven is also another example of that sort of play with genre working). I respect bringing that type of subject matter to the stage, understand some of the creative team have struggled in the past with addiction, and that Kelly O'hara has been passionate about this piece since she suggested it to Guettel and Lucas, which I think makes this a very special and important piece for the creators and participants. Maybe they were too close to it, I don't know. Critics were also inflating their reviews since the off-broadway run, when I wish they would have been a little more critical about it, maybe helping it get a few more passes before Broadway. I also don't think Michael Greif was as strong a collaborator as say a Barlett Sher to help fully develop the piece, and as a physical production I don't think it makes a strong impression or help the narrative. I will say, though I don't think James is as good as everyone says - don't just blame him, his part as written doesn't help - for me Kelly Ohara is giving one of the best performances I have seen on any stage, musical or straight play, ever. She's a different beast, on another level. She keeps proving it, but it doesn't make the experience of watching that live any less awe inspiring. I did think initially she was the reason for the transfer, and by all means - they should share that performance with the world. She's the reason I came back for a second time. ( Also, don't put a piece like this in a big house like Studio 54, I know the Hudson was booked, but jeez give it a fighting chance, find a small house!)
I saw this a few weeks ago and I liked it. It wasn't the best thing I've ever seen, but I liked that it was about tough, adult situations. I wouldn't want to see it again, but I'm glad I saw it. The performances were all lovely.
Brian D'Arcy James' performance reminded me very much of his performance in Sweet Smell.
i can see that! i feel Joe Clay at the beginning of the show ("magic time" especially) is almost a parallel of his performance as Sidney all those years ago.
plus, it certainly helps that both shows have scores that are incredibly bouncy and jazzy
I think I enjoyed this show a little more because I may have made up my own subplot? I took her talking about her mothers illness so much during the early part as her referencing that her mother was an alcoholic (not something you said back then. Her father and mother had a similar relationship to theirs, which is why her father hated him before even knowing and was so resentful. He lost his wife and couldn’t save her from alcohol- and he tried with his daughter but this guy ruined it.
My husband didn’t get any of that- so maybe I made it up to make myself like it more 🤣
Interesting to hear about this since I have no chance of catching it!
Heard the music on line. Beautiful. Problem is times are hard so people want fun.
I watched the film a couple of years ago during a big Jack Lemmon binge. It's so melodramatic and not really my usual thing, but I loved what it was trying to do, especially for the time, and it seemed to be full of heart. The performances are 100% effort and I did cry off and on. In the end I couldn't fall in love with it no matter how much I tried and some of it has not aged gracefully.
I saw this off broadway and thought it was beautifully performed and intimate. However, when I won a lottery ticket a few weeks ago to see it on Broadway, I had a very long day and just said, "I can't" and missed the performance. It's an exhausting experience that really doesn't feel cathartic like classic tragedies.
Your review is timely! I'm going up for a long weekend of shows next weekend and wondering if I should see this before it closes. Sounds like this is not necessarily a must-not-miss
I saw this show Off-Broadway, and my first reaction was that while I loved the performances, it's not a show for everyone. When I heard they were moving the show to Broadway I was a bit flummoxed because it. didn't seem like it was a big enough show for a Broadway theater. I think the ending of the show hits pretty hard because you don't expect it to be her that can't recover. But I thought Brian D'Arcy James, Kelly O'Hara and Byron Jennings did brilliant work.
Thank you so much for your review! I knew it would be thoughtful and offer insights I hadn't thought about. I'm a huge Adam Guettel fan and with some reservations love the show. For me the emotional and passionate score depicts the highs and lows of Kisten and Joe's relationship (to each other and to alcohol) in a unique and ultimately heartbreaking way. I do think Craig Lucas book too closely follows the movie and the 1956 teleplay(both are available on Amazon Prime in the US). I wish he had explored Kirsten's resentment of her parent's relationship more fully, I too was bothered by their initial meeting,, in the teleplay they are both drinking and recognize each other as kindred spirits, both dissatisfied with their lives. I think this would have been better, relieving Joe of "causing" Kirsten's alcoholism. I will be thinking of your thoughts as I go next week for the 4th time hearing Kelly's and Brian's glorious voices. I, however, will be relishing that devastating, cathartic "God, Do I need a drink right now" feeling.
Hi, im pretty sure we were at the same performance, and i’ve dying to know what you thought😂 I mostly agree with you. I enjoyed it more than you did but i still didnt love it. I got to experience Kelli sing an adam guettel score live on broadway, so i honestly cant complain too much.
I don’t think I have ever been as anxious and full of dread as being at the Atlantic Theater Company in that small room watching all of that happening on stage. It is VERY somber. I actually love that it doesn’t have a happy ending, but yeah. It feels very much like a Tony-bait show, but yeah.
Saw this a couple weeks ago and while the performances were very good, the rest of it was tough to sit through. It was at times boring, I didn’t seem to care about the characters and the talking/singing musical performances aren’t my cup of tea. I am glad it wasn’t two acts because I may have bailed out.
I watched the 1958 teleplay with Cliff Robertson and Piper Laurie a few days later and she starts out as an alcoholic just like him. There was also more sub plots and character development in the older version. There were a lot of lines taken verbatim from the teleplay in the Broadway version.
Not surprised it’s closing early as there were many empty seats in mid February.
Keep up the great videos Mickey Jo.
I got these tickets free with Audience Rewards, going to see it next week…..going in with an open mind but as someone who doesn’t drink because of what I have witnessed firsthand with alcohol I have an idea how I will feel. 😮
Oh wow LOL I just saw this last Sunday and I pretty much agree with everything you stated here 😅. The songs, while beautifully sung, were immediately forgetable to me. I also REALLY wanted more scenes with Kirsten's dad, he was sorely underutilized.
I will say that Brian D'Arcy James and Kelli O'Hara gave career-high performances for sure! I just wish the material they had to work with was stronger.
YES! Thank you for mentioning the weird green house thing! It didn't bother the friend I saw it with, and then I met someone else who'd seen it and they didn't even know what I was talking about. The first "green house scene" was stage left and they filled the stage with beautiful flowery light effects. Then, as you say, it basically took over every part of the stage except where it was originally. Made NO sense! As a non-drinker, it left me frustrated and more firmly committed to stay away from alcohol.
They. Starred together with John Lithgow in Sweet Smell of Success
BDS's best was Sweet Smell of Success. Kelli gave a stunning performance.
I loved how bizarre and crazy and poetic it was. I think there’s this genre of musical that is trashy but elegant in style. Aspects of love and bridges of Madison county and light in piazza is in this category. I love the mix of jazz and opera. I do agree that I would have liked to have more of a window into the characters thoughts and feelings alone on stage. Most of the time they were playing opposite each other. Kelli should have had a big eleven o’clock number in the scene with her at the motel. She later did the forgiveness reprise which wasn’t enough for me. Overall I loved it and hope Adam Guettel wins best Score at the Tony’s.
I saw this show, it wasn’t my taste but their vocals were amazing 😊
I saw this last year at The Atlantic. Not a great fan of the show but the two of them were fantastic imho
They are definitely fantastic - she has had many chances to shine but this showcases Brian in ways I've never seen before.
What did you make of the conceit of having the character of Joe singing all his dialogue in the first scene while everyone else was speaking? It then flips in the second scene with Kirsten mostly singing and Joe speaking. They then seemed to abandon this conceit for the rest of the show. It confused me. I posted my short review on my channel.
I saw the show in mid January thanks to getting a rush ticket. I absolutely loved Kelli and Brian’s performance and think that their chemistry is one of the best that I’ve been recently. I think that the show would have been better with a brief intermission or even something that focused outside of the main story to help breakup the heavy material. I felt completely mentally drained by the end of the show. I also think that Studio 54 is one of the most uncomfortable theaters on broadway, at least the mezzanine. I was so uncomfortable for the whole show that it was hard to be fully focused on the narrative. I also found my self being somewhat “frustrating” how some things were handled. There was so much that I enjoyed with the show but would most likely not want to see the show again.
We all know the way it ends. They changed the end of My Fair Lady. Had they changed the end to her deciding to go to rehab it might have played better and found an audience
Someone else had greenhouse issues! I thought I was the only one.
Mr.James replaced Paddy Considine in The Ferryman during it's NY run. I heard he was quite good.
Oh I didn't know this! I'm sure he was!
The cast recording is worth a listen, but this is a show that’s just not for me. I don’t drink, I find drinking culture in the US (and the UK) appalling and when I read the show is two hours of a morality play about alcoholism I noped the heck out.
By the way, any chance you caught Teeth while you were here? Best new show I’ve seen since Operation Mincemeat.
I think that the source material would had been better off as a straight play not a musical. I have seen the film version and it was absolutely fantastic and the performances of Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick were brilliant. Kelli O'Hara is a gem of a actress and singer. I can see the two leads and maybe the book get nominated for Tony Awards.
Why are my comments disappearing?
Not sure, apologies! I just read your comment about The White Chip about 10 minutes ago??
@@MickeyJoTheatre Yes. Correct. I didn’t delete it, but it’s not visible, at least to me. I didn’t think it was offensive in any way.
It’s actually not the first time one of my comments disappeared on one of your videos. It happened recently, but don’t recall which video.
@@yankee04is it a video that was posted to members only and then later posted for everyone? I don't know if it's always done this way but I have noticed for some videos at least in the past he has posted separate videos. That means if you posted a comment on the members only video, it won't show up on the video that's accessible publicly
@@browneyes142a This isn’t posted to regular non-members yet.
@@yankee04 I know, was just suggesting something I've noticed in the past since you've said it's happened before
Do you remember the reactions to Light in the Piazza in the beginning? Same thing. This show will have legs, and I am excited to hear it, probably in a two act version that gives it some breathing room, or as a two hander one act (which would be harder to sell to repertory revival producers). You seem very uncomfortable with the entire show. I am wondering if the presentation of alcoholism from the original book/movie (and it sounds like they stuck to those, specifically the late 50s attitudes and sexism) hasn't aged well.
'I hate sitting here telling you about shows I don't like'
Lol. Oh please, you did 375 vids on Bad Cinderella. 😂
I thought for sure I'd made 376
@@MickeyJoTheatre 😀
i don't think you should shy away from talking about shows that aren't that good. speaking of which, i'm looking forward to your opening night review LOL
I saw this. Not good. The material should never have been made into a musical. The music was lacking. Unlike in Floydd Collins and Light in the Piazza, this show's music was very one-note, it never soared and became passionate. Not everything should be musicalized.
Two friends of mine saw it (based on the popularity of the two stars) & were similarly disappointed. And since it's closing early, they weren't the only ones. Glad I listened to my friends & saved the $$.
P.S. love all your drinking puns lol
I love Adam Guettel, but this show sounds so depressing.
Hard disagree, but I respect your opinion. This show isn't for everyone, but it really sang for me.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion but I wholeheartedly disagree with you & feel like
You missed the point of the show. This show is about the allure of addiction, the spiral of descending into addiction and that sobriety isn’t necessarily a guarantee. It’s why Kirsten doesn’t recover.
When someone is in the deep throes of addiction there is no “hashing things out”.
The music imo is exquisite.
The sets? The show went to Broadway as a favor to the composer and the producer didn’t want to spend any more $$ than he had to so the set was exactly the same as it was performed originally at the Atlantic Theatre.
I believe you also, in order to fairly review the material, watch the movie it was based on.
“Really did not appreciate” still gives three stars
Nope. No, no no. Awful. This was one of the most disappointing things I have seen in years. I adore both Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James, but this was a truly grueling experience. Dark? No problem with that (SWEENEY TODD involves cannibalism... bring it on!) Preaching to the choir? Well, both composer/lyricist Adam Guettel and librettist Craig Lucas have both expressed how glad they are that they were able to overcome their own alcoholism. Good for tham! But did they really think they needed to tell/show the audience that a 12-step program is the best way to get better? What a revelation (not). Why did we need to see this story? What are we supposed to take away from it? Why did they think the music would add anything to the original? It just didn't.
I believe that there was no intermission because the producers realized (too late, I'm afraid) that if there was an intermission, almost half of the audience would NEVER return for Act 2. Certainly, I would have left.
For rme, though, the worst part of this production was the score. I really hated the music, and I despised the initial interminable recitative that had the characters singing non-rhymed text. It was so much which I call "screech-and-fart" jazz. Ugh... awful. I listened to the original cast album that I bought before seeing the show, and there was not one single "song" or piece of music that I ever wanted to hear again. It will NOT be played again. All performances were good, but the material was beyond bad. Utterly disappointing. I'm sorry people will lose their jobs, but I find it gratifying to know the show is closing earlier than announced. That it lasted this long is incomprehensible to me.
So really, Mickey Jo... I agree with you about almost everything you've said. Thank you for being honest, unlike the audience that you showed in the clip, with their inevitable and un-earned standing ovation... something that has lost ALL credibility these days. There is NO performance of ANY Broadway show (and most Off-Broadway shows) that DOES NOT end with a standing ovation. It's ludicrous.
I saw the show and agree with this review. The standing ovation at the end -- in which I participated at the performance I attended -- was surely for the incredible work of the two stars. I hope they get some awards.
Can we see your boyfriend read your reviews? He maybe more to the point and quicker.
He was my husband when you commented the same thing on another video some 20 minutes back. Did we divorce?
In the name of god, shut up.
Gordon, you have the power to pause / mute the video any time you like - I only started talking because you clicked on me 😅