Broadway Reviews Summary

[ edit ]

Professional Broadway Reviews: Too Critical?

Everyone thinks that the professional Broadway reviews are the way to go. But is the internet more reliable?

Before going to a show, doesn't one always take a look at the previews, posters, and reviews? Many people look to a magazine for reliable Broadway reviews, but is that really the best opinion to read? Lately, the internet seems to be just as, or even more, reliable than the big name reviewers.

Although Broadway reviews presented by well-known sources, such as the New York Times or Variety, seem to be the authority on the latest shows and musicals, they also seem to have a very close-minded outlook. Many of the people who attend shows on Broadway read reviews in order to decide which play to watch. To many, professional reviews are the only ones that matter. Why care for the opinions of the audience? Many think that online Broadway reviews posted on forums are pointless because the posters posses only general knowledge, and not specialized knowledge. However, upon closer inspection, the opinions offered by amateur reviewers are often more reliable than the ones given by major magazines and big public figures.

It's true that many of the most read Broadway reviews come from people who have quite a bit of background education in the entertainment industry. They know what's hip around Broadway, and what makes a show a hit or a flop. But there are many noticeable trends in their reviews. For many of the new shows, that are focused primarily around the music or just the fun, and don't have the deepest, most dramatic, or most intricate plot, the reviews seem to be pretty low. The older, traditional, shows receive the five star ratings and the thumbs-up by the professional reviewers. Take, for instance, Mamma Mia! It's a relatively new show, premiering within the last decade, that tells the lighthearted story of a young girl trying to find her father. The plot isn't thick with drama, but it's filled with the upbeat music of the seventies group, ABBA, and the comedy required to give the audience a good laugh. To anyone looking to have a good time, this shouldn't be considered a terrible waste at all.

Variety, though, has a different opinion: “The show takes some of the Swedish pop group's best-known tunes and threads a narrative through them, albeit a pretty flimsy one that starts off well enough but collapses under its own weightlessness.” Daily News' review was equally unimpressed.

If one were to compare the opinion of Mamma Mia! to the classic musical The Phantom of the Opera, the difference between opinions of the two would be exceptionally obvious. Both New York Times and Variety gave the show great reviews.

According to the New York Times, “...the rest of the production has grown old gracefully. Judging by sheer invention, emotional punch and onstage talent, the venerable blockbuster still beats out almost all of the whippersnappers currently on Broadway."

Clearly a much greater respect is placed on older shows in comparison to newcomers – even within the last decade.

This is where the difference provided by reviews on web forums by amateur theater attendees comes into play. The opinions of the public are honest and open. The typical person attending a Broadway play does not show up to try and pinpoint the flaws or ridicule the mistakes. They come with their mind open and their attitude completely optimistic. Therefor, the opinions given after the show are given without any sort of motive to tell everyone what could have been better about the show. The public will say what's on their mind. They will be openly unimpressed if that's how they thought of the story, but they will not go out of the way to write about everything that the show did wrong.

The public is its own greatest representative. Although professional Broadway reviews should be regarded, the greatest faith shouldn't always be put into them. Perhaps too many people are putting their reliance on them. An honest and open opinion can surely be found in big magazine groups, but the biggest chance of getting an honest opinion will always be in the public. After all, is there anyone on the internet who is afraid to state what's on their mind?