All Entries in the "critique of the week" Category
Critique of the Week
I’m late with the COW this week, but hey, it’s Fringe. But being that it IS Fringe, this one from Tony is a tasy treat. Especially like the little anecdote at the end. Tony has that way sometimes. PHILOSOPHY IN THE BOUDOIR Tony Frankel – Stage and Cinema PHALLUS IN BLUNDERLAND Who has been accused [...]
Critique of the Week
This critique has some serious giddy-up-and-go to it, plus Liffany is just a cool name. And one I haven’t heard from, I think…ever? Apologies if I have. So it’s this week’s COW. Boom. PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSICAL Liffany Chen – Neon Tommy The musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” adapted from the [...]
Critique of the Week
More an American History Lesson than a critique, nevertheless, this is a beaut from Sir Tony the Frankel. THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS Tony Frankel – Stage and Cinema AMERICAN TRAGEDY BECOMES MUSICAL COMEDY 1931 was a crossroads in American history. With no economic recovery in sight, the Depression had people edgy, and when Americans are edgy, [...]
Critique of the Week
This is a brutally honest review from Ms. Hunter. Of the show, of herself and in many ways of the state of much of Los Angeles Theater and the state of theater criticism. Mediocrity is always more painful that just plain bad. You can almost taste the bile in this one even though it’s not [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
This one caught my eye because I read it almost immediately after reading David C. Nichols’ LA Times’ review of the same play. The stark contrast between this one by Jesse and David’s praiseworthy critique was striking and I always find these collisions of perception to be fascinating. Who is right? Who is wrong? Is [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Runner Up
This is highly unorthodox, nevertheless…an “anonymous reader” (I know who you are!) sent me the link to this “review” from an “audience member” who saw Stages of Gray’s production of “True West”. The reader did so because of Randall Gray’s checkered past where he decided to review his own play and try and pass it [...]
Critique of the Week
As usual, Tony is laser sharp with his assessment of a show. I saw this production last night and I have to say this appraisal of the production is about as close to how I would assess it as well. I would have been a lot harsher on the direction though, the “concert style staging” [...]
Critique of the Week
This one from Anthony Byrnes is more conversational in tone – probably due to the fact that he actually READS these on air at KCRW – but in the writing it’s an interesting and engaging style as well, kind of like a folksy storyteller pulling up by the fire. This praise is in direct contrast [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
The two critiques that stood out for me this week were both praises, but differed widely in their presentation, which I like. This one here from Myron Meisel is a veritable burst of intellectual joy and Myron’s writing is always smart and curious. JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE Myron Meisel – The Hollywood Reporter The [...]
Critique of the Week
Like a master class in theater history every time this dude deigns to offer us a morsel. Too few and far between for my tastes. Ernest! Pick it up for Chrissakes! HURACLOWN Ernest Kearney – Working Author Clowning is a very serious business. Emmett Kelly, Bill Irwin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, the great Vyacheslav [...]
Critique of the Week
This is something new for Bob Verini. I’ve always thought of Bob as a master of the shorter form review, along with Bill Raden of LA Weekly. They are able to say a lot about a show in a very short time. But now that Bob is writing more and more for ArtsInLA, he is [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
Andrew Moore gets down and dirty with the Red Bastard. RED BASTARD Andrew Moore – MadTheatrics There’s a nagging little imp inside our minds that is telling us we could do more, accomplish more, be more. We try to shut him up with pills or alcohol or simply being “too busy,” but he’s there, waiting [...]
Critique of the Week
Just an incredibly incisive and personal critique from Editor-in-Chief, Ramona. This little site Playwriting in the City is beginning to churn out some top notch talent. MELANCHOLIA Ramona Pilar Gonzales – PLAywriting in the City I participated in the Los Angeles Theatre Center Young Conservatory in the early 90s. I spent the summer before my [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
And the bizarro world of Randall Gray keeps on spinnin’…I’m looking forward to the other reviews of this particular production…for those of you critics out there who dare enter the parallel universe… TRUE WEST Michael Sheehan – On Stage Los Angeles Director Randall Gray announced in his curtain speech that this production of Sam Shepard’s [...]
Critique of the Week
I dunno, could be me, usually is, but this particular review sounds like a critic giving a show a pass. I could be wrong, it’s happened before, but I’m not even sure I know what “pleasant populist entertainment” is so… Anyhow. I provide, you decide. ASSISTED LIVING David C. Nichols – LA Times Two sets [...]
Critique of the Week
I’m a little late on this one but better late than never. This finely crafted piece from Steven Leigh once again shows he is the master of context. Unfortunately, Steven’s bosses have forbade me to use their entire reviews here at the Lemon so I’m only posting a portion of it. You’ll have to click [...]
Critique of the Week
Okay this one from M.R. Hunter is in the running for “Critique of the Year”. The amount of energy and time alone that went into takes it to the top of the heap. And it also gave me the idea that yes indeed perhaps we should offer up the top ten best of the year [...]
Critique of the Week
This isn’t so much a review or a critique as it is a mind orgasm, but then again, that’s what happens when you go see Zombie Joe’s Urban Death. If you’re into that kind of thing, go see it. If you’re not sure if you’re into that kind of thing, go see it and find [...]
Critique of the Week
A magical review of what seems to be a magical show, for what is most definitely a time that needs lots of magic. SMOKE AND MIRRORS M.R. Hunter – EyeSpyLA In psychology, magical thinking refers to the belief that one’s thoughts can effect reality or bring about change through ritual or ascribing power to objects [...]
Critique of the Week
Myron Meisel is a serious critic and the Hollywood Reporter is lucky to have him. So are we. ABSOLUTELY FILTHY Myron Meisel – The Hollywood Reporter Charlie Brown is dead. Schroeder has sold out his talent for pop celebrity. Linus, suffering from PTSD after a short tour in Iraq, has transitioned from his blanket to [...]
Critique of the Week
Ernest Kearney is simply one of the best and most entertaining theater critics in Los Angeles. And he needs to write for the Lemon more often! Rarely will you have as much fun or learn so much about the man and a show in one fell swoop. Actually two men, Ernest and Zombie Joe. NOTES [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
This gal tends to bite her tongue too often in my opinion. I like it much more when that tongue is used for other purposes, such as the lashing administered here. Just one funny fuckin’ pan from Miss M.R. the Hunter. WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE, THE WHOLE WORLD IS JEWISH! M.R. Hunter – EyeSpyLA Apparently, [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Runner Up
I offered this one in this week’s COW mix for two reasons, one, because I share Anthony’s sentiments about the show and two, because what we see here is a critic’s impassioned plea to a clearly beloved company to up their game, and making some very good points along the way. CASSIOPEIA Anthony Byrnes – [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Runner Runner Up
Chuck has been practically giddy lately, I mean downright playful. I don’t know if he’s getting laid or what, but if this is the result, I gotta say, keep it coming. JEKYLL & HYDE Charles McNulty – LA Times Hollywood Boulevard is home to both the Pantages Theatre and Madame Tussauds, and there were times [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Runner Runner Runner Up
Just had to include this one in this week’s cache COW because of the absolute obliviousness perpetrated by the reviewer. Mike, dude, sorry, but yes, you are “totally clueless”. TOM RUBIN-SUCCESS GURU Mike Skogmo – LifeInLA You don’t see many one-man shows anymore. Further, most people born this side of 1975 don’t really know what [...]
Critique of the Week
I don’t know if I remember Frances giving anyone such a lashing as she does here. It’s one of those moments where a critic seems to reach a breaking point and simply says, “Fuck it.” And it is directed at the creative force behind this project, there is absolutely no doubt about that as you’ll [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Up
Whenever Steven Stanley deigns to actually NOT LIKE SOMETHING it’s usually worth taking another look. THE GIFT Steven Stanley – StageSceneLA Fine performances, impressive design elements, and an absolutely stunning action sequences prove insufficient reasons for this reviewer to recommend a trip to the Geffen Playhouse for the American Premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith’s highly problematic [...]
Critique of the Week – Runner Runner Up
As beautifully disseminated as it was performed. WALKING THE TIGHTROPE David C. Nichols – LA Times Delicately poised between children’s fable and adult reverie at once, only to become another transcendent thing altogether, “Walking the Tightrope” at 24th Street Theatre delivers the evocative, cathartic goods. In its pitch-perfect West Coast premiere, British playwright Mike Kenny’s [...]
Critique of the Week
Have to admit there weren’t a lot of reviews this week that triggered that COW kind of feeling, but there was something about this Chuck critique of Backbeat that stayed with me. His turns of phrase or sense of play. Dunno. This is all I’ve got for ya this week. BACKBEAT Charles McNulty – LA [...]
Critique of the Week
I saw this show this weekend and I have to admit, I was puzzled as to what the point of the piece was. For me Myron’s critique captured my feelings better than McNulty’s, which I posted as the Runner-Up this week. The last paragraph especially captured what I felt was a bit of semi-hypocrisy around [...]
