I’ve seen three Broadway shows in previews lately and wasn’t really into any of them: the revival of Speed-the-Plow, Billy Elliot, and Shrek. Speed-the-Plow and Billy Elliot have since opened to great reviews, the latter this morning. (Shrek is still in previews.)
I’m wondering what’s wrong with me. I always doubt myself when I disagree with the general opinion of a show. Did the productions improve before opening night? Or, would I have enjoyed Speed-the-Plow and Billy Elliot if I hadn’t been sitting in the second-to-last row of the balcony?
I really wonder about the seating issue. Do better seats make for a better evaluation of a show? I’m sure that’s one reason why theater critics get great seats (at least, I assume they get great seats). If you sit too far away, do you appreciate a show less? On the other hand, changing your seat can’t change a show’s problems.
There was one number in Billy Eliot, called “Solidarity,” that I thought was really terrific. Another, “Grandma’s Song,” was touching and funny. But I found much of the show treacly; the actor who played Billy at the performance I saw, David Alvarez (there are three actors who alternate the role), greatly irritated me; and the score was too pop-driven and inconsistent. Maybe I’d enjoy the score more on repeated listenings.
As for Speed-the-Plow, I loved all three performers — Jeremy Piven, Raul Esparza, and Elisabeth Moss. But the plot seemed predictable and didn’t enlighten me in any way.
And again — for both of these shows, we were at the back of the balcony. Maybe better seats would have helped.
Shows I have enjoyed recently: Road Show, Equus. I even kinda liked 13.
I hate reading reviews of concerts and shows if I’ve a) already seen them or b) already have tickets.
My opinion is just as valid as everyone else’s — and it’s more valid to me because it’s MINE! (Just as my opinion is not valid to you, a critics is not valid to me…)
That, and you can’t unring a bell. If I’ve seen soemthing and (dis)like something, what someone else says won’t change that. If someone hates something but I already spent $30, $40, $100 on tickets, I’m not going to NOT go just because of one man’s opinion…
Moral of the story: most critics don’t know anything, and the ones who do don’t matter, anyway…
but that’s just my opinion.
Thom and I saw Billy Elliot a couple years ago in London. I assume it’s gone through at least some retooling since then. I really wanted to love it, but it was kind of a slog through certain parts. We were sitting in the balcony too; maybe if we were closer I could’ve appreciated and enjoyed some of the dancing a bit more, but I doubt it would’ve turned the whole show around.
Hmm. I was seated in the second to last row of the mezzanine, and I loved every minute of Billy Elliot.
Frankly, any show that features anthems of working-class solidarity and an lampoon of Margaret Thatcher — written by Elton John, of all people — deserves a Tony.
It REALLY does matter where you sit. I’ve seen a couple of shows where I sat in the back and thought the show as just okay…then someone convinced me to go again but this time we had great seats. Wow…what a difference. You really get to feel the emotion and see the faces much better. I have found out this it really is worth a few extra bucks to get a good seat. I personally would rather sit close, but over to the side, than in the middle but far back. I could have gotten Wicket tickets in the back, but instead I stood in the cancellation line and got great seats. Really glad.