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maxy505
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
I'm not pinning my hopes on it... it stunk.
(if you have the chance to see it -- pass it up)
I'm not pinning my hopes on it... it stunk.
(if you have the chance to see it -- pass it up)
A
allabootmatt
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
Wow...you can't pay for press like that. Doesn't seem to have made the print edition yet, however.
Wow...you can't pay for press like that. Doesn't seem to have made the print edition yet, however.
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FutureMayor
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
Fantastic!
We can't buy this kind of world wide FREE international PR!
Louroz
Fantastic!
We can't buy this kind of world wide FREE international PR!
Louroz
B
building babel
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
LOTR's reviews aren't particularly good.
$28 million buys you everything - except, apparently, a cast of characters you can connect with emotionally. And without that, what've you got except stage effects and garish costumes?
I had a similar experience at RTH last night with the latest in the TSO's Shostakovich centenary concerts. The second piano concerto was beautifully played, and the quiet second movement was repeated as an encore. But the Eighth symphony, which started off with a bang - great emotional power and audience connection - just slowly came back down to earth and I think lost many of us. Well, not all of us, because there were a few standing and applauding at the end, but most remained seated, gave polite applause, and left. There were great moments at the start, but no sense of excitement in the air at the end. Compared to the awesome Fifth the TSO did about a year and a half ago, and even the Eleventh that Oundjian conducted last month, I was disappointed.
Without a strong emotional connection to the music you're thrown back on admiring the technique.
LOTR's reviews aren't particularly good.
$28 million buys you everything - except, apparently, a cast of characters you can connect with emotionally. And without that, what've you got except stage effects and garish costumes?
I had a similar experience at RTH last night with the latest in the TSO's Shostakovich centenary concerts. The second piano concerto was beautifully played, and the quiet second movement was repeated as an encore. But the Eighth symphony, which started off with a bang - great emotional power and audience connection - just slowly came back down to earth and I think lost many of us. Well, not all of us, because there were a few standing and applauding at the end, but most remained seated, gave polite applause, and left. There were great moments at the start, but no sense of excitement in the air at the end. Compared to the awesome Fifth the TSO did about a year and a half ago, and even the Eleventh that Oundjian conducted last month, I was disappointed.
Without a strong emotional connection to the music you're thrown back on admiring the technique.
A
alklay
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
We have pinned our hopes on the Hobbits...and they have let us down. The poor reviews (even in the New York Times) does not bode well for those hoping for an influx of Americans.
In light of the poor reviews (I won't spend money seeing it) it will interesting to see if it is successful regardless or whether this turns out to be the biggest bomb in theatre history.
We have pinned our hopes on the Hobbits...and they have let us down. The poor reviews (even in the New York Times) does not bode well for those hoping for an influx of Americans.
In light of the poor reviews (I won't spend money seeing it) it will interesting to see if it is successful regardless or whether this turns out to be the biggest bomb in theatre history.
A
andreapalladio
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
The Telegraph in London didn't like it either. It appears that not only is this the kind of international pr you can't buy, it's the kind you wouldn't want to buy either. Just like tickets to LOTR. No one will be wanting to buy those now.
I wonder if it will struggle along until the beginning of summer, or if they will close the show before then?
The Telegraph in London didn't like it either. It appears that not only is this the kind of international pr you can't buy, it's the kind you wouldn't want to buy either. Just like tickets to LOTR. No one will be wanting to buy those now.
I wonder if it will struggle along until the beginning of summer, or if they will close the show before then?
B
building babel
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
First dibs on the Gollum costume!
First dibs on the Gollum costume!
S
SD2
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
I think there is enough hype and enough of a fan base to carry the show for a while. It did have some positive reviews as well.
I think there is enough hype and enough of a fan base to carry the show for a while. It did have some positive reviews as well.
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andreapalladio
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
Thus far, the only one I've seen is from 680 news. I don't know if that will be enough to sell many tickets beyond their current advance.
Thus far, the only one I've seen is from 680 news. I don't know if that will be enough to sell many tickets beyond their current advance.
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spmarshall
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
Last night CBC National had a story about it - interviewing show goers coming out what they thought - most liked it. However, they had critics (and a comment from Darth Grabinsky) saying it was too long and not quite up to snuff.
Last night CBC National had a story about it - interviewing show goers coming out what they thought - most liked it. However, they had critics (and a comment from Darth Grabinsky) saying it was too long and not quite up to snuff.
I
interchange42
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
The creative team is here for another month to continue to modify it in response to the reviews, then they move on to London to prepare for the December opening there.
Will it be working better in another month? I hope so - my tickets are for early May. If it is working better, will it have to depend on word of mouth, or will critics be invited to re-review it?
Meanwhile, it does have $16 Million in advance ticket sales, so it's not going to close too soon...
42
The creative team is here for another month to continue to modify it in response to the reviews, then they move on to London to prepare for the December opening there.
Will it be working better in another month? I hope so - my tickets are for early May. If it is working better, will it have to depend on word of mouth, or will critics be invited to re-review it?
Meanwhile, it does have $16 Million in advance ticket sales, so it's not going to close too soon...
42
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shawnmicallef
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
(high snobbery alert below)
Do the people who go to these things care about the reviews in places like the NY Times? Do they care if it's bad....can they tell? Like, how discerning is this audience? I only went to see Phantom in 1994, and i couldn't tell if it was good or bad cuz i dislike the genre in general.
(/snobbery)
(high snobbery alert below)
Do the people who go to these things care about the reviews in places like the NY Times? Do they care if it's bad....can they tell? Like, how discerning is this audience? I only went to see Phantom in 1994, and i couldn't tell if it was good or bad cuz i dislike the genre in general.
(/snobbery)
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scarberiankhatru
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
"Do the people who go to these things care about the reviews in places like the NY Times?"
No, 99% of people don't care. If TV news on every channel started claiming it was bad, then people might avoid it, although the newspeople must realize that actively bashing it hurts the city.
"Like, how discerning is this audience?"
As discerning as anyone else...diehard Tolkien fans will love it no matter what but regular people will tell their friends if it's worth seeing or not. I could care less what the NYT says but several people here say it's bad so I won't see it.
"Do the people who go to these things care about the reviews in places like the NY Times?"
No, 99% of people don't care. If TV news on every channel started claiming it was bad, then people might avoid it, although the newspeople must realize that actively bashing it hurts the city.
"Like, how discerning is this audience?"
As discerning as anyone else...diehard Tolkien fans will love it no matter what but regular people will tell their friends if it's worth seeing or not. I could care less what the NYT says but several people here say it's bad so I won't see it.
B
building babel
Guest
Re: A Revitalized Toronto Pins Its Hopes on the Hobbits: NYT
Restaurant reviewers often go back a second time before writing a place up. The chef might be having a bad night or something. It only seems fair.
But with uber-commercial theatrical pap like this, which was in previews for ages, opening night is the beginning of open season. The assumption is that they wouldn't have opened unless they were ready for their savaging. Besides, there are probably enough promotional tie-ins, package tours that include tickets-and-hotel etc. for this thing to already be sold out for some time ahead - to the folks that Shawn has identified. There's been plenty of hype anyway. Unless the thing is dramatically altered, I can't imagine why it'd be re-reviewed later.
It isn't serious theatre, despite the presence of Brent Carver in a long white nightie.
With classical concerts, dance, and opera, which only have a handful of performances, there's no opportunity for a reviewer to go back for a second kick at the can. But the economics of these sorts of productions is based on a limited run with a fairly predictable number of loyal subscribers, and government subsidies, which insulate them against financial disaster. Good reviews help them top-up to gain a bigger audience of course.
I would imagine that reviewers going to see the National Ballet would judge it with a higher set of standards and expectations than something like LOTR. I don't believe they have to swear a loyalty oath not to harm the City before filing their copy.
Restaurant reviewers often go back a second time before writing a place up. The chef might be having a bad night or something. It only seems fair.
But with uber-commercial theatrical pap like this, which was in previews for ages, opening night is the beginning of open season. The assumption is that they wouldn't have opened unless they were ready for their savaging. Besides, there are probably enough promotional tie-ins, package tours that include tickets-and-hotel etc. for this thing to already be sold out for some time ahead - to the folks that Shawn has identified. There's been plenty of hype anyway. Unless the thing is dramatically altered, I can't imagine why it'd be re-reviewed later.
It isn't serious theatre, despite the presence of Brent Carver in a long white nightie.
With classical concerts, dance, and opera, which only have a handful of performances, there's no opportunity for a reviewer to go back for a second kick at the can. But the economics of these sorts of productions is based on a limited run with a fairly predictable number of loyal subscribers, and government subsidies, which insulate them against financial disaster. Good reviews help them top-up to gain a bigger audience of course.
I would imagine that reviewers going to see the National Ballet would judge it with a higher set of standards and expectations than something like LOTR. I don't believe they have to swear a loyalty oath not to harm the City before filing their copy.