Tonys 2008: 'Grease' hits the skids
The original "Grease" ran for eight years on Broadway and spawned the most successful movie musical of all time. The newly opened second Rialtorevival cast the two leads via a reality TV show. This publicity generated advance sales hasn't helped cushion the show from the scathing reviews. Neither the 1972 production nor the 1994 revival won any Tonys and that losing streak is unlikely to be broken this time 'round.
David Rooney of Variety says the show, "May well go on to financial success, but, in terms of energy and freshness, it's flat as a pancake. Not that there's anything especially wrong with Max Crumm and Laura Osnes (pictured). They sing confidently, dance capably and both have their own low-key, unaffected charms. But they're unprepossessingly innocuous, which is not a great quality in musical theater leads. What's more, they have less-than-zero sexual connection."
For Ben Brantley of the New York Times, "there's the numbing sense of performers of undeveloped talent conscientiously doing what they have been told to do and failing to claim their parts as their own." He says, "Kathleen Marshall, who so memorably rejuvenated 'The Pajama Game' a year ago, seems principally to get her cast through the show without any of its members embarrassing themselves. They don't, although a truly embarrassing moment or two might at least give this 'Grease' some of the raw life it lacks."
Newsday's Linda Winer was not a fan either, noting, "(Osnes) sings with the sweet pop-lite voice cultivated by Disney heroines and (Crumm) can dance and has the haplessly endearing quality of an adolescent beagle. It appears that the rest of the company was cast to keep the youngsters from looking bad in comparison. Although many are new to Broadway, more than a few of these Rydell High students look to be about 40 years old."
For Joe Dziemianowicz of the New York Daily News, "Crumm and Osnes' chemistry is more sibling than sizzling. He holds his own singing and dancing, but is short on the sexiness and swoony swagger that's part of Danny's DNA. Osnes might be the prettiest Sandy ever, and she can belt. But she's a limited actress, even playing a cardboard character."
Clive Barnes of the New York Post believes, "the main trouble with the elected stars -- she being a great deal better, especially in spandex, than he -- seems that the kind of chemistry between them could well discourage hydrogen from getting together with oxygen to make water." And he says, "the rest of the cast seems the most elderly group of teenagers around, and the look of one or two of them suggests they failed the auditions for the 1972 production but gallantly refused to give up."
Michael Kuchwara of AP was the least unimpressed, writing that, "as Danny, Max Crumm gives a cautious performance, vocally OK but short on swagger and sex appeal. Laura Osnes nicely gets Sandy's transformation, morphing with enthusiasm from good girl to bad babe. Osnes also sings well and throws herself into Marshall's spirited choreography."
(Photo: Brooks Atkinson Theater)
When I first saw the movie, at age 26, I thought John Traviolta was extremely goofy! He wasn't at all smooth, tough and suave as everyone has claimed "Danny" should be. I say, watch the movie again. The last seen is really hokie!!
Posted by: CW | August 29, 2007 at 11:18 AM
I saw the show and it's great fun. The cast is great, particularly Marty (Robyn Hurder) and Jose Restrepo who plays Sonny with great comic timing. The critics have never liked Grease from the first, but the public does and they will love this one.
Posted by: Feebee | August 25, 2007 at 05:21 AM
The original can't be beat. This whole thing to redo it is ridiculous. The reality show was STUPID! Who can top John Travolta and Olivia Newton John? NO ONE!!!!
Posted by: Julie | August 23, 2007 at 05:29 AM
The public didn't write those reviews, (a few) reviewers did. The public (granted, most of whom probably watched the reality TV show) is loving the Broadway production and supporting it financially. I'm no teenager, and I'm excited about seeing this production when I get the chance.
Posted by: AM | August 22, 2007 at 07:46 AM
So, some are shocked when marginally talented people get in the limelight???
Haven't we learned anything from Britney Spears????
Posted by: Pecos 45 | August 22, 2007 at 07:03 AM
It is Laura in the photo, though her wig at the end of the show is pretty awful.
Posted by: Joslyn | August 22, 2007 at 06:18 AM
Note to media: people who watch reality shows and take the trouble to vote don't watch musicals - M
Posted by: Michelle | August 21, 2007 at 07:52 PM
Does this surprise anyone? The whole point of spending $100 plus for a ticket to a Broadway show is to see a name actor and/or catch a great discovery. The reality show was all there was to all this, the show is anticlimactic and who wants to see Grease again? I saw it in 1977, it was great, then the movie, that was great so why do we need a revival with people we can see on TV?
Posted by: Zoey | August 21, 2007 at 05:09 PM
Maybe the public is just Greased-out...it's gotten tired, dull....bad enough you hear the tunes on radio...isn't that enough?...
Posted by: Frankie R. | August 21, 2007 at 10:56 AM
That's not Laura Osnes in the photo, that's another Grease finalist Kate Rockwell.
Posted by: BF | August 21, 2007 at 09:46 AM