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knittingtipsy's review
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
emilyshakespeare's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
orestesfasting's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed this when I saw it at the National earlier this year, and reading it reinforces what I already knew - this is a really strong book of a musical, exquisitely structured, in a way that feels effortless when you watch it onstage.
There are downsides though, aside from the jukebox score, which is obviously weak even onstage, making the show feel more like a montage fest than a musical in its weakest moments. The real weakness that emerges from this script is that in places it is spread too thin across time periods for characters to clearly develop - there is enough social change driving the story plus heartstring arcs that we buy it onstage, and sob too (in my case), but reading it the characters fall slightly more into broad archetypes than I remember. Nevertheless - praise God for a musical with realistic dialogue.
There are downsides though, aside from the jukebox score, which is obviously weak even onstage, making the show feel more like a montage fest than a musical in its weakest moments. The real weakness that emerges from this script is that in places it is spread too thin across time periods for characters to clearly develop - there is enough social change driving the story plus heartstring arcs that we buy it onstage, and sob too (in my case), but reading it the characters fall slightly more into broad archetypes than I remember. Nevertheless - praise God for a musical with realistic dialogue.
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