Following a hugely successful world premiere in Atlanta, Water for Elephants officially opened March 21 at the Imperial Theatre. The critics filled their seats and have finally had their say - let's find out what they thought...

TIME OUT

"Where Water for Elephants soars...is in the real-life physical talents on display. Carroll shares choreography credit with Jesse Robb, and they seamlessly integrate circus artistry into the show's other movement. Members of the ensemble perform impressive aerial routines on ropes, silks, hoops and straps, and show off a dazzling variety of skills: acrobatics, tumbling, balancing, juggling, Cyr Wheel. Although the principal actors sing well and flesh out their roles commendably-McCalla is particularly good in her second-act decision song, "What Do You Do?" - they are effectively the sideshow here. The main attraction is the pull of the circus itself."

VULTURE

"If, like me, you are highly susceptible to sawdust and tinsel, then much of Water for Elephants will delight on the basis of spectacle alone - and that's okay...Though Kane has some fun moments where she enacts the pachyderm by puppeting individual body parts (the disconnected trunk is particularly expressive), Rosie as a whole doesn't quite pack the punch that she should. She's sweet, but she doesn't take the breath away. Although the same might be said of certain broader stretches of Water for Elephants, the production also contains real flashes of astonishment and grace."

DEADLINE

"Like that other romance-novel-turned-musical playing just down the block, Water For Elephants, as with The Notebook, has few surprises in store even for those who haven't read the book or seen the movie. Both musicals feature fairly predictable love stories, flashback structures (down to the near-identical old-man narrators) and wistful melancholy moods that are rarely broken...But while The Notebook drags (and bores), Water For Elephants is a pleasant, visually beguiling show."

Have your say!

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