Review Roundup: The Roommate
Check out what the critics had to say about Mia Farrow in The Roommate
Last week, three-time Tony winner Patti LuPone, and Mia Farrow, who has been nominated for seven Golden Globes, shared the stage in the new Broadway production of Jen Silverman's 2015 play The Roommate'. The production will continue for a 16-week stint, read what the critics had to say about this hyped production below!
The Reviews
The New York Times: "The problem is that this version of "The Roommate", working backward from that fact, delivers a pair of very satisfying performances that cancels out the play. You'll remember LuPone's sneers and Farrow's tears not what caused them."
TimeOut: "A variation on odd-couple themes, the play tills land that has been farmed many times. Yet it finds freshness in the familiar through a series of small twists and, in Farrow's star turn, an enchanting revelation."
USA Today: "Ultimately, it's a privilege just to spend a spell with icons like Farrow and LuPone, even if like their characters, they seem somewhat mismatched. When you've got two certified greats, it's hard not to wish for something more than just fine."
Theatermania: "The Roommate is not exactly the feel-good comedy of the year, but it will make you laugh and think a little harder about whom you discount in life at your own peril. It may also make you want to give your mother a call. You never know what kind of trouble she might be getting up to."
Deadline: "And those aren't the only flaws in this awkwardly paced, abruptly mood-shifting tale of two very different women on the verge of old age looking to outrun their pasts and stake new claims on the future. Not even the ever-reliable director Jack O'Brien can get a firm grasp on this squiggly story, but at least he doesn't have to make the effort alone: Who wouldn't want Farrow and LuPone on their team?"
Chicago Tribune: "I seriously doubt many audience members will regret their attendance at 'The Roommate' You just don't see performances like the one delivered by Farrow, now 79, very often."
The Guardian: "Between the two of them, you can't really fail to enjoy an evening of theater, bumpy as the road may be at points. Farrow, especially, shines in a brisk yet moving conclusion that underscores the power of fleeting relationships to alter the trajectory or our lives. The Roommate, as with a real, solid house-sharing arrangement, is neither disastrous nor perfect. It entails moments of awkwardness and adjustment, some settling in and some compromises, to find the best of it."
Vulture: "It may be given a glossy sheen and a smattering of good punch lines in The Roommate, but git sends us out into the night with the dull sensation of wonderin what exactly we were clapping for."
New York Stage Review: "Despite the fine efforts of the performers and solid production values including music by an overqualified David Yazbek, The Roommate, running 100 minutes without an intermission, always feels predictable despite its procession of narrative surprises designed for easy laughs. But that's no reason not to take advantage of the unique opportunity to watch Farrow and LuPone play off each other with the expert comic timing of seasoned vaudevillian."
New York Theatre Guide: "LuPone knows she can get a laugh from just the quirk of an eyebrow or her delivery of any line, even somber ones. She is engaged with the audience, but not deeply with the character. It's a performance that suggests LuPone knows she can do whatever she wants and succeed."