We round up the reviews for this musical adaptation of the film.
The Guardian: **** “a rousing, raucously entertaining hit, the kind of big, box-ticking blockbuster that one can see sticking around for a long time”
WhatsOnStage: “Gattelli’s extravagant production never wavers in tone or execution, with classic Broadway showmanship selling stunning special effects. The scene in which Madeline tumbles down a large marble staircase is particularly jaw-dropping (illusions by Tim Clothier, fight direction by Cha Ramos).”
Variety: “Everything in the musical is fantastically bigger and bolder, from Derek McLane’s goth-meets-Hollywood-excess design to Paul Tazewell’s fabulous costumes to Doug Besterman’s lush orchestrations. Charles LaPointe’s wigs are terrific, too. The tuneful score and witty lyrics are by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, making an impressive Broadway bow.”
Deadline: “Don’t waste a minute’s thought on which of the two – Megan Hilty or Jennifer Simard – come out on top with this delight of a holiday gift (let Tony voters lose sleep over that one next spring). The two work together like the ingredients of a dangerous magical potion, each delivering precisely nuanced yet stupendously big performances in amounts that, were they off by so much as a fraction, would thoroughly undo the magic.”
Time Out: “As the women spiral into a vicious cycle of envy and retribution, the comedy keeps coming, and Gattelli keeps it moving. The pace never dips, and the show is a pleasure to look at: Derek McClane’s set moves cinematically among locations including Madeline’s gaudy Hollywood mansion and Viola’s gothic digs; Tazewell’s queenly costumes give the leading ladies glamour and ample architectural support, and Justin Townsend’s lighting pampers them in purple.”
Theaterly.com: “Death Becomes Her is a smart, brilliant adaptation that honors the original without fighting too hard at making sure it recreates every moment from the film. It’s clear the team has worked hard to put together one fun night of theatre, and boy do they deliver. I don’t think I stopped smiling from the first downbeat to the final curtain call. It’s high camp and Broadway heaven, need I say more?”
Entertainment Weekly: “Hilty is a comedic force to be reckoned with in both song and speech, amping up the self-absorption to 11 and hilariously delivering every line as an over-the-top two-time Oscar loser relegated to starring in something called Dogstronaut might. As Helen, Simard matches Hilton’s energy with some well-placed quirks of her own, especially when cataloging her own obsessiveness in the somewhat demented solo “Madeline.””
The Daily Beast: “At the end the women ask, as we ourselves might wonder, about the possibility of discovering “if there was a moral to our story.”
Magnificently—and absolutely correctly in this outrageous delight of a musical—the answer is no.”
NY Post: “Even if the musical doesn’t have a discernible heartbeat, Hilty and Simard ensure “Death Becomes Her” stays fun and fabulous.”
New York Theatre Guide: “There is love and fandom in every element of this show, like recreations of the movie’s outfits and iconic lines, but the story is also amplified for a 2024 audience.”
To find out more about the production visit: https://deathbecomesher.com/