Andy Karl (Phil Connors)
Photo by Joan Marcus
Last night the New York production of Groundhog Day, for which Tim wrote the music and lyrics, opened at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway to joyful cheers and a full standing ovation.
The reviews are in, with praise flowing for all aspects of the production, but especially for leading man Andy Karl, who fought back from injury to play weatherman Phil Connors.
The New York Times (Critic’s Pick)
Ben Brantley hails that “A Star Is Born (and Born and Born)… Repetition is an art of infinite variety as it’s practiced by Andy Karl in ‘Groundhog Day’, the dizzyingly witty new musical from the creators of ‘Matilda’.”
“Mr. Karl is so outrageously inventive in ringing changes on the same old, same old, that you can’t wait for another (almost identical) day to dawn… Thanks to his character’s successive reincarnations, Mr. Karl is giving not one but many of the best performances of the season.”
“The insanely talented Mr. Minchin writes songs in many shades… undulating melodies and whip-smart lyrics tap into the brooding sides of the supporting characters, extending the reach of existential anxiety beyond Phil’s solipsism.”
Tim & fellow creatives Danny Rubin (Book) & Matthew Warchus (Director)
The Hollywood Reporter
David Rooney declares that “‘Groundhog Day’ is a delirious reinvention with its own defiantly unique personality, a relentless forward-backward spin that leaves you smiling, exhilarated and giddy.”
“Karl gives a musical-comedy performance of the highest caliber, sliding from self-centered insouciance into surprising open-heartedness, displaying a seemingly inexhaustible range of physical expressiveness along the way.”
“Madly entertaining… Worth repeating.”
New York Post
Johnny Oleksinski calls it “A miracle on Broadway… [Karl’s] performance — a suave, comic wonder… [in] songwriter Tim Minchin’s deliriously zany, yet touching show.”
Tim and Danny Rubin
The Chicago Tribune
Chris Jones says “The cross-platform migration of the movie serves to remind us of the brilliance of the screenplay (and now the fabulous book to a musical) by a one-time Chicagoan named Danny Rubin, a masterful piece of writing.”
“Tim Minchin[’s] composing talents are the perfect match for this material… and his songs in this show are a series of deliciously funny, quirky and waggish little ditties that make you laugh out loud.”
Entertainment Weekly
Chris Nashawaty proclaims the show “Wonderfully inventive… a giddy highlight of the current Broadway season… it takes Karl all of five minutes to win you over completely.”
“Groundhog Day: The Musical soars.”
Barrett Doss (Rita) and Andy Karl (Phil)
TheaterMania
David Gordon says “[‘Groundhog Day’] provides a visual feast, is musically fascinating, and features a truly epic performance from leading man Andy Karl,”
“‘Groundhog Day’ is one of the more imaginative musicals of the season. When the material is combined with Warchus’ cinematic staging … it is also one of the most consistently thrilling… It’s exactly what you want a Broadway musical to be: a high-concept spectacle but one that has a compelling story, hummable music, and smart-as-hell lyrics. Reliving Groundhog Day over and over would prove to be a real pleasure.”
Tim, Danny Rubin, Barrett Doss (Rita), Andy Karl (Phil) & Matthew Warchus
NBC New York
Robert Kahn declares “The creators of ‘Matilda’ have worked their magic all over again. And again… It’s marvelously good fun…and Karl is a magnetic leading man.”
The Stage
Mark Shenton says Groundhog Day is “As hilarious as it is bracing.”
“Matthew Warchus’ production has only grown in vividness and confidence since its premiere at the Old Vic last summer… [Karl’s] performance is one of comic bravado and stunning vocals.”
“Warchus and his expert collaborators have brought a finely-tuned balance of Broadway-scale polish and an English-infused ironic pathos to the show that makes its constant repetitions worth revisiting.”
“Tim Minchin’s musical remains a contemplative and captivating delight in its new Broadway home.” *****
Tickets are on sale from Ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Additional information can be found at groundhogdaymusical.com and you can listen to the full Groundhog Day (Original Broadway Cast Recording) album here before its release on Friday.
