Were Critics Impressed by Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See?

Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See opened at the Public Theater on October 30. Directed by Ted Sperling and starring Idina Menzel, Marc Kudisch, Henry Stram, Mary Testa and Aaron Lohr, the tuner concerns the differences between reality and the perception of it. Did critics see what they wanted to see in the new musical?

Here is a sampling of what they had to say:

Rob Kendt in his Broadway.com Review: "Though none of See What I Wanna See has the buzzing sensuality of The Wild Party or the searching intensity of Hello Again, there are a few distinctly LaChiusan moments of piercing transcendence--moments when we're transported to a place we know but don't recognize, at least not from the well-worn conventions of musical theater… But most of what's onstage in See What I Wanna See is either stubbornly uninvolving or over-reaching… LaChiusa's brand of erudite, insistent risk-taking is all too rare in musical theater. But See What I Wanna See feels less like an exciting experiment than a stillborn laboratory trial."

Ben Brantley of The New York Times: "LaChiusa is now delivering songs that strike at the heart instead of the head. At least, that's the case in "Gloryday," the final sequence of See What I Wanna See, which features a delightful Idina Menzel in her first new musical role since she won a Tony for Wicked… Only the show's latter half has the accessibility to attract more than Mr. LaChiusa's usual cult. But nearly every song in that second act throbs with both communal feelings of hope and anxiety and a specific sense of character. That's the combination that most theatergoers still demand and rarely get from musicals. And it's a mix that the show's five performers, who appear less effectively in the first part, and the terrific onstage band deliver in style."

Frank Scheck of The New York Post: "The show is an esoteric experience that, while possessing moments of undeniable beauty and power, lacks the stylistic assurance to match its ambitions… LaChiusa's score has its moments, most notably in the rousing title number from "Gloryday," but too often it seems to be simply marking time. It's sung beautifully by the ensemble, which also includes the scene-stealing Mary Testa. Ultimately, See What I Wanna See reflects the mindset of its composer."

David Rooney of Variety: "Any show serious-minded enough to choose as its inspiration the stories of Japanese modernist writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa merits respect. But despite moments of arresting theatricality and sinuous melodic beauty, this dark reflection on questions of truth, deception, faith and perspective is overall a dull, distancing experience… In his New York directing bow, Ted Sperling a 2005 Tony winner for his orchestrations of The Light in the Piazza stages the piece with a static hand that provides little distraction from its nagging air of self-importance."

Michael Kuchwara of The Associated Press: "'Adventurous' is not the adjective that comes to mind when you think of this season's dismal crop of new off-Broadway musicals. But composer Michael John LaChiusa has put the word back into play with See What I Wanna See, an intelligent, adult musical that entertains and astonishes at the same time... LaChiusa's book is concise and clear-headed, giving each of the production's five performers a chance to shine. And the cast, under Ted Sperling's precise direction, could not be better."

Linda Winer of Newsday: "Aside from the cheesy title and an unpersuasive twist at the very end, the chamber musical switches tone and stories with smart, often heart-thumping unpredictability. With just five terrific leather-lung actors and minimal sets, director Ted Sperling makes the connection between medieval Japan and Central Park seem as natural as an episode of Law & Order."