The New York Times book of Broadway : on the aisle for the unforgettable plays of the last century /

The New York Times, the national newspaper of record for politics and current events, plays a still more crucial role, that of final arbiter, for the New York theater. Not all shows it pans close early, and every show it praises doesn't become a big hit, but enough of both do. These reviews, collected by current chief theater critic Branntley, will probably only enhance the Times' reputation, for the list of shows the paper lauded that then had long runs is pretty lengthy and honorable. The reviews aren't consistent, and those who like to read a book straight through may be wearied by the dry, slightly boring Times house style. Occasionally, Brantley's choices for the book are irksome. He includes very few bad reviews, and everybody knows a good pan is more fun to read than 10 raves. Also, he favors Broadway at the expense of off-and off-off-Broadway. But these are small complaints about what amounts to a fascinating panorama of the taste of America's most important theatrical opinion maker. --Jack Helbig

This is a book of lists. The first offers reviews of 25 productions that defined the century, while the second offers 125 reviews of "unforgettable productions of the century," which repeats the reviews from the smaller first section. Brantley, the current chief theater critic for the New York Times, selected some of the reviews for the quality of the writing, some for the play as seen at the time, and some because the play is likely to have a long-term effect on the world of theater. In his introduction, Brantley explains the New York Times review style, adds some insider anecdotes, and acknowledges that creating a list is always followed by a hue and cry over what was or was not included. Each entry has the critic's name, play or musical title, date of the performance reviewed, theater, and total number of performances, along with many vintage production photographs and credits. Why the reviews of the first section are repeated in the second section is not stated; they could have been included as a list, allowing for more titles in the second section. The price and slightness of this volume will keep it off of many shelves, but for libraries that can afford it, this is an engaging collective look at the past century of drama as seen through the eyes of the New York Times theater critics. J. Sara Paulk, Coastal Plain Reg. Lib., Tifton, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.