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Three on the Aisle: Not Good, but Kind of Great

This week the critics talk ‘guilty pleasures,’ answer listeners’ questions, and talk about ‘Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, ‘A Strange Loop,’ and ‘The Waverly Gallery.’

Twice a month, Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal; Elisabeth Vincentelli, contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker; and Peter Marks of the Washington Post get together to talk about what’s going on in the American theatre.

First, the critics discuss the idea of “guilty pleasure” musicals, and Elisabeth refines her personal definition of “not good but kind of great” productions. Then, they turn to the mailbag, answering your questions about how best to review a revival, the state of America’s “indie musical scene,” and how critics should approach everything from tech failures to standing ovations.

Finally, they reflect on the best shows they’ve seen lately, including Jane Chambers’s Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop, and Shakespeare & Company’s production of The Waverly Gallery.

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Have comments or requests for what the critics should talk about? Email them at threeontheaisle@gmail.com, or go to @threeontheaisle on Twitter.

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