“‘Dietrich Rides Again'—a new play with music by Oliver Conant and Justyna Kostek, starring the latter—proposes a new, fresh look at the diva movie and stage star, Marlene Dietrich. Although it's clear that great effort and research went into the work, it is still just an elaborate, albeit energetically performed and intermittently entertaining, celebrity imitation and not very illuminating.”
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"Dietrich’s fearless history deserves an audacious reiteration, and in 'Dietrich Rides Again,' Conant and Kostek reward her with exactly that...Kostek adds curiously comic, impish touches to her passionate interpretation. Her performance was greatly enjoyed by the audience...Just remember 'Dietrich Rides Again' is a work in progress. I would have liked to know a bit more about her husband and her friendships with stars with whom she worked."
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“More like cabaret than theater. This show needs to grab you from the start, and the book by Oliver Conant and Ms. Kostek seems to not know where it’s going or what it is…Instead, we get eleven songs which are unevenly performed…Ms. Kostek is appealing, but she needs to study Dietrich’s sound just a little bit more…The direction by Mr. Conant is actually well done...'Dietrich Rides Again' could be a rather interesting and well-done show, it just needs some more time.”
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“Kostek is delightful. She has a presence, knack for comedy and captivating charm on stage. You want terribly to like her and what she’s doing, but, alas, the misguided material doesn’t hang together...As well-intentioned as it may be, ‘Dietrich Rides Again' amounts to little more than flattery by imitation…In attempting to cover decades, getting to the essence of Dietrich is undercut. The result is a two-dimensional, almost cartoon version, providing little insight into her heart and soul."
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“A sprightly show that tells you a lot about Dietrich that most people already know but gives some intriguing glimpses into her personal life…Kostek, who has a good voice, also sings a number of Dietrich’s most famous songs…Overall, Kostek does a fine job in the show. She tries to cover too much, though…Yet, she still leaves out huge gaps in the star’s life...There should have been more effort to showcase Dietrich as the Hollywood glamour queen that she became."
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