I saw a matinee of The Pirate Queen this weekend and I really enjoyed it. I think it's particularly enjoyable for someone interested or involved in Irish culture. There was just enough Celtic music and dance and it was a great high energy show. It's also great for women "who never learned their place"! I was worried because I've heard there are some bad reviews but it was really enjoyable. The theater itself is also very nice and spaceous. It was great to not be crammed in on top of each other.

Thanks, Dohlice, for your post. My daughter and I have tickets for Saturday evening.

I knew someone on here was going and I didn't want them to worry the way I did!

We've both been to Scotland, so I thought we'd enjoy it for the Celtic music. We'll have our fill of music that day - we're planning on going to St. Andrew's Restaurant after the show for their live Celtic music.

Thanks for the heads up. It did get really bad reviews. We have tickets for tomorrow night, hope we like it as much as you did.

We saw it last month and enjoyed it very much - especially the terrific dancing.

I love Irish culture, as well as Les Miz and really wanted to see this show until I saw a PBS special about it. Totally turned me off - and a friend told me she felt the same way.

I loved Les Miz the first time I saw it. I took my husband to the new one and it was not good. He enjoyed The Pirate Queen much more. Hopefully the people with tickets will enjoy it - it can be an expensive mistake.

As I mentioned in another thread, each to his own! I've had friends rave about The Lion King, but I can't say I am at all interested. The way I look at it is I'm spending a much-needed weekend alone with my daughter. If we enjoy The Pirate Queen, so much the better.

The company you keep makes all the difference! I'm going to look into the live music you mentioned.

I've not seen Pirate Queen, but probably will with a discount during my next NYC stay in the next two months.

No doubt it is a huge "extravaganza" show which on its own is enough to totally entertain, but frankly I can't imagine going BECAUSE of an interest in Irish culture or history any more than one would go to see Tarzan because of an interest in Africa. Well, maybe a "little" more. It really has to be mainly a "big" entertainment, not a culturally educational experience.

In case anyone is interested, the Discount code on ticketmaster.com is DM1. Valid for performances through 5/13. $59.50 on weeknights and Wed. matinee, $67.50 all other performances except Sat. night which is $75. I'm sure there will be other discounts available for later performances.

Frank, If tickets were purchased before one was even aware of broadwaybox.com (damn, damn, damn), does Ticketmaster ever do refunds?

We saw the "Queen" a couple of weeks ago and I think the reviews were right on. If you've seen Riverdance (even if just on t.v.) you'll be very disappointed by both the music and dancing. The sets were spectacular, but for me that doesn't make up for the weak story line. I can't comment on the actors because frankly they had very little to work with.

twina, sorry, but no.

It's too bad that more people aren't aware of the many advance sale discounts available to a lot of Broadway shows. I'm also amazed having recently been patroling the EBay Broadway tickets listings at how many people are buying seats for shows at up to a couple hundred dollars per ticket that are actually still available from the theatre or its agent at a fraction of the price. People are already buying lousy seats to Grease this fall from agencies that they could get direct for half that price or even less -- and that's paying full face value for them!

kirbyks, I see your point, because we all know how accurate Les Miz was since all the fashionable French of course paused during their fight for freedom to belt out a song!

Sorry, twina49, but I don't quite get your sarcasm......I mean, that was sarcasm, wasn't it. Please explain.

Howard, My point is I don't go to a Broadway musical because I think it will accurately represent history. I go for the entertainment value. NeoPatrick said it well, i.e. one does not go to "Tarzan" because of an interest in Africa....

Now, I understand what you were trying to get across, and I don't agree with you. While I'm not going to Broadway for an actual history lesson, I do hope that if a show is purported to represent history, I would hope for some accuracy while being entertained at the same time. (And, please, I don't mean that breaking out in song is not historically accurate.)

Howard, I see your point, but I disagree in that I think you have to suspend your expectation of reality for just about any Broadway musical you may chose to attend, even those based on history.