If you thought blogs were too harsh, wait until you see John Malkovich in Aleksey Igudesman’s theater spectacle The Music Critic. The symphony-comedy hybrid show — in which the actor roasts the likes of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and more — is going on tour in fall 2023.
“In The Music Critic, writer and composer Aleksey Igudesman fuses the sardonic and straight-faced humor for which actor John Malkovich is renowned, with the slapstick and out-of-the-box zaniness of renowned comic duo Igudesman & Joo,” reads a press release. “Igudesman, who is joined on the tour by longtime collaborator pianist Hyung-ki Joo, is determined to avenge some of the most brilliant pieces of music which were railed and reviled by critics at their premieres.”
Igudesman and Joo are joined by fellow musicians Antonio Lysy on cello and Hsin-Yun Huang and Claire Wells on violin. As spectators listen to the group perform some of the most recognizable and pieces in classical music canon, Malkovich hilariously delivers “a frivolous potpourri of musical insults.” What’s the big deal about Debussy, anyway?
The nine announced shows begin this October in Seattle, making stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Detroit, Chicago, and New York City, before a finale in Portland, Oregon on June 12th, 2024. Tickets will be available beginning Friday, May 12th via Ticketmaster. Below, see a trailer for The Music Critic and its US tour dates.
Last year, Malkovich also appeared in Steve Carell’s Netflix comedy Space Force.
The Music Critic Starring John Malkovich 2023-2024 Tour Dates:
10/17 – Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
10/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre
10/21 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theater
10/22 – San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
10/23 – Austin, TX @ Long Center for the Performing Arts
10/25 – Detroit, MI @ Filmore Theatre
10/26 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
10/28 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theatre
06/12 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
