Seminar = the first great play of the season

[thismyshow]

Posted: 10/26/11 at 11:30pm

Got to see the dress rehearsal of Seminar tonight (won tickets through there facebook contest)

I will keep it short since people freak about dress and 1st preview reviews.

the show is great. The writing is fantastic, the performances (especially Lily,Alan, and Hammish) are all phenomenal and the set is really great and sam gold slams it out of the park yet again (have previously seen Tigers Be Still which I loved)

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:28am

Good!! Sounded a little hit-or-miss but I'm glad it turned out to be a good one. Hopefully everyone else will feel the same. And - as far as I'm concerned - Alan Rickman can do no wrong.

[pli1018]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:46am

In generally I really enjoyed myself. I had a few issues with it, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Alan Rickman's monologue before the (fantastic) scene change was chilling. Really strong for a dress rehearsal.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:46am

I've been hearing some very good things after tonight's dress rehearsal as well. I'm so excited to see this!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:11am

I thought this was the Rebeck play?

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:19am

^It is.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:23am

Sorry, totally misread his post.

Hm. I've hated everything I've seen of hers in the past. But the talent in this is hard to pass up. I love Gold's direction.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:16pm

I attended the world premiere of "Our House". Enjoyed it but it had a few problems. Also the staging was not the best. I am looking forward to seeing "Seminar".

[vegas2]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:24pm

Any advice on seating?

[thismyshow]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:40pm

the sets pretty wide open (no obstructions) so any seat is a good seat

[lull89]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 4:04pm

I was there last night as well, and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, I kept kind of wanting Rickman to get to the point in his attacks on the others, but things picked up and got really interesting about halfway through. Standout performances were definitely Rickman and Linklater, both were really compelling and had some great complicated moments. Rabe picked up steam as things went on, getting more interesting as the play went on. O'Connell unfortunately doesn't have much to do and is kind of a cliched character, though executed pretty well within the show. And Park felt underused, but was fine enough.

It is one of those "Art of Making Art" plays, which I'm inclined to love, but I think there's some really interesting ideas. Recommended!

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 10:47pm

Just got back from the first preview and loved every second of it. My only issue is that Park and O'Connell were incredibly weak next to the other three. Their characters are significantly less interesting than the others, though. Sets were great. Many empty seats.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 10:50pm

Was there tonight and had a good time. Thought the play lost a little bit of steam near the end, but even without a few helpful nips and tucks it would stand as a very solid, enjoyable piece. It reminded me a lot of Collected Stories actually. Covers some of the same issues and themes.

I thought all five of the cast members were pretty terrific with Lily Rabe being the standout. I don't know if she can carry a tune, but I would love to hear her sing sometime, especially something like "Knowing When To Leave." She is just so interesting to me and love all the acting choices she makes.

Rickman plays their private writing seminar instructor, but seems to only get pleasure in cutting them down to size and crushing their dreams. Nothing we haven't necessarily seen before, but it's a lot of fun watching Rickman go to work. Hamish Linklater plays the writer who refuses to share any of his work with the group, Jerry O'Connell is riding on his family's name and has had a few modest publishing successes already and Hettienne Park is set to use whatever she can to get her sexually charged prose published.

The show ran near two hours, but really flew up. I laughed a lot, and near was bored. I don't think it's anything Earth-shattering, but does all theater need to be?

One question I did have was why are they holding each seminar in Lily Rabe's apartment? It's not that it's implausible, but Rebeck could easily clarify the issue with a quick exchange of dialogue.

I think it has the potential to be crowd-pleaser, but the producers need to do a better job marketing the show. I think the title, although appropriate, sounds like you're going to be sitting through a lecture or something. Hopefully good word of mouth spreads and people give it a chance.

[dave1606]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:21pm

I was there tonight as well via TDF (row D rear mezz) and definitely liked it. It is the case of actors elevating material. The play is interesting, if a bit too long, but the seeing someone like Rickman sink his teeth into the material is what makes it worthwhile.

I agree with Whizzer about Collected Stories, these two plays are definitely similar. It was kind of a cross between Collected Stories and God of Carnage in a weird way.


For me I really loved Hamlish Linklater and Lily Rabe. The two of them can do no wrong in my book. Lily had several scene stealing scenes that really had the audience roaring with laughter.


My main issue with the play is that it is a ton of small scenes. We get these small 5 minute scnees over and over again and then on to the next. I wanted to have more time to spend with the charcters.

The set reveal was very clever.

Overall I think this play does what it should: stand as an excellent showcase for the star casting. Rickman is superb in this, and should give fans what they want.

I don't know if I would call it the "first great play of the season", but I would call it solid entertainment.

For those asking, stage door was a zoo, but everyone seemed to be taking their time signing as much as they could. I didn't stay long because of the crowd though.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 12:28am

Rickman signed?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 12:32am

Was Lily Rabe her usual "Lily Rabe" self? I usually want to hit her in the face with a frying pan when I see her on stage.

[thismyshow]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 12:33am

@sondheimFan he did after the dress rehearsal, but there were only like 12 of us waiting

[willep]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 12:36am

He signed and posed for photos when I saw him in John Gabriel Borkman...in Dublin...lol
Updated On: 10/28/11 at 12:36 AM

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 8:42am

All signed, but the stagedoor was a mess. No barricades and only 1 person controlling the crowd. He took pictures with some people but I did not ask.

[musicman_bwayfan]

Posted: 10/29/11 at 12:34am

Are there any posters yet at Seminar or any other merchandise? I'm very much looking forward to seeing this next Saturday evening.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/29/11 at 10:14am

"I don't know if she can carry a tune, but I would love to hear her sing sometime, especially something like "Knowing When To Leave.""

I'd also like to hear Lilly could sing. Her mom wasn't bad at it.

However, unless Lily is truly a singer, I'd prefer to hear her sing something a lot less challenging than "Knowing When To Leave."

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/29/11 at 11:29pm

Alan Rickman brings has patented style and flair to a weak and fairly nasty play that sorely needs both. Unfortunately, he's off stage for far too long, his role is not the central focus as it should be, and the whole piece is thown off balance.

[Tom5]

Posted: 10/30/11 at 7:41am

Is it a One Set Play?

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/30/11 at 8:28am

^

Two sets.