Disgraced Previews- Page 3

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/8/14 at 2:19am

It's a great service and a great theater company to support!

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:52am

When's the last time a really terrific play got totally undermined by a really bad Broadway production?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 4:50pm

I certainly agree ^, and can't stop mulling the ways this is a misfire.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 5:34pm

How so?

I thought the direction was a little wonky, and the leading man to be a little weird in places - he seemed to never just want to stand still and deliver a line. But I thought the show was really interesting and thought provoking. A lot of names and themes were discussed that I had no clue about, but I think the central idea was pretty captivating, and everyone else was really great and grounded. Hussein was incredible in his last scene.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 8:54pm

I believe I posted all of that above, so I won't repeat.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 12:15am

Saw this tonight and have to say I was quite disappointed, and not due to the production. I can see why this play won the Pulitzer, certainly: it is Important. It deals with Important Topical Themes. But in the end, it felt to me like a Labute play for the Upper West Side.

The first half of the play is loaded with unsubtle exposition, to the point where the characters didn't feel like people, but rather pundits or reciters of Wikipedia articles. The play certainly heats up during the dinner scene, simply because finally these people are doing something rather than reciting think pieces. And, of course, it's hard not to be compelled by the climax, considering what occurs. But it felt manipulative.

It's hard not to admire the work for bringing up uncomfortable topics, especially in light of current events, but there just seemed to be a general shallowness to it. Bringing the topics up for discussion is great, but these characters - with one exception- did not feel like people. They were sides of a debate, they were symbols. But very rarely were they human.

Perhaps the performances didn't help- aside from Karen Pittman, who seemed to be the only one to transcend the material. But she is also given the most reasonable and sympathetic character, so perhaps I just liked her by default.

I can't help but compare it to another Pulitzer winner I was disappointed by: Clybourne Park.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 9:19am

I would agree Kad. Clybourne to me felt like a retread of stuff I'd already heard. Racism is still around us! Racism can work both ways! Blah blah. Both shows felt a little obvious in their themes. My real annoyance with Disgraced is some of the obvious writing like "I just went to Gourmet Garage" (Wine wink audience: We're in NYC) or "I just got dessert from Magnolia" (Wink wink we're in the Village).

[Kad]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 10:20am

I found things like, "I'm an apostate, which means [sufficient definition of apostate here]-" "I know what apostate means!" to be more egregious.

The play also contains a pet peeve of mine: if you're going to have a character be a lauded artist, praised by every other character and successful, then the art we see better be impressive. That portrait at the end- yikes.

Updated On: 10/23/14 at 10:20 AM

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 10:56am

I thought there was an irony in how awful the picture was. She is clearly an Orientalist and her portrait demonstrates that.

I also think Disgraced is far better than Clybourne Park. That was the most disappointing play I've seen in ages. At least Disgraced had genuine conflict that didn't feel as convoluted as Clybourne Park (I'd have picked "Bengal Tiger" over that for the Pulitzer that year).

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 12:20pm

Agreed, dreaming. I don't want to see a play with people just sitting around talking about race. Boring.

And that's true about the portrait. Granted, she's not a portrait artist, so I sort of overlooked it.

I still think the show was just trying to be POWERFUL with all caps.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 12:21pm

Agreed, dreaming. I don't want to see a play with people just sitting around talking about race. Boring.

And that's true about the portrait. Granted, she's not a portrait artist, so I sort of overlooked it.

I still think the show was just trying to be POWERFUL with all caps.

SLIGHT SPOILER?
Also, how did the cousin get into the apartment? I would imagine they live in a doorman building? People were buzzing to come up and whatnot, and then suddenly he enters (without buzzing) at the climatic moment?

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 1:33pm

"I don't want to see a play with people just sitting around talking about race."

Isn't it pretty easy to sort those out in advance?!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 4:47pm

Ha. I just meant in the case of Clybourne.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/24/14 at 3:55pm

"The play also contains a pet peeve of mine: if you're going to have a character be a lauded artist, praised by every other character and successful, then the art we see better be impressive. That portrait at the end- yikes."

I'd agree with you, Kad, if i felt that the art coming from today's lauded artists is necessarily impressive.

[hanabana]

Posted: 10/25/14 at 1:30am

Has anyone been to the stage door for this show yet? Just wondering how it is, and if the performers will come out to sign between shows. Thanks for any info!

[hanabana]

Posted: 10/25/14 at 11:54pm

Saw this show today, and it was amazing! I loved every minute of it (it actually surprised me how much I liked it). It's a very powerful play, and I thought that the entire cast had the emotions down perfectly. I also really liked the plot, with its little turns in there, I did not know anything about this play, and there were moments that I gasped, never having guessed what was going to happen. Also, thanks to those of you who recommended the front row seat - it was perfect! I loved how close I was to the action, and really enjoyed seeing the performers' facial expressions in this one! All in all, I think it's an amazing play that is not to be missed.

And to answer my own question earlier, and to anyone who might be interested:
the cast did come out of the stage door after the matinee to sign today. You really have to move fast though - I moved as fast as I could (after the curtain call of course, I love curtain calls!), and still missed Gretchen Mol. I caught Hari Dhillon as he was walking away though, he could not have been nicer. So now I am only missing Gretchen's autograph on the playbill (argh). It was not very crowded actually, and was actually kind of casual. Everyone signed, took pictures, and was very nice.

[broadfan327]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 9:14pm

I saw it tonight and Kad put my thoughts brilliantly I to words, so I won't repeat them. I am surprised people are not protesting this show outside.