Fish in the Dark Previews- Page 2

[PianoMann]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 11:43am

Thanks everyone for posting your reviews!

I definitely fall into the category of individuals who Whizzer was describing, i.e. a huge fan of Larry David as an actor and character, who will be over the moon to see him do what he always does. No doubt I'll be in the audience with a huge, stupid smile on my face from beginning to end.

I'll be interested to read if they make any significant changes between now and opening night. Larry is definitely not complacent about his work, so if the second act felt tedious to the audience, I'm sure he'll try to make the necessary adjustments.

I'm also really excited that he's signing and taking pictures at stage door! That article makes it sound like he had some very appreciative fans waiting - I wonder if it'll be quiet or if he's going to be mobbed?

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 1:45pm

Based off the pictures it didn't look too mobbed!

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 1:50pm

David's shtick is very one-note and, although a good note, can become tiresome, even irritating to me. I felt something similar about Jackie Gleason. As After Eight alluded to, his style of comedy relies somewhat upon sly facial expressions which benefit from a camera in closeup. The character David has created as Himself is not someone I'd want to spend an entire evening with.

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 1:52pm

I think that's the point as to part of why it is so funny.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 2:00pm

^ I agree, but funny for how long?

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 2:00pm

^ I agree, but funny for how long?

[rlb237]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 2:12pm

"If you're expecting him to break out of his comfort zone and do something new, you won't find it here."

Who on earth would want to see Larry David being anyone other than Larry David?! Haha, I kid...slightly. But really, I'm glad to hear it's quintessential Larry, as that's exactly what I'm hoping for and expecting.

I didn't read everything written in this thread, as I don't want too many spoilers -- I'm not seeing it until April for my birthday -- but thank you so much for your thoughts, Whizzer and others who included their first impressions. Much appreciated.

I'm interested to see how things evolve and change as they make their way through previews so I'll try to keep an eye on other replies without spoiling myself on the exact plot points. And I'm definitely interested in stage door/signing/photo experiences too! I do hope he'll be around by the time April rolls around. But if he starts to just walk by, I will just have to somehow find a way to tell him it's my birthday. Hopefully, since it's April 1st, he'll think I'm full of ****, and that will be enough to get his attention haha. Worked with Joel McHale after a comedy show one year!

Anyway, thanks again to all for their thoughts on the show. One last question for those who saw it on the view: I have box seats on the right side. Any chance something will be obstructed for me?

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 2:24pm

"^ I agree, but funny for how long?"

That is rarely the issue for comedians/writers. They keep doing what they are doing, typically. And at any given point, that will either fill arenas, theaters, or comedy clubs. You rarely see a comedian completely reinvent themselves. So, as long as people want to see David to Davidian things, he's fine. And when less people want to see them, he's still going to keep doing them to less people.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 3:04pm

Lewis Black, a comedian I enjoy and admire a great deal, went totally against his comedic persona of being someone nearly short-circuited by rage at the world when he wrote his play, One Slight Hitch- an extremely sentimental and fluffy family wedding comedy. For me, it was such a jarring shift from what I knew and loved about Black- a sappy, old-fashioned wedding comedy that played like second-tier Neil Simon is not what I expected or necessarily wanted from him. It probably soured my opinion on the play unfairly.

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 3:08pm

But that is unusual, since he originally wrote the play (then Hitching) in 1981, and only when his visibility heightened did people become interested, at which point he did rewrites on it, no? I don't think Lewis Black has written a new play since becoming famous...

[Kad]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 3:22pm

Yes, it's the same play he'd been working on for decades. Still, it wasn't seen until well after Black had established his comic persona, and it was very much at odds with what people would expect (or want?) from him.

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/3/15 at 3:46pm

I agree, but it is slightly different from Larry, in that Black wrote plays in anonymity for decades before catching his break, so I don't think there should be any sense that he was constantly arcing toward the persona that caught on... if memory serves, he used to serve as the emcee between short works down in the Laurie Beechman, and the persona was sort of him antagonizing the crowd to pay attention between different presentations, which is where the twitching and the finger pointing and stuff was first pointed out to him. So, the persona was the bigger accident...

I never read or saw any of his plays yet, but knowing the history, I wouldn't quite know what I was getting myself into if I did go, but I know it wouldn't be the persona. Whereas Larry's standup > George Costanza > Curb > now has all basically been him moving in one direction.

[Golenboybway]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 3:54pm

Any new reviews on the show?

[TFMH18]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 10:11pm

I saw it last night and have to say, though it pains me, I was pretty disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high because I'm a huge fan of curb and David himself but it absolutely didn't deliver in the way I expected. It was basically one of the weakest episodes if Curb, but it lasted over two hours. As others have said, it was very unfocused.

The thing is, nothing really happens plot wise which could be fine if there was some seriously strong writing to back it up. Within the first 15 minutes I pretty much knew what was happening. I kept waiting for it to get better and it just never did, sadly.

Also, some of the performances needed some serious work. David was his usual David self but Rita Wilson's acting was so wooden and unbelievable, as was Rosie Perez's.

The very best moment actually was a stage mishap. When that's true, you know you're in trouble.

I know I'm making it sound like there was no enjoyment to be bad but that definitely isn't the case. I got some laughs out of it but I just expected so much more.

[revlis]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 10:17pm

Uh oh.
I was kind of worried that this might be the case. I'm seeing the show in a couple weeks. Here's hoping that things can be tightened up by then. Would love to hear from someone who enjoyed the show.

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 10:28am

I hope they get their problems fixed fast. I really don't want to have to have paid $160 per ticket on garbage. Still, I love David and if I heard this was worse than Carrie I'd still go (yes, I am aware that this further provokes the notion that put a celebrity and a show and tickets will be sold, lol!)

[MNC77]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 4:51pm

For those who have seen it, what would you say as far as eligibility for the actresses? Did you really consider any of them leads? Rita Wilson, Rosie Perez and Jayne Houdyshell all seemed like big roles, but having seen it I don't know that I would classify any as a lead actress.

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 6:05pm

While I haven't seen it, I'm sure the only person considered as leading will be Larry. What did you think of the show though?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 8:24pm

I bought a standing room ticket last night at around 4:30-ish. I bought the 3rd-to-last SRO ticket. The show was funny, and entertaining for sure, but it did feel like It would have worked better as a 90-minute one-act. If you don't like Larry David's brand of humor, you probably won't like this play.

The stage-door was full of very annoying and rude Larry David fans. Rosie Perez stopped to sign, but was in a bit of a hurry. Rita Wilson went right to her car and did not stop. Other cast members only stopped if they were asked to sign by specific people. Larry David came out and signed and posed for pictures, and was actually quite generous with his time, though he was very sassy in his humorous kind of way. Unfortunately, even though I was in the very front of the barricades, he skipped right by me. I don't blame HIM of course; all the pushy, loud people around me were more "assertive" than I was, and he didn't notice me politely standing in the front with my playbill, even though I did attempt to speak with him.

Honestly, as much as I love meeting the stars after a show, I see why some posters on this board find it obnoxious. So many of the fans just don't know how be civil at all.
(Sorry everybody, I just felt like venting)


Updated On: 2/7/15 at 08:24 PM

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 8:33pm

Thanks for your helpful post JBroadway! I do like his humor and think that if I walk in with lowered expectations I will enjoy the show. At the stage door, the only actor I care about coming out is Larry and I'm really surprised that he is being nice out there. I love his sarcastic yet friendly humor towards people and will probably be laughing through the whole process! I hate annoying people at the stage door a lot. The other night at Cabaret I was starting to get a little annoyed by this family next to me with like 12 pictures deciding which they wanted to get signed. They weren't dealers, just a family. I mean if they are into that it's cool but hearing them go on and on was getting a little buggy. How long did it take Larry to come out?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 9:25pm

Not TOO long, but he was definitely the last to come out. Maybe 25 minutes?

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/7/15 at 9:38pm

That's not bad at all, thanks!!!

[Seperite]

Posted: 2/8/15 at 12:20am

None of the women had what you would consider a leading role, and none delivered a Tony-worthy performance, either.

[Golenboybway]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 5:56pm

Has anyone seen it lately? Any New changes that make it better?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/18/15 at 10:11pm

Saw it this afternoon. Loved the first act, but thought it all went south in the second. However, I'm a big Larry David fan so enjoyed it nonetheless. If you aren't a David fan, this extended episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm is NOT for you.

The rest of the cast is great. But all have so very little to do that it's hard to comment.

As for stage-dooring, for those of you asking...

Larry was sick, but came out and apologized for not signing as he got in his car. Was very hard to hear him and I was mid-rear orchestra, so I imagine he really was sick. He asked if people would be very disappointed if he didn't sign, and of course the crowd said no. But he said that if people come back again, or even just visit the stage door, he is happy to sign in the future.

Running time was a taut 2 hours WITH intermission. I was on the street at 4:07.