Brantley's review may be a rave for LuPone, but he's pretty cool towards the play itself. I don't see a transfer happening without significant rewrites -- and even then, it seems unlikely.
I really enjoyed this today. It's not perfect and act two is a bit messy, but I was throughly entertained throughout. There's not a weak link in the cast, but it's all about LuPone. It's thrilling seeing her in a straight play. There are some traces of Mama Rose, but it's really a great performance in a juicy role.
i also assume Patti's long pre show announcement and the full size NO TEXTING inserts are due to her recent texter incident. Her pre show announcement is GREAT!
anyone have seating advice? row F is what is showing up as available and they are telling me that is the first row by stage? Does that make sense? How is it staged? Thanks
If the seats in Row F that are showing up as available are F15 through F20 (and possibly F13 and F14), they're just above the passageways through which the actors enter and exit, so there are no rows of seats between them and the stage, so technically you could call them "first row" (although I wouldn't describe them as "by the stage"). For a clearer description of what I'm trying to describe, see
"If the seats in Row F that are showing up as available are F15 through F20 (and possibly F13 and F14), they're just above the passageways through which the actors enter and exit, so there are no rows of seats between them and the stage, so technically you could call them "first row" (although I wouldn't describe them as "by the stage"). For a clearer description of what I'm trying to describe, see
Thanks. i see exactly what you mean. Would you say F14 or B31 is a better seat? B is right on the stage but a little off to the right. Anyone that has seen the show can comment?
F is fine although leg room might be compromised a bit
I saw it in previews and Lapone was very good. It was almost like the part was written for her. I did not care for the memory monologues to the audience. They were executed fine but the set changing was tedious, it slowed everything down and some of the information seemed redundant. Act 2 went a whole different direction than I expected. I thought it would be more like Noises Off. I was disappointed that I did not get to see the rendition of the narrators play. Urie was solid but a little too good looking for the part. And I found the supporting characters a little cartoonish.
Thanks. i see exactly what you mean. Would you say F14 or B31 is a better seat? B is right on the stage but a little off to the right. Anyone that has seen the show can comment?
I sat in F31 and had a great view so I’d assume F14 would be just as good. As for B31, if you like to be very close to the actors, go for it. The view from that angle/seating was fine.
And I loved it. Every single persons acting was brilliant. In the beginning, when (SPOILER, I guess) Patti's character takes her first pill, she actually dropped it down the front of her dress and had to shimmy to get it out. It was hilarious and I'm pretty sure not part of the script, haha.
I didn't get many of the references seeing how I only got into theatre 3-4 years ago (and was born in 1991), but the delivery was perfect enough to at least make me realize semi-what was going on in those jokes that went over my head.
The older women behind me were not impressed one bit. They decided to spend the entire intermission talking about how awful they thought it was, how there was no plot, how they wanted to sleep, etc. It actually reminded me of these older women who sat behind me when I went to see the recent production of Simply Sondheim complaining that they don't understand the plot line and couldn't find the story.
I attend a ton of regional theatre, so I loved the actual set moving by Urie during the play, and the little background information we were given throughout for the lines of tape on the ground. A LOT of great one-liners, I'm sure people could relate what they were saying about theatre then, to the present day.
Overall, I absolutely loved it. It was so amazing to see Patti in a straight play. Urie was golden. Everyone else was amazing. At the curtain call Patti LuPone made everyone stay on stage just to say, "How does it feel to have a cell-phone free show?!" and the audience went wild. It was pretty hilarious.
We also had a full page-length flyer in the Playbill telling everyone to silence their phones, etc. Has it always been this big or did they just start doing that after the incident?
I saw the show in previews and then saw it again the other day and it was much tighter. Patti had found a way to make the character more empathetic and Michael was lighter and more playful which gave him a stronger connection with the audience. The cues were sharp, at times too much so, where some of the humor and spontaneity got lost, but the show did not drag. I think there were people in the audience that just didn't get it and I heard some complaining. But if you are gay and got your start in small town community theatre like I did, you can appreciate the humor. I think too the play also speaks to those moments in your life that create a pathways to your future.