THE PRESENT Previews

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 6:12pm

Previews for Andrew Upton's new adaptation of Chekhov's Platonov (now called The Present) begin in just a few days (Saturday, December 17, 2016) at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Cate Blanchett makes her Broadway debut in the play, which also stars Broadway newcomer Richard Roxburgh. Opening is set for January 8, 2017 for a run currently slated through March 19, 2017.

Who's going?!

[somechrysanthemumtea]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 6:23pm

I'll be there! Can't wait.

[Jshan05]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 6:26pm

I'll be there the week after Christmas. SO excited for this production. Can't wait to hear what people think.

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 7:25pm

Really hoping for a two week extension. Arrive a week and a half after it is supposed to close. 

[10086sunset]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 7:33pm

Looking forward to going to the first preview Saturday...

[M.O.A.I.]

Posted: 12/13/16 at 8:10pm

I will be there Monday night. Cannot wait!

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 10:28am

Starting tomorrow!

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 10:32am

Somehow I had no idea this was starting so soon. Need to get on this...

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 11:22am

Has anything been announced for after its run?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 11:23am

RippedMan said: "Has anything been announced for after its run?"

If you mean what will take the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Six Degrees of Separation.

[Jiaroony]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 8:04pm

Just bumping as it starts its run soon!

[Jiaroony]

Posted: 12/16/16 at 10:32pm

Did it start today?

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 12/17/16 at 12:17am

First preview is tomorrow. I managed to get a ticket and it's probably the only night I'll be in town the entire run so very excited!

[MyFavoriteBrunette]

Posted: 12/17/16 at 1:25am

I have a ticket for February and hope I'll be able to make it... It's been a roller coaster with my mom's health recently.  Theater is the only thing to preoccupy my mind.  Looking forward to this.

[Jiaroony]

Posted: 12/17/16 at 6:11pm

bump

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/17/16 at 11:11pm

Would love to hear thoughts on tonight's first preview!

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 12/17/16 at 11:33pm

I was there tonight and I thought it was exceptional.  I didn't know much going in other than the cast, that it got incredible reviews in Australia, and that it was a modern retelling of a Russian play.  I wasn't sure I would like it since I am not always a fan of Russian stories, and I'm not always a fan of "modernizing" things as I sometimes find it gimmicky and cheesy.  For me, this struck the perfect balance.  The play is written for modern times, but they don't try to do anything extreme with the staging.  Aside from a fog machine that is slightly overused in one scene (there was so much fog I actually wondered if it was a technical issue since it was the first preview), they really just relied on the script and the strength of the acting, which I prefer.

 

The cast is really incredible.  Not surprisingly, Cate Blanchette is a goddess.  Her character is very complex and she does a great job of making you love and hate her at the same time.  And she really has to go from one extreme to another in terms of emotions.  I wasn't surprised that she was good, but I really was actually surprised at how hilarious she was.  Richard Roxburgh was just as good, and equally hilarious and heartbreaking at different points in the play.  His character is the guy you love to hate and hate to love--just a playboy who somehow manages to charm everyone.  But really, the entire cast is amazing.  I can't parse them all out because there really isn't a weak link. 

 

I also really liked the play itself.  It is long--3 hours with one intermission, and each act is broken up into two scenes.  (Or perhaps it is four acts...  I don't know the technical difference.  Incidentally, I hope nobody left because some people thought the play was over at intermission.  I heard people saying "I thought there was an intermission" or "that wasn't as long as I expected it to be"    The first scene is a bit slow and I was concerned the evening was going to drag on a bit.  I'm not surprised by that, though, as this is a Russian story with a lot of characters who have very complex relationships.  And aside from having a family tree in the playbill like they do in Great Comet, it takes awhile to introduce everyone and develop the characters.  That's basically the first scene.  But by the second scene everyone is drunk and the party has taken a turn toward the insane.  (I think that was probably my favorite scene, and it's actually really comedic most of the way through.)  Of course the play gets into the heavy drama, but I found there to be a good balance.

 

As far as the production, I would not have been able to tell it was a first preview.  (Which is not surprising since it's essentially a transfer of a prior production.)  There were two small technical glitches.  During the first scene I saw what looked like something falling from the ceiling every couple minutes, but I figured out what it was during the fourth scene, and I think they may have had some leaking issues.  There was also a stray gunshot when there should not have been during a scene between Cate Blanchette and Richard Roxburgh.  Somehow they didn't even flinch, and I don't know how.  (BTW, the gunshots are LOUD.)

 

I would definitely get a ticket to this if you can!  No way to know what will happen come Tony time given how many good plays are forthcoming (and the fact that this will close long before nominations), but I would not be surprised if (at least) Blanchette were recognized.  Her performance is remarkably real.

[somechrysanthemumtea]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 12:39am

The show was good. There were some issues with pacing, especially during the first scene. Some things worked, some things didn't, I think the actors realized that in terms of audience reaction / when some jokes landed. Will agree that there was a lot of smoke coming out. 

The set is serviceable, pretty sparse, as is the lighting. The acting by the ensemble (and I feel it really is more of an ensemble piece) is phenomenal. I particularly enjoyed the two above title 'leads' - as well as 
Jacqueline McKenzie and Susan Prior.

 

[10086sunset]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 12:39am

The acting was phenomenal. While the entire cast is very, very good, Blanchett and Roxburgh are performing an acting master class on stage.  During the second scene of Act 1, Blanchett takes off and the play takes off with her.  While the first scene in the first act is a bit slow, once they reach the table for lunch, the fireworks (no pun intended) start and do not stop until the end of the play.  

Everything that was wrong with The Cherry Orchard is correct here. The translation works well updating things but at its core, still very much sounds and feels like Chekhov.

The set and stage was minimal. The focus on the performances. 

Cate Blanchett has likely won the Tony.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 6:38am

10086sunset said: "Cate Blanchett has likely won the Tony."

We'll see about that. I think what might stand in her way come Tony season is not only the fact that her show will be closed, but also the fact that the show is running from January 8th-March 19th. Tony voters won't even be invited until at least press week, which would begin after the new year. Considering this is right after the holiday period, the majority of the out-of-town voters probably won't even be able to see The Present.

But I am wondering if it will be eligible as a new play or a revival. There's obviously a lot of new plays coming in the spring where The Present could get lost in the shuffle. If it ends up being eligible as a revival, it might have a better shot at being remembered there as we're so far off to a bumpy start with play revivals this season.

[10086sunset]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 7:21am

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "We'll see about that."

Go see it for yourself...I'm hard pressed to believe another actress will come close to her performance this season...

 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 7:47am

If you read the rest of my post, you'd know that I was talking about from a logistics standpoint.

[10086sunset]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 7:50am

I realized you were talking from a logistics standpoint...

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 12:37pm

I would be very surprised if this were deemed a revival. I haven't seen/read the original, but it appeared the general plot line was the same and the characters' names the same, but everything else is different.  The script is totally new and it's set in modern times. 

[Jiaroony]

Posted: 12/18/16 at 8:41pm

He did not even say if the show will win a tony. He said an actor will. And with Cate getting raves in NYC for BAM. She Might

 

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "10086sunset said: "Cate Blanchett has likely won the Tony."

We'll see about that. I think what might stand in her way come Tony season is not only the fact that her show will be closed, but also the fact that the show is running from January 8th-March 19th. Tony voters won't even be invited until at least press week, which would begin after the new year. Considering this is right after the holiday period, the majority of the out-of-town voters probably won't even be able to see The Present.

But I am wondering if it will be eligible as a new play or a revival. There's obviously a lot of new plays coming in the spring where The Present could get lost in the shuffle. If it ends up being eligible as a revival, it might have a better shot at being remembered there as we're so far off to a bumpy start with play revivals this season.

 

"