PRESENT LAUGHTER Previews- Page 2

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 1:33pm

Frankly, kind of surprised that the play is being revived again

I'm guessing this was the case of a star wanting to do a certain role. Kline is notoriously reluctant to commit to stage projects, and he's been bankable in the past (his Cyrano recouped despite playing a very brief engagement); the producers probably thought there was money to be made. But this does seem like a case of a play nobody was particularly dying to see, in a theater way too large for the play to be done effectively. I haven't seen it, and now I probably won't plan to.

The best production of this play I've ever seen was at Two River Theater in New Jersey, in 2013, with Michael Cumpsty as Garry. It was done in a 300-seat theater and the jokes really landed, and the production was gorgeously appointed. The supporting cast was really quite strong too: Kaitlin Hopkins, Camille Saviola, Veanne Cox, and--in a stroke of truly brilliant offbeat casting, the cabaret/performance artist Cole Escola as Roland Maule. I wish that production could have had more of a life, but it's probably better it was left as it was.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 4:54pm

Won the lottery, always liked Kline and don't know the show, so we'll see how tomorrow goes... and how partial partial view is, heh

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 6:51pm

newintown said: "I've really just realized that Garry Essendine is supposed to only be 40 years old (Coward wrote it for himself when he was 38, although he didn't play the role until he was 41); just starting to barely put one toe into middle age. Have these lines about his recent 40th birthday been changed to something more believable? At even a very well preserved 69, Kline may be too mature to ideally portray the role. (Langella was a flamboyant and viral 58 when he played the role, yet still came dangerously close to dirty old man-ness)."

Yes. Garry is about to turn 57 in this production.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 7:51pm

Nice seeing Kline perform live, but the show didn't really do too much to me. Seemed a bit light?

Anyway, just wanted to point that if anyone wins the lottery, sit in house right. There is a door where a lot of people enter on house left, and I couldn't see any of the coming/going through there. Not that it mattered too much, but had I known, I'd've sat on the other side.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/19/17 at 5:39pm

I, sadly, agree with most of the other reviews on here. I rarely regret spending time and money on a show, even if I dislike it (I think things can be worth having seen or at least spending money on to support theatre, even if I didn't care for something), but I walked out of this show wishing I could get not only my discounted ticket price back, but also my time.

The direction felt very flat. I'm not one to particularly enjoy sight gags and slapstick comedy, but I found myself wishing the director had at least filled the show in this way to liven up the onstage proceedings.

I also found Kline's age to be a hindrance to the story line. He looks excellent for his age, but it was still quite difficult to believe so much of the plot.

Leaving the theatre, I couldn't help wondering why someone felt this show should be revived. A group of extremely talented actors, but I wish they were in a production that served them better.

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 3/19/17 at 10:10pm

While I haven't seen the Kline production - and probably won't - I agree with AC126748 that the Two River production a couple of years ago was really quite excellent. I think Michael Cumpsty was 53 or so at the time which, while he is older than the forty-ish the character is written to be, didn't bother me.

It would seem, from looking at wikipedia, that many actors who have played Garry are all older than forty-ish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_Laughter

 

[newintown]

Posted: 3/20/17 at 8:53am

Here are the major Garrys, the year of their productions, and their ages. It does seem to be one of those roles generally assayed by actors who have long passed the character's actual age:

Noel Coward (1942) 42
Clifton Webb (1946) 56
Noel Coward (1958*) 58
Albert Finney (1977) 41
Peter O'Toole (1978*) 46
Donald Sinden (1981) 58
George C. Scott (1982) 55
Tom Conti (1993) 52
Frank Langella (1996) 58
Peter Bowles (1996) 60
Ian McKellen (1998*) 59
David Threlfall (1998*) 45
Rik Mayall (2003) 45
Simon Callow (2006) 57
Robert Bathurst (2009) 52
Victor Garber (2010) 61
Kevin Kline (2017) 69

Updated On: 3/20/17 at 08:53 AM

[Peteo]

Posted: 3/20/17 at 10:01am

Agree with the posters here citing the 2013 Two River Theater production was the best production of "Present Laughter" I have seen and I saw Langella, Garber, and more recently Sam West and Phyllis Logan at home (UK for me)  I guess I really like this play :) but more to the point I love good Coward.

.  For those who didn't see it, David Lee (creator of the television hit "Frazier) directed with just the right balance between farce and real human beings on stage.  Michael Cumpsty was a fine Gary Essendine but the big news in this production was also just how perfect the supporting cast was.  Veanne Cox as Monica, Kaitlin Hopkins as Gary's ex wife Liz were both pitch perfect.  James Riordan played Gary's friend and director was a comic masterclass in a part that can easily go unnoticed, Camille Saviola (original production of NINE) totally hilarious as the housekeeper in love with Gary..and Cole Escola from "Difficult People" very funny as Roland.

Haven't seen the Kevin Kline Broadway production yet but can't wait.  

[Peteo]

Posted: 3/20/17 at 11:47am

Regarding discussion of the actors age playing Gary Essendine.  True enough, the character was originally conceived to be the brink of turning 40 but Clifton Webb was 49 when he played it on Broadway and Coward himself played it again when he was 60 or so.  My husband rightly pointed out that if you look at photos of Coward or Webb in the original production they don't look younger than Kevin Kline in the current revival.  I have only seen photos of Kline in the role so maybe onstage it is a different impression.

Other thing to consider, this play as all of Cowards plays, has a history of actors older than the characters playing the leads. Private Lives etc.   Also many classics are played by much older actors than originally intended  Hedda Gabler is 29, same with Blanche in Streetcar but how often to actresses in their 40s and beyond play those roles.  Martha and George in VW are written as 40 something yet are often played by 50 something actors.

Finally I just want to say that people simply aged quicker in the early to mid part of the 20th century. Kline looks acceptably young to me in the photos perhaps I will not feel so after seeing it.

 

Just my 3 cents

[johnB43]

Posted: 3/20/17 at 10:01pm

I saw the play last week, and I really enjoyed it.  I thought that the first 15 minutes were a bit slow, but the show got better and better as it went along.  I have recommended it to several friends - one of whom saw it on Saturday and also thought it was very funny and enjoyed it.

[Damiensta]

Posted: 3/20/17 at 10:38pm

What's the running time now?

[johnB43]

Posted: 3/22/17 at 10:16pm

I would say about 2 hours and 10 minutes give or take.  There was also an intermission.

[Jtoth8922]

Posted: 3/23/17 at 12:28am

I saw it today and it ran 2 hrs and 40 minutes. Act one didn't end till 3:24. Very overly long and slow, very disappointing, no fire. I've always wanted to see Kline but left underwhelmed, the ladies were great though.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 1:08pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-First-Look-at-Kevin-Kline-Company-in-PRESENT-LAUGHTER-on-Broadway-20170403

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 4/3/17 at 9:19pm

I saw this over the weekend- it was (I'm ashamed to say) my first exposure to Coward in any capacity. That may color my opinion slightly, but I have to say I found this show thoroughly delightful.

Kline is his usual acerbic self, which is always hilarious (at least to me). The three main women all get moments to shine- Burton with her furtive phone message in act 1 and her heart to heart with Kline at the end; Smulders with her seduction of Kline and her hilarious exit line about "clowns"; and Nielsen, who I loved in Can't Take It With You but is even better here (at one point, she lets out a scream which is worth the price of admission by itself).

The supporting cast is wonderful too- contrary to other posters, I thought Bhavesh Patel was terrific as the young playwright (especially when he tells Kline he's prostituting himself). Honorable mention to Ellen Harvey as Miss Erikson- it's great to have her back on Broadway in the same sort of scene stealing role she had in How to Succeed.

From a directorial standpoint, I thought MVS did an excellent job orchestrating the chaos (especially in the second act when the confusion crescendos).

The set and costumes are sumptuous- it was the second time this season (after Front Page) that a set got a round of applause when the curtain rose.

I'm hesitant to predict nominations in major categories since this is such a competitive year, but I would love to see this get into revival. It's a safe bet it will get a couple of craft nominations in any case.

This show was one of the most pleasant surprises of the season- I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Don't break the bank to get tickets, but if you can get a discount rate (through TDF, etc) it's well worth it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/13/17 at 12:29am

I didn't much care for. I liked Kline a lot and think he will win, but overall I felt a little "eh" at it. It wasn't hilarious enough - and at times my mind was wandering. Why the set got applause, I don't understand.