1984 - Audience Experiences

[Someone, Somewhere]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 12:41pm

These past few weeks I've seen the attached article all over my Facebook wall and am curious as to how much of it is true, or how much of it is exaggerated. 

I have tickets to see the show from the front Dress Circle next week and have been excited for this production since tickets first went on sale. I'm not one to be squeamish and know what's ahead, so I'm sure I'll be fine when the time comes. But... I'm curious how those who are unprepared, or those who are squeamish, really respond.

Were there any interesting responses from the audience when you attended 1984? 

 "Stage version of '1984' makes audiences faint, vomit, scream"

Updated On: 7/18/17 at 12:41 PM

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 12:47pm

It reminds me if the hype around the.1930's Franenstein and 1925 Phantom of the Opera. I wonder how much is real and how much is just a really good publicist, assuming that the idea of fainting and getting sick is good publicity. 

[Someone, Somewhere]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 12:50pm

It seems to me that this is great publicity for the show.

While it may not be selling out, there seems to be an audience for it as reflected in the grosses. As I said before, people are still discussing this topic on Facebook and spreading the word of the show. There certainly was a boost following opening night (when these articles began to surface). 

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 12:51pm

Several people who have seen the show, including myself, have already replied to similar questions; have a look here:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1101440#4949792

[bfreak]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 2:10pm

I observed the surrounding audience when I saw the show, and honestly people didn't really seem too affected. I mean a few people here and there seemed slightly disturbed, but no one walked out and I believe I even saw a man sleeping during the torture scenes (even though in all honesty I don't know how that was possible). In my opinion the show was just so poorly written and misguided to even worry about seeing it. It was very boring and tired, and the fierce political energy and messages were lost completely.

[Just_John]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 2:26pm

I was terrified of seeing it after everything I had read, but it was nothing for very squeamish me.  Sure, I closed my eyes a few times or turned away, and one woman gasped when it started, but it was nowhere near what I was expecting after hearing someone got arrested for yelling at the actors and another person fainted.  Can anyone verify that this happened and wasn't made up press?

[KillingTime]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 8:35pm

At the performance I attended (I can look for the exact date later on my ticket) a woman did yell out from the back of the Dress Circle. 

O'Brien (Reed Birney) asks Winston (Tom Sturridge) something along the lines of "What does the future look like?" And the woman shouted "The future is in Women!" Reed paused for a second and let her continue, which she did for about another comment or so, and then he asked "Where do you think you are?" and went on with the show. Very professional, but you can tell he was stunned. 

The ushers kept getting asked if that was part of the play, but confirmed it was indeed not! 

I did notice some people leave from the orchestra, but nothing more than that. Loved the show and enjoyed my first experience at the Hudson!

[comets]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 8:50pm

On the day that I saw it, a few weeks ago the a/c was broken in the theatre. The usher said they had been fixing it all day. I sat in the rear mezzanine and everyone was fanning themselves the entire time. People were walking out so I wasn't sure if it was due to the show or the heat. I hated the show though, it still felt like it dragged and Sturridge's annunciation annoyed me to death. It was graphic but I was already feeling uncomfortable anyway. 

Updated On: 7/18/17 at 08:50 PM

[Mediamaven2]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 9:32pm

friend of mine saw it in previews. knew the orwell book but nothing much about the production. she and her companion walked out in the middle. and i think she told me they were in the middle of the orchestra, having to say "excuse me" to a bunch of people. nothing discreet about it. 

 i haven't seen it yet but will. i will also - unlike my friend - be 'prepared' so i am sure my experience will be different. my friend (and her companion that evening) see lots of theater...from what I recall, I think she said to me something to the effect of:  it was too much, long stressful day at work and really didn't want to sit through such unpleasantness going on in front of her on the stage (the torture). she was surprised/unprepared for the staging/presentation. she could explain better than that but that was the gist. i think if she had waited for more word of mouth/reviews she might have attended it in a different mindset and sat through it-or else not gone at all.

[egnarotsew]

Posted: 7/18/17 at 10:41pm

KillingTime said: "At the performance I attended (I can look for the exact date later on my ticket) a woman did yell out from the back of the Dress Circle. 

The ushers kept getting asked if that was part of the play, but confirmed it was indeed not! 

 

Something similar happened when I went.  When Winston was asked what year it is a woman shouted "It's 2017 and it's terrible!"

I sat in the lotto seats which are in the front row.  I couldn't see how the audience was reacting but I could sure hear the people directly behind me laughing, groaning, and repeatedly asking each other what they were watching.  They definitely made it on to my list of worst audience members.

  

Updated On: 7/18/17 at 10:41 PM

[JPeterman]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 12:09am

I saw it this past Saturday.  I liked it.  I read the book in high school ages ago and didnt remember much, so I reread it the week before I saw the show .... I think that helped.  If you are planning on seeing the show, try to read up on it a bit.  The first chapter of the book and the glossary at the end are particularly helpful.  

 

The torture scene was not nearly as horrific as I expected.  Our audience was well-behaved.  It got a standing ovation fairly quickly, at least from what I could see.

[bk]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 4:39am

Do you people honestly not understand what PR bullcrap is?  This has been done for many decades this kind of thing and guess what?  It always works - hence this thread and the other threads.  No one has fainted or vomited but it makes good copy and keeps the show alive.  They did it when the film of The Exorcist came out - it was BS then and it's BS now.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 8:08am

Can't say whether it's bullcrap or not, but I'm sure it's extremely exaggerated. 

 

I've seen it twice and only witnessed one departure and that was of a young girl and her mum.