THE ICEMAN COMETH (2018) Previews- Page 2

[kennin]

Posted: 3/23/18 at 11:57pm

metalmeatwad said: "are there rush or standing room tickets available?"

When picking up our tickets for tonight, I heard the guy at the box office tell someone that there are $40 partial view seats that go on sale when the box office opens. 

[Regem10]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 2:08am

This is my first time post but have been a longtime message board viewer.  But since I happen to be in the city for the weekend, and attended the first preview, I am excited to post my thoughts....for whatever they’re worth.  Going into this, I thought it was going to be a slogfest. Surprisingly though the piece kept my attention throughout its 4 hr runtime.  I am not very familiar with any of the iterations of this work and purposely tried to avoid all information relating to it so I could go into it fresh.  My understanding of the plot as a whole was clear but certain key lines were lost under whispered/hushed delivery particularly from Morse.  Denzel played a great character but kept many of his Denzel mannerisms (hitting of a baseball motion) which sometimes was distracting but sometimes also fit.  The real standout for me though was Colm Meaney who It was great to see live after his Cat On Hot A Tin Roof NTL performance.  He sported a heavy accent but all of his lines were clear and had crisp diction.  I hope he gets nominated come Tony time.  Although initially hesitant I am glad I saw it and would like to read analysis of its themes and symbolism to fully understand the work.

[The Other One]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 6:42am

metalmeatwad said: "are there rush or standing room tickets available?"

I hope you are under 30, because if ever there was a play you would want to think twice about getting standing room for....

 

[rg7759]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 7:19am

They were promised leftover set pieces from frozen if they waited till after their opening night

[CoercedBull]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 9:34am

Thanks for all these reports, y'all. Glad to hear the show seems to be in good shape at this crazy early stage.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 10:16am

Two questions:

- Is the stage high?

- Have they taken out any seats in the orchestra, specifically dowm front?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 10:55am

Call_me_jorge said: "Sorry, but can someone post the Instagram location tag for the Bernard b Jacobs theatre? I can’t get it to show up on my instagram. "

Bump

[kennin]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 11:10am

LimelightMike said: "Two questions:

- Is the stage high?

- Have they taken out any seats in the orchestra, specifically dowm front?"

 

Stage was not that high. I was in 4th row. People in the front row were not straining. Yes, they did remove seats.  Our original seats were front row but Telecharge called because they had to remove them to build out the stage. 

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 4:50pm

Now that I live in LA, having left a lifetime of theatregoing in NYC, I am hard pressed to see another ICEMAN. The Spacey production years ago, was indeed a slog, but Lane and Dennehy at BAM were pretty amazing. Just not sure I need another ICEMAN when my trip to NYC in the late spring will be rushed enough with other shows (BOYS IN THE BAND, MY FAIR LADY) that I feel are must-sees.

But eager to hear what others think of this production.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/25/18 at 12:41am

Saw the show tonight, and I agree it's in great shape! 

I saw the production at BAM a few years ago - which is my only other point of reference for the play, besides having read it a long time ago. The BAM production obviously had an excellent cast, but I think this one might have exceeded it - just by a hair. The supporting cast is consistently wonderful (with a few minor exceptions), each shining in their respective moments. Morse was a very understated Larry, which I thought worked brilliantly, and made him feel even more genuinely broken down by the world. Denzel does not have the same "larger than life" quality that Lane has, but I think Denzel out-acted Lane in terms of nuance and emotion. His final monologue was absolutely stunning - for me, the highlight of the production, and worth the price of admission. Lane was far too shouty and over-the-top in his rendition of Act 4, IMO, whereas Denzel quietly breaks down in his desperate attempt to make us understand his actions. 

The only thing I miss from the BAM production was the epic and beautiful set design, and the fascinating lighting. The sets in this production were fine, but not nearly as jaw-dropping as the ones at BAM. 

The show ran about 3h and 55m tonight - just 5 minutes past their posted running time. According to an actor I spoke with after the show, they did cut the text, which I didn't know was allowed, but it accounts for the shorter run-tine. I'm not familiar with the play enough to say what they cut, but I did find the play tighter and less eye-rollingly long. 

Heads up: they say there are only 2 intermissions, but between acts 2 and 3 there was also a 5-minute pause, which was a nice surprise. 

I got to the box office around noon today. I was told they sold out of the $40 rush pretty much right away (apparently there were about 10). But she offered me a "2nd tier" rush, which was $79, with a better view, and I ended up springing for it. Row I of the orchestra on the isle. I was a little worried because it was still marked "partial view," but I could see almost everything just fine, without even any heads blocking the way. It was a great seat after all! 

Updated On: 3/25/18 at 12:41 AM

[kevinr]

Posted: 3/25/18 at 2:34pm

I would assume the stage door would be extremely busy after the show.  After a show that length, did Denzel (or any other cast members) sign or take photos?  

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/25/18 at 3:42pm

I do not have tickets for this show.  I have read the play several times and consider it a great work.  I have, however, only seen it live once, at the Circle in the Square in the 70s, in a production that starred James Earl Jones.  I remember being bored out of my mind, to the point where -- 45 years later -- I still kid about it with the two people with whom I saw it lo those many years ago...we still generally use that production as the barometer / benchmark for comparing subsequent performances at which we have also been very bored, i.e., was it as much torture as The Iceman Cometh?  

I have always assumed that the length and dreariness of the subject render this a better read than viewing, at least for me.  But I also wonder whether the production I saw was just a bad one..  It may be too early in previews to ask this question, but here goes anyway.  Has anyone on this board seen that production and this one?  If so, do you remember what you thought of that one and what did you think of this one?

Part of me thinks that I should just see it, but the other part thinks it will cost a lot, it will take up a valuable trip 'slot', and 4 hours is a long time to commit (although I clearly recall that the prior production began at 7 and ended at 12:05, so it could have just been really badly paced).  Feedback appreciated.

PS -- I have generally loved other O'Neill productions that I have seen, including at least 4 productions of LDJIN that I can recall, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Strange Interlude, More Stately Mansions, The Great God Brown.  I have seen two productions of A Touch off the Poet, and have been bored both times.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 11:29am

Denzel and George C Wolfe TimesTalk tickets are on sale, if anyone's interested: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/10266210

April 15 at 2p

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 11:48am

I have to admit that I do not stage door; however, on a few occasions, my wife has wanted to...for Richard Chamberlain, Judi Dench, and Denzel.  The first two were clearly years ago.  Denzel was for A Raisin in the Sun.  I remember wondering whether someone was going to get killed with the mess that was occurring outside of the Barrymore.  People were on both sides of 47th St., and many ended up plunking themselves in the middle of the street, causing traffic to completely halt.  The only other time I saw this was for Julia Roberts, when I was leaving something at the Music Box.

45th St. is much more 'congested' than 47th St., viv-a-vis theatre numbers and concentration.  I am wondering whether his not stage dooming has something to do with that.  Of course, given Iceman's length, everything else may already be out when it exits, so I may be off-base.

[bfreak]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 1:04pm

Denzel in the past would come out and shake hands and say hello, but not do pictures or autographs. Honestly, I wouldn't expect him to come out for this show, especially given its length and how tiring it probably is. Not that he needs to come out at all.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 1:16pm

I have friends who work in the business and Denzel is definitely not very fan friendly. He's like Nathan Lane in that he puts his energy into performances but does not want to be intruded upon after performances for anything. Nothing wrong with that of course just an FYI for anyone who is going to Iceman Cometh and wants to stage door.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 3:13pm

I can’t blame them. All those hours on stage and then signing playbills and fending off demands for selfies with tragic types dribbling on them at stage door? Nope. See ya.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 3:28pm

JBroadway said: "Denzel though, did indeed sneak out for real."

I can't imagine Denzel would go out of his way to avoid anything like this. If he doesn't want to sign, the security will say so, and he'll just get in his car.

[bfreak]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 3:35pm

Anyways, any further reports on the show itself? So excited to see this in early May!

[wolfwriter]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 5:30pm

Just popped up on TDF for 2 dates.

[bstoll1]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 7:10pm

Thanks for sharing!

[smidge]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 7:32pm

poisonivy2 said: "I have friends who work in the business and Denzel is definitely not very fan friendly. He's like Nathan Lane in that he puts his energy into performances but does not want to be intruded upon after performances for anything. Nothing wrong with that of course just an FYI for anyone who is going to Iceman Cometh and wants to stage door."

I also would be surprised if he stuck around after Iceman. But Denzel provided the most unique stage door experience I ever saw during his Julius Caesar run. For those that were waiting, they formed a line and Denzel would sign and take a picture with each person in line.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 7:39pm

The two shows, Raisin and Fences, I have "stagedoored", he was very friendly.  He signed and took pictures.  Not for everybody, unfortunately.  It is not like he went straight to his car and had zero interaction.

Updated On: 3/27/18 at 07:39 PM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 8:19pm

The first act just ended. I can see what O’Neil is trying to achieve here, and I’m positive it resonated with the audience back when the play was written. The content of bantering just seems quite dated now, and i do agree it would be a lot better to be read than seen.

[CoercedBull]

Posted: 3/28/18 at 12:33am

Just got home from this and enjoyed it. It's a good, solid production that occasionally borders on great. Denzel really shines - he had to ask for a couple of lines in the humongous final monologue, but it didn't take me out of his performance one bit, he was so in character and committed. Most everyone performs that monologue in a rage, but his performance is so subtle and nuanced - it gave me chills. The rest of his performance was exactly right for the character - unsettling in the most charming way, and hinting at something deeper all the time. I loved his mannerisms and the general energy he brought to the role. If it weren't for the Angels shoe-ins, he'd likely win a Tony for his work.

Most of the other performances were good, with no one else really shining or particularly standing out like that. The only actor I didn't like was the actor playing Parritt, who felt a bit too wooden and one-dimensional. His character is arguably the only one who undergoes any sort of permanent change, yet he sort of maintained the same energy the whole show. 

The stage design is interesting. Not sure how I feel about it. I won't spoil it (and it's not all THAT exciting), but it's a choice.

And, I think O'Neill's play still feels really vibrant today, actually. I was happy to see it performed, having read it several times before. 

All in all, the show's in a good place! If you're a fan of O'Neill or Washington or Wolfe (I quite like all three), it's worth seeing. It certainly did not feel like a four hour production, and it's a play that's easy to make into a slog, I think.

Also, when I went to pick up my tickets, they offered me an free upgrade. Our tix were in rear mezz and they offered me partial view orchestra. I turned them down and then they offered me way better seats in the orchestra, which I accepted. Seems like they were just desperate to fill up the orchestra section, and I was happy for the enormous upgrade. I reckon the tickets we wound up with would have cost me double what we actually paid, which is pretty great.