Just in case you haven't already seen this: It appears that Tony voters were sent a video of the highly emotional final five minutes of Part One of "The Inheritance."
Warning: If you didn't see "The Inheritance" on Broadway or in London and are looking forward to seeing the play in a future production, you may not want to watch this key sequence.
Thank you. This translates better to screen than I had anticipated and I hope they find a way to film the whole thing one day.
I must admit I wasn’t sure I bought into the hype when I saw it. However, I want to read this now as the current pandemic has made me reflect a lot on HIV/AIDS. It’s such a cliche that everyone says their theatre is ‘more relevant than ever’ but I can’t help but feel it’s especially true of this piece.
I am trying to consume as many documentaries, news reels, interviews, films and stories on this as I can to try and make it seem real as opposed to just a historic fact gone by - I try to but it’s hard to imagine how truly terrible, scary and sad it must have been to be part of the gay community during the 80s and 90s.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
The clip is marvelous. Wasn't one of the recurring complaints of this play that this particular piece of writing was exceptional and this quality wasn't maintained throughout the piece? Some reviews also mentioned that this moment in the show wasn't earned by the previous scenes and felt manipulative. I'm not saying that is true, but based on what I read I feel the play's reception in NYC was lukewarm at best. I wonder what that was about.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
I'm sorry, I don't understand how something so big and mystical could happen at the end of Evening One and then be chuffed off as "nothing" when we open Evening Two. Bad. Playwrighting. Bad.
But also, I didn't buy it when it happened, though people were sobbing around me.
Owen22 said: "I'm sorry, I don't understand how something so big and mystical could happen at the end of Evening One and then be chuffed off as "nothing" when we open Evening Two. Bad. Playwrighting. Bad.
But also, I didn't buy it when it happened, though people were sobbing around me."
THIS ^^
The fact that it is barely acknowledged in part 2 is honestly beyond words
Bettyboy72 said: "The clip is marvelous.Wasn't one of the recurring complaints of this play that this particular piece of writing was exceptionaland this quality wasn't maintained throughout the piece? Somereviewsalso mentioned that this moment in the show wasn't earnedby the previous scenes and felt manipulative. I'm not saying that is true, but based on what I read I feel the play's reception in NYC was lukewarm at best. I wonder what that was about.
"
From what I remember [caveat being I saw it once only at the Young Vic so have no idea what changed], the tone was much like the difference between the High School and Mother/Daughter scenes in Carrie. Sometimes you get 'Angels in America' and other times you get a kind of 'Grindr the soap opera' with a lot of young gayz whining about.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
A beautifully filmed clip! I saw the show on what turned out to be the last night of Broadway, and they were filming it that night but I don't know for what purpose.
If you don't realize just how much Stephen Daldry's direction meant to the production, this is how that scene is written in the published script:
Man: I'm sorry. I thought you were Walter for a moment. You have his way of walking around the house.
Eric: I'm Eric.
Man: Eric Glass?
Eric: Yes, that's right. How did you-
[Suddenly, the various rooms of the house start to fill with young men. The house is filled with ghosts.]
Man: It's so nice to finally meet you. We've heard so much about you.
Eric: Me? Who are you?
Man: I'm Peter.
Eric: Peter?
Man: Peter West. I'm a friend of Walter's. Welcome home, Eric.
[End of Part One]
"What- and quit show business?" - the guy shoveling elephant shit at the circus.
If I recall correctly The Inheritance was scheduled to close that weekend (March 15th) but due to pandemic its last performance would be March 10th. Good thing they filmed that day!
IronMan said: "If you don't realize just how much Stephen Daldry'sdirection meant to the production, this is how that scene is written in the published script:
I didn't much like this play (I enjoyed a lot of Evening One, but as I stated, hated the end and didn't like most anything in Evening Two). But I have to agree. it was BEAUTIFULLY directed.
Seeing this play with mediocre direction, as many people will after the pandemic, will be f'ing tourture!!
There’s a part of me that thinks maybe this particular clip was released so that future productions will know how to stage it, instead of just how it’s written in the script.
Jordan Catalano said: "There’s a part of me that thinks maybe this particular clip was released so that future productions will know how to stage it, instead of just how it’s written in the script. "
Good call Jordan. I think you’re right. Hopefully it would inform how they approached the whole piece too.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
Jordan Catalano said: "There’s a part of me that thinks maybe this particular clip was released so that future productions will know how to stage it, instead of just how it’s written in the script."
And there's a part of me that thinks this particular clip was released as a ploy to remind Tony voters of the most emotional and arguably best part of a 6 hour production.
It was certainly a coup de theatre, but one that, in my opinion, was not supported by the rest of the play.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Jordan Catalano said: "There’s a part of me that thinks maybe this particular clip was released so that future productions will know how to stage it, instead of just how it’s written in the script. "
Eh, it’s Tony voting week so this was 100% released to campaign & entice voters. Hit them with a reminder of the most emotional moment of the show to try and inspire votes.
jvoom said: "I'm curious as to who played the "spirits" at the end of part one? Were they understudies?"
It was a group of Equity "extras", which I didn't really know about until seeing this. Ushers gave an insert with their names after the show. I remember seeing an audition notice for The Lehman Trilogy that they were also employing an "extras" contract for a few roles.