A drum. A drum. MACBETH doth come.- Page 2

[Wynbish]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:48pm

It's interesting how the three in "when shall we three meet again" has almost shifted to mean the patient and the two doctors, in this production of it.

[Michelle4]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 4:39pm

Has anyone watched this from the rear mezz? Would that be too far for this show? Any insight appreciated!

Updated On: 4/8/13 at 04:39 PM

[DEClarke]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 6:02pm

I would love to see this. I'm sad I won't be able to make it to NYC to see it.

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 6:21pm

WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel, I probably won't be seeing this until June, possibly late June, so hopefully someone else can share if there has been any changes from last year's production.

Does anyone know if there is any chance of this extending? Looks like the theatre is free, but I am not sure if Alan Cumming is.

[Movidude742]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 11:51pm

I saw it tonight from the front Mezz. I don't think much would be lost from rear mezz. a fair portion of the action is tracked by 3 security cameras so some of the facial expression is clearly visible from the furthest seats.

I loved the piece, but I do agree that it certainly helps to have a certain familiarity going in.

Oh do keep an eye on the monitors throughout . . . there is at least one surprise hidden there.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 11:53pm

Anyone try the $30 under 30 rush? I plan on visiting very soon and this is at the top of my list.

[Michelle4]

Posted: 4/9/13 at 12:20am

Good to hear about the cameras. I'm glad I'll still be able to see his facial expressions from rear mezz. I love how quirky he can be. Thanks Movidude!

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 4/9/13 at 7:45am

It's great to hear about the cameras! I'll be seeing it from the rear mezz, as well, on Friday. I honestly don't remember the last time I was this excited to see a show!

[trentsketch]

Posted: 4/9/13 at 7:55am

I'll be in the rear mez tonight. I'll be sure to let you all know how the view is. Cameras would help, but I have a feeling that Cumming of all actors will be readable from a good distance.

[BWFan101]

Posted: 4/9/13 at 7:21pm

Loved it! I felt like I was going to have a panic attack for most of the show as it was so very intense. I am officially obsessed with Alan Cumming!

[trentsketch]

Posted: 4/9/13 at 11:18pm

Rear mezzanine is not bad at all. There are a few moments where I couldn't quite make out what Alan Cumming was doing onstage with a few smaller hand props but it didn't interfere at all. The production was designed to be seen from anywhere in the house. If you have opera glasses or binoculars you use for theater/opera, bring them. Use them in the first scene and whenever the doctor and orderly interact with him. The rest is clear enough.

Tonight it ran 1 hour 43 minutes, no intermission, and Cumming had to come out for extra bows at least twice. I had a bus to catch so I couldn't stay to see when the audience ended the much-deserved standing ovation. He is phenomenal in this.

The original scoring is really great, too. There is not a silent moment onstage because either synth drones--think 1940s throwback horror films with processed rather than orchestral strings--or actual melodic strings were used nonstop. There's one really annoying lighting cue--a bare lightbulb reflected in an onstage mirror--that actually makes it painful to look at the action onstage; it needs a gel, a filter, or something to take the edge off. The sound effects for doors opening and closing are timed perfectly but sound really artificial like the original Silent Hill game on the Playstation.

The hospital and one man show conceits works really well for the most part. I think a few of the one-and-done character scenes--the guards outside the castle, especially--could be trimmed or reblocked for better clarity but they're a minor distraction in a piece that otherwise works so well. I only hope that when the Tony award nominations happen they recognize more than just Cumming. The show wouldn't work without that set, that lighting, that score, and that direction. To just recognize Alan Cumming would serve as a great injustice to a brilliant piece of theater.

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 4/10/13 at 8:35am

trentsketch, he did extra bows when he played at the LC Rose Hall as well and of course they were well deserved but I also think he needs them. He gets so intense in character that it took him some time to break character and smile back at the audience. At least that is how it appeared when I was there.

On a side note, last year in an interview, he talked about how much he loves Macbeth, how he even stepped in played in Sleep No More, surprising a few who recognized him.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 4/10/13 at 11:45am

Anyone know where the rush seats are located? I'm assuming the boxes like they did for Death of a Salesman, but I just wanted to be sure.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/11/13 at 3:55pm

Thanks all for the reviews. It sounds stunning.

Is there any chance of this extending? Coming in late July and wish this was still playing. I am not sure if anything is going into the theatre soon after this or what Alan’s schedule is (or, even how well tickets are selling).

[hak5]

Posted: 4/12/13 at 11:48am

seeing in early June, can not wait!

i'd like to know what merch [if any] they sell...

and if they have magnets: are they lucite type?

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 4/12/13 at 5:05pm

This link is for the merchandise that the Macbeth website routes you to. I'm seeing the show tonight, so I can let you know what they're selling at the theatre, if anything is different.
Macbeth merch

[BroadwayStore.com]

Posted: 4/12/13 at 5:09pm

That is all the merchandise they have at the theatre. Eventually, there will be a t-shirt with the poster art, as well as a book. And the magnets are NOT the lucite type.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 1:34pm

Just saw in that link above the audio recording of Cumming doing “Macbeth” – didn’t know this existed. As I will most likely not get to see this (unless it miraculously gets extended!), has anyone listened to this recording? How does it compare with the performance and would it be worth purchasing?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:29pm

Then the two doctors enter and they sedate him and put him in bed. He looks at them and repeats what he says at the beginning "When shall we three meet again?" as if this story plays on an endless loop in this warped mind. Blackout.

I got chills reading that as well, Whizzer.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 3:59am

I was super excited to see this tonight since I missed it when it was at Lincoln Center and it did not disappoint. Cumming is truly brilliant in this, and that's not a word I generally throw around. The work he's doing is really marvelous, and the whole production supports him. After seeing John Tiffany's work on this and on Once, I think he's one of the most exciting directors around. He's really imaginative and creative but his concepts never get in the way of the work of the performers, which is a difficult thing to achieve. I think Whizzer pretty much covered everything I could possibly have to say, but if you can make it to this production, see it. The one caveat is that it's helpful to know the play going in, so I'd suggest reading it or at least reading a good synopsis or you might be a bit confused as to who is who (although Cumming does some pretty great physical and vocal distinctions for each character).

The final moments were, as Whizzer described, chilling. I was shaking as I left the theater but I wanted to go back in and watch it all over again.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 9:34am

I loved this as well. I saw it on Friday with the $30 under 30 rush tickets. I was in Row C of the orchestra, extreme side. The view was all right for most of the stage, but the sink was completely blocked and the bathtub was mostly blocked, and there are some crucial scenes that happen at each. But the two seats next to me were empty, so after ten minutes, I moved over and had a great view for the rest of the show. The boxes, at least the one I could see, seemed to be kept empty for the techies. I don't know if they will stay there after opening.

There is a pretty good synopsis in the Playbill, so if you are unfamiliar with the play, get there early and read your Playbill.

Updated On: 4/16/13 at 09:34 AM

[trentsketch]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 10:02am

The right boxes had people in them when I saw the show. The left boxes were just for tech.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 11:12am

Ah, okay. I was on house right, so I could only see the left boxes. Thanks!

[Michelle4]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 9:58am

Wow! Saw this last night and I loved it! I sat in rear side Mezz E and the view was great. I got in early and read the synopsis and was able to follow along even with minimal prior exposure to Macbeth. It was actually fun trying to recognize which character he was portraying and forced the audience to listen carefully to his words- so much so that there were several long periods where you could have heard a pin drop in the entire house. I would love to go back to see it again just to catch what I might have missed the first time around.