A few thoughts on BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS

I guess any commentary is moot now, but if there's any justice in the theatrical world, the show wouldn't be closing tomorrow.

It really is a splendid production, a joy from start to finish. I was more taken by the work of the younger cast members - Noah Robbins, Alexandra Socha, Gracie Lawrence and Santino Fontana - than the adults, but Laura Metcalf, Denis Boutsikaris and Jessica Hecht shine, as well.

Robbins and Fontana have a very lovely rapport, and there scenes are probably some of the most genuine I've seen on stage in a long time.

David Cromer did a fine job with the play, the laughs are there, but now there's heart, too.

This isn't a situation like AMERICAN BUFFALO last year, with general miscasting and misdirection. Here you have something really special that people just had no desire to see.

Glad you liked it, yankee. It's a really strong production; it deserved a much longer run.

According to the gross reports, the show peaked at 60.9% capacity this past week, but the average ticket price never even reached $30. Basically, the majority of audience members were comped.

Because the Arts & Leisure gets printed on Tuesday night.

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I saw it yesterday (matinee) and it was my favorite show so far this season. I need to see Ragtime again I think to LOVE it but now this is my favorite.

On the other hand, a production of BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS that presents the play as if it were high tragedy can't really expect to run for too long.

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The night I saw BBM it came off like Odets, earnest family melodrama with only occasonal sprinkled laughs. I'm not glad it is closing by any means, but I can't be terribly surprised that a show that so completely confounds the audience's expectation of being even remotely entertained is closing.

I'm sorry to be missing Laurie Metcalf's performance in BROADWAY BOUND.

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Roscoe - the production received a lot of laughs when I saw it, so perhaps it was simply a question of the company gelling with the material. At any rate, I do think word of mouth on the show was good. I truly think this is one of those sad, rare instances in which a good production met with good reviews and good word of mouth just couldn't find an audience.

God I wish I had been able to get to NYC to see this production before it closed.

Thank god for bootlegs.

Oh please. The only shows that routinely get standing ovations are musicals. And half the time I have to stand just out of obligation.

I think it would have helped for sure. As with anything, you have to strike while interest is still fresh in people's minds. The idea of actually running the shows in rep seems to have been fairly poorly laid out. More like - lets get the first one open and worry about the other one later as opposed to really trying to sell the two as one event.

I agree. I was holding out to see them both like back to back.

"More like - lets get the first one open and worry about the other one later as opposed to really trying to sell the two as one event."

That worked for Angels in America. But then again, that was ages ago.

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