AMERICAN PSYCHO Previews — Page 10

WhizzerMarvin said: "I want to reaffirm that although I feel strongly about the importance of conveying completely the depths of Patrick's depravity, I did think many of the other aspects of the show were in good shape. I guess to make an analogy, if you are trying to make some cookies and you have basically the right amounts of flour, sugar, eggs, etc but forget to add that tsp of baking powder it might seem like an error you can live with until you pull the cookie sheet out of the oven and realize that little teaspoon was responsible for making the cookies rise and not remain flat. Right now I think American Psycho is a flat cookie. It's still more than edible, but a pinch of the needed ingredient could transform it into some amazing. "


Great analogy. Thanks Whizzer. I've gotten that same vibe from lots of people I've talked to.

Is the cast taking pictures?

I agree with a lot of Whizzer's thoughts on the show. Saw it last night (Tues.). I feel like the show went for too many laughs. It should have started to turn, and stay, dark when he took the prostitutes home. Not sure how they would have done the chainsaw scene but I remember just cringing when it happened in the movie. Wish they had found a way to do it. I also wish they had recreated the shower scene. I remember when the movie came out and people were talking about it. With all of the creative lighting this show has, I feel it could have been done without actually using real water.



Speaking of creative lighting, the lighting in this show is off the charts. As is the set design. Just mind blowing. Along with very good direction and fun choreography, that is what keeps you engaged, along with strong performances by the entire cast. But they had the chance to really shake us up, outside of those few jolting moments that almost had me jumping out of my seat, and they didn't go there. At intermission we should have been more shaken/stunned than we were. For me, the ending had the same affect as the movie but I wish they had used the movie's ending. I don't remember what happens at the end of the show happening in the movie.

Loved the song "A Girl Before". I listened to the London Cast Recording the other night and got a bit bored with it halfway through. The music is great live and I plan to revisit it.That also may be thanks to the sound design. The music sounds great live. They need to work on the mixing a bit though. Some ensemble vocals were lost and even a few lead vocals.



I say that if you have any interest in seeing it, do so. If they don't win the Tony for lighting, or at least get nominated in my opinion, something is wrong. Just my random thoughts.

See, I don't get that. She signed on knowing what the role was like....if it's ok with her, why are peeps here so irate? (and I love to watch Ripley to perform).

I was wondering when Ripley would have a song to herself or at least a lead vocal. The Playbill only lists the songs and not the characters that sing them. When Ripley does sing alone she sounds great and her voice brings a haunting mood into the scene. At least it did for me. It felt in total contrast to the voices around her so it really worked. JMO

count me in as one of those who do not understand the "outrage" surrounding the use (or lack thereof) of Alice's character.

i mean, you guys... isn't it possible that she needed a job and took what she was offered? amazing to me that fans of certain actors are upset when they disappear from Broadway but then remain just as upset if their return to Broadway isn't some starring, Tony Award worthy part. maybe she needed the paycheck and this was her only offer. who knows? either way she is on stage and in this. just enjoy and appreciate that.

sheesh!

Having seen the show a couple of times in London, the part of Bateman's mother was pretty much a non-entity at the Almeida. I am hoping to see the show in two weeks when I am in over NYC, so am only skimming this thread to avoid too many spoilers, but it looks like they haven't extended it, or if they have, not by much. Can't wait to see what they've done with the show, I loved it when it was on here.



Quick question regarding the Theatremania offers, can those be used in person at the box office as well? They don't seem to have a code on the box office part of the info. Do I just mention the same code to the box office attendant? Just being a cheapskate and trying to avoid booking fees.

I'm dying of anticipation for this. Kad and I just grabbed tickets to see it this coming Tuesday and I can't wait. It took me a little over 4 years to read the book. Those torture and murder scenes are just too damn much, in the best possible way for the novel. It should make you feel sick. It should alienate the audience. You're not paying to see a show about your friendly neighborhood serial killer. That's insane. You're paying to see a show about the American Dream gone rotten.

However, I can understand why the show - and even the movie - decided to scale back on the gore. Frankly, it's just more frightening to imagine the things being done to his victims than having it shown. I know this is probably more effective for audience members who've read the book, but it still remains that people would surely be let down by the gore that would have happened if they had gone more the book route. And having Patrick narrate those passages to us just isn't as affecting as reading the words in ink on a page. The novel, the film, and the musical all have to exist in an atmosphere that is appropriate to their medium.



I guess we'll see how I feel once I've seen it, but I'm personally looking forward to what sounds like a fresh interpretation of the material, instead of the self-serious, watered down, yet effective movie.

I don't think there's been "outrage" over Ripley's part either, but we are certainly allowed to be disappointed that a beloved Tony-winning star's return to Broadway isn't as substantial as we had hoped. I mean, I wasn't expecting Patrick's mother to somehow to take over the show and sing half the score, but one meaty scene and a juicy song couldn't have hurt.



In act two Mrs. Bateman comes into the city to meet Patrick for lunch. Patrick doesn't want to go and Jean suggests to Patrick that she will join them as a buffer. Patrick agrees, but we don't get to see any of the lunch (at Tavern on the Green). Instead it jumps to after lunch where Jean and Mrs. Bateman have a brief conversation on a Central Park bench and then sing a quick song. Maybe it would be indulgent for her fans, but perhaps show us the lunch scene and give Ripley some dialogue to chew on.

and the writers of this piece should change what they're doing or how they're doing it simply to accommodate Alice Ripley fans??? hogwash. if there is a dramatic necessity to feature Alice in another scene or her own song, it will be added during previews. if not, then so be it.

not saying you cannot complain or be disappointed that she isn't featured more. just hilarious to me that someone of your artistic and intellectual capacity would even suggest the writers should add in or change something simply to feature Ripley for the sake of featuring her. haha!

This Alice Ripley thing is so damn stupid, she took the role, she clearly wanted it, maybe she just wanted to be a part of this show. The song she sings on is one of the standouts in the show.



Wanting more gore and violence is also odd to me, AP has always been a funny satire with a deprived person at the centre, of course the musical was gonna go for more satire.

....Has anyone actually looked at Ripley's body of work since her Tony win?

This Alice Ripley thing is so damn stupid, she took the role, she clearly wanted it, maybe she just wanted to be a part of this show. The song she sings on is one of the standouts in the show.



exactly. well said. it's really a non-issue... unless you're a crazy Alice Ripley fan, apparently.