I just saw this production as few days ago, and am still trying to unpack it. And not in a good way. There were many wonderful moments scattered throughout (some actors stronger than others) but the pacing and rhythm felt disjointed and some directorial choices were bizarre that did not work for me. I understand Sam Gold trying to make the experience more immersive but it just did not work for me.
The singing at the top of the show was lovely as actors lit the lanterns and candles but then the drunkard sing song became cringe when it was used continuously for transitions.
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The 5 minute 'pause' where the modern day bar lowers from the ceiling and select audience members are invited onstage did not work for me. It felt more like a disruption and as a result the whole rhythm of the show grinded to a halt and never fully recovered.
At one point during the second half I actually muttered out loud "what the hell is going on?"
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The pretzels and paper cups of shots handed out to folks onstage are not a good idea. They are clearly told not to bring anything back to their seats but everyone did which caused even more chaos.
At one point a guy brought his snack back to the 'standing room' section right behind my seated row and began munching on them like Cookie Monster. It was awful. I also remember laughing out loud at a few moments that were suppose to be serious. It was not a good experience. But alas, they are still in previews and a lot is probably still being worked out in terms of direction and pacing. It felt a bit like the twilight zone for me, as I would constantly look around the audience to assess reactions and it look very mixed. The audience leapt to their feet at the end and I was left scratching my head.
Updated On: 3/5/24 at 01:54 PM