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#26

ART Previews

Posted: 8/29/25 at 10:24pm

I've never quite gotten this play, in a way that I do understand the success of the playwright's God and Carnage, which has a kind of Upper West Side playground relatability. But I've never heard anyone mention Art without a smile. And it's been done in something like 172 languages, so who am I to resist? But I will resist, since I've seen all three of these actors on stage and these prices are not in my range for a revival with actors I've seen. I suspect it will be a whopping hit and get more smiles and many of us will not feel bad that we missed it.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

#27

ART Previews

Posted: 8/30/25 at 11:15am

Since the show hasn't been papering or discounting, I take it no one on this board has actually seen it yet?

#28

ART Previews

Posted: 8/30/25 at 12:13pm

I try to be positive - however, James does not make it easy.

#29

ART Previews

Posted: 8/30/25 at 12:15pm

KrupYou said: "I try to be positive."

Do you??

#30

ART Previews

Posted: 8/30/25 at 8:06pm

It’s been discounted at TKTS every day so far.

#31

ART Previews

Posted: 9/2/25 at 11:13pm

I caught the preview tonight. The production is in great shape, and James Corden's big speech brought down the house. Overall a solid production of a play that I was not familiar with. Loved the casting--brilliant choices and direction.

For those looking for cheap tickets, well they do have rush tickets. A friend was generous and offered to line up about 6:30am. First in line and got side orchestra row F. Great view and not obstructed.

#32

ART Previews

Posted: 9/3/25 at 11:44am

mridley2 said: " First in line and got side orchestra row F. Great view and not obstructed."

Do you recommend house left or right? Which side has the possibility of greater obstruction?

Thanks

#33

ART Previews

Posted: 9/3/25 at 1:31pm

As noted, the first 3 performances of the week are on TKTS, Tuesday night, both shows today. It's at least a (more) affordable way to see it, though I'm still appalled that a TKTS seat can be $125-$150, as this one is, or $170 for Maybe Happy Ending, now back on TKTS for the first 3 shows this week, too.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

#34

ART Previews

Posted: 9/3/25 at 5:45pm

gibsons2 said: "mridley2 said: "First in line and got side orchestra row F. Great view and not obstructed."

Do you recommend house left or right? Which side has the possibility of greater obstruction?

Thanks"

We sat in house left Row F and had no obstruction. The "set" is really all very center and all action takes place in the main part of the stage. I can't imagine either side is obstructed. That said the "main door" entrance is on the right so you might miss a very brief entrance sitting in house right but all the action takes place in the center.

#35

ART Previews

Posted: 9/4/25 at 9:00am

I'm curious from anyone who's seen this: Is Corden using an American or British accent? Obviously the characters are French, but in the past it's been customary for the actors to take on the "local" accent when doing a production in English.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#36

ART Previews

Posted: 9/4/25 at 8:53pm

Each actor is performing in their natural accent. Corden = British.

#37

ART Previews

Posted: 9/10/25 at 10:37pm

NPH is the weakest of the three. Don’t really know why Corden would want to play such a small character. Cannavale is the most enjoyable to watch, corden does what he can with a thankless role. No mics, I wanted the sound to be much clearer. I was in the 5th row, I don’t know how anyone heard in the mezz.

i think I enjoyed the play more than the production. The main flaw is the lack of chemistry between the three of them. NPH pats Corden on the shoulder and it’s so mechanical. The secret sauce is missing for sure.

#38

ART Previews

Posted: 9/10/25 at 11:46pm

The Bandstand said: "NPH is the weakest of the three. Don’t really know why Corden would want to play such a small character. Cannavale is the most enjoyable to watch, corden does what he can with a thankless role. No mics, I wanted the sound to be much clearer. I was in the 5th row, I don’t know how anyone heard in the mezz.

Thankless? Everything I've read describes the Corden part to be the plumb part.

#39

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 12:03am

Oh no, definitely not. He’s a supporting character and doesn’t do much other than chime in every once in a while. He’s supposed to be the comedic relief. Most of the show is Cannavale and NPH going at it. Bobby Cannavale is playing a somewhat similar character as he did in Here We Are, more middle class, republican “man of his time” vibes and Neil Patrick Harris is playing a progressive liberal elite.

Corden is the working class character in the play which describes him as being a push over but NPH sounds and looks like a (whiny) pushover. Honestly, I think Corden and NPH should switch roles, but I guess Corden wants a rebrand?

Updated On: 9/11/25 at 12:03 AM

#40

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 12:20am

Isnt Corden playing the part that earned Alfred Molina a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk award?

#41

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 12:23am

Alfred Molina won the Drama Desk for feature. Lost the Tony in lead.

Updated On: 9/11/25 at 12:23 AM

#42

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 12:25pm

I’m sure the original production was better. This revival is just lacking chemistry and excitement. Bobby Cannavale walks all over Neil Patrick Harris in this when I feel NPH should be holding his own. He should be a condescending snob and he comes out looking like a weak duck. Like I said, Corden and NPH should switch roles but Corden wants to look like a man of the people after the Balthazar incident

#43

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 12:41pm

I saw this last night and, much like a puzzle, once you start getting the different personality components of these characters laid bare by the introduction of a polarizing painting, then everything starts to come together and you’re in for a very good, if not great evening of theatre. Once Corden has his big monologue about his tardiness, that’s when things really start to take off. Cannavale holds his own as the strong sort-of cultural elder statesman, and NPH as his “protege” of sorts, and watching them unite and break apart while engaging with Corden (decidedly neutral, and thus making a very good, if unwitting, puppetmaster) is a strong exercise in ensemble dynamics. In a show like this, you have three stars who are each very distinct, but can outshine each other at any moment and they don’t. That’s where the magic lies, especially when know Corden to be very much a ham and could craft Yvan in a way that makes him the focal point and derail everything. I think Corden is actually really worth the trip to see since he is really flexing a LOT of the comedy muscles here that we found enjoyable and endeared us to him in the first place.

You can see why this is a popular play all over the world - Yasmina Reza is a master of the comedy of manners without the manners. Everyone is polite and civil, but with the acid on their tongue and knives behind their back ready at a moment’s notice.

They also all came out the stage door. Very nice - signed and took pictures with everyone. They also were quite chatty and loved to discuss the play with anyone. (There were the usual autograph hunters, but whatever).

Check out my eBay page for sales on Playbills!! www.ebay.com/usr/missvirginiahamm

#44

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 3:19pm

I wasn’t that into Corden. I thought he faded away in the background which is what the play intended for. Looking forward to hearing other people’s reactions. Is it worth seeing? Not really. Do I think it’s worth spending a lot of money for? Definitely not.

#45

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 3:21pm

The Bandstand said: "Like I said, Corden and NPH should switch roles but Corden wants to look like a man of the people after the Balthazar incident"

I have to firmly disagree here - NPH put the right amount of condescension and snobbishness into Serge. He plays the “liberal elite” archetype very well (even in the awful SH*T. Meet. Fan. last year) and you want a Serge that can go toe to toe with Marc, but not match Marc’s hotheaded energy. Otherwise you have them sniping at each other and Yvan wouldn’t serve a purpose as the neutral party. If Corden was Serge, I think he would be more prone to match Cannavale’s hotheaded energy, and I can’t picture NPH as the overstressed and clearly whipped Yvan.

Check out my eBay page for sales on Playbills!! www.ebay.com/usr/missvirginiahamm

#46

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 3:26pm

Didn’t NPH sing I’m calm from Forum? He did a nice job with it if I remember. I wanted someone to match Mark, Harris is just so lightweight. Pushover

#47

ART Previews

Posted: 9/11/25 at 4:12pm

I thought this was a disappointment. The direction is so languid and ill-suited to the material - the pacing was far too sleepy.

Cannavale was the weakest link for me. NPH was fine, if miscast, and Corden fared the best by a mile.

All in all (and unfortunately) another shiny star vehicle with not much of note going on under the hood.

#48

ART Previews

Posted: 9/12/25 at 10:40am

The Bandstand said: "Didn’t NPH sing I’m calm from Forum? He did a nice job with it if I remember. I wanted someone to match Mark, Harris is just so lightweight. Pushover"

I don’t think doing one song from Forum is good indicator of carrying a 100-minute play.

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#49

ART Previews

Posted: 9/14/25 at 11:29am

The Art of Making Yasmina Reza's 'Art' is Putting a Higher Price on It

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/yasmina-reza-art-play-putting-a-higher-price-on-it-1234751691/

#50

ART Previews

Posted: 9/14/25 at 1:27pm

My mom saw it yesterday. She thought the play was just OK but loved Corden's monologue. All three actors stage doored at the matinee

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