Anybody going to see MOTHER COURAGE? Post your thoughts here- Page 2

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 4:34pm

What time does the show start? 8?

What mnerchandise y'all selling?

[BluCat500]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 4:52pm

Yes, vodka's what I need, the only thing that makes staying up 24 hours in 80 degree heat better is a hangover.

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 4:57pm

We have a wide array of t-shirts: (ALL 20 dollars)
Dutch Blue ones w/ the shakepeare in the park logo (made by Devon and Jones)
White Tank Tops
Yellow Kids shirts and onesies that say "What fools these mortals be"
Neon Green Kids shirts

Hats- $27
Dog Bowls
Doggie Outfits - $30
Nalgene Bottles
Magnets- $3
Pens
Shakespeare Puppets - $10
Hoodies - $40
Tote Bags
Posters - $7
Seat Cusions
Chairs - $25

we sell stuff along the line and in the merch booth

[Just_John]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 5:02pm

When is opening night, I want to make sure I go before then??

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 5:03pm

opening night is August 21st. show is at 8pm.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 5:48pm

After hearing about this line craziness, I too am glad that I slurged and bought a sponsor ticket. I'll be seeing it the 12th!!! So excited!

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 6:52pm

I finally decided last night to go ahead and get my sponsor ticket. I go August 19th if I get my first choice of dates. After reading all this, I'm glad I splurged.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 12:39am

i'll say one thing.... it was loooong. We got out at 11:20 tonight. Whew!


Actually the last people who got tickets today were there by 9am. But they were the VERY last. Us stragglers who showed up at 930 got vouchers, which worked out amazingly. Our seats ended up having a bunch of wires and tech equipment on them so we got moved, dead center. Amazing. Great show, great production, phenomenal cast. Can't say enough good things about it. I can't gather my thoughts right now... i have to go massage my sore butt for a bit before bed.


If you really wanna see it, the waiting isn't horrible at all! It was actually very lovely and i met some very nice people. I'd say grab a friend, a towel, a deck of cards, some good snacks and coffee and brave heading down there around 830am and you're set.

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 1:54am

you should have bought a seat cushion ; )

or a t-shirt

[jarred03]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 2:53am

What day do you think is the best day to go? because I live upstate so if I go all the way down there I need to get tickets I can't afford the sponsorship.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 8:08am

There's a long, mostly positive review on All That Chat.
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=294098

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 12:41pm

I saw it last night. I had never read or seen the show before, so I didn't know what I was in for. I'm not sure if it was this translation or this particular production, but it dragged, dragged, dragged, dragged, and dragged. It most certainly had it's moments, but they unfortunately were only moments. It truly felt as though the 3 hours and twenty minutes it went on for could have been reduced to somewhere between 2 and 2 1/2 hours without losing anything. In fact, it probably would have added. Lots and lots of line flubs as well. I realize this was the first preview so it's understandable that it was a rather bumpy ride, and perhaps they will trim it (though who knows how significantly?) and work on pacing. The singing, however, doesn't seem to be fixable unless everyone was having a bad vocal night. Some of the singing was rather unbearable, though I respect actors who can pull off a song well despite vocal inabilities.

Anyway, no doubt I liked a lot of what the show and story had to offer, but it can use a LOT of work.

[LaurenB]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 8:15pm

I saw it last night too, and it was a wonderful experience. As someone else mentioned, a lot of line flubs. But quite forgiveable and no one seemed to miss a beat. The review at the ATC board seemed to capture the evening. And the drumming that he mentioned does need some help.

Meryl was terrific. I'm sure her performance will get even better like a fine wine with more rehearsal. Afterwards, my friend and I couldn't help compare her grasp of the role with that lackluster one given by Julia Roberts.

The one good thing is that I wasn't aware of Meryl using any "device" during the play. Sometimes in a film, I get distracted with her fiddling with something, like a bracelet or some other object.

The play was long, but I still felt like it was a breathtaking experience. Funny thing, during the play I noticed this small creature with a bushy tail walking onto the stage in the back. At first I thought it was a cat, and I kept watching that area to see where it would go. After a while, it finally left. I believe it was a fox. The guy behind us thought it was an oppossum, but they don't have bushy tails!

A very short curtain call. Wam bam, they were off the stage.

[rflpfl2]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:28pm

The animal was probably a racoon which supposedly is a problem at the theater.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:51pm

really hope to see this. think i have a ticket waiting for me out there in the ether.
fred weller and i have the same voice teacher. i think he is such a lovely singer and a beautiful boy.
i LOVE jenifer lewis. she should be in every show, but she is rarely in any show. i want her to do one of the great broadway musical roles.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 2:05pm

Although Brecht cast people who weren't the best of singers.

All of his shows are long. I believe some even top 4 hours.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 2:11pm

here's a tid-bit:
meryl's first choice to direct this was stephen daldry. he had too much going on to consider it.

[rflpfl2]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 2:22pm

Really- where did you read about that?

That's really interesting as I thought he was asked by the Public to direct.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:11pm

I went last night.

It was a lovely evening in the park, weather-wise. A nice breeze kept the audience cool throughout the three-plus hour performance. I spotted Liz Smith and Donald Moffet in the audience.

The show is a complete mixed bag. There are moments of complete and utter brilliance, and then there are times when it drags or is even just ridiculous. The music by Jeanine Tesori is a constant delight. It's summery and beautiful, and really compliments the songs. The onstage band is top notch.

As Mother Courage, Meryl Streep is quite wonderful. She is both tender and tough as nails, and her singing voice is very strong. She has a lot of earth mother qualities.

I was shocked at how well Frederick Weller sang. His role as Eilif, Courage's oldest and bravest child, isn't extremely well-written in this adaptation, but he makes the most of it. Alexandria Wailes is excellent as Kattrin, the deaf and mute child. I cannot remember the name of the actor who played Swiss Cheese, the stupid but kind child, but I did like him.

Kevin Kline, as the Cook, seemed very disinterested in the precedings. His singing voice also seems to have diminished since his salad days in On The Twentieth Century and The Pirates of Penzance. Austin Pendelton as the Chaplain stepped on nearly every one of his lines. I was embarrassed for him.

The standout was Jenifer Lewis's Yvette. She knocked it out of the park (literally ) with her one big number, and commanded the stage whenever she was on. Girlfriend looks fabulous too.

Loved the set and the costumes. Needs to be trimmed...at three hours and fifteen minutes, it really drags a lot.

Posted: 8/10/06 at 8:01pm

I saw it last night and Jenifer Lewis was sublime.

[Mrfreeze]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 9:10pm

I saw it on the 8th and I though it was great. Meryl was amazing! There were a few line mishaps but for a first show they did an amazing job. The only problem i had was that it was a little too long. I thing some parts could've been cut.
Question: Do they actually come out at the stage door or it's so segregated that it's just hopeless to catch them?

[HughE2030]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 10:29am

Was it cancelled last night?

[alc330]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 10:41am

This is my first post but I thought I would respond. The show was not canceled last night. It was delayed almost an hour. It was well worth the wait. The theater was a little over half full. I guess people gave up thinking for sure it would be canceled. The show did go on and on and on until midnight and I for one was not complaining, it was wonderful.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 10:43am

How is her silent scream?

I'm seeing it Thursday. After seeing Patti this weekend in Gypsy, I will have had my quotient of amazing divas in legendary roles for the rest of the year.

I saw the late Eileen Heckart play the part 30-sme years ago at the McCarter Theater, during the tail-end of the Vietnam Era. It is sad that we will now see Meryl play the part during another unjust and unwinnable war.

But that would not be surprising to Brecht.

[Aphexis]

Posted: 8/12/06 at 1:58am

Just got home from this evening's performance and I was very impressed. It's clear that the show will improve as days go by but it's a wonderful adaptation with wonderful music. I hope Kushner and Tesori continue to create together. Meryl was really wonderful but I felt as though Austin Pendelton stole the show; his performance was effortless. If you can, try and make it to this long yet worth while production of Mother Courage.