Coast of Utopia official site up- Page 2

[queendork]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 8:23pm

Anyone see the first preview tonight?

I'm not seeing Voyage 'til Thanksgiving Friday but would love to hear how the show is going.

[jennite]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:06am

Found a couple of reports on people's blogs. See here: http://jenniferehle.blogspot.com/2006/10/buckle-up.html

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:14am

I see VOYAGE Saturday. I can't wait.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 9:20am

I'm going this Friday...looking forward to it!

[mabel]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 11:27am

I'm going Friday as well and can't wait. I was hoping to study up a bit, but it looks like I'll have to settle for just reading Voyage before Fri.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 1:10pm

Saw last night's preview. A solid production, even right out of the gate. Recognizing that Stoppard is often better read than performed AND that it was a first preview, I'll forgive some of the pacing issues; I'm sure things will get tighter as the show seasons in coming weeks.

There are some extraordinary bits of stagecraft, which I won't spoil; and, given that this is an epic story, the necessary "turntable" and "projection" elements are there and nicely used, creating some brilliant cinematic transitions.

The one performance to note is Billy Crudup's Belinsky. Absolutely extraordinary, even if it at times degenerates into an echo of Brad Pitt's schizoid character in 12 MONKEYS.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:06pm

I'm going tomorrow night, and I am SO looking forward to it.

I was given a preview of the set design last July, so will be curious to see how much has changed since that point.

Updated On: 10/18/06 at 03:06 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:17pm

I'll be interested in hearing what you think Addy. I don't go until next week. I'm currently slogging my way through Isaiah Berlin's "Russian Thinkers" to get a bit of background on Herzen, Bakunin and Belinsky.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:20pm

Oh, that's an undertaking! Good for you!

I'll be sure to let you know. And, I'll eagerly await your thoughts, as well.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 4:54pm

Stoppard contructs much of the dialogue among the Bakunin family, Balinsky, Herzen, and others off the ideas explored by the German and French, so I'd also get a sense of Hegel and Sand for context in this first installment. Otherwise, much of the wit in the conversations will be lost -- most of last night's audience missed some wonderfully humorous nuances in argument.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:16am

I'm letting it sink in, so will compose my thoughts and post more tomorrow.

It's an extraordinary piece of theatre, and Billy Crudup turns in a masterful performance.

I suddenly feel the urge to explore some of the books on the suggested reading list which are included with the Playbill.

I'm glad I'm seeing this on three separate nights so each show can sink in. At this point, I can't imagine seeing it in marathon format.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:36am

Stoppard says in the preface to the published version of the plays that he couldn't have written them without the writings of Isaiah Berlin and E.H. Carr on Herzen, Belinsky, Bakunin et al. You can order Berlin's "Russian Thinkers" (which is a series of essays analyzing their writings and philosophies in depth) and Carr's "Romantic Exiles" (a biographical portrait of all the main characters in the plays, including the wives and lovers and extended families, during the periods covered in plays and beyond) from Amazon.com (neither the Strand or Barnes & Noble had them when I checked).

How was Richard Easton's understudy? I can't imagine he's had much rehearsal time.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:52am

Margo, I absolutely plan to read them before seeing the next installments.

The background information and synopsis provided with the Playbill were both extremely helpful, and they included a list of books for audience members interested in further reading:

'Russian Thinkers' by Isaiah Berlin

'The Romantic Exiles' by Edward Hallett (E.H.) Carr

'Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia' by Orlando Figes

'My Past and Thoughts' by Alexander Herzen

'Indiana' by George Sand

'A Sportsman's Sketches' by Ivan Turgenev

'Fathers and Sons' by Ivan Turgenev



I thought David Manis did a wonderful job of taking over for Richard Easton. They couldn't have had much rehearsal time at all, but it was as smooth as one would expect for the third night of previews.

There were a couple of technical glitches tonight, but nothing that can't be fixed, and nothing that detracted from the performance.

It's in remarkable shape...

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 12:55am

Also, be sure to pick up a copy of 'Lincoln Center Theatre Review' in the lobby of the theatre for more information and reflections on Stoppard's trilogy.

[jennite]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:01am

Here's the online copy of the LCT Review: http://www.lctreview.org/cover.cfm?&id_issue=36549392

Alas, only the first article's up. Can't find an email to ask whoever's in charge if that's deliberate or a technical thing.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:23am

And here's an "education workpack" that the National Theatre (UK) put together for when they did the trilogy a couple of years ago. It's a nice overview of the three plays that's worth printing out and reading (this link is to a PDF file -- the workpack is 15 pages once it's printed out):

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/download.php?id=1513

(thanks to jennite for the link)

[jennite]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 5:13am

De nada. Looky, LCT blog update from the first preview: http://lct.org/coast/event_detail_explore.cfm?section=blog

Also did a roundup of semi-relevant links (lots of Wikipedia biographies and such) at the blog a while ago: http://jenniferehle.blogspot.com/2006/09/feed-your-inner-nerd.html

Thanks for listing those books NYadgal- just borrowed the Figes one today.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:55am

Thanks for all the links!

I'll be paying a visit to the library this weekend to check out some of the books, and will enjoy reading all the material provided in the links.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 9:57am

I just printed out the education workpack and will read it before I see the show tonight. Thanks for all these links!

[mabel]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 10:06am

Thanks for the links as well. I read the National PDF file a couple days ago, and I'll see what else I can plow through before this evening. I'd hoped to pick up the Berlin/Carr books, but like Margo said, no luck at the Strand. Guess I'll just have to go the Amazon route and be better prepared for Shipwreck and Salvage!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 10:28am

I think we should all plan a book club type of gathering to talk about what we're all reading!

Wouldn't a discussion group be perfect for this?

Updated On: 10/20/06 at 10:28 AM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 10:30am

Addy, that's a fabulous idea! Count me in (once I buy and read all the books of course).

[jennite]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 11:52am

You read my mind! :) Was thinking of setting up a free forum thingy for CoU discussion. Other options- email mailing list, Yahoo group, thread here, LJ/Myspace communities (a LJ one already exists)...opinions?

*Edit: just struck me that you might've meant a face-to-face group.

Updated On: 10/20/06 at 11:52 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 11:56am

Question: Is it 1 general Playbill for all 3 shows, or are they separate? I can't begin to imagine the confusion on the 2 different show days.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 5:34pm

Is anyone there tonight?

I'm in F107, come say "Hi" if you're at the Beaumont.