Company Reviews (and beyond)- Page 12

[hollebolle]

Posted: 1/18/22 at 11:29pm

This may have been discussed before, because I'm always behind on things, but I noticed in Jenny/David's scene, David says 'Sshh! We'll get evicted! The co-op board!' The first part is in the original book, but the co-op bit is not. That must be a nod to 'Original Cast Album: Co-Op,' right?  

[Rudy2]

Posted: 1/18/22 at 11:33pm

This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/18/22 at 11:46pm

hollebolle said: "This may have been discussed before, because I'm always behind on things, but I noticed in Jenny/David's scene, David says 'Sshh! We'll get evicted! The co-op board!' The first part is in the original book, but the co-op bit is not. Thatmustbe a nod to 'Original Cast Album:Co-Op,' right?"

The brown and the beige and the brown and the beige and the browwwwwwn.

(I thought the same thing)

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 1:13am

Rudy2 said: "This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?"

So this is a bit of a story, but long story short, I don't think so, though I have not actually checked.  But when I went to see the show this weekend, we were in the ladies' restroom and we could just hear a woman in another stall talking loudly on her phone and practically begging the person on the other end to bring her alcohol because she could not make it through the show without another drink and how she was so desperate she was hiding out in a bathroom stall to call them and why couldn't they go do something so simple as to pick up alcohol from the corner or something.  Anyways, this went on for the entire time we were in the restroom, which leads me to believe alcohol is not served at the show.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 1:24am

chrishuyen said: "Rudy2 said: "This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?"

So this is a bit of a story, but long story short, I don't think so, though I have not actually checked. But when I went to see the show this weekend, we were in the ladies' restroom and we could just hear a woman in another stall talking loudly on her phone and practically begging the person on the other end to bring her alcohol because she could not make it through the show without another drink and how she was so desperate she was hiding out in a bathroom stall to call them and why couldn't they go do something so simple as to pick up alcohol from the corner or something. Anyways, this went on for the entire time we were in the restroom, which leads me to believe alcohol is not served at the show."

Wow, I’m pretty sure this will be brought up at her impending intervention. Was her name Joanne? And no, they weren’t serving drinks when I was there on the 5th. I’m pretty sure that until this latest Covid surge starts to plummet, most shows aren’t serving beverages of any kind. 

[Rudy2]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 1:34am

Miles2Go2 said: "chrishuyen said: "Rudy2 said: "This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?"

So this is a bit of a story, but long story short, I don't think so, though I have not actually checked. But when I went to see the show this weekend, we were in the ladies' restroom and we could just hear a woman in another stall talking loudly on her phone and practically begging the person on the other end to bring her alcohol because she could not make it through the show without another drink and how she was so desperate she was hiding out in a bathroom stall to call them and why couldn't they go do something so simple as to pick up alcohol from the corner or something. Anyways, this went on for the entire time we were in the restroom, which leads me to believe alcohol is not served at the show."

Wow, I’m pretty sure this will be brought up at her impending intervention. Was her name Joanne? And no, they weren’t serving drinks when I was there on the 5th. I’m pretty sure that until this latest Covid surge starts to plummet, most shows aren’t serving beverages of any kind."

Thank you both!

I love a good, stiff drink, but if I ever need alcohol as much as this woman felt she did, under any circumstances, I'll know it's time to talk to someone. Act 2 must have been hell for her, especially if she could relate to Joanne. Let's send a good thought out on her behalf!

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 10:20am

Miles2Go2 said: "chrishuyen said: "Rudy2 said: "This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?"

No concessions at all, thankfully I always carry a bottle of water on me. And thankfully there weren't because the lady whooping last Thursday 13th during Claybourne Elder's "brief" appearance, and the beginning of Joanne's big scene, clearly had been drinking before she got to the theatre and didn't need a top-up.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 10:21am

Miles2Go2 said: "chrishuyen said: "Rudy2 said: "This may be a stupid question, but are drinks served at the show before and/or at intermission?"

No concessions at all, thankfully I always carry a bottle of water on me. And thankfully there weren't because the lady whooping last Thursday 13th during Claybourne Elder's "brief" appearance, and the beginning of Joanne's big scene, clearly had been drinking before she got to the theatre and didn't need a top-up.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 10:58am

Per Matt Doyle’s IG stories just now, due to significant improvement in the past 48 hours, he’s been cleared to return to work today!

[Rudy2]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 11:19am

Miles2Go2 said: "Per Matt Doyle’s IG stories just now, due to significant improvement in the past 48 hours, he’s been cleared to return to work today!"

Excellent news!

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 11:21am

I caught the show last night (Javier Ignacio and Jacob Dickey were on for Jamie and Paul respectively) and truly loved it. I have to say that I'm still baffled by all of the negativity towards Katrina's performance. Everyone in the cast is stellar, but it's truly her show and I can't think of any other past Bobbie/Bobby whose performance feels so vital to the success of the entire evening. She's not a belter, as has been discussed ad nauseam, but she clearly wasn't cast so she could screlt Being Alive like it's Defying Gravity.  It may be an ensemble piece, but until Patti's incredible scene at the end, nearly all of the dramatic weight of the show rests squarely on Katrina's shoulders. She has an insanely difficult needle to thread and does it beautifully.

I also couldn't disagree more with the people claiming that the gender-swap aspect feels forced or uninspired. I saw the show with someone who had never seen the show before and afterward they told me they didn't understand how the show would have worked with a male Bobby, as it all seems so tailor-made for the female experience. 

Also, I couldn't help but daydream about the possible casting choices they could make when Katrina and Patti eventually leave the show. I'd love to see Donna Murphy or Bernadette step into the Joanne role. And I wonder if the casting rumors of Anne Hathaway as Bobbie from back before the transfer had any truth to them. 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 3:05pm

I would KILL to see Christine Baranski as a Joanne replacement. 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 3:14pm

UrNotAMachine said: "Also, I couldn't help but daydream about the possible casting choices they could make when Katrina and Patti eventually leave the show. I'd love to see Donna Murphy or Bernadette step into the Joanne role. And I wonder if the casting rumors of Anne Hathaway as Bobbie from back before the transfer had any truth to them."

That was indeed the idea, but she was pregnant for the timing of the 2020 run. Laura Benanti was who they were REALLY after, but she turned it down.

[Nolan LuPone]

Posted: 1/19/22 at 4:54pm

As much as I love Katrina's take on Bobbie, Laura would have been great! Maybe Laura will reconsider due to the obvious success of the production, whenever Katrina is ready to leave of course.

[stlrod]

Posted: 1/22/22 at 4:24pm

Seating Question-Didn't want to start a new thread but was wondering whether Center Orchestra Row L or Center Mezzanine Row A would be better for this show.  Both look great.  Thanks for any advice.

[hollebolle]

Posted: 1/22/22 at 6:33pm

stlrod said: "Seating Question-Didn't want to start a new thread but was wondering whether Center Orchestra Row L or Center Mezzanine Row A would be better for this show. Both look great. Thanks for any advice."

I’d go orch row L. I saw there and preferred it to my experience in the mezzanine (though I was in rear mezz). I really appreciated seeing these performances up close. I’m in the mezzanine for most shows I see and don’t usually mind, but I did feel more detached for this particular show. YMMV though!

 

[BJR]

Posted: 1/22/22 at 7:38pm

OhHiii said: "UrNotAMachine said: "Also, I couldn't help but daydream about the possible casting choices they could make when Katrina and Patti eventually leave the show. I'd love to see Donna Murphy or Bernadette step into the Joanne role. And I wonder if the casting rumors of Anne Hathaway as Bobbie from back before the transfer had any truth to them."

That was indeed the idea, but she was pregnant for the timing of the 2020 run. Laura Benanti was who they were REALLY after, but she turned it down."

I had really wanted Anne Hathaway to do it so the production could be a huge hit, and am pleased it is a hit anyway. And agreed, I like Katrina, but Laura would have been so fantastic. I wonder why she turned it down...

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/23/22 at 7:12pm

I saw the show for the 8th time today, but it was actually my first time seeing it frozen after previews. And, wow, it’s developed and grown so much. It’s so much tighter, the book scenes are brisker, and gone are some of the pauses between dialogue or pauses for a laugh line. 

There are some changes I’ve noticed since previews. Bobbie no longer flirts with and rejects a woman in “Another Hundred People,” the bit is now done with Terence Archie as a New Yorker. 

I finally got to see the rain in “Marry Me A Little!” Katrina plays it with surprise and joy, and it worked perfectly. 

Katrina now plays the club scene much drunker than I’ve ever seen her do before and it works. Her dialogue with Patti at the end of it is chilling, and it was the most intense interaction I’ve ever seen from them during that moment. 
 

“Being Alive” sounds like it has been almost majorly re-orchestrated since previews. I believe the synth guitar that someone on here didn’t like isn’t being used anymore, it sounded like It was substituted with another instrument, and it’s a major improvement. I can confirm there is a key change for the solo portion of the song, the key is raised once Katrina gets on her knees after “want something” with Jamie. I think this higher key allows her to belt the final note fuller. 
 

The performances have gotten even better. I feel and  hope Doyle and Elder will both get Tony nominations. They are both doing such wonderful work, and their chemistry with Katrina has increased, especially the sexual chemistry between Elder and Katrina in the bedroom scene. 
 

Patti is still miraculous. I love how she never repeats a performance, her interpretation is always  evolving, and the little changes she makes really work. Sometimes Patti can ham it up after a show is opened, but she is still reigned in and so committed to the character. 
 

Katrina just wow…. I know her performance is controversial,  but this can’t be the performance the critics saw. She has made so many changes and improvements. She has heightened Bobbie’s anxiety and disorientation, and you can really sense her relief in the end when her friends are finally gone, she smiles, and finally blows out the candles, knowing what her decision is after “Being Alive.”

Her “Being Alive” is completely cathartic, played with anger, desperation, and tears, and YES she now belts the final note. The song received a strong ovation, I saw someone standing, and people wiping away tears from their eyes. 

Katrina now sings the score with confidence. Even notes that used to be consistently pitchy have been corrected. She uses more force in her two big numbers, and I am so delighted to hear how her singing has grown. 

This revival is so special, and it’s even more touching Sondheim’s passing. If you haven’t seen it, make sure you do so. 

[ashley0139]

Posted: 1/23/22 at 8:04pm

Ljay, thanks for sharing your thoughts! 8th time!!! I am so very jealous. I am hopefully going back for a 3rd in February, but I feel I could see this show countless times and never notice everything or get tired of these performances.

I had actually been wondering about her flirting with a woman in Another Hundred People. I didn't notice it when I saw it in early December but read about it after the fact. I specifically watched for it last weekend when I saw it and it was not there, so I was curious what happened.

I completely agree with you about the club scene - chilling. I know everyone watches Patti during Ladies Who Lunch, but during my second viewing I watched Katrina and wow - it is heartbreaking. Devastating. Her journey is just incredible.

I've honestly never seen a performance in over a hundred Broadway shows that I have enjoyed more than Katrina's Bobbie.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/23/22 at 11:59pm

I feel very fortunate to have seen the production 8 times, 4 of those performances were from the 2020 previews, so it's been thrilling watching the show evolve over the course of two years.

Ashley, I am glad we share the same enthusiasm for Katrina's performance, as do others on here. I can't stop thinking about how her performance has developed and intensified. You're right, from the club scene through the end of the show, she is absolutely devastating. The journey her Bobbie takes in those final 20 minutes is revelatory, and now her "Being Alive" matches the magnitude of what she and Patti do in the end of the club scene.
I think if the critics saw the performance I saw today, some reviews would've been different. At least, the Tony nominators and voters will be seeing her evolved performance.

Updated On: 1/23/22 at 11:59 PM

[SophiaPetrillo]

Posted: 1/24/22 at 4:31pm

Does anyone know whether this is a limited or open-ended run?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 1/24/22 at 4:36pm

SophiaPetrillo said: "Does anyone know whether this is a limited or open-ended run?"

Open-ended… but go see it while you can!

[ashley0139]

Posted: 1/24/22 at 9:06pm

ljay889 said: "I feel very fortunate to have seen the production 8 times, 4 of those performances were from the 2020 previews, so it's been thrilling watching the show evolve over the course of two years.

Ashley, I am glad we share the same enthusiasm for Katrina's performance, as do others on here. I can't stop thinking about how her performance has developed and intensified. You're right, from the club scene through the end of the show, she is absolutely devastating. The journey her Bobbie takes in those final 20 minutes is revelatory, and now her "Being Alive" matches the magnitude of what she and Patti do in the end of the club scene.
I think if the critics saw the performance I saw today, some reviews would've been different. At least, the Tony nominators and voters will be seeing her evolved performance."

Intellectually I know people have different preferences and opinions, but my heart does not understand how people are not blown away by her performance. I hope you are right about the tony voters but I worry. I’ll be a little devastated if she doesn’t get a nomination. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/27/22 at 10:38pm

Finally caught the show tonight. Mostly full house. Tickets were bought through TKTS(5th row left orchestra). Thoroughly enjoyed it for the most part. Thought Lenk was phenomenal. "(Not) Getting Married Today" is the best number in the show. "Tick Tock" is a great interpretation of the number and what Bobbie is thinking. Thought the rain in "Marry Me a Little" was well placed and worked. Lenk's "Being Alive" is the most emotional version of the number I've ever seen & definitely one of my favorites. LuPone owns every second she's on stage.

 

For those that have seen this production, what was the running time? For a 7pm show I got out just before 10pm. Show started at 7:08 and had a twenty minute intermission. Just seemed a bit long and a few of the scenes did seem to drag a bit. Only other (minor) qualm I had was that a few of the numbers were over choreographed, especially "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" and "Side by Side by Side".

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/27/22 at 11:15pm

It ran just about 2h55m this past Sunday. 
I’m glad you enjoyed it!