Constance Wu, Finn Wittrock, Anna Camp to lead North American premiere of 2:22 A GHOST STORY- Page 2

[James885]

Posted: 11/5/22 at 1:54am

SydneyBristow said: "Seating recommendations? Given the mixed feedback on content, to take the trip to LA, I'd appreciate insight deciding between these "value" areas:

Orchestra- pretty rear and way off to the side (exe Row T, Seat 5)
or
Mezzanine- front but way off to the side (exe Row A, Seat 2)
(concern is Mezzanine looks waaay far back in photos)
or
Box- super side view, but at least much closer to stage (esp Mezz 2nd Box)

Also, is sitting Left or Right better for this show?"

You should be fine if you go with the mezz seats, - it's true that the mezzanine at the Ahmanson is kinda far back, but you'll get a pretty unobstructed view of everything happening. I'd avoid the box seats as you risk a good chunk of your view being obstructed.

We were in the second row of the mezzanine and sitting off towards the right side and had no problem seeing everything.

[bk]

Posted: 11/5/22 at 2:30am

First of all, the Ahmanson is way too big for this play. The set looks twice the size of the London set. Yes, the decibel-breaking screams with every scene change get old very fast, but given the opening night audience this evening, who were reacting to everything including the house lights going down to start the play like middle schoolers. The actors are all fine. The play is slight, has some fun elements, but one wishes that more happened that was fun and scary. And the twist? Sure, all the middle schoolers ooh'd and aah'd but, for me, it didn't make much sense but I can't tell you why for spoiler reasons. 

As to seat availability, they are papering like crazy. I don't think it will do so well here, but we'll have to see.  And I'd almost like to go  back and see it with a regular audience to see if it gets anything more than a bland reaction. The dress and pre-opening performances are attended by lots of people in the business, so to speak. Sound design is really the star of the show.

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/5/22 at 5:59am

KevinKlawitter said: "The characters also drink so much that they would have died of alcohol poisoning before seeing any ghost."

Come, now... can itreallybe considered a stage thriller if the characters aren't downing liquor during every other scene?"

Lol, I just kept thinking after one character drank three bottles on their own in a lapse of two hours the last they'd be worried about is a ghost. 

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/5/22 at 1:52pm

bk said: "First of all, the Ahmanson is way too big for this play. The set looks twice the size of the London set. Yes, the decibel-breaking screams with every scene change get old very fast, but given the opening night audience this evening, who were reacting to everything including the house lights going down to start the play like middle schoolers. The actors are all fine. The play is slight, has some fun elements, but one wishes that more happened that was fun and scary. And the twist? Sure, all the middle schoolers ooh'd and aah'd but, for me, it didn't make much sense but I can't tell you why for spoiler reasons.."

I was wondering how the set would work in the Ahmanson!  I guess it doesn't. 

As for whether things make sense - yeah, BK, I'm not sure it holds up. It's best to not ask too many questions, such as (based on the London production) (and this is what spoiler tags are for!)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

When was this dinner party set up? Jen and Lauren are sort of friends - but Lauren is really Sam's friend and she wants Sam's approval of Ben, not Jen. So, the party wouldn't be happening with Sam presumed absent. Wouldn't the dinner party have been called off/continued until Sam shows up, which, it seems, he has just done. Why "haunt" the house for four nights before materializing? Why materialize for the party, but not for Jen and baby? Why does Jen not ask Sam "why didn't you borrow a phone to call?"   

 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/7/22 at 12:03pm

I really enjoyed this (but I also did in London).  I don't know how many changes they made to American-ize it but it was definitely essentially the same play (there was a conversation about the healthcare system that I don't think would've worked as well in the UK so I assume that was different).  Sound design was great, and that first jump scare really got a lot of people, though later ones didn't quite have the same effect (I think some of the later screams weren't quite as loud/piercing as the theater in London?  It at least made it slightly more credible to what they were supposed to be as opposed to just a cheap scare tactic).  

The acting was fantastic on all levels, and it was nice to be able to see it again to pick up on the clues leading to the ending.  Based on some timely gasps in the audience, I think some of the other audience members were able to figure it out before the end as well, and my friend definitely knew something was up with one specific character but she didn't know what exactly.  It's definitely a show that benefits from seeing it live with an audience, as hearing the audience reactions is half the fun.

I do agree that Ben's character was a little uneven and seemed to function more as a plot device than anything--I would've also appreciated more depth into the gentrification conversation.  But otherwise I think the play is a fantastic thriller.  It's not meant to necessarily have a ton of overarching themes, but it's really just there for you to experience it.  The conversation that the characters have while waiting for 2:22am are really just a bonus and I found them overall enjoyable to watch as the night devolved.  There were a lot of smart touches in both the script and staging that just really helped set the mood.

The only thing is (as others have mentioned), the Ahmanson is big, bigger than I remembered it being.  I had thought the last row of the orchestra still felt pretty close, but being used to Broadway theaters now, even row T felt far away (though my friend was amazed at how close it felt). And I remember the mezzanine feeling rather distant, not to mention the balcony, so I can't say how the show played from up there, as it's a show where you do need to get kind of invested in its characters.