Deuce to Close in Previews? — Page 3

It's unusual these days for a new (read: original) production not to rehearse every day during previews.

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Saw it tonight. I wasn't all *that* bad. The audience laughed quite a bit and really seemed to enjoy themselves.

However....the line-feeding from offstage was very distracting. I was in the mezzanine and I could hear line after line promting both actresses. It was so blatent that it actually made me a little mad. I felt like I was watching a rehearsal. Yes, yes I know it's still in previews but the number of lines that had to be fed and all the fumbled deliveries really affected the performances.

The material isn't stellar but I don't think it's bad enough to close in previews. With some rewrites and more rehearsal time it could have been pretty good. Unfortunately the "finished product" will be merely OK.

Updated On: 4/14/07 at 11:37 PM

I saw it tonight as well, and I really enjoyed it. No it wasn't spectacular, but it was thrilling to watch these two actresses on stage. They were excellent. Seldes was the one having trouble with lines. All of Lansbury's were dead on and resulted in a lot of laughs. The show was pretty good and could use quite a lot of reworking.

I think the show did have relevance. It was commenting on the game of tennis today, which to me really mirrored the acting world, while people now do it for the money and fame rather than the joy of doing it and that the "famous people" of today will never compare to the "legends" that have come before them, however its sad because today the world is obsessed with "celebrities" for the wrong reasons. I thought it was extremely relevant and with some retooling it would be pretty good.

My main problem was that the writing seemed really redundant. Every other line one of them said "we played really good tennis" or "all I wanted to do was play tennis really well". I found it really cool that the two tennis legends ontage reflect two theater legends, or at least one legend and one really great actress.

The play isn't the train wreck I'd been led to believe it was. The script is mediocre, but I do believe that two very fine performances are shaping up.

I was seated in the 2nd row and heard lots of prompting being done. Once the two actresses get more comfortable in their roles, this should be an acceptable evening in the theater.

I must add that the audience was with the play the entire time.

Gee, I'm sorry I missed Roxy and his wife. (Just kidding!)

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DP: "...this should be an acceptable evening in the theater."

It sounds like you are being kind but that you really don't think it has a whole lot of potential. Is that a fair assessment?

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Dolly, you must realize that people have different opinions than yours. I disagree with you on David Wright (an acceptable player) & Hello Dolly( an acceptable musical) but respect your right to them

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I am shocked to hear this. I was certain it was going to be a hit with Lansbury and McNally attatched...I guess that goes to show you, never just ASSUME it's going to be excellent just because of the people attatched.

I hope it dosen't close in previews or very shortly after opening night. It sounds like the show has a lot of potential and I hope for all of the bugs to be worked out by the time it opens.

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Mr. Roxy- I think I just lost all my respect that I had for you (which wasn't very much to begin with). Do you know anything about musical theater or theater in general? If you did, you would know that HELLO DOLLY! is much much much more than just an 'acceptable' musical.

Just got back from seeing it. 4 rows from the front on the right.

It was decent. I heard the whole lines being fed thing and it was distracting, but I tried to block it. By decent I mean the show wasn't horrible, but definitely needs some work. I felt the repetition was kinda slow. I am a huge fan of both actresses and I felt they suited the parts, but the show didn't seem to suit them.

The audience was very good and laughed and applauded a lot which seemed to help the show along. I was with an older co-worker and she said that because she was close to the characters ages, she felt a connection with the show that I was lacking.

Got some autographs (when I wasn't shaking) and thanked them for their work. They were very patient and nice.

All in all it was a nice outing to see a show:P

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way
to
give
away
plot
spoilers

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So they arn't too tired to sign and pose at the stage door?

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I hope it doesn't close in previews, I really want to see Angela on staged, and Marion Seldes too. I don't care if they are being fed lines, just the notion of seeing two brilliant actors on stage is enough for the price of admission, even if they were just reading a phone book. It's live theatre, so forgetting lines is bound to happen, it happens to everyone at some point or another. I am sure all the kinks will be worked out and it will be an enjoyable and entertaining evening. I look forward to seeing it.

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i'm so glad i skim some of these posts so i can't see what was "spoiled" :)

and i have a ticket for the 12th of May so here's to hoping it lasts until then. (and that the lines are rewritten enough that they don't have to feed them anymore)