Did anyone see the first preview of Deuce tonight?
#2
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:17pm
I just got back and...well, it was the first preview, but I cannot imagine it amounting to much. The play is incredibly slight and my interest was waning after about ten minutes. I never cared about the two central characters or their reminiscences about the struggle for women to be taken seriously as professional athletes, their tumultuous friendship/rivalry, etc. If anybody other than an established playwright had written this, they would've been laughed out of town.
I was disappointed by both Lansbury and Seldes, who were both shaky and underprepared (from the second row, I could hear almost every other line being fed to them from the wings). It was a thrill to see Lansbury on stage, but Deuce hits the net right from the beginning and never recovers.
I was disappointed by both Lansbury and Seldes, who were both shaky and underprepared (from the second row, I could hear almost every other line being fed to them from the wings). It was a thrill to see Lansbury on stage, but Deuce hits the net right from the beginning and never recovers.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#3
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:24pm
Another for the ever ready "looked good on paper" file?
#4
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:28pm
I think 'slight' is a fantastic word to describe the plays of Mr McNally. none of them have ever interested / excited / entertained me all that much and yet he continues to recieve acclaim. a fact beyond my comprehension.
"Picture "The View," with the wisecracking, sympathetic sweethearts of that ABC television show replaced by a panel of embittered, suffering or enraged Arab women" -the Times review of Black Eyed
#5
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:30pm
Well, this confirms my worst hunch. And given McNally's track record as of late, this is hardly a surprise.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#6
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:30pm
Ouch. Line feeding for two of the greatest actresses on Broadway today? Seems a little dissapointing. Still, it is a preview.
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
#7
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:31pm
So does anyone want to reconsider their Tony predictions?
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#8
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:33pm
Unless they're feeling REALLY generous, the Tony goes to Eve Best.
I would venture to call this McNally's worst play, and that's saying something.
I would venture to call this McNally's worst play, and that's saying something.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#9
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:34pm
Eve Best or Julie White?
#10
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:36pm
Or Vanessa Redgrave?
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#11
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:37pm
I didn't see LDL, but that would be tough for me between Vanessa and Eve. I'd probably give the edge to Vanessa though...just because personally her performance gave me goosebumps on goosebumps. Eve was spectacular, but just single level goosebumps.
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#12
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:38pm
Or Julie White?
(I know, but it bears repeating)
(I know, but it bears repeating)
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#13
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:39pm
Great minds think alike, Rath.
#14
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:40pm
What about Julie White?
"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde
#15
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:41pm
oh come on, they're both over 100 and the for the most part the show is them talking for over an hour and a half.
i agree that the script is slight but even being fed a few lines here and there (the night i was there it was a few times, not the hyperbolic "every other line") i enjoyed both of them immensely. i was at the invited dress, not tonight's performance. seeing the two of them go at it was great fun. did i really care about whatever point terry was looking to make? no, but it was them onstage together for over 90 minutes offering a chance for folks to see two living legends.
that said, they're both going to get better. what's onstage now will look nothing like what's there in a few weeks. they'll both get nominations even if it is a light weight piece.
i agree that the script is slight but even being fed a few lines here and there (the night i was there it was a few times, not the hyperbolic "every other line") i enjoyed both of them immensely. i was at the invited dress, not tonight's performance. seeing the two of them go at it was great fun. did i really care about whatever point terry was looking to make? no, but it was them onstage together for over 90 minutes offering a chance for folks to see two living legends.
that said, they're both going to get better. what's onstage now will look nothing like what's there in a few weeks. they'll both get nominations even if it is a light weight piece.
r.i.p. marco, my guardian angel.
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
#16
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:41pm
I love Julie White, but I fear that LDL will have been closed for too long come Tony time. Those Tony voters have short attention spans, and the fact that--by the ceremony--the show will have been closed for four months could hurt her chances. And, as fabulous as Redgrave is, I don't think they'll give her a Tony for THIS show, especially since she won one so recently.
After Best's love letter from Brantley, I'd call her the front runner.
After Best's love letter from Brantley, I'd call her the front runner.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#17
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:42pm
Haven't seen Best or Redgrave yet, but I sure as hell would be thrilled if Julie White won. SO brilliant.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#18
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:43pm
If I were voting, I'd give it to Julie. Love Vanessa, but she's got one. I'm tired of the Brits coming here and taking our awards, so pfft to Eve. Julie was phenomenal in the role and deserves it. There I said it. On a DEUCE thread, too.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
Updated On: 4/11/07 at 10:43 PM
#19
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:44pm
Papa-
Being in the second row, I could literally hear the script girl feeding the lines, and it was more often than a few times tonight.
*POSSIBLE SPOILER*
The dialogue is short and punchy, and I would venture to say that McNally wrote it to resemble the sound of a tennis ball being volleyed. Because of the frequent line feedings, there were long pockets of silence between lines sometimes. It kinda killed the rhythm.
Being in the second row, I could literally hear the script girl feeding the lines, and it was more often than a few times tonight.
*POSSIBLE SPOILER*
The dialogue is short and punchy, and I would venture to say that McNally wrote it to resemble the sound of a tennis ball being volleyed. Because of the frequent line feedings, there were long pockets of silence between lines sometimes. It kinda killed the rhythm.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#20
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:48pm
It IS the first preview. Cut it a little slack?
#21
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:51pm
I'll cut slack if the attendees tell me their ticket prices were lowered since the actors hadn't learned their lines and the audience didn't get a full performance.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#22
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:51pm
I don't want to get into this endless argument again. Somebody asked a question and I answered. Given the quality of this show, I feel I was being nice. And I did mention that it was the first preview in a preface to my thoughts. I paid for my ticket, and I'm expressing my opinions.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Updated On: 4/11/07 at 10:51 PM
#23
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:54pm
It's live theatre, sometimes this stuff inevitable. When Cherry Jones forgot her lines in DOUBT that one time, and needed the script brough her - did we stone her? Did audience members demand their ticket price to be lowered because Jones didn't deliver a full performance? No.
I think it adds to the excitement of live theatre. But I do hope the ladies learn their lines.
I think it adds to the excitement of live theatre. But I do hope the ladies learn their lines.
Updated On: 4/11/07 at 10:54 PM
#24
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:54pm
Unfortunately, I was disappointed as well. I know it is the first preview, but they all need more rehearsal time. I think it was very smart that they decided to opt out of this year's Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Angela and Marian will only get better (and I will see it again after it opens), but the play needs a lot of work.
#25
Posted: 4/11/07 at 10:55pm
AC126748- Thanks for your review- Gosh ! I am seeing the show this Saturday- I wish I dont get bored out of my mind!!!-j*
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