Did anyone see the first preview of Deuce tonight? — Page 2

"I think it adds to the excitement of live theatre."

What's exciting about the rhythm of the script being lost for (what sounds like) the entire play? For what they charge for "live theatre" these days? If they weren't ready, they should have postponed previews.

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Even if it wasn't the first preview, I wouldn't be too harsh on either of the ladies, like Papa said, it is a chance to see two legends even if it be light-hearted fare or what. I can't wait to go in a month or so to judge for myself, but from what others have said I think the actresses have the definite potential to shape up (not judging the script though, not touching that yet).

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No, i agree that they should have postponed if they weren't ready. But they DIDN'T postpone, it's over and done with. And we can't stone them for it.

I don't think it's exciting that lines were forgotten (what sounds like) the entire play. BUT I think it's somewhat exciting that this COULD and DOES happen. No actor is perfect. The whole experience of a live performance is exciting to me, and sometimes stuff like this happens.

Oh, Lord. I just got back from what was honestly one of the worst plays I have ever seen in my life.

Someone has completely lost it:

Is it Terrence McNally for having completely run out of ideas for new plays?

Is it Marian Seldes and Angela Lansbury for reading this script and thinking it could possibly amount to anything even close to worthy of their time and talents?

Is it Michael Blakemore for actually agreeing to attempt to make something of this dreck?

What an absolute nightmare and a total disappointment.

Another for the ever ready "looked good on paper" file?

That's just the thing. It never even looked good on paper. When I first read about the premise for this play, I said to myself, OK, be open minded, this is Terrence McNally after all. This is something that Angela Lansbury felt was worth making her great return to the stage in after 25 years.

I couldn't help but repeatedly thinking as the play went on that this was the closest to IN MY LIFE: THE NON-MUSICAL that I've seen on a Broadway stage. Aside from the fact that Angela Lansbury's character is so vehemently unlikable -- that's not even the main issue. Ms. Lansbury has turned demons into goddesses in the past. Her character here is a trash-talking, bitter, foul-mouthed, thankless old lady. As in IN MY LIFE, where the main character (who had Tourette's Syndrome) famously blurted out "F*CK SUCK DUCK" throughout the show, Ms. Lansbury's character -- which, if the character had been somewhat developed, might work -- kept blurting out curse words for no logical reason in furthering the characters or the play.

"F*ck"
"C*nt"
"N*pple"

Just a few examples.

An entire quarter of the play consists of this conversation between the two ladies about lesbians that you kept thinking would allude to or amount to something, but it didn't.

A comedy routine that the two "announcers" at the tennis game keep tossing back and forth is painfully awful and completely unrealistic.

This show has FLOP written all over it, and I pray for the sake of the two brilliant actresses at the center of it, that the producers close it in previews without having to submit it and them to critics.

In a season beaming with great plays and performances by women, for the Tony Nominating Committee to take two of the five nomination slots away from two great, promising actresses in other plays and give them to Ms. Seldes and Ms. Lansbury for THIS just because they are legends would be a total and utter shame.

Wins? Don't expect this play to be winning anything after the critics get done with it. Expect a race between Julie White, Vanessa Redgrave, Tonya Pinkins, and Eve Best.

If I had to nominate one of the two lead performances in DEUCE over the other, it would be Ms. Seldes'.

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Updated On: 4/12/07 at 11:37 PM

I saw Terrance McNally there standing in the back of the orchestra tonight...I hope he uses this preview period wisely...looking forward to seeing the finished product (which I know will be infinitely better than tonight).

I hope everything goes well, I really do...

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A poster over at ATC made an interesting point. Perhaps the prompting was necessary because extensive rewrites are taking place daily and the cast is trying to perform lines they have just learned. Could be. I'll be seeing this April 28, coming in from Boston specifically for it since I've never seen either lady on stage and don't want to miss the opportunity. It can only improve, so I'm being optimistic.

lc

I know--it was like hearing your grandmother curse.

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Perhaps they should have taken this one out of town first to give McNally time to work out the kinks and the ladies (especially Lansbury) a chance to ease their way into the play and find their footing. There's a reason that it's so rare in this day and age for a new play to open cold in New York.

I wish them the best.

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Foster, why did you censor "nipple"?

Anyways, how was the set? Show curtain? Sorry for always asking, but I find it interesting.

From a playwrighting standpoint, it's good to hear the lines said by actors to sort of understand what's wrong with them. Given that, if that play is that bad, I can't imagine what the first draft would have been.

What show is Tonya in?

munk,

I don't disagree. It sounds like they probably should have postposed previews - or started rehearsals earlier. The whole notion of charging full price for previews is a little troublesome to me anyway. If the clear purpose of previews is to work out the kinks in front of a live audience, then shouldn't tickets be discounted as a general rule? Full price implies full quality. But I guess enough people buy them (myself included when previews are the only perfs that fit into my schedule). So what's the incentive for them to lower the price?

lc

Why should they if people buy them? If you're worried about seeing a less-than-ready show than it's easy, wait until opening night or after to see the show. But don't complain about it after buying the preview ticket knowing very well it may not be up to opening night standards.

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I agree that this didn't even sound good on paper--apart from the obvious fact that it brought Lansbury back to the Broadway stage. The press notes make it sound so boring and the first night reviews are quite discouraging.
About the lines, I feel it's a bit unfair. My ex-partner saw the second preview of EQUUS in London, apparently he was sitting quite close to the stage and could not only hear the woman reading the lines to Griffith, but the actor himself stopped the show a few times to call for his lines. He was ultimately very disappointed in the play, the actor, and the whole experience.
I think that it not only hinders the theater-going experience for the audience but it has a very negative effect on the playwright's intentions and the narrative. I agree that they should've either extended the rehearsal period, gone out of town, or something. It's just unfair to me. But oh well, I'm sure everyone will be quite glad seeing Lansbury and Seldes on stage and might not even pay much attention to the actual text.

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