Discussion: Sunday in the Park with George- Page 2

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 7:44am

While I love Act II conceptually and think the perspective it brings to the piece elevates it from a good show to a work of art, in terms of material I find it weaker. What's there is great, but to me it feels incomplete. Part of that is that so much of the act is "Putting It Together," which has always struck me as at least two verses too long -- dare I say that its length makes it feel like filler? It's a good song, but it's not enough for that to be our only introduction to that George. I suspect that people might take better to the second act and its ideas if Act II George were more fleshed out and we understood more about him. "Lesson #8" moves me to tears as it is, but even that would be more powerful with a George I felt that I knew. I could also see the appeal of his being more a blank slate, but in this case it felt like there just wasn't enough material written for the act.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 8:16am

Never mind.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 08:16 AM

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:03am

When I saw the OBC twenty years ago, the combination of the Chromalume gadget occupying the middle of the stage and trying, and failing, to get a feel for the 20th century George got in the way of enjoying the second act for me. Listening to the OBCR, the music of the second act pulled me in more than most of that in the first act. So when I saw a regional production ten years later, familiarity with the music, plus knowing more about George, made the second act work for me. By the time I saw the latest production (sans Chromalume gadget, which would have looked incredibly dated), it all worked as a perfect whole.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:09am

I've always looked at it this way:

Act 1 is about the human creation of art.
Act 2 is about the human connection to art.

One doesn't mean nearly as much (if anything) without the other.

I'm a huge fan of Act 2. And keep in mind that Sunday wouldn't have been eligible for the Pulitzer Prize without Act 2, since it wouldn't have met the criteria for "American" subject matter.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 10:12am

I didn't "get" Sunday until I saw it live at the Roundabout. I had listened to the cast album and watched the DVD several times but I couldn't connect with it emotionally. Then I saw the Studio 54 production and was blown away. Everything was so vivid - how appropriate for a musical ostensibly about painting! - the songs fit so perfectly. And Daniel Evans' gasp of recognition at the very end took my breath away.

I understand the reaction people have to the second act with both Sunday and Into the Woods because there is such a break in tone and attitude between the two acts. But the first act in each case (in my opinion) is the "easy" act where a story is told and the second act says, no - it isn't what it seems or it isn't as simple as it seems.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 12:18pm

"The first act was just about a painter making a painting while his girlfriend was being shut out, something that should've been 10 minutes but turned into like, an hour and a half or whatever it was."

If that's all you got out of the first act, then you truly didn't get this show at all.

Such a shame! I hope you grow into it, at some point.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 1:20pm

Agreed, Best12. There are varied subplots outside of the main Dot/Georges arc. So saying it is just about his painter and is muse is an assumption that doesn't attempt to dig deeper.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:34pm

It is a brilliant musical. Mandy Patinkin is a genius in the original, Phenomenal Music and just a great show.

[Hest882]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 8:49pm

Thanks for starting what could be a fascinating thread!

As fond as I am of much of Sondheim, this remains my favorite musical of all time. I think it was partly because it was the first musical I saw while old enough to glean a bit of an adult understanding. All my subsequent viewing of the OBC video/DVD only cemented my love.

One thing I haven't seen discussed yet on this thread. On a purely philosophical level...the thing I always found charming about the original was the cut-outs popping up and zipping across the stage and the magical use of the white scrim. In the new production I totally get that the use of video makes it more seamless and allows for a more "immersive" experience, but did anyone feel the same way I feel sometimes when watching the newest Hollywood blockbuster? In the old days part of the awe was the "how did they do that?" factor when you didn't have all the FX and you knew there was some stunt person risking their life for that incredible shot. The original production had that "how did they do that?" factor that I wonder if the new production lacks? It's gorgeous and shimmery, but does anyone feel that the video leaches some of the charm and a bit of the awe that the old show had?
Updated On: 8/3/08 at 08:49 PM

[trav08]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:01pm

I personally love both acts. The music is beautiful. When I watched this show, I really connected to it. I felt the same feelings, even thought I'm not an artist, about my acting (because for me its an artform.).

Best12 bars I like how you describe the acts, never thought of it that way.

This musical is a masterpiece and I think Sondheim's best.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:23pm

I love this show and think it's brilliant. It's one of my favorite musicals. When I first saw the show I much preferred Act I over Act II, but after seeing it a couple more times I really began to love the second act as well. How can you not enjoy "Putting It Together," "Children & Art," "Move On" & the final scene?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 1:06pm

I've had an interesting relationship with Sunday.

I tried to watch the DVD 3 times, and proceeded to fall asleep each time. I guess I have to attribute that to the material plus the fact it was on DVD, because when I saw it live I couldn't imagine that it once completely bored me.

Anyway, then I took a Sondheim class, and once I saw how carefully planned the music is, and how the theme of the creation of art can apply to any art form, particularly theatre, I really grew to love it, and only loved it more after seeing it live a couple of times.

The end of the first act always gets me as well -- but it's the music, after he says "harmony," the music is non-dissonant for the first time all show, and when the entire cast starts that beautiful harmonious note, I just cry. The way that the score comes together of its little pieces, like the painting comes together of its little pieces.

Then the fact that "Putting It Together" is actually the same song as "Finishing the Hat" but talking about two completely different things works great as well.

Put me in the camp that enjoys act 2. It brings some sort of resolve to George & Dot, "we do not belong together becomes we've always belonged together," and having the character struggle with these things brings across the mention of "Move On" -- and you also need to see some character change, as Act One George pretty much stays the same.

And I agree, I also always cried when everyone bowed to him.

So I went from thinking it was terribly boring but now I love it. I'm glad I was able to, and had the opportunity to see it at 54.