FAREWELL, "SEAFARER" !!!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 9:47am

So blessed being able to see this amazing production a number of times, and each time was better and better !!!

The best emsemble that I have seen on Broadway this year.

::: crossing fingers and toes for a few Tony Awards :::

Really gonna miss ya !

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:22am

Agreed. I saw the show twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Fantastic acting all around.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:23am

My favorite new show of 2008. I wish it could have stayed around longer. I hope it does well at the Tonys!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:25am

I think Jim Norton has Best Featured Actor sewn up, and in a season filled to the brim with a great selection of plays -- new and revivals, I think that one award will have to be all of the Tony recognition given to THE SEAFARER.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:37am

Agree about Norton, and really hope that Hinds and Hill get nominations as well. (in a perfect world, Morse would be recognized as well)

As far as a "pure enjoyment factor", I dont think anything this year will top how I felt watching Hill as Ivan. Amazing !!

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:38am

I love this show!! Norton best take home that Tony!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 11:42am

Yes Yes Yes! I agree with what everyone just said.

I decided very late last night that I am going to today's performance.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:04pm

Veryny--- Please post a review !!!! Went to my last (of 10 trips) last Tues... wish it could play forever !!!

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:13pm

Truly brilliant ensemble piece and I'm so glad I got a chance to see it!

[Sylvie2]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:18pm

I crossed the Atlantic just to see Ciarán Hinds on stage. I saw the play twice and enjoyed every minute. The whole cast was great and although I'm French (Mr. Hinds asked me if I'd understood all the subtilities of the story), I laughed at the right moments.
New Ciaran hinds fansite

[DoranC]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:05pm

Speaking of Ciaran Hinds, I was walking by the Booth last night. It must have been after Mr. Lockhart makes his final exit in the play and before the curtain call, and there was the Devil himself still in his Mr. Lockhart suit and tie having a smoke in Shubert Alley. It's good to know even Satan needs to obey the No Smoking laws.

I really enjoyed this play too. Farewell to it!
Updated On: 3/30/08 at 02:05 PM

[dave1606]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:26pm

I love this show. And was happy to see Ciaran Hinds in Miss Pettigrew lives for a day last night! He is a fine actor just like everyone in that show.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:30pm

Hinds speech about death (and Sharky's fate) is one of the finest moments on the stage that I hasve ever seen (along with the amazing "backdrop" of the stars and the moon"- PERFECTION !!!)

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 7:52pm

I saw the final performance today. The first time I saw THE SEAFARER, I thought Jim Norton was just fantastic. Today, he was that and a little more. The best performance I've seen from an actor in a play this season. Others were great, but if there was only one more TONY nomination for THE SEAFARER, I think it would go to Conleth Hill.

Three curtain calls with very loud applause right from the end of Act 2 until they left the stage. What a second act! I just loved the ending.

Does anyone know the song that Ivan plays on the stereo in the end?

[Testing1232]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 8:40pm

NY, glad you loved it !!! Totally agree about Hill ! His performance (at least in my opinion) is absolutely incredible !

The music is by John Martyn, and I believe the closing song is "Sweet Little Mystery" - Love his music !! He has a number of CD's (if you go to Amazon.com)

Thanks for posting !!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 8:45pm

Thanks, Testing1232!

Goodbye, SEAFARER. I hope the people in Chicago will appreciate it as much as we have.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 9:08pm

So long Seafarer.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 3/30/08 at 9:14pm

This was a great show, and such a terrific ensemble. I'm glad I was able to see it.

[Sylvie2]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 2:12am

Hi all,

I confirm. The song is "Sweet Little Mystery" by John Martyn. It's in the script of the play.
New Ciarán Hinds fansite

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 10:54am

I was also there yesterday, standing in the back with perhaps every member of front of house and backstage staff. Every single person in the theatre was so upset that this show was closing--it was truly something special. To see all that talent in one place and to hear some of those speeches (Lockhart's speech about human beings vs. himself and why God chose us over him is one of my favorites) was such a pleasure, and all of us who saw it were really lucky.

Everyone was getting a little emotional during the second act. Two moments that stood out particularly for me were when David Morse's shoulders dropped as Ciaran laid out the four tens, and when Jim got all choked up during his speech about the Christmas present ("I could...I could get ya."). And the curtain calls were so touching--the five of them just soaked up the applause with tears rolling down their faces, and that group hug during the third curtain call nearly made me lose it. You could tell the guys had so much fun doing the show and that they were really going to miss it and each other.

And there was a huge crowd at the stage door, which was a great send off for the boys.

Most of the music that played during the show was by John Martyn. If you have a playbill handy, flip to the credits after the Who's Who, and there should be a list of copyright acknowledgements where all the songs used in the show are listed. You could make your very own Seafarer mix! (and don't think I'm not contemplating it!)

I'm really glad that Jim is staying in NY to do Port Authority, and I'm going to try my very best to get to the Atlantic.

Going straight to the new Ciaran Hinds website. Thanks, Sylvie!

Updated On: 3/31/08 at 10:54 AM

[fosca3]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 1:01pm

I was there yesterday too -- actually I saw all 3 shows this weekend (for a total of 9 -- Testing, you only beat me by 1...)

I thought yesterday was really great too -- everyone was really 'on'. And the last curtain call was pretty emotional, all the guys hugging each other (Jim Norton wasn't expecting that last one, I think -- he was putting his jacket back on as he came back on stage). I was in the 2nd row yesterday, so I could see everyone's expressions very well. I think there were more than a few tearful eyes onstage

And the stage door was packed, more people than I've ever seen. They even had a little barricade set up around the door, which I'd never seen before

David Morse was sick, a bad cold I think, and I was afraid he wouldn't make all 3 shows, but he was a soldier and made it thru. It's sad he had to be so miserable for the last weekend

Another thing was that the audience clapped as each character came on for the first time (especially Mr Morse), something else I don't ever remember happening before

One odd thing -- I SWEAR that when the 3 of them came in from the back lane the 2nd time that Jim Norton said 'The genitals prevail!'. Maybe he just stumbled on that line, but he doesn't really do that. Did anyone else hear that, or were my ears just messing with me?

And he also changed one line -- instead of saying 'instead of a sneaky little f---er who broke his mother's heart' he said 'instead of a little sneaky monster...'. Again, he's always SO consistent (I don't even think his delivery changes much, show to show) that it stuck out for me

The Sat matinee was a little different, in that Sharky played most of the scene before the fight as quieter and amused, and not raging as usual (Mr Morse said that the 'energy level' was different because he was sick, but I thought the whole emotional delivery of that scene was very different). And Sat afternoon Ivan was more feisty during the scene when Lockhart is badgering him about the fire, more standing up to Lockhart than just folding slowly in on himself, like usual

But still, the Sun matinee REALLY 'rocked'

As I came out yesterday, I noticed that there are full-length (it looked like) pix of each character on the 45th side doors to the theatre. Those doors are always open when you come out, and I never noticed them before. I meant to go back after they closed and see them, but the stage door was so long and emotional (for me, anyway) that I forgot. If anyone who lives in NYC could take a pic of those doors for me (if they are still up), I would be hopelessly grateful :)

All said, it was one of the happiest theatre days of my life (the whole weekend was just amazing), and one of the saddest. It was so hard, realizing I would never see that cast do Seafarer again. This whole show has been probably the most special theatre experience I have EVER had. It'll be hard to top

In my perfect world, Norton and Morse and Hill would ALL be nominated for Tonys. I wouldn't even want to have to pick the winner

To all 5 of them, thank you SO much for all the happy hours I spent in the Booth in the last few months, and I wish them all the happiness in the world as they go on to their next plays

Updated On: 3/31/08 at 01:01 PM

[fosca3]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 4:29pm

YAY Seafarer -- seating 80.5% its last week!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:21pm

It will be interesting to see how it fares at Tony time

I cannot wait for Mac Phersons next show

Updated On: 3/31/08 at 06:21 PM

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:44pm

Hee hee. I think "the genitals prevail" evolved out of slurring "generals," but I loved that and "Verashke" instead of "Versace." They were all trying new things up until the last weeks.

You won't have to wait long, Roxy, because the Atlantic is staging the first NY production of McPherson's Port Authority in May, and Sir Jim is in it, along with Brian d'Arcy James and John Gallagher Jr. Can't wait!

Love the new Ciaran website, Sylvie! Well done!

Updated On: 3/31/08 at 06:44 PM

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:20pm

the Atlantic is staging the first NY production of McPherson's Port Authority in May, and Sir Jim is in it, along with Brian d'Arcy James and John Gallagher Jr.

I am there