FOLLIES - The Intermission is Back

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:32pm

As of tonight, so sayeth a poster on ATC

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:34pm

Well darn

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:35pm

I'm glad they at least tried it even if they have since decided against it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:37pm

DAMN IT. Was dying to see it without an intermission.

[Miranda3]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:40pm

Well, yes, but only briefly, in deference to Irene. Need to have orderly transition out of the theater at half-time, if necessary. No inermission post-Irene. At least I hope NOT!

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 8/26/11 at 11:52pm

If everybody had to leave the theatre, wouldn't it make more sense to stop the show when necessary instead of waiting until intermission?

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:01am

I do hope it goes back to intermissionless on Tuesday. If it is a creative choice having nothing to do with Irene, I pray that now that it has been both with and without an intermission, they see that the intermissionless way works better.

[Miranda3]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:24am

AwesomeDanny, Of course, you are so right. That was my west-coast two-wines-before-dinner and typo-flawed attempt at a joke. Mea culpa.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 2:36am

This all could change. My guess would be that they would go back and forth between intermission and no intermission during the preview period to see what they really want and what really works best. It's good to see they are taking advantage of their preview period to try new things out.

[RainbowJude]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 3:17am

Intermission in FOLLIES = Fail.

[evic]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 7:43am

The show was red hot last night. Cast, who is perfect, was really on. Audience response was loud and long for many numbers. This is a beautiful production where the story is so clear. The staging and some changes in the book allows you to know who each of the characters are and the actors are impeccably cast. A+. Will definitely go back. The intermission didn't bother me at all. And you could hear a pin drop during the show-everyone in the house was riveted.

[TheHappyPhantom]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:20pm

CRAP! Please go back to the true intention of the show. NO intermission!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:24pm

I can almost guarantee the inclusion of intermission is due to the geriatric bladders dominating the house. Complaints to House Management have been off the chain. The stars of FOLLIES command a large elderly demographic.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:41pm

The piece was written NOT to have an intermission. The piece SHOULD NOT have an intermission. People should plan to pee ahead of time. Sorry.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:44pm

I can almost guarantee the inclusion of intermission is due to the geriatric bladders dominating the house.


Maybe they can start stocking Depends at the concession stand.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 12:52pm

AC, I love you!

Maybe they can hand out a Depends with every one of those godd@#*ed plastic cups with noise-making ice.

[chatter]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 1:11pm

Concessions may have played a big part in putting the intermission back in. Fewer sales, lesser profit.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 1:16pm

And the slogan for Depends:

"Help turn those bum times into good times again."

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 1:41pm

can almost guarantee the inclusion of intermission is due to the geriatric bladders dominating the house

Intellectually and maybe even emotionally I can "get" the no intermission.
But as a 50+ post menepausal female ( who can pee, stand up, zip and turn right around and unzip again!) I know I'd need an intermission and if u see the lineups at intermission on any other show ya know how MANY other folks are in the same leaky boat.
All I keep hearing in my head is :
"AND IT'S A PRIV- IL- EGE TO PEE-EEE-EEE!!!!"

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 4:35pm

A Chorus Line is about 2 hours and 5 minutes with no intermission and people did ok. I think peeing at intermission is psychological for people. Many people can go a whole work day without peeing.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 4:41pm

I like an intermission. It makes it feel like an evening out. You can stop and discuss the show and read the program again now that you know the show better, etc.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 4:44pm

^I think that's an incredibly accurate statement, Bettyboy.

It really is a matter of expectation. Chorus Line made no apology for having no intermission. If you had to get up during it, you got up, but you didn't ever expect there to be an intermission. When you sat down to that show, no big announcement was made, the show just started and ended with no intermission. At least that's the way it's been all the times I've seen it.

With this production of Follies, even when there is no intermission, it is still listed in the playbill, so there are signs up saying there's no intermission, and the ushers mention it every four seconds. People then start to think about the fact that there's no intermission and work themselves up to having to leave and want there to be one.

The people who saw the original production can attest to whether there was the same kind of understanding as with Chorus Line.

ETA: I usually agree with you, Rippedman, but I didn't enjoy the intermission when I had it in DC. I just didn't want to discuss the show until I'd seen Act 2, knowing enough what was to be ahead.

Updated On: 8/27/11 at 04:44 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 5:07pm

The difference with a workday and an evening show is about 2-3 cocktails and/or glasses of your beverage of choice. I don't think it's just psychological.

If you know the show has no intermission, don't guzzle a bunch of liquids an hour before the curtain goes up and then wonder why you have to pee so badly right after the "I want" song.

[Brick]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 5:11pm

^Exactly. You have signs in the lobby and on telecharge. And then, if you're a ticket buyer, you plan accordingly. I disctinctly remembering now having a cocktail before I saw ...VIRGINIA WOOLF, and had a pick-me-up of M&Ms ready for 2nd intermission. That's how ya do it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/27/11 at 5:58pm

I think with Chorus Line and Spelling Bee, etc. Those shows wouldn't work with an intermission. They all have that element of "Who will win, who will get the part?" They are competition shows. I think Follies could work with an intermission, it's just that the creators didn't write it with one in mind, so that's why this new production is having such a difficult time coming up with a place for it. I thought it seemed really long even with the intermission, but maybe that's just me.