FOLLIES - The Intermission is Back — Page 5

Apparently you haven't been to the theatre lately. When I attended Follies and Catch Me If You Can a few weeks ago, both audiences were filled with screaming, whooping "zanies" - it was so irritating. You cannot not know what I'm talking about or perhaps you enjoy being obtuse and convoluting someone's words, which I think are more than clear. I'm talking about loud, unnecessary, disruptive AUDIENCE behavior at musicals, where everyone is intent on making sure they're screaming and cheering louder than the next person. One idiot at Follies tried to lead a standing ovation after Who's That Woman - ONE guy stood up - what a jerk. And I must say, he was a middle-aged man who should know better.

wow. why does everyone always at each other's throats on this board? tranquilos.

on topic: has the intermission been back all week? the last comment was from tuesday. thanks.

"Buddy walks in on them."

So THATS what Schaeffer meant, AC126748...Buddy never walked in during the DC production, it just ended with the beautiful last note of Too Many Mornings. thank you. Can't wait to see this.

Updated On: 9/2/11 at 01:51 PM

I was at last Friday's performance -- the intermission was back and Buddy did see Ben canoodling with Sally. With or without an intermission, Follies is a fairly long show, but I can't think of any place else that would make for an appropriate break. Just after I'm Still Here? It's a lose-lose situation. And warts and all, it's still a masterpiece.

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Buddy definitely walked in at the end of Act 1 (both young and adult Buddy) when I saw it in DC, and I was under the impression that it was like that the entire run. Could be mistaken, though.

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Buddy (and Young Buddy) definitely walked in on Ben and Sally in DC. I made sure to check, as it's one of my favorite moments in the show. It's definitely in the stage directions of at least one of the scripts.

The only thing that might be slightly different for Broadway is: on the final chord, the lights go down, and only Buddy is lit in a spotlight. I don't remember that in DC, and it really looks great.

The scene leading into the song has been restaged; it now takes place on stage left. Also, Ron and Bernadette are more passionate than ever now, they do more kissing during the brief pause before the final verse. And I still love how Ron passionately kisses Bernadette after she says "If you don't kiss me, I think I'm gonna die." I've never seen that in any other production.

Updated On: 9/2/11 at 04:13 PM

Where do old people go to the bathroom? Depends.

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^ Yup! It's like that on my video too. If Buddy did not walk on and see Sally and Ben, the Act 1 finale would not have the "punch" it needs.

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^ Yup! It's like that on my video too. If Buddy did not walk on and see Sally and Ben, the Act 1 finale would not have the "punch" it needs.

Trouble is, bringing Buddy on to see them for a first-act curtain is hokey. It's old-fashioned, melodrama: "Oh, no! My husband!" "Aha! She IS untrue!"

It turns Follies into soap-opera.

It makes whatever grand-ness the musical had in the first act prior to that seem petty and brings the whole enterprise down to a low level of quality from which it can never bounce back.

The intermission makes Follies MORE like what its detractors feel about it, not less.

Heartbreaking.

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