Festen. why?

[mrkringas]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 6:46pm

Just home from the UK tour of Festen. Its the Almeida production on tour and having never seen the original west end cast I can only say that tonight's touring cast were all fine actors who excelled in a thrilling play.

I have went back and read the original london reviews and some of the New York reviews. I cannot for the life of me work out what happened on Broadway. I can only assume something went wrong with the transfer or it just didnt play well with the Broadway audience.

It was in the 1730 seat Lowry Theatre in Manchester and did get lost in the size. Also there was barely 150 in the theatre on a friday night. So perhaps it was a "London" thing and its just a few of us who get it and the rest of the world just dont???

Anyway its given me a total mind **** and think I need to drink myself to alcholic slumber to get over that. Not pleasant but necessary.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 6:49pm

Festen was a fantastic play, i think it would have done well, Julianna M. is big enough of a star, and she is great in this play, but if you have one of the biggest stars making her Bway debut across the street, it steals the spotlight it seems. Michael Hayden gave a thrilling perfomance and the lighting and set design was fantastic.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 6:56pm

Please remember that the New York cast were not the London originals. That can make all the difference in the world in a theatrical presentation. I gather that the New York cast was uneven and didn't "jell".

Years ago I saw the London cast of THE FULL MONTY. Several of the original New Yorkers were in it but the cast really didn't "jell" here either. It turned out to be a lame evening in the theater. When I got back to the States, I saw MONTY once more with the replacement cast and it was marvelous.

Perhaps the original London FESTEN just had the right cast at the right time to make the property click.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 7:11pm

Yeah totally. This was a touring cast but no "stars" (although Christian was Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!) in it. I never saw the originals to compare to but this lot certainly clicked for me. They all delivered and then some. I did feel very uncomfortable with the racism though. In the north west we just had neo fascists win some council seats... you do wonder how much of the nervous laughter of audience was actually motivated by genuine prejudice....

Still thats a side issue. Read Brantley now and that seems to have answered my question re "why?".

[tophertilson]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 7:23pm

I loved it in the UK, hated it on Broadway. The actors were too American, too casual. English actors know how to play melodrama for real.

TT

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 7:24pm

Definitely a flawed production, but I adore the play. I think it's an excellent play. I loved the direction, lighting, and sets as well.

I thought Hayden, Sisto, Margulies, and most of the supporting cast were fine - but hated Brygmann and McGraw.

That's unfortunate.

[otis33]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 8:54pm

I just saw it on Tuesday night on Broadway. I loved it. I loved how it took its time. I thought the cast was phenomenal and worked extremely well with each other. The Tuesday night audience I saw it with seemed bowled over by it. I'm at a loss as to why it didn't work in NYC. Brilliant direction, I thought.

Ali McGraw also really worked for me. Yes, it would have been nice to have seen a seasoned theatre actress take on the role. But, for me, the staccato, deer in the headlights performance she gave was fitting for the denial the woman has been in for 30-some-odd years.

I found it to be an intense, chilling night at the theatre.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 2:10am

It was brilliant. Julianna Margulies has stage presence. She rejected a 22 million dollar offer to grow as an actress and do theatre instead of returning to ER. Interesting choice. Amanda Peet also reportedly rejected big bucks from a Hollywood film to star on Broadway in Barefoot in the Park. Although Julia Roberts, chose an awful play(IMO) as her Broadway vehicle, she must have turned down more lucrative offer to make her theatrical debut.

Updated On: 8/3/06 at 02:10 AM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 2:21am

Why did you bump this up?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 2:48am

Why not? I was thinking about how good Festen was. Any objection?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 10:31am

Muscle, bump anything you wish to. I don't really understand neddyfrank2's post.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 10:45am

I thought this was one of the worst things that I have seen on Broadway. I hated most every minute of it. I found the acting to be weak. Could not wait to get out of that theater.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:02am

Have you seen a lot of shows on Broadway? I've seen so much worse!

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:34am

I have seen a lot of Broadway shows and I am not sure why I did not like this one as much as others. As a play I really did not like it at all. I was quite bored and was my partner. We both disliked it. I was very excited to see this after all the good stuff I had read about the London production, so that may have added to my dislike.

As for plays ON Broadway, I have to say this is probably on the top of most disliked. Now if we are talking musicals too, then we have a few that will top this on the list.

The one thing about theater, we all have our own taste and opinions and that is great. As long as we can all talk intelligently and not degrade to name calling, all is good.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 12:04pm

What plays and musicals did you and didn't you enjoy, some examples? Did you happen to see "3 days of rain" across the street?

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 12:25pm

Well, let's see. With out much thought

Musicals -
Love - Rent, Hairspray, Spelling Bee ( saw it on and off broadway), Wicked, Avenue Q, Taboo, Altar Boys (I know off broaday, but I love it)

Disliked - Woman in White, Phantom, Cats, Ring of Fire

Plays -
Love - The Pillowman, Inshimore, History Boys

Disliked - Festen

I have seen a lot of stuff off Broadway as well. For the most part, I enjoy everything I see. There are a rare few occasions were I can not wait for the show to be over, but I am never sorry I have seen something. My judge is - do I feel the need to see it again, then I really enjoyed it. There are a lot of shows that I have seen and liked but did not have the need to see again (12 angry men, miss saigon, all shook up, aida and many more)

I did not see 3 days of rain. I did see the Odd Couple and was entertained but no need to see again.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 12:40pm

I thought Festen was a great play, becuz it went full circle...the play had a point. Something happened in it. The cast was great i thought. Julianna was fantastic.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 4:54pm

No i meant why did you bump this up because it is kind of random. I wasn't scolding you for doing it.