First Preview of Bengal Tiger- Page 2

[willep]

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:30pm

Yes, 90 minutes before and front row. It's a pretty high stage, but still totally worth it.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:30pm

Thanks bwayfan - clearly I read through the thread too quickly.

[misto625]

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:30pm

I saw the show tonight and enjoyed it. I thought Robin Williams was great casting in the title role. (It may not be a starring role, but it's the play's title). I thought Glenn Davis and Brad Fleischer gave great performances as people who are trying to be in control of their surroundings even though they know they are not, and control gets away from them. I agree that the play seems to be making a few points that are not clear, but I definitely recommend the play if you have a taste for seriously dark comedy. One thing I find especially creepy, besides the ghost in the green suit, was that the play takes place in 2003 and not much seems to have changed in Baghdad since then.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:32pm

I actually did the same thing...I knew I heard 90 minutes somewhere, but scrolled the thread quickly and didn't see it...so I googled "Bengal Tiger Lottery 90 minutes" and it sent me right back to this thread. :)

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:13am

willep, I did the lottery tonight too. Crazy how few people there were!

[willep]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:38am

Right? I wasn't expecting a Book of Mormon sized group but I was definitely expecting there to be more people than the was. Did you win?

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:49am

Sent you a PM!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:59am

Is there an intermission?

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 1:00am

Yeah, it's about an hour in.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 1:11am

For those who liked it, have you seen any of the other plays this season so far (specifically Good People or War Horse while it was in London)? I'm curious as to how this play compares with the others I would have a chance to see. I have never seen a play on Broadway before, and I'm really hoping to make the first one I see a really great one.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 1:20am

Saw the show tonight and found it uncomfortable.(spoiler perhaps) There were a couple of black humor jokes that got a groan from the audience, "she has half a brain" for example.
But I have to say, as I sit and think about it. he show does bring up some very interesting points and sort of gnaws into your brain .

[matty159]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 10:54am

I saw the show last night and couldn't connect with it.

That being said, Robin Williams was great. His first scene was amazing. What wasn't amazing was Brad Fleischer. He worked every last nerve in me except during his final scene out in the desert. At that juncture he seemed to be the symbol that Joseph was trying to develop...and although his interpretation of the role until that scene may have been in line with Joseph's intentions, it came across as obnoxious and forced. Ditto with Glenn Davis. Again, the more I think about it (and this is definitely a piece that will make you think) the more I think it is intentional, I simply found him obnoxious even as a caricature or symbol.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I found Arian Moayed's Musa to be very good. He and Williams carried the piece for me.

Overall, the play just didn't work for me. There were some excellent scenes, but a lot of it seemed disjointed and heavyhanded too. One of my friends with me wanted to leave at intermission and even at the end thought it was the worse thing he had seen since Prymate. My other two friends weren't as vehement in their dislike for the show, but were definitely nonplussed by the evening.

Maybe I was missing something, but I certainly don't understand how this was shortlisted for the Pulitzer. I wish it well and perhaps it will develop over previews into something I can connect to better. Just my two-cents.

FYI - I was in a TDF seat at the rear of the orchestra and you do miss a little of the action when the characters are on the second level of the one set piece.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 11:10am

I'd like to jump on the Arian Moayed bandwagon as well. He was fantastic.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:23pm

Williams is excellent. The rest of the cast reminded me of when, back in the old days, a great actor would tour the countryside and be supported by a local rep company. They were all awful and seemed to be doing twelve different styles of acting.

The play is a waste of time. The meaning of life, existentialism b-s sounded like it came straight from a freshman philosophy term paper.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 4:04pm

Question: how much are the lottery seats? Yes, I went there.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 4:09pm

$27

[falloutman]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 4:33pm

I am seeing the show on Wed, I am so excited. Question, how crowded was the stagedoor? should I leave during Curtain Call to get a good spot at the stagedoor. I am from way out of town and don't want to miss getting his autograph!

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 4:45pm

It was pretty crowded, but they have a pretty big area set up for the barricades. You should be fine as long as you make it out of the theatre relatively early after the curtain call.

[willep]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 4:50pm

falloutman,
yeah it was kind of crowded, but they set up a pretty large area. Also, as his bodyguard says, he likes to sign for everybody, so he stays for a while and really does try to get everyone that is waiting for a signature.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 5:13pm

Out of curiosity to those who didn't enjoy the play, are you all fans of Martin McDonagh's works? Even though I believe McDonagh is much superior to Joseph, it seems a lot of the usual complaints that surface when McDonagh has a new work are coming up on this thread.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 5:25pm

Huge fan of McDonagh here. Joseph's work seemed like an obvious rip-off of him and Tarantino.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 5:37pm

I'll be THAT annoying guy, as usual. How bad are the gunshots and can you give me a general sense of when to expect them?

Sorry in advance but those things literally scare the bejeezus out of me if they're super loud.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 5:40pm

The gunshots are fairly obvious as to when they're going to happen.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/14/11 at 5:45pm

When I got to reading the play, I had a similar thought. Seeing it was a bit different, but actually reading it I actually thought of it as a weird blend between McDonagh and Kushner. Again, I liked the play, but I don't think it was as apt with dark humor as McDonagh, and that it doesn't really master the fantastic elements and the long monologues like Kushner. It's kind of like how Kushner's long monologues and fantastical elements seem poetic, but here they were a bit awkward.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/15/11 at 6:37pm

Sounds like the word of mouth is somewhat positive. This is my backup show for the 27th in case I can't get a ticket to HIGH...My night show remains PRISCILLA.