First Preview of Bengal Tiger- Page 3

[wexy]

Posted: 3/16/11 at 12:00pm

off to see it this afternoon. Will put in my 2 cents later.

[Lynnespock2]

Posted: 3/16/11 at 10:46pm

I saw this play today. My thoughts: the cast was wonderful and the play is powerful with enough laughs to carry the story to your heart and then ask the big questions. I love Robin Williams and he was wonderful, BUT he spoke his scenes rooted in the middle of the stage. Wasn't he a tiger? Tigers pace but not this Bengal tiger. When Mr. Williams was center stage for his monologues, he just stood there looking out at the center orch. and hardly, if ever looked to the sides of the audience. Since I was sitting on the side, I was a bit disappointed in this - do you think this was the director's fault? The play is definitely worth seeing all in all.

Updated On: 3/16/11 at 10:46 PM

[wexy]

Posted: 3/16/11 at 10:59pm

I enjoyed it as well. There was a guy two people away from me that kept texting emitted a bright light. Finally I said "Asshole,stop texting. And he did. I was ready to take the phone from him

At intermission, he moved two rows back.

Lynne, I think he was in a cage so long that he wasn't used to moving to far.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/17/11 at 11:31pm

I saw it this evening.

Count me in the group of those underwhelmed. It's not horrible, but I would harldy call it "great." I think I liked the first act better than the second, and for only two hours, it does drag on a little towards the end. Robin Williams was excellent, as was Arian Moayed. Brad Fleischer on the other hand, was pretty horrible. I mean...what show was he in? He was ridiculous.

I think the play thinks it's a lot smarter than it really is. There are some moments of great dark comedy, but others that are just superfluous and pointless. Audience reaction was tepid at the end, until Moayed and Williams bowed. Partial standing ovation. It was okay...definitely nothing worth rushing to, if you ask me. But to say I saw Robin Williams live on a Broadway stage is pretty exciting.

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 11:16am

I am reading the play now and seeing it next week. I have to say that, on the page, it is pretty predictable and emotionally flat.

[Buffyfan51]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 8:59pm

I am planning to try to get lottory for this on Saturday night or maybe matinee. How has the lottory been? Does Robin come out to stage door each performance or just some?

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 10:43pm

Couldn't agree with the OP more. Which I had re-read the post and skipped this one.

Question--when I asked the usher the running time, she responded "Let me get back to you, sometimes it's been until 10pm, sometimes 10:30 lately." She came back 2 minutes later, "10pm tonight." I asked if we'd be missing some good stuff, she responded, "It's OK, you get out earlier!"

Did I miss something? Does Robin do the best 30 minutes of his live on Broadway HBO performance from 10 years ago? Because that's about the only thing that could have saved the evening.

[willep]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:03am

^ That is weird...I wonder what that is all about. Personally I loved the show when I saw it last week and have tickets to go back...wonder if I will see the longer version this time (it was 2 hrs. last time)...

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 8:28am

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but Williams already has the Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar. Could he complete his EGOT with this?

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 8:35am

I highly doubt he would win a Tony for this performance. That said, the producers should lobby for him to be considered as a featured actor. He's above the title (and, well, he's Robin Williams), so they will probably put him in leading. But it's not a leading role at all.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:40am

He'd have an outside shot at featured. No way it's in the conversation if he's eligible for leading.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:22pm

Methinks you guys are letting your (negative) feelings towards the play cloud your judgment/evaluations. Surveying the Tony contender landscape at the present moment, my money would be on Williams WINNING the Leading Actor in a Play award.

Do I think he's the lead? No, I don't think anyone is - in my view, all the characters are featured (it's clearly an ensemble play). But he's playing the title character, he bookends the production (he's front-and-center when the play begins and when it ends), he's in it as much/little as any of the other actors, and, frankly, he's Robin Williams - they will be pushing him for lead. And with his only real competition being - who? Brian Bedford? I think he's going to take this one.

When you look at the history/trajectory of past Tony winners, quite frequently, just being a big-name film actor on Broadway has proven enough for the voting body, and here -- while not a powerhouse role, per se -- he's not falling back on his Robin Williams schtick (which is the main point of sketicism for those reluctant about the play based on his involvement).

He's giving a genuinely interesting, off-kilter performance, which I happen to think he did a spectacular job with. And in addition, (perhaps this shouldn't play a factor, but it does) he will likely earn the admiration of his fellow actors for choosing such an unconventional, uncommercial play to participate in as his Broadway debut, when he really could have done anything he wanted to, and been another screen-to-stage commercial sellout.

I'm not saying this is a certainty - and clearly, my enthusiasm for the play/production seems to be in the minority on this particular thread - but I think you'd be silly to count him out.
Updated On: 3/23/11 at 01:22 PM

[Calvin]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:26pm

And with his only real competition being - who? Brian Bedford?

Al Pacino

[willep]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:33pm

^^ Mark Rylance?

I would also say that I don't think he was in it as much/little as everyone else. As I have said, I thoroughly enjoyed him and the play, but to my friend and I the Tiger was a smaller (no less important, just smaller) role than, say, the Translator. I would say that given the already tight Leading actor race, the producers would be smart to lobby for him to be a Featured Actor.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:33pm

Good call, Calvin - I completely forgot about 'Merchant' - I keep forgetting it was even on Broadway, as I keep associating it with last summer/Shakespeare in the Park (where I saw it). Yeah, definitely potential for a Pacino win. I would say it's between the two of them.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:34pm

And with his only real competition being - who? Brian Bedford? I think he's going to take this one.

Al Pacino

Also Mark Rylance for Jerusalem. He won and Olivier for the role last year, so don't be surprised if he garners rave reviews and an award that will really be for both Jerusalem and La Bete.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 2:17pm

Yeah, even without seeing Jerusalem yet I would guess the big battle would be between Rylance and Pacino (with Pacino having a slight edge). Bjh is right; barring Rylance getting a double nomination the award will really be for both roles this season.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:34pm

Agreed with the last two posts. I think it'll be a two horse race between Rylance (for Jerusalem, don't think La Bete will be nominated for anything) and Pacino.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 2:30pm

Saw it last night. Pretty underwhelmed.

Some great moments. Beautiful imagery. A perfectly okay performance from Robin Williams. A great performance Arian Moayed. A lesson in over-acting from just about everyone else.

They need to tighten up their scene work for sure. The jumping/cutting between monologue and dialogue that Josef uses so often through the show needs to be rehearsed quite a bit more. It's not working too well right now.

But I think the biggest problem with the show is the hardest to fix, and that's simply the writing. I feel like it may have a lot to say, but, as written, it's really not saying anything at all. The tiger character is a poorly developed anchor and everything else just seems kind of muddled and disjointed. It's just not coming together.

It has that "Slumdog Millionaire" feel- loud music, harsh violence, bright colors. But it never really makes use of any of its strong points. It's just kind of there...

I'm a little shocked this was on the short list for the Pulitzer last year.