Flying Over Sunset - Previews Thread- Page 15

[LSDOverSunset]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 12:55am

chrishuyen said: "Now that you mention it, I do wonder why Gerald was included on the LSD trip, as he never really had an introspective moment like the other three, and the story probably would've benefitted from having an outside observer as a guide. I kept waiting for him to give a monologue of his own or something at the end but he never had a big moment like that."

I think they were trying to make his monologue at the end of the show that moment - but him being on LSD didn’t really change anything in the plot outside of him being generally on the same plane of existence I guess. At least that’s how I read it.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 4:45pm

New discount code FSWL21 on Telecharge Offers. $62 Member pricing on all preview non-premium orchestra seats, $72 after opening.

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 9:31pm

I just picked up a LincTix for Saturday afternoon on a whim because I’m now morbidly curious which camp of opinion I’ll fall in - dumpster fire, flat bore, or pleasant new musical experience.

We shall see, won’t we?

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 11:04pm

Just got out. This is both a dumpster fire and a flat bore. The music is dreadful and the book is aimless and meaningless.  I'll write in more detail in a bit, but Tom Kitt should never be allowed to write another musical again.

Genuinely one of the biggest hot messes I've seen on Broadway and I'm shocked Lincoln Center would put this up in it's current state. I'm sad as I was really hoping I would love this.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 11:33pm

This show has nothing to say, has absolutely zero stakes, and is THREE HOURS. I feel like the same things were being rehashed over and over and over. There is no conflict. I do not care about the characters. It’s thematically empty. What’s the point? It is the ultimate sin of musicial theater: just so goddamn boring. 

Tony Yazbeck does take his shirt off in Act II. Unfortunately it’s during an absolute slog of a number if I’ve ever heard one.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/16/21 at 11:33pm

Double post

[Skip23]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 12:11am

My first show after the shutdown.  I'm going back into hibernation.

Wow.  Not since THOU SHALT NOT have I come away from a show so misguided and tasteless.

Who cares about ANY of this.  And why did any investors/producers/creators think this would be remotely worthwhile.

A drug musical that feels like it was created by people on drugs.  

"Oh wow...this would be a good moment.  Let's have Tony Yazbec do a silly moronic dance while pretending to be a Penis Rocket."    Really...they actually did that.

It all comes off like the most irritating, pointless therapy session with 3 narcissistic horrors.  

Shoot me...over Sunset.

 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 12:22am

I actually don't think this feels like it was written by someone on drugs.  It's too boring and uninteresting.  The penis rocket ship is one of the only memorable parts of the show. They could've gone further.

Spectacularly bad set design btw.

Absolutely losing my mind at the early "musical for adults" comments. Lmao.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 2:14am

I was at Joe Allen tonight and the Flying Over Sunset poster was up next to The Little Prince and the Aviator. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 2:23am

Wick3 said: "@christinelavin, I always thought the sound design folks of the team would address the acoustics issue of the theater. I've only seen King and I, Oslo, and My Fair Lady at the Vivian Beaumont and didn't have sound issues but then again I used LincTix and sat in front side orchestra."

Having seen South Pacific, The King and I, Junk, and My Fair Lady, I think the sound is "better" at least a few rows back where you get the benefit of amplification. If you're too close it sounds more "natural" and it can be affected by an actor speaking quietly or facing a different direction. That said, I sat close for South Pacific, and my only sound issues were with Laura Osnes. 

I'm not seeing this until January. I don't think they'd close it early but these conflicting reports have me nervous. It is helping me adjust my expectations. I'll try to read up on the non-Grant characters before the show.

[Skip23]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 9:50am

Georgeanddot2 said: "I actually don't think this feels like it was written by someone on drugs. It's too boring and uninteresting. The penis rocket ship is one of the only memorable parts of the show. They could've gone further.

Spectacularly bad set design btw.

Absolutely losing my mind at the early "musical for adults" comments. Lmao."

 

You're right.  If this is what an acid trip is like, I say...give me brandy anytime.

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 9:58am

jbird5 said: "I’m sure many female and male patrons will enjoy Tony in his swim trunks"

Who wore it better, Tony Yazbeck in this or Michael Xavier in the revival of Sunset Boulevard?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 10:40am

Super interesting article about the show, the show's development, etc. in the Times today...

Up, Up and Away: The Trippy Tales Behind ‘Flying Over Sunset’

[Skip23]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 10:48am

bwayphreak234 said: "Super interesting article about the show, the show's development, etc. in the Times today...

Up, Up and Away: The Trippy Tales Behind ‘Flying Over Sunset’"

 

This article is WAAAY more interesting than anything on that stage.

 

 

[Jimbo2]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:02am

Thank you for mentioning that. Do we really need to see a dancing penis rocket and a mother ask her daughter to re-attach her missing leg? 

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:08am

Lot666 said: "jbird5 said: "I’m sure many female and male patrons will enjoy Tony in his swim trunks"

Who wore it better, Tony Yazbeck in this or Michael Xavier in the revival of Sunset Boulevard?"

Why compare when we can enjoy the blessings of both?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:15am

Georgeanddot2 said: "Absolutely losing my mind at the early "musical for adults" comments. Lmao."

Oh my god, thank you. As if a musical aimed at a more mature crowd has to be mind-numbingly boring and preachy and feature elevator music masquerading as a score.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:20am

For me, the leg bit worked. That whole sequence of Carmen’s trip was the strongest part of the show for me to be honest. The penis rocket ship… I felt embarrassed for Tony Yazbek that they made him do that. It was totally moronic. Almost all of the times he danced it felt like… why is this happening? Of course it’s impressive. But WHY?

The whole show is like when someone explains their dream to you but it doesn’t really matter because it’s not your dream so you don’t really get it. It’s literally rich people thinking that they are special because they did acid, and we have to sit and watch them for three hours as they have “revelations” but we get nothing out of it. And as someone who has experimented with drugs (albeit not acid), it’s not a moral problem I have. It’s a storytelling problem.

[Jimbo2]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:25am

I guess I need to start doing drugs. I was very much looking to see a new musical and not a revival. Perhaps I should have waited until after it opened.

The next day I saw Julia Murney in Baby and felt totally good again :)

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:26am

bwayphreak234 said: "Super interesting article about the show, the show's development, etc. in the Times today...

Up, Up and Away: The Trippy Tales Behind ‘Flying Over Sunset’"

Very noteworthy: Sondheim turned down writing the music, and supposedly regrets it. 

[TNick926]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:29am

I saw the show last night.  Obviously art is very subjective, and hits us all differently.

My thoughts:

1. This is one of the most stunning productions I have ever seen - astonishingly beautiful visually, aurally, costumes, lights, orchestrations lush and mesmerizing.

2. The actors portrayals of real life figures Luce, Huxley and Grant are brilliant - not impersonations or caricatures, but to me seem to authentically summon who these people really were

3. The writing by Lapine is surprisingly stilted and pedantic, and ultimately gave me no reason to care what happened to these people. 

4. The Flying Over Sunset "magazine" available in the lobby for $1 is beautifully put together, and makes the point that the show is a "meditation on love and human connection".  Perhaps, but it seems tortuous to make the audience experience LSD trips in "real time" without the benefit of being on psychedelics ourselves!

5. There were moments that I felt the show summoned the beauty and freshness of Sunday In the Park or Light in the Piazza, but that beauty faded very quickly. 

6. I could watch Tony Yazeck dance, sing and act all night and all week, and especially the less clothes on, the better!

[Skip23]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:59am

Jimbo2 said: "I guess I need to start doing drugs. I was very much looking to see a new musical and not a revival. Perhaps I should have waited until after it opened.

The next day I saw Julia Murney in Baby and felt totally good again :)"

You saw BABY?   AND???

[Jimbo2]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 12:03pm

Loved it. Story updated to include a same-sex couple. Strong cast in a very small space. As I mentioned it kind of made up for this show. 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 1:45pm

I think Sondheim could've made this work. Although Lapine's book is so insanely weak.  This show needed fun, surreal pastiche tunes and big LSD dance numbers.  I wanted crazy and insane and surreal and cerebral and instead I feel like we watch 4 very boring people sit around and sing completely unremarkable songs that mean absolutely nothing.

The echoing shoes were actually pretty cool. And I liked the penis rocket ship and the missing leg. Probably the only two memorable and mildly interesting things in the show.

What a massive flop.

[kwoc91]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 1:46pm

I'm seeing this tonight and now I'm giddy with anticipation to see how I'll feel about it.