Follies last night- Page 2

[jean54]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 9:06am

I've seen Follies last saturday and it is a great show. Jan Maxwell is a standout, I hope she will finally gets her Tony. She deserved it. And to my surprise, no noise during the show, no talking, no cell phone ringing. It's a rare thing today to be able to sit in a theatre and appreciate the show without being distracted.

[newintown]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 10:47am

I'm not so far from becoming a senior, but I'll say that this city has some delightful old folks in it. People you meet who have a positive outlook on life, and fascinating experiences to share. You can strike up the best conversations with them in lines or sitting next to you at a show.

But we can also acknowledge that this city does terrible things to older folks, too, and that there are a wealth of simply awful seniors out and about; poorly behaved, greedy, angry, terrified that something will be taken away from them. They push and shove to be the first in line, they try to take better seats at arts events, then disingenuously blame the usher when caught - if you've been in the city long enough, you been exposed to them.

Sadly, the poorly behaved give the whole demographic a bad name. But I do dearly love the good oldsters. And I hope I'll be more like them when I get there (sooner rather than later...).
Updated On: 9/30/11 at 10:47 AM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 10:49am

Newintown, I think that's extremely well said.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 11:06am

And that's what Follies is about.

They're still here, aren't they?

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 11:27am

"And that's what Follies is about. "

Follies is such s rich and profound work, it seems to be about everything, save perhaps the melting of the polar ice cap.

If anyone can think of anything else it's not about, could you please let us know?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 11:35am

It's not about the bike.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 12:11pm

What this thread needs is a light farce about divorce hijinks.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 12:20pm

What we need is a drink! Oy vey!

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 12:48pm

Saw the show Wednesday night. I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, but here are my random thoughts:

-yes, the draping is ridiculous. My partner (not a musical fan) thought it looked like a cheap haunted house. It was not necessary.

-Although I have loved the show for many years (the OBC and the original book), this was the first production of the show I have seen. Needless to say, the evening was one of the highlights of my theater-going career.

-Loved Bernadette (though I agree with those who feel she is miscast), Jan, and Danny. Ron Raines' performance, not so much. I find his acting/singing overwrought and pretentious. He seems to carrying his soap opera persona to the stage.

-The trio of songs brought the house down..thunderous applause.

-Overall, it was a wonderful production, but for me it was a three star production not a four star one.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 1:00pm

sondheim fan,
Had this Follies been staged in any theatre built before 1975, i would have agreed with your thoughts on the draping, but since it his the 'period' of the house, I was fine with it. In fact, half way through act one, i was positively thrilled with it because in addition to covering a surplus of speakers that you normally stare at, I felt that it improved the acoustics of the marquis, where I feel that the sound of every show gets sucked right into the red carpet of the walls. I'm not sure that show would have sounded quite as beautiful in that space without those drapes.

Posted: 9/30/11 at 1:21pm

It's amazing that geriatrics are so celebrated on stage in Follies and so excoriated in the audience.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 1:29pm

When I saw the show two weeks ago, the couple sitting right behind us were talking out loud throughout much of the first act. The guy sitting to my right told them "NO TALKING!" but they didn't get the hint. Repeated shushings from myself and my usually patient partner and the people sitting next to us did no good, until I finally turned around, made eye contact with the Idiot in question, and said, "Will you please be quiet?" The Idiot made some shushing noises of his own, evidently to show that he finally got the point, and the Idiot's woman looked at me like I was dirt, but at least they kept their yaps shut for the rest of the performances, and they didn't wait for curtain calls before fleeing the theater.

It really made my day to note that they'd forgotten their umbrellas under their seats.

Updated On: 9/30/11 at 01:29 PM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 5:30pm

No doubt my three decades in the hinterlands has influenced my sense of pricing, but if I spent over $100 on ANYTHING, I would shut up and listen to it!

[bk]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 5:59pm

Here's the thing: When I saw Follies in previews on a Saturday evening I am here to tell you it was not the older people who made it an unpleasant experience. It was the younger people, the kiddies who were whooping and hollering as if they were watching American Idol. It wasn't about Follies, it was about THEM. The older people were appreciative and enjoying themselves although with all that hollering it was difficult. If the kiddies can call people geriatrics then I see nothing wrong with calling the kiddies kiddies, if you get my meaning. Ageism works both ways. I'll take an older person any day rather than some of the mewling, entitled young folks I'm around occasionally.

But here's the other thing: Some older people ARE jerks. Just as some younger people are terrific.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 6:24pm

Someone please write a musical about a hopelessly out-of-touch oldster named Jerry Atricks.

It should feature the song "Get Off My Lawn (Or Come Rub My Foot)."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 8:05pm

If anyone can think of anything else it's not about, could you please let us know?

Well, for starters, it's not about YOU, dear.

[lynnespocktoo]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 7:25am

As one of the "geriatrics" who go to shows (quite a lot of them) I am NEVER rude, I never talk or rattle candy wrappers, kick backs of seats and I support the theater community in many ways. I resent the idea that all people over what ever constitutes the age group you refer to are rude or disinterested or whatever you accuse the group of being. I am not rude anyone no matter the age and find the most of the audience is quiet and attentive. There are frequently assholes in any age group and it has nothing to do with age. Get over it, without this age group, theater would be in trouble.

Updated On: 10/1/11 at 07:25 AM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 9:45am

^^^^

lynne..., this thread has been like a game of telephone. The original poster complained about the behavior of a few individuals described as geriatric and over a number of posts (including mine) the subject somehow became older people in general.

But you are right: without us geriatric types, there would be no live theater.

[lynnespocktoo]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 10:21am

Gaveston2 - I have been a fan of theater my whole life. Now that I am retired, I have the luxury of going whenever and to whatever appeals to me (within my budget!) i love to see people of all ages attend as it means that theater will continue to live and grow.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 10:24am

^^^^

And to generalize broadly, older people are more likely to have the experience to know how to behave in the theater.

I think the original poster just got a bad batch.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 12:47pm

And the "older" generation wouldn't be caught DEAD wearing a t-shirt or "casual" clothes in the theatre. Learn some class, people. Iron your shirt and tuck it in!

[lynnespocktoo]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 12:57pm

I dress fairly causally for the theater. The audience doesn't come to see me and on a hot day in July (the hottest day of this year) I wore shorts, sandals and a t shirt. As long as people aren't wearing wife beaters, I am ok with it.

[binau]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 6:52pm

I wear t-shirts and jeans to the theatre and I am passionate about not having to 'dress up'. This is not a special occasion. You're sitting in the dark for 2.5 hours and (generally) not socialising with the other theatre goers, so besides trying to not make people turn their gaze away from you in the lobby because you look unsightly, it doesn't seem to matter what you look like IMO.

Updated On: 10/1/11 at 06:52 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 6:56pm

And the "older" generation wouldn't be caught DEAD wearing a t-shirt or "casual" clothes in the theatre.

Tell that to the old women I saw in sweat suits up in the gallery the opening night of The Met! Seriously, people love to talk out of their asses!

[lynnespocktoo]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 7:09pm

I have been to a few opening nights - a different story! I dress to impress. If these people wore sweatsuits, let's just say they have better taste in music then they do in clothing.