GREY HOUSE Previews — Page 3

Just getting home from the show tonight and going through this thread (I'd avoided it because I wanted to go in totally blind) and I find myself agreeing with most of what's been said. For a show that's advertising itself as a horror play, there was one moment very early on where I went "heh, that's a decent jump scare" and that was it. 
 

I know they were going for more of a "horror aesthetic" with this and adding a few kind of creepy moments and scenes peppered throughout (the "game" is about halfway there but needs to be creepier and have more at stake for the outcome) but it doesn't come close to living up to the promise of the advertising. I've said for years that horror is the absolute hardest thing to do on stage and this play proves that. I appreciate that they tried for something but ultimately, to me, it just didn't succeed at being what it was promised. 


That said, the cast really is ALL great. Metcalf does have a less showey part and it is a supporting role which, to my surprise, was very very funny in parts. Some of her lines and deliveries were 100% Aunt Jackie. Sophia Anne Caruso was really excellent, I thought. She got the play and her character I'd say more than anyone else and when I go back the end of the month, I'm looking forward to watching her more closely knowing the play, now. I was so excited to see Millicent Simmonds on stage and though she does have a small role, I'm always excited for more Deaf representation on Broadway. It's few and far between but it's great, especially when we get a young woman with such huge films to her name to bring in audiences. I kept wondering if there would be interpreted performances and how that would be done since the show is SO DARK at times. Does this theater offer the CC glasses? I'm sure she's going to bring in quite a lot of Deaf/HoH audience members, providing they can have access.

Paul Sparks and Titiana Maslany were quite great in their roles, Tatiana being the lead and having the more to actually do and react to. I'm very happy she's back on Broadway and hope she decides to keep coming back, she's a great actress.

 

Overall, I'd give this a 4/10. Hopefully in the preview process they'll decide to change it a bit and at least try to add some horror to it. 

 

Jordan Catalano said: "Also, a question about the end when he was on the table -
 

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Saw it this evening. Loved it.

 

Won't say a lot about it as to not give things away.

Metcalf was excellent and I agree, her character had that total aunt Jackie vibe and it works with the bizarreness.

There are a few scares and gasps as mentioned. You really need to pay full attention to  get the payoff. 

Is it a "scary" okay? No, not really  but after seeing it I think the ads for this are on point. And I don't think they really ever promised to "scare you". It is quite creepy and I would even attach the word "horror" to it 

I thought the sound design was really good. It is a single set and keep your eyes on it. Also loved  the lighting and it is used to great effect.

The play sucks you in and is a kind of a slow burner. But you just can't stop looking and trying to figure out what the heck is going on. By the end you will know. It sparked immediate conversation in the section I was sitting in. Like groups of people that were not there together just started talking to each other about it.

No notes on our seats or string bracelets. I am really interested to see what others hear think about it. I suspect this thread will be full of spoiler toggles. 

And in response to Jordan's spoiler regarding the end. I was thinking the exact same thing but then realized why that didn't happen. But I would love to see how it would have ended if it did happen. And it would have sparked even more conversation.

 

And yes the sound design was Tony-Worthy INCREDIBLE. 

No, no, no.

I've seen a lot of theater this spring, and this is the first true clunker.

I really wanted to like it, I'd read the Chicago reviews and love Metcalf's acting. I have never, ever left a show at intermission, but had there been a break in this play, I really might have.

It wasn't scary to me, and the actors were very good...but the material just was not. 

Jordan Catalano said: "

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I don't know how to post spoiler tags on here, but I think you've missed an incredibly major plot point unfortunately. This 100% was not that at all - the character's action is 100% logical and ties together the entire plot very well. 

[edit figured it out]

Updated On: 5/2/23 at 12:44 AM

Didn’t see that, thanks. I hear what you guys are saying and when I go back I’ll look for that. :)

EAPEAPMO said: "Jordan Catalano said: "

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I don't know how to post spoiler tags on here, but I think you've missed an incredibly major plot point unfortunately. This 100% was not that at all - the character's action is 100% logical and ties together the entire plot very well.

[edit figured it out]

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Yeah that’s a lot to unpack. Lol. Just going off how I saw it tonight, I didn’t pick up on some of that (could balcony seats have been the issue here?) but again - we’ll see how I feel in a few weeks when I go back. 

Jordan Catalano said: "EAPEAPMO said: "Jordan Catalano said: "

"

I don't know how to post spoiler tags on here, but I think you've missed an incredibly major plot point unfortunately. This 100% was not that at all - the character's action is 100% logical and ties together the entire plot very well.

[edit figured it out]

"

Yeah that’s a lot to unpack. Lol. Just going off how I saw it tonight, I didn’t pick up on some of that (could balcony seats have been the issue here?) but again - we’ll see how I feel in a few weeks when I go back."

Yeah it's crazy deep (or maybe I'm just crazy and ascribing my own take on it!)... but I think that's partly the point of the ambiguity in some of the show is to generate the discussions around the core subject matter:

 

Clearly this is a production that is going to divide people on their thoughts when it’s over. And that’s great! Whether you really enjoyed it or felt it was a big miss, it gets you talking. 
I did want to reference the idea that the advertising doesn’t really promise horror or scares when it does. There’s one particular ad that begins with heavy breathing over the words that go something like “you’ve been to the overlook hotel (the shining), amity island (jaws), camp crystal lake (Friday the 13th), and the bates motel (psycho) and now come to Grey House. 
 

They’re  clearly referencing these horror films and comparing themselves to those films in order to get fans of the genre to come and buy a ticket. Worked for me. But it doesn’t deliver on that level, but it never intended to. 
 

it is interesting to read so many different points of view and it will be really interesting to see what the critics say. 

To be clear, it's not that I was disappointed that it wasn't scary. It's that I thought the source material was undeserving. It really left me cold, and the theatergoers around me were also less than enthused. And I'm rarely negative about a show.

Just my opinion....

One man's depth and beauty is another man's plot holes and dramaturgical doldrums. For me, some of the individual moments were captivating and skillfully executed, but didn't leave me so enamored with the piece than I'd want to play mad libs to attempt to piece together everything the play failed to do so on its own. Of course, I don't ask to be spoonfed. I love intelligent ambiguity that really makes you question what's going on in a character's head when many sensible options exist or a cliffhanger whose answer isn't necessary to enjoy the crux of the work. I didn't get that here, but can appreciate that others would.

During the play, was there a second meaning to "grey house"? Why do you think the playwright made the title "Grey House"?