Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus Previews - Page 9

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/20/19 at 1:07am

Nathan Lane usually doesn’t stage door, but I gave it a shot because there were reports of him coming out after the first preview (or sometime in the first week).

I’m not surprised by the different reactions in this thread, the show is going to be divisive. I was there the other night when someone said only sixty people gave a standing ovation - from my view in row E, it was only the sides of the orchestra that stood up for the main cast, and then a few people in the center orchestra started to stand up - but you could tell it was because they saw others doing it.

I will gladly see the show again once it opens. You can tell they are still working on it in spots. I have hope that it will get there.

[TonightsMarquee]

Posted: 3/20/19 at 5:03pm

Is front row TOO close for comfort, sightline-wise? I know it’s part of the splash zone.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/20/19 at 9:32pm

Opening night has been pushed back 10 days.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/GARY-A-SEQUEL-TO-TITUS-ANDRONICUS-Sets-New-Opening-Date-20190320

[JayElle]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:01am

TonightsMarquee said: "Is front row TOO close for comfort, sightline-wise? I know it’s part of the splash zone."

Yes.

[JayElle]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:06am

Okay, they delayed the start of previews because of Andrea Martin's unfortunate accident. Now they're delaying the opening.  

Could it be that the show just isn't cutting it as they expected?  Do they really want a show that is either love/hate?  Wouldn't you think they'd want a full love?

 

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:21am

JayElle said: "Okay, they delayed the start of previews because of Andrea Martin's unfortunate accident. Now they're delaying the opening.

Could it be that the show just isn't cutting it as they expected? Do they really want a show that is either love/hate? Wouldn't you think they'd want a full love?

Way too soon to speculate either way.  Lettuce just hold on a bit, shall we?  There could still be massive changes during the previews, if needs be.

 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:31am

JayElle said: "Okay, they delayed the start of previews because of Andrea Martin's unfortunate accident. Now they're delaying the opening.

Could it be that the show just isn't cutting it as they expected? Do they really want a show that is either love/hate? Wouldn't you think they'd want a full love?"

What strange questions to ask. They had a setback, and they're delaying opening. That makes perfect sense to me. As far as the love/hate is concerned, who doesn't want a unanimous positive reaction to their show? Would you suggest they cancel it altogether, just because some people won't like it? 

Updated On: 3/21/19 at 01:31 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 3:51am

The lengths some people go to just to trash something shouldnt be surprising, and yet...

All it means is that the show isnt where THEY qant it to be yet. We dont know if thats due to the switch in cast or re-writes, or directorial changes. What difference does it make? They want to make it better before opening. Shouldnt we actually be applauding that???

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 8:20am

Needless as to say, I am so looking forward to this show as a fan of Taylor Mac, Nathan Lane, Julie White and everything that Mr Scott Rudin touches is always impeccable and excellent...with that being said, I refuse to read any of the spoilers but curious to hear what these changes are that prompted a delay in Opening Night.

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 9:55am

Me, too!   Going in April.....hoping the show will be frozen by then.  (I haven't looked at the article about opening being pushed back for a date.)

[Kad]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 10:25am

I mean, instead of focusing on the show in the final stretch, they had to focus on getting 2/3s of the cast set in new roles- including a performer who had never even been part of the production. 

It makes total sense they'd push back opening. How could they not?! 

[JayElle]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:10pm

CT2NYC said: "JayElle said: "Okay, they delayed the start of previews because of Andrea Martin's unfortunate accident. Now they're delaying the opening.

Could it be that the show just isn't cutting it as they expected? Do they really want a show that is either love/hate? Wouldn't you think they'd want a full love?"

What strange questions to ask. They had a setback, and they're delaying opening. That makes perfect sense to me. As far as the love/hate is concerned, who doesn't want a unanimous positive reaction to their show? Would you suggestthey cancel italtogether, just because some people won't like it?"

CT2NYC, I am well aware of the play's set back and Ms. Martin's injury. Last year, I bought my tickets for several dates because I generally see Nathan/Andrea multiple times.  So I kept up with the show.    Many folks in this blog either loved it, hated it, or ambivalent. 

And yes, shows do get canceled if folks hate it and sales fail.  Sales apparently have not been on the high demand list as the prices fell to half of what I paid last year.  And yes, I would expect a producer, cast, et al would want an overwhelming success, but actions speak louder than words. If you have folks walking out, not buying, not standing for a traditional ovation, blogging their displeasure, I would think that's a good signal that something is wrong.  Even Julie White admitted at the SD that she didn't have time to read the original play. I get it.

And I do hope they make some changes.  I love this cast, but I couldn't say that about the show.  I don't think  masturbating a corpse, albeit a dummy resembling one, is something that goes over well with many in the audience, especially if there are kids in it.  I also get Nathan is a clown.

Sorry you think my question "strange," but it would seem that theater professionals had to know this show would not appeal to everyone  like Mockingbird apparently has. Perhaps that was their plan at the outset. Farce doesn't always work for everyone.

 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:21pm

Listen, nobody who knows who Taylor Mac is would be producing a play judy wrote with the expectation it would appeal to everybody. This is a not a mass appeal mainstream artist. This is an artist whose signature work is a 24 hours long "radical faerie realness ritual" performance art piece that goes over 240 years of popular music and American history, decade by decade, through a largely queer lens. 

Nobody thinks they're producing Neil Simon here. 

Updated On: 3/21/19 at 01:21 PM

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:28pm

"I don't think masturbating a corpse, albeit a dummy resembling one, is something that goes over well with many in the audience, especially if there are kids in it."

I would hope parents do the small amount of research necessary to determine this isn't a kid's show. 

While I didn't agree with all of the artistic choices, I hope Gary succeeds because it brought a new and different sensibility to Broadway. The jaw-dropping set and hilarious climactic dance number don't hurt.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 2:19pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Opening night has been pushed back 10 days.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/GARY-A-SEQUEL-TO-TITUS-ANDRONICUS-Sets-New-Opening-Date-20190320"

After seeing a preview this week, I certainly think it could use some work.

Julie was the only part I loved. Most of the show was OK. but I think they need to clean up the last third.

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 11:05pm

I agree that the show could use some work. I also agree that a White was my favorite part of the show, even though I went solely for Nathan Lane.

The parts that could use the most work really stand out when I think about it, as the pacing slowed to a halt at certain moments and then ramped back up out of nowhere, so I have hope that the best version of this show could still be coming.

With everything that’s been said in this show, it’s still a wonder that these women picked up the show as well as they did under such short notice. I was waiting for one of them to come up on a line and they never once did.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/25/19 at 10:53pm

Not a Shakespeafe fan but I have seen several production just because it's Shakespeare and I feel some of his plays are required viewing.

Seeing this having not seen Titus Andronicus. Read the synopsis and it was a bit confusing so I will just go in with the thought that they are cleaning up from a very dysfunctional situation that went violently wrong.

Am actually really looking forward to it. Seeing it tomorrow.

[raddersons]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 1:39pm

Read the wiki synopsis and you'll be good. I feel like the only things you really need to know are

1) What happens to Lavinia

2) The pie situation

3) That (basically) everyone dies

[Tom-497]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 11:48pm

I seem to remember an interview where Taylor Mac describes quitting a janitorial job when he hears a couple of famous people discussing something interesting and thinks -- I want to be doing that, not this.

I thought I had read the interview some time ago, totally apart from Gary, but it seems to be the show's overarching theme -- with Nathan Lane the Mac stand-in, asking, both literally and metaphorically, Why be the janitor if you really don't want to?

Anyway, I found the show this evening interesting and mildly entertaining, but for me there were only a few big laughs, mostly toward the end.

Lots of other people laughed much more, though, basically throughout the show. and the standing ovation was enthusiastic (but somewhat delayed -- mainly I think because the curtain call begins without any of the three main cast members).

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 12:11am

As stated in my post, I read the synopsis.

Saw it tonight and really enjoyed it.

Unless there is something that they didn't do tonight, there really isn't a "splash zone". Yes, something happens but it wasn't major. I was sitting center row G and noticed what looked like grating for drainage across the front of the stage. Was waiting for something to happen.

Good performances across the board. White is a riot. She broke Lane twice during the performance. What made them even funnier was how Nielsen stayed totally straight faced both times. I am assuming there are changes happening with the book as there were a few fumbled lines. Lane appears to have thrown a few adlibs in. 

Cool set. Even going in,  knowing about the masturbation scene didn't take away from it. It's a riot and the house was in hysterics.

It's out  there, but fun out there, and while you are laughing or scratching your head, if you get it, there is a deep message they are hitting you with. They bring it home in the last 15 minutes or so but, for me, more of it started hitting me about 5 minutes after  I left the theater. And i feel that people will look at it in a few ways.

I was really on the fence about seeing this and that is when I knew i should go. Glad i did. I would actually see it again for the things i may have missed.

Not for everybody,  but a good evening of theatre.

Oh, I really wanted a magnet but there was no merch. The large beverage cups at the bar have the logo/artwork on them.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 12:11 AM

[Tom5]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:19pm

I wonder how they'll handle the stage directions in the acting edition. Or will it just be a pop up book?

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:00am

has anyone been tracking how the show has changed since the first previews?

[wendy72]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 8:22am

I've seen it twice in previews, last night being the second time. Much stronger and tighter. I think there were some script changes but I couldn't be totally sure, the whole show just seemed more cohesive. And truly great fun and brilliant. I loved catching and understanding stuff that went over my head the first time.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 08:22 AM

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:50am

Caught this one last night and while it was enjoyable overall, the play itself never really comes together as one coherent piece and also drags and drags and drags. I feel like Mac was doing an exploration of dramatic genres and that this was his presentation of the findings in the form of an absurdist piece. Normally this would excite me but the problem is that the focus is never on the genres and theatrical forms itself but rather the characters. And I think that's my overarching problem with the play: I just didn't care for the characters. They weren't compelling in the slightest and Julie White's character (Carol) was so underdeveloped that White looked like she was grasping for straws for a character that just wasn't coming together. 

Nevertheless there are three outstanding performances by incredible actors making the most of the material, Wolfe's direction is as reliable as ever and Loquasto delivers a set that will certainly take home the Tony. Oh! And I MUST give a shoutout to the lighting design. It became one with the set and in a play with only two locations and a lot of drawn out scenes, the subtle changes throughout the play made all the difference.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 11:50 AM

[theaterdrew]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 8:20pm

Accomplished my goal of seeing this show while in town on other business, very glad I did. I did not read the spoilers going in, only knew there was some disagreement about whether it works. For me, it did. I think I understood what each character was intended to portray and why Mac chose the context. It's not going to be on my list of most favorite shows, but I was well entertained. 

I adored Julie White's performance.  No one has talked about her movement, which surely is why Bill Irwin was hired? It looked to me like Julie broke twice and Nathan once in today's matinee. All was during the scene where they were sitting at the table for tea.