Glass Menagerie first preview — Page 4

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#76

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/8/13 at 8:18pm

That runtime is also what is displaced on the flat-screens in the lobby.

Did not at all feel that long, though. The pacing is kept up excellently.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#77

I saw this afternoon's performance from the mid mezzanine and thought I had the perfect view. I loved the set design and the stage had an appearance of weightlessness. The entire cast put on a great performance.

#78

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/8/13 at 8:38pm

Seeing it this week. Got a excellent seat. Can't wait.

#79

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/8/13 at 10:01pm

I saw the show this afternoon (did I really miss Bernadette Peters?!) and unfortunately I didn't have the experience everyone else seems to be talking about.

Without going into cruel details, my main issue is I felt like everyone on stage was "acting" too much; and I was hugely disappointed no one actually went onto the beautiful fire escape.
Going into the theatre I had the highest of expectations, but couldn't get into the production at all.
I'm totally willing to see it again, perhaps after previews, it's great so many people are enjoying it though, that's what matters.

At 12 I ran to the box office right as it was opening and got a student rush ticket, I was last in a pretty long line of students. The box office lady at first gave me a seat way house right, and I heard a lot of the action was stage left, so I asked her to switch it left, no problem. Then as I was entering the house, it turns out she gave me one for the evening show, which I promptly exchanged, and asked again for a house left. I was all the way on the left, but was able to move two seats in.
It was the right move.

Born to speak all mirth and no matter

#80

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/8/13 at 11:38pm

I think you mean the dinner table is stage RIGHT, but house left. I was sitting house left about mid-way back, and I didn't feel like I missed too much. I'd love to see it again from the Mezz though.

My only problem with the show is I was waiting for it all to come together. Sure, it's all pretty and beautiful and the music is great, but he's done all these tricks before in ONCE - when they go up atop the bar and the city is lit up, or all the choreographed interludes. I was waiting for a "moment" to happen, but it never did. I wasn't a fan of the 'boom' sound at the end either. Also, the candles didn't go out at the end. I hope that's not a spoiler because... well ... it's in the script?

#81

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/9/13 at 6:31am

"and I was hugely disappointed no one actually went onto the beautiful fire escape. "

Isn't it somewhat of a metaphorical element? You can't really escape?

#82

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/9/13 at 10:55am

I saw the matinee on Saturday and wasn’t enthralled with it like many other posters were. Yes, it is technically excellent with very creative set design and lighting, and very strong performances. I was somewhat familiar with the story but had not seen a previous production of the play—nor either of the movies. Regretfully, I found the story to be quite unsatisfying and well, just plain dull. Perhaps I’m used to more modern plays with delicious twists and fireworks and I-Never-Saw-That-Coming moments. The Glass Menagerie has none of that. For me (and my partner) it just plodded along and then suddenly ended, leaving us to shrug our shoulders and be thankful our dinner reservation was less than an hour away.

In the end, things previously mentioned on this thread such as the choreographed movements and Laura’s entrance/exit seemed like gimmicks that tried to add interest that the dated script didn’t provide. I will say, however, that the floating concept of the set was visually stunning—especially the way it created a mirror image of everything onstage. The substance, we were warned by the usher who made the same advisory to everyone in the front row, was not to be touched as it would stain both skin and clothing. Which left me worrying for Quinto and Jones--both of who did a fair amount of running back and forth on the two-level set—and for those of us in the front row as well.

6/10 is my take on The Glass Menagerie. After dinner, we saw Big Fish and I’ll report on it separately in its preview thread.

#83

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/9/13 at 3:35pm

Someone reported they got $59 tickets. Is there a code for that? Thanks!

#84

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 9:12am

I saw the show last night (rush ticket in row E, house right) and it was just beyond words. Everyone here has been much more eloquent in praising the production, so I'll just have to say that I second every word of praise that's been lavished on the production and the actors. Zachary Quinto was my least favorite, however, though that certainly doesn't mean he was anything short of great. I was just so much more moved by Celia Keenan-Bolger and Cherry Jones than by him. I also thought Brian J. Smith had such wonderful chemistry with Keenan-Bolger, and their scene together was beautifully done.

Spoiler? Can there be a spoiler for a 70 year old play?

It wasn't solid — it rippled when an important object was thrown into it late in the second act.

Last night the unicorn actually was bumped off the table and into the water at the climax. Kind of unintended symbolism, I guess.

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#85

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:21am

i know everyone here wants to deep throat spock, but i thought he blew. he had moments, ok, seconds, really, of...something, but he was so overtly performing. it was jarring compared to the other performances. maybe that was a stylistic thing? whatever, i hated it. and really that accent? or absolute lack thereof? it was...disappointing. he's no christian slater, that's for sure.

cherry was gob-smckingly brilliant. she's a national treasure and should be declared as such. she owns that stage. we are lucky to be able to see her in what will assuredly be a tony-award winning performance.

celia and brian are wonderful and their scene sparkles like the menagerie itself.

bob crowley and natasha katz are geniuses. say no more. their world is magical.

but spock...sigh.

r.i.p. marco, my guardian angel.

...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty

pray to st. jude

i'm a sonic reducer

he was the gimmicky sort

fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective

Updated On: 9/11/13 at 10:21 AM

#86

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:35am

Quinto: Such a pretty house, it's a shame no one lives there.

#87

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:59am

Someone clearly does live there. That someone just probably redecorated to make it too fancy for when seemingly important and sophisticated company comes over for the first time.

Updated On: 9/11/13 at 10:59 AM

#88

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:14am

Saw the show last night, went in as a skeptic, left a believer!
I'm not a fan of this play, but this was a great production. Everyone did a great job, especially Jones. I really enjoyed Quinto as Tom as well.

Well worth the $58 side mezz seat. Just my 2 cents!

#89

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:14am

ESPECIALLY Natasha Katz.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

#90

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:19am

Oh Wynbush. Now I have never seen him on stage but on screen he can not act. At all. His "Performances" are all flat, dull and about as dramatic as the Bluebird group reading aloud from popular mechanics.

He was a good Spock- they put his lack of talent to good use.

#91

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:26am

He was Joe Mantello's equal in Angels in America. I had theretofore not seen anyone do better than get close to Mantallo's remarkable achievement.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

#92

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:30am

namo, separately bob and natasha are geniuses. together? they're like led zeppelin: sons of thunder. something greater than the sum of its parts.

spock, however, was terrible.

#93

Glass Menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:32am

Joe, what about American Horror Story: Asylum? Or the scene in the original American Horror Story where he went toe-to-toe with Jessica Lange?

It is definitely my opinion that the man can act, and, granted having not seen this production and probably never will, I wonder if overacting is from just finally being on Broadway, which may settle down over time.

Updated On: 9/11/13 at 11:32 AM

#94

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:47am

he's not overacting, per se, ugga.

and you know there's a huge difference between screen acting and stage acting. he's just...it's like the rest of the cast just is their characters and he's obviously trying to be tom. maybe i am being unfair to him and he will grown into it, but i am simply judging what i saw on the stage last night.

as far as him in ahs? who knows how many takes it took to get there ot what might have spurred it? i wasn't all that moved by him in those and they were quite remniscent of everything else i have seen him do.

#95

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:48am

I totally bought him as the odd man out in that tiny house of oddities.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

#96

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 12:13pm

I didn't buy him at all as Tom. And I didn't get any of the homosexual undertones maybe because he line readings were so stilted and weird.

#97

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 1:47pm

Saw it last night and was a little worried that all of the praise in this thread was going to raise my expectations too much, but it was an excellent evening of theatre.

While everyone pulled their weight, Cherry Jones stood head and shoulder above the rest. I was absolutely captivated by her right hand throughout the play. If you haven't been, watch for it. The subtle movements she makes and how she handles the apparent tremors she encounters with it add so much to the performance.

Although the choreography felt a little out of place at times, I really liked how it was able to help you see how alike Amanda and Laura really are. Along those lines, I thought it was interesting to see *Spoiler?? Director's Interpretation?* how in the end, Tom has a good bit of Amanda in him, as he closes by subtly making the same right hand motion into has jacket that Amanda did throughout the piece. I walked away thinking that even thought Tom is so convinced that he's become his father, there's a part of him that is decidedly his mother's.

I'll definitely try to see this one more time during the run as everyone settles into their roles further (accents will improve, hopefully).

#98

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 1:56pm

How could you not get any of the gay undertones? His short scene with Jim was rife with them. The way he spoke, held himself, touched him- it was very clear.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#99

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 2:03pm

I thought Cherry and Zachary were both terrific, and very believably mother and son (not in appearance, but in their reactions.) I loved the way they didn't feel compelled to maintain eye contact all the time—they both know exactly what the other's doing.

Was much less taken with Celia, who was much too normal and bland for my taste. I think Laura has some very real issues that keep her from succeeding; Celia's Laura seemed fairly capable and pretty. She seemed to be trying to underplay the limitations that Laura struggles against, and as a result came up with an interpretation that really kept me at a distance. To compare: her steady eye contact throughout the Gentleman Caller scene was so bold and direct that I didn't get a thrill out of Jim's gradually drawing her out. I also thought the lighting for that scene was too harsh—I prefer a little more warmth in my candlelit memories. (I liked Brian J. Smith OK, though preferred Michael Mosley in the Roundabout/Judith Ivey mounting. Yikes—did I just say I preferred something at Roundabout? Rare for me...)

I know my impressions don't jibe with a lot of this board. I think that's proof that acting remains a subjective art; others will probably feel that I just "didn't get it."

She was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went.

#100

glass menagerie first preview

Posted: 9/11/13 at 2:09pm

How much were the student rush tickets? Dying to see this show!

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