Good Woman of Szechuan at the Public...wow!

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 11:11am

Just wanted to plug this because it's closing in about 10 days and it was really a treat. Really innovative and fun--the guy next to me said it was like a community theater production with a very witty, sophisticated edge--and I tend to agree with the NYT that it's one of the most pleasurable productions of Brecht I'd ever seen. Easily got a rush ticket...but then again, the day before Thanksgiving that's not too difficult!

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 11:58am

You and I often line up, April, but I confess this left me puzzled, irritated, and, more often than not, bored. Taylor Mac and David Turner are compelling and know how to play heightened reality engagingly. Likewise, I loved the musical interludes. But when the focus was not on the songs, Shen Te/Shui Ta, or the water seller, my attention all but evaporated. The reality-TV-stereotype characterizations of every other actor grated on my nerves, and as my mind increasingly wandered, I kept thinking that, if these un-nuanced, broad, and, frankly, icky stylistic choices are what it takes to make Brecht “lively” and “playful” for the general public, I’ll be limiting myself to more traditional Brecht productions in future. I’m heavily in the minority here, but for me it was a very, very long 2 ½ hours… and I say that having just, in the couple of days before this, seen both 3-hour Globe productions and Bedlam’s 3 ½-hour HAMLET, all of which I’d eagerly return to (especially the HAMLET, which is a marvel of economy, energy, and ingenuity).

For the record, I thought GOOD PERSON ended strongly, but those last 10 minutes weren’t enough to make up for how exhausted I was by the slog that preceded it.

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 12:46pm

Lol...actually, even though I thought it was pretty cool, I do agree that it was too long! I think, like Jacksonian, which didn't do it for me at all, it's one of those shows where there's a fine line between genius and pretentious and a case can be made for either camp

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 12:55pm

Yeah, and again I'll compare it to Bedlam's HAMLET (which, if you haven't seen it and didn't glean from my previous post, I'd highly recommend) by pointing out that a pitfall of many outside-the-box productions of so-called classic plays is how they too often come with gigantic, invisible quotation marks around them... what some might call "pretentious"... what I sometimes call "clever" (as opposed to just clever). The downtown HAMLET is both fresh and refreshingly quotes-free.

[dreaming]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 2:39pm

Has there been rush for this?? I was just wondering because I'd like to try to rush it if possible.

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 6:44pm

Hey Dreaming, I saw it with a $20 rush ticket last night, so yes! The Public told me to call around 4 and they'd let me know the likelihood of rush being available, so I'd try that before heading over. It was easy last night but that may have been because not too many folks were looking to see a show on Thanksgiving eve...

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 11/28/13 at 7:34pm

I saw this last weekend and went in with high expectations but was disappointed, I had a hard time getting in to it and found it to be boring. I was tempted to leave at intermission but I stuck it out hoping I would get into it. But did not happen for me. Performances were well done, I really tried to like it, get in to it, but guess it was not my cup of tea.

themysteriousgrowl, Bedlam's St Joan is on my list to see after the holidays, I may have to check out Hamlet as well. I wanted to see St Joan the last time but could not fit it in, glad it has returned.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/29/13 at 7:40am

Luv2, I reluctantly struck SAINT JOAN off my list (in favor of GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE) during my last trip, but having seen their HAMLET, I definitely won’t miss SAINT JOAN. Thankfully, they both run till March!

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 11/29/13 at 9:31am

themysteriousgrowl, That will be great if they extend until March, right now they are only selling tickets thru Feb 2nd. They both run close to 3 hours and my last bus is at 10:20 so I need to catch matinees if it runs thru March I will definitely be able to catch both.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/29/13 at 10:08am

Oh, I'm sorry! I thought it was March 2nd, but I see now that I was misreading the calendar, and you're right -- they close February 2nd. I'm sorry to have gotten your hopes up (March did strike me as an oddly long run.)

But just in case you do make it and are facing bus questions -- which I sympathize with, as that's usually my means of travel, too -- be warned that HAMLET is almost a full 3 1/2 hours. IIRC, we were on the street at 10:49, from a 7:30 show.

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 12/2/13 at 8:38am

Thanks themysteriousgrowl, 3 1/2 hours wow, definitely a matinee for me. I am aiming to see St. Joan early Jan, not sure about Hamlet yet though. Maybe if the theater is not used it will extend.