Posted: 1/13/20 at 12:11am
I saw this yesterday afternoon. Everyone but Jane and Michael came out. I really think that the role of Michael Urie's friend should have been cut on the cutting room floor. I don't think the role added anything to the production and what the character was discussing about siblings was disgusting.
Updated On: 1/13/20 at 12:11 AM
Posted: 1/13/20 at 7:28am
Worth noting, especially to those curious about the play landing in 2020: This was a commissioned script, the playwright funded by Williamstown and Second Stage to create a new piece from the ground up. I'm strongly in favorite of theaters sticking with writers, but this does explain why some are mystified by the rush to get this story on two stages -- for companies that are offered the best work circulating. Because it wasn't a script that rose to the top of a stack of plays on its own singular merit, it had productions tethered to its development. It probably needed (more) workshops, script-in-hand readings and rewrites. But it seems that the genre itself -- domestic dramedy -- is what has disappointed some posters. The genre was once a staple (those plays like "To Grandmother's House..."
and once published, they do well in community theater. In recent years, fresher ways into generational conflicts have been written, without the old fashioned structure. Audiences now expect something they haven't seen, in style, character, overall shape.
Updated On: 1/13/20 at 07:28 AM
Posted: 1/14/20 at 2:46pm
Surprised to read that Jane Alexander wasn't "so nice" at the Stage Door. Perhaps that guy she had signed for before, was a regular there and she was just tired of it. Glad to read other reports here where she is "more friendly".
Updated On: 1/14/20 at 02:46 PM
Posted: 1/14/20 at 4:43pm
Thanks for your insight, Auggie27. As a playwright in the early stage of her career, that frustrates me a little bit because only "established" writers can benefit whereas it is already tough for newbies like me to get their original work seen/produced...
Posted: 1/16/20 at 1:01pm
Posted: 1/22/20 at 2:50pm
Posted: 1/22/20 at 3:45pm
Broadwayloverdc12 said: "Is sitting in the front row okay for this show? Thanks"
The stage is very high. I was in row D center and had a bit of trouble with the view.
Otherwise, I had a great time at this. Is it high art? No. But it made me laugh throughout, and I thought the cast, especially Urie and Alexander, were excellent. For what it's worth, I liked it more than other Wohl plays I've seen in the past.
Posted: 1/22/20 at 4:17pm
Posted: 1/22/20 at 11:06pm
Posted: 1/23/20 at 12:29am
Posted: 1/24/20 at 5:38pm
I love Alexander and Cromwell and am hoping I can get back to NYC this spring.
Question about the theater: In some publicity, including a tweet from Urie, it is called just The Hayes Theater. Is this new? Or did I miss something? Other articles refer to it as the Helen Hayes Theater.
Posted: 1/27/20 at 11:25am
Contrived, retro, and predictable, but sometimes straddles sitcom and drama with elan, with help from a good cast.
http://www.newnownext.com/grand-horizons-broadway-review/01/2020/
Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:27am
I finally caught up with this play yesterday and really enjoyed it. The performances were sterling and the script was absolutely fine: lots of humor but quite a few keen observations of human nature. A perfect production? No, but certainly a good one and an afternoon well-spent in the theater.
Updated On: 2/13/20 at 11:27 AM
