I'm finally back from the final show, after JUST missing an earlier train. I'm too tired to make this coherent, so I'm going the bullet-point route.
-Someone up in the mezz tried to start one of those silly movie slow-claps (you know, that eventually surge into the full-fledged applause) but nobody joined in. Good try, whoever you were though!
-Energetic entrance applause for the show itself, then the boys/Richard when they first come out.
-For the French scene, Dominic came in with his pants hiked up and one sock kind of rolled down, and Sam Barnett totally lost it. He had to look down/turn away and take a moment to get himself back together, because he was laughing so hard. For a few seconds there, I totally thought Dominic didn't have his little tighty-whities on, and I was ready to scream when, at one point, James pulled D's shirt up to "take a peek" (definitely not going comando, though, I probably wouldn't have put it past him/them).
-James was totally hamming it up all show. He had a couple great little moments, though of course I can't remember them. His head-desk moment was extra exaggerated and Richard threw in an ad-lib that I missed, but it seemed to crack the boys up.
-Before one of the scene changes, Sacha did some snazzy Michael Jackson-esque spin. Sacha also had a great show, getting some big laughs that I don't think he usually does. He also had a great little bit in the mock-interview where after Rudge's "history's just one F*CKing thing after another" he rolled his notebook up with it all poised to hit him, looking around for a bit for the go-ahead, not getting it, then unrolling the notebook...VERY funny little moment.
-Jamie carried/swung Sam around after the Brief Encounter scene, which was very cute. They were both in top form there!
-I've seen the show several times, but this afternoon's "Bewitched" was WONDERFUL (as expected). Sam does such an amazing job of having the audience in stiches with "the trousers that cling to him" and mere moments later, turning the song into something achingly beautiful. I wish I could have had a closer seat to have seen his face for that scene.
-Sam's timing on "I'm a Jew, I'm small, I'm homosexual, and I live in Sheffield...I'm F*CKed" was PRICELESS. Just top form! It looked like he even got Frances to break up.
-The last scene in Act I was poignant as ever. Richard really took his time with it, which really gave it all an extra punch. Sam was crying by the time he repeated the last verse.
-I think tonight was the best I'd seen Richard do Hector's breakdown. It was always one part that I just didn't care for in his performance (actually preferred Barritt in that scene) but he was really heartbreaking tonight. It was my first time in the mezz (I'd usually had SRO) and being able to take in all the boys' reaction to it was great (who was looking down, who was starting straight ahead, who was looking at Hector, etc).
-"Wish Me Luck" was great! Frances was clapping along. I honestly don't think I've ever seen her quite so animated. It's only about a minute of the show, but the lyrics were so appropriate for today. Again, enthusiastic applause at the end of it.
-Russell got a great reaction, as usually in the mock-interview and his reveal that he got into Oxford (really big applause, after that). Oh, and when he got up for his interview, he straightened his tie (which I think he usually does) but he also zipped up his fly. Classy!
-Sam kept trying to hug everyone in the scene when they announced that everyone had gotten in. He grabbed Sacha (I think from behind) and kind of lifted him up. Also a kind of awkward hug for SCM.
-When Dominic came back out before the Irwin confrontation, he'd slicked his hair all down (in an attempt to make it look like SCM's???). Not exactly a good look for him.
-"Bye Bye, Blackbird" was GORGEOUS. Absolutely pitch-perfect. They sounded wonderful. The best I've heard them.
-One thing that irritates me...why do people laugh when Posner's fate/future/story/whatever is revealed?? It seems like people laugh every time. I think it's a pretty appropriate outcome for his character, but I certainly don't think when we hear that he has "periodic breakdowns" is at all funny.
-I started crying when Richard came back for the final "Pass it on" lines. I'm sure I'm reading way too much into this, but it really felt like that was for the boys this afternoon. Really, truly beautiful.
-Curtain call: Very, VERY enthusiastic applause. They came out 3 times, I think. Sam Anderson was taking pictures, James was filming (as usual). He also took his tie off and gave it to some guy in the front row (and went along the front row giving high-fives at the very end). Sam A did a little breakdance move and James motioned that he was going to as well, then waved "nah!" Richard gave a great little speach. The gist: Thank you so much, but we really need to get going, as US immigration wants us to leave! He thanked everyone for a great run, saying that it was a memorable six months that they're all unlikely to top, making some great friends along the way, etc, etc.
-I believe everyone came out the stage door, which was surprising. Some stuck around longer than others. Some guy had a UK Tour poster and I could hear most of the boys saying "Hey! I'm not on this! Who the hell are these guys?!?" when they got to him. James was filming some of the stage door madness (it was SERIOUSLY crazy! They really could have used some barricades today), and there was another camera crew there. When the boys all left, heading up to 8th, they were yelling and shouting as they went.
-I don't know what time their flight was, but it looked like they snuck in time for one last drink at Angus, as there was a line of Escalades parked out front.
Well, that is WAY MORE than enough, but I figured I'd get as much as I could down while it's still quasi-fresh in my mind (and I know there were several of you who weren't able to go and wanted some details...surely this was enough to tide you over!).
What a great show, and what a great group of actors! As much as I'll miss the show, I think I'm going to miss not having a chance to see them in something else somewhere in the near future even more.
As an extra side note: someone at the stage door yelled out that he'd seen the show 26 times. Was that for real? Are you a poster here? Doesn't that work out to something like once a week? I doff my hat to you in crazy-fandom. I saw it what I consider an embarrassing number of times, but I was still safely in single digits!
But when did New Hampshire become--Such a backward wasteland of seatbelt hating crazies?...I mean, only 40 people actually live there. The others are just visitors who come for the tax-free liquor and three inches of novelty coastline. John Hodgeman on The Daily Show (1-30-07)
Updated On: 10/1/06 at 10:32 PM
