Hand to God Previews- Page 3

[Buddy Plummer2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:08pm

It's intermission- God this is great so far. Coming lately sold out house is absolutely loving it. If it weren't for Curious Incident and Alex Sharp, this and Boyer would be winning Tonys for sure. Completely hysterical, and Boyer's puppetry skills are top notch.
I know it's a new play with no major stars, but I'd advise you to get your tickets now- this has major hit all over it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:35pm

No, the comedy is more Book of Mormon/Avenue Q. It's def. a nice, fresh script. But I agree that the dramatic elements fall flat. If they could just clean up those moments, or add some jokes in there, it would really help.

The last like 20mins felt kind of weird to me, and I echo the sentiments about the ending. I'm offended someone said I didn't get it when the playwright EXPLICITLY tells us at the end. Ha.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:33pm

Well, I think we found our host for the Tonys this year! Can you imagine what Tyrone would have to say about all the nominees and performances?! And praise Jesus or the Devil or whatever the hell blessed us with Tyrone's presence on Broadway this season.

Hand to God was one of my favorite shows last season, and revisitng this little gem was even sweeter the second time. Stephen Boyer is so fricking brilliant and bust-a-gut funny that really only Alex Sharpe can compete with him (at least so far) this season.

The reveal of the set in the second scene of act two is one of funnier sight gags I've seen in YEARS. Not to spoil, but the scene with Styles and Boyer in the middle of act two is both hysterical and a marvel of acting technique. Talk about not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing!!

I love the play, I love the direction, I love the cast. Just a giant love fest for me all around. This season might not be the strongest in the musical department, but the plays are carrying more than their share of the weight.

This one is going to face an uphill battle at the box office and I hope it doesn't follow in High's footsteps- but even if it does, I'm thankful that some crazy producers cared enough about this show and great theater to bring this piece to Broadway.

[Buddy Plummer2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:40pm

Really can't stress this enough: everyone drop everything you're doing and get yourself a ticket to "Hand to God"; I've never experienced such a mix of riotous laughter, lucid thought, and genuine terror in a theatre before. The ending alone makes this one of the most important works on the main stem today. See it, if only to have your own opinion on it. Trust me: It's not to be missed.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 11:17pm

saw it tonight. It was tops on my list to see.
Yeah, the puppet had a foul mouth and there were laughs. But we saw a lot of it in Avenue Q.

I feel this played well in a smaller house. The religious connection was lost. The sound was awful and I was row E, house right 3 seats off the aisle.

Good. Not great. But the ad campign will sell it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:06am

Is it kind of interesting though the scale of the show? I mean what was the top ticket at EST? Like maybe 50? Then at MCC it was probably in the 80s? Now it's a 120 ticket? It's def. a tough sell, especially for the middle-age/older crowd. There was a couple in front of me, maybe in their late 20s/early 30s. Wall street types. They were taking pictures with their playbills, etc, but then during the show not one peep. And they were kind of solemn walking out. Which is surprising. I mean, I thought the show was pretty damn funny when it was funny, if that makes sense. I'd be hard pressed to believe someone didn't laugh at anything. I mean, the Mother is KILLING it. She cracks my shiz. When she tries not to curse in the first scene, i was dying.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 4:27am

just saying curious incident will take all the technical awards, but this will take best play and boyer will take best actor over sharp, he's just that good.

Updated On: 3/20/15 at 04:27 AM

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 5:44am

Wow. I went in very excited by the buzz from this show's previous runs, but the appeal of this show was lost on me. Yes the opening and ending monologues attempt to add some meaning to the script, but there's not much there in the story in between. And what everyone around me seemed to find so funny was more how "shocking" everything was...the foul language, sex, etc. No, I'm not opposed to these things in the theater, but it all didn't amount to anything for me. The writing all seemed extremely amateur.
Obviously I'm in the minority on this as the crowd around me roared with laughter and leapt to their feet.
Yes, Boyer was extremely talented and there were some clever physical bits with the puppet, but it all just fell flat for me.

[CoverYou]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 10:07am

I also left completely underwhelmed and I'm wondering what show everyone else is talking about on here. Boyer does a great one man show. It actually should be a one man show. But I felt like I've seen this dirty puppet stuff before with Avenue Q. The heavier stuff falls flat and the religious pastor stuff just didn't connect with me. We get it, the church is hypocritical. It's not like this is Doubt. It's not shedding real light on anything. It's not a bad show. It's entertaining to an extent. I've seen far worse. But the tone flails all over the place. I don't know, the way some of you talk about it on here it's as if they've reinvented theater. I'm not getting that. Curious Dog blew me away. Elephant Man blew me away. Hand To God honestly didn't. It felt like a lot of sizzle without any steak.

[brdwydreamer]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 11:40am

I saw the show last night. I got the special $30 tickets, and got the very last aisle seat in the Mezz. I could've gotten much much closer, but I'm an aisle person. I gotta say, even in the last row, I had a superb view and felt really in the show throughout. I'm curious if I missed many 'subtleties,' but if I did, it definitely went unnoticed and unharmed.

Now... I got my ticket because I'd heard the name, but I really wanted to go in not knowing a single thing about what I was getting into. With that said, the first few scenes, once I understood where the play was going and what this was about, were hard to swallow. Then I kind of let myself just get taken away by the play, and surely enough, with Boyer flawlessly playing Jason & Tyrone, this was not difficult.

I loved the arch of the mother, but I felt like by act 2 she was screaming every.single.word. I understand she 'losses it', but I just think the screaming was overdone.

I was also shocked, as someone else has mentioned, at how 'offended' people had gotten about some scenes in Honeymoon in Vegas, so I really am curious to see how much people get offended by this show.

Definitely the best acting performance I've seen. I laughed a lot, but I also felt uncomfortable during some lines. But overall, I left with a great impression of the show, and I'd recommend it to a lot of people. Not everyone. But a lot of open-minded dark-comedy-loving people.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:08pm

Isn't a big deal of the offense in Vegas because the show plays at it as being "ok"? From what I've heard, in Hand to God, they KNOW it's offensive...that's the point.

[brdwydreamer]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:13pm

"Isn't a big deal of the offense in Vegas because the show plays at it as being "ok"? From what I've heard, in Hand to God, they KNOW it's offensive...that's the point. "

Mmmm I see, that's a good point. Yeah I went into Hand To God not knowing anything about the show so I guess that's why it was more shocking for me.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:30pm

My objection to Honeymoon in Vegas is its extremely dated presentation of female characters.

Hand to God is dark and shocking, but at least its female characters have a lot of agency and exist outside of their relationship to men.

[dave1606]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:40pm

I saw this last night and I am positive, though a bit more reserved.

Someone near me declared at intermission that it was the "Rebirth of American Theater" which made me laugh. I think that is a bit too far. It is a bold and daring play that takes risks that mostly pay off.

However, I wonder if the play would hold up as well without the main piece of glue that holds it all together, Steven Boyer. It is a tour de force, and he no doubt is a serious Tony contender.

I think for a lot of people, this play will be just too dark and yes, it can be offensive. It is also very, very funny. But there are moments that definitely drag that I wish that the pace had been picked up a bit. In fact I think I would have really loved this if it were 90 minutes. It doesn't really need the intermission, and I think would benefit from just going straight through.

I will say re. the supporting cast I LOVED Geneva Carr, and Sarah Stiles. Stiles does some brilliant work in Act 2, and Geneva really holds her own against Boyer.

Definitely great fun, and a very enthusiastic audience last night.

[brdwydreamer]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 2:51pm

"Definitely great fun, and a very enthusiastic audience last night. "

It was indeed!

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:26am

Saw this last night and overall, I was underwhelmed. I also found the whole play a little slight. The humor was a little too crude for my tastes, and I actually thought it needed another 20-30 minutes to flesh out a few things (especially Sarah Stiles' character). I do agree that the acting is very, very good, and Boyer is fantastic. He's worth the price of admission alone.

[pennydreadful]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 12:35pm

This was my favorite play last season, and I'm so, so glad it made it to Broadway! I saw it last night, and it's fantastic as ever. I pray Boyer wins the Tony, but know he'll probably lose to Sharpe - who's also deserving of the Tony, don't get me wrong. But Boyer is a rock star.

[BroadwayBlog987]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 1:35am

Has there been any merchandise for sale?

[Kad]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 2:36am

At the first preview, they had very simple logo merchandise- shirts, magnet, keychain.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:33am

I didn't look very closely but I was surprised at how much merch they already had on Wednesday night.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:44am

I used to work for a merch company so I understand it's an expensive gamble. People always had great ideas for stuff, but then we'd find out it was costly to have it made and you can't always take the risk because you don't know if the show is going to run long enough to sell them all.

I left this show actively wanting to buy merch (which NEVER happens) but was sad it was just basic logo stuff. I really wanted a shirt with a Tyrone quote and maybe a sketch or cartoon of him.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:54am

Also, I wanted to throw in, with no ill towards Sharp (who is giving an incredibly wonderful and difficult performance), that Boyer should not be empty-handed this awards season. Maybe it's because I'm a comedy nerd, but what Boyer is insane even taking out the puppetry. He is a a gifted puppeteer, but his acting and comedy chops made me literally cry he was so good. I don't mean I cried at the more emotional bits, I actively wept during hysterical moments because Boyer's performance is so powerful and funny. I'm amazed he was able to convey one emotion with his voice while his face showed a completely different one. He is a revelation.

[BroadwayBaby14]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 10:37am

I am going to see this again on Tuesday and cannot wait. I think it is exactly what is new and exciting on Broadway. Many friends have seen it and told me they absolutely loved it, and these are the people who don't go for the more traditional Broadway shows and musicals out there (OTT, HIV). This play may appeal to the younger demo who love edgy. I hope we see this play get Tony nods!

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/21/15 at 12:03am

The boy in this play is in need of serious help. The play in this play is in need of serious help. By evening's end, the audience forced to sit through this stupid, juvenile, tedious drivel needs the most help of all. There's not even one paltry laugh in the whole asinine farrago. Imagine a puppet who spews dirty words, attacks his own puppeteer (and others) and has sex with another puppet! How witty! How inventive! How hilarious! Plenty of sewer language and violence, natch, but it isn't even adult enough to get offended about. It should just be shooed away and told to grow up soon.


When did the mindset of a puerile, smart-assed, foul-mouthed thirteen-year-old become the ideal to which our plays and musicals should aspire?

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/21/15 at 12:06am

"this show isn't for blue haired ladies and their husbands. "

Of course it isn't.

They're adults.