Hand to God Previews- Page 5

[bstoll1]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 10:38pm

I was at the Matinee yesterday with my $20.15 ticket. I also thought the show was fantastic and can't wait to see it again!

[peacelovemagic1]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 11:52pm

Saw this tonight with my friends and was very impressed, it is one of the most creative new shows I have seen. I found some spots starting to drag a bit in the first act (the scene with the pastor and mom talking for example, could have been shorter) and I think they could do a little more with the friend Jessica to make her part in the second act have more of an emotional impact on the character/audience, but all of those are small things. Overall, the show is incredibly powerful, and equally horrifying as it is funny. It was an entirely full house, and a very vocal audience tonight, and the cast was in top form. Incredibly impressed by how Boyer managed to balance two completely different roles, often managing to play both at once. And gosh, what a fantastic set, the change in act two is so clever.

[BroadwayFan1231]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 9:57am

I completely agree. This play is definitely for audiences that like Book of Mormon/Avenue Q type humor.

The ending left me wanting more, but I LOVED the first half.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 1:21pm

This play is definitely for audiences that like Book of Mormon/Avenue Q type humor.

Is this just a comment on “Hand to God” having crude/offensive humor (as both of these shows do) or is the humor alike in more ways? I ask because I’m not a big fan of either “Avenue Q” or “Book of Mormon” –not because I found the humor offensive or don’t enjoy crude humor, but rather because I found many of the jokes (particularly in “BoM”) to be there simply for shock value and the jokes, to me, felt like ones a 13-year-old boy could make up. I can absolutely appreciate some good, crude humor, but I’d like it to go beyond fart jokes, if that makes sense.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 1:26pm

I'm not a huge fan of Avenue Q or Book of Mormon, personally...I don't really actively dislike either and I found them entertaining but they just aren't my thing. I LOVED Hand to God though and found it funnier than both of those shows, personally.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:26pm

I didn't find either Avenue Q or The Book of Mormon as crude and vulgar as Hand to God, for what it's worth.

[romain2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:29pm

Does this show make you jump or startle you? And get really bloody? Just wondering. I'm seeing it in late May and excited, just want to be prepared. : ) Thanks.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:38pm

I cringed, not so much jumped, and it does get bloody. Not Lieutenant of Inishmore bloody but there's blood.

[romain2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:25pm

Thanks little_sally!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:47pm

I think the humor in Hand to God is very different than Avenue Q or Mormon- yes, it's similarly vulgar, but in Hand to God the humor leads to something much more disturbing than either of those two shows, which are pretty sweet despite the foul language. I wouldn't call Avenue Q or Mormon a dark comedy, but this play without a doubt is one.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:56pm

Thanks to all for the insight on the humor. Really looking forward to this!

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 12:55am

I would really love to see Geneva Carr get a Tony nomination for this. Boyer is for sure giving the standout performance but Carr is doing no-holds-barred work as well.

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 5:41pm

I absolutely loved it, Steven Boyer was fantastic. Rest of the cast were also amazing, although not "Boyer" amazing. A previous post said that it might go over well with the 20 something crowd but not the 40 something crowd. Really? I'm 60+, thought it was great. I would love to see it again, except I don't live in NYC.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 5:46pm

What is the run time?

[bandit964]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 6:21pm

I agree with most posters that the performances were superior to the script itself. Boyer has cemented a nomination and although I think Sharp will take it, Boyer is well deserving also.

MegInManhattan, your description was spot-on. As vulgar as it is, it brings up a lot of important themes and at times is quite poignant, if not slightly amateur.

The set was MARVELOUS. (What happened to the turn-table the other night??) Fits perfectly in the Booth. Have they re-painted the Booth interior lately? There was not one chip of paint peeling. The same can't be said about a lot of other theatres.

To the poster who said it is "likely the most violent and gory stage-play you're ever likely to see," that is an extreme exaggeration. Lieutenant? Let the Right One In? Titus Andronicus? Just to name a few.

21 + up is also a little extreme. If you have a mature teenager, I think they will really appreciate it.

Am recommending this to almost everyone. (Unless they're prudes)

Jordan: under 2.5 hours. We caught a 10:30 A train uptown, but I didn't check the time right when I left.



Updated On: 3/30/15 at 06:21 PM

[bandit964]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 6:31pm

Also,

------SPOILERS------

I really enjoyed Tyrone bookending the show with his opening and closing monologues.

During the end of Act 2, two girls behind me were laughing at the gruesome hammer scene. It was quite distracting. I felt everyone else on the edge of their seats or with their hands over their eyes. It's a brutal moment and these girls were really immature. They obviously don't understand the turmoil the character is going through.

------END------

[JPeterman]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 7:29pm

Any advice if the front row center orchestra is ok ie Stage height? I like to sit close but would prefer to avoid the premium ticket price which starts at row 2. Thanks

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 9:03pm

Intermission now. My God, this is amazing.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 10:04pm

I KNEW you of all people would love this.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 1:13am

That ending was just something I wasn't expecting AT ALL.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 8:52am

That final monologue is just chillingly brilliant.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 9:11am

Seriously. It was chilling and SCATHING. That's just brilliant writing.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 9:51am

I've read comments that people have found the opening/closing monologue unnecessary, but for me they're what ties the whole play together and give it a considerably amount of its bite. This really is one of the sharpest plays to be on Broadway in some time.

And I'd like to second Geneva Carr getting a Tony nomination- her work is not as flashy as Boyer's but equally as terrific. In particular, the second scene with Timothy had me doubled over laughing.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 9:58am

For people asking about age-appropriateness, there was what appeared to be a school group of older teenagers (16 and up) in front of my friend and me when we saw it last week, and they were completely engaged and there didn't seem to be any concern about it being inappropriate at intermission or after the show.

[Gink]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 10:08am

My then 15 year old daughter loved the show last year and didn't find it inappropriate--although she's been reading X-rated fan fiction for years though.