"It's Only a Play" Preview Thread — Page 4

"How is it a hate fest ?" You asked, mjohnson2, so I'll reply.
My comment was in response to Lights Out 90 who, because of my positive comments told me to "go shill elsewhere. Signed, everybody here". Of course I know he doesn't speak for everyone on this board because of the positive comments people have left, but when I read the venomous comments like his and yours mjohnson2..."every single joke falls flat on its face." "Besides Nathan Lane,rest of the cast is entirely flat and miscast"...and "Terrence McNally has never been a believable playwright and has gotten worse with time." Oh really, I guess those 4 Tonys he's won were just flukes. Sorry, but those comments are so exaggerated they are laughable, but the haters for whatever reason don't want to acknowledge anything positive about the show except Nathan Lane. That's just sad and pathetic. Well, I've had my say, and hopefully others who enjoy the show will post their comments here as well, because it's deserving of praise.

Real nice mjohnson2...Only saw 2 shows during my Broadway trip from out west, and this one is the one I really wanted to see. It was only my third time to N.Y. in 15 years. I'd anticipated the first preview of IOAP for months, looking for news on the web about anything leading up to the play, as I had tickets for the 3rd preview...I find this site, join the message board, and then because I like the show, really like it, get slammed by you and a few others who hate it because I stand up for it and challenge your entirely negative reviews, dissing every cast member but Nathan Lane. What's so hard to believe about me liking the play as much as you hate it ? Well, don't concern yourself, folks will go to the show will see who was off base in their postings.

"I find this site, join the message board, and then because I like the show, really like it, get slammed by you and a few others who hate it because I stand up for it and challenge your entirely negative reviews,"

You were slammed because of your immature, infantile, insulting reactions to those who expressed a different view of this show than yours.

If this show made you happy, and made your trip to NY worthwhile, then that's wonderful. But you really need to grow up and act like a mature adult, because you've embarrassed yourself here.

Updated On: 9/6/14 at 07:16 AM

It's not a hate fest. I think it's actually helpful for people to list their complaints here because it's still in previews, and I'm hoping that the producers reflect Megan Mullally's producer character in that they all read these boards :)

My trip to N.Y. is over, so I'm done here, but re. your last post After Eight...I gladly invite anyone who reads this board to check this thread from the beginning and see who they think, in your words... "needs to grow up and act like a mature adult because he posts immature, infantile and insulting reactions." Thanks to those who made a newcomer to the board feel welcome. Happy theatre going to all !

^ That was the thing that really bothered me the most about the script updates. I GOT all the jokes, but for the most part they weren't funny! Such wasted effort!

I saw the play in it's first week of previews and also had trouble hearing Megan and Matthew when they weren't downstage. I thought it might have just been a 1 show glitch but seems like they still need to work on the sound. I hope they shortened it by now as well.

I did enjoy the show but recognized it could be better with some trimming.

---

I'm out of the loop on the Matthew Broderick cult of hate. Do people hate him because he cheated on Carrie Bradshaw? I enjoyed his performance in the play. I like his close to the vest delivery. It can be quite subtle and funny without being laugh out loud funny which is actually the kind of funny I like the best.

The play? It's not very good but there are good things about it. There are a lot of jokes that are pitched knowingly at the Broadway audience that score a lot of laughs. And some jokes that tellingly go straight over their heads like a reference to a performance of "Arden of Faversham at the Halliburton auditorium in Park Slope." If people think the shopworn backstage patter and celebrity name dropping that the play dishes out are "insider jokes" then they've been successfully flattered by the author. There's a lot of stars doing a range of performances from good to not so good. No one was bad except for the understudy who took over for Stockard Channing. The understudy is a good actress but she irreparably threw the rhythm of the evening off track. F. Murray Abraham, an actor who I find hard to watch, gives a good character performance of an oily theater critic. There are a lot of well designed running gags and some very expensive visual gags that are pretty delightful. And Jack O'Brian's direction can be clever.

The bad things. It's not a good play. There's little suspense or theme or comic structure. And it forces a topicality on the audience that feels dated. It doesn't present enough of a sharp take on the contemporary Broadway game to merit its existence as satire. That's really its only sin. But I'd add that quite a bit of the play rings true in its depiction of the desperation, backstabbing and odd heroism of theater artists.

Updated On: 9/14/14 at 11:10 PM

Is Stockard Channing out all weekend? Or was her absence a one-time thing?

Updated On: 9/14/14 at 08:03 AM

It's a very funny show! Stockard's absence was very disappointing!!!!!!!!

I did standing room for the Sunday matinee earlier today; got there around 12:15 and waited 15 minutes on line. I was able to purchase a center-right SR spot.

I thought Keating was marvelous--funny, touching and she looked great. I think I got most of the references, but I noticed that not too many people laughed when one character said plays should be about "love, valor and compassion." Everyone roared at Nathan Lane's self-reference, but it made me squirm a bit. It wasn't worth the roar; was more like a cheap gimmick. Lane and Micah Stock (probably the best of the ensemble) were clear as a bell and projected beautifully. I'm afraid Megan Mullally and often Matthew Broderick were at the other end of the audibility spectrum. Rupert Grint was maybe a little over the top, and I kind of understood what he was up to with the puppet, although I couldn't understand much of the back-and-forth rapid dialogue in his British accent in that scene. Overall, it's fairly funny but certain speeches should be trimmed mightily, especially Broderick's.

It looks doubtful that anyone who has just seen the play will get anywhere near the stage door. The crowds obviously form there well before the show ends. Not cool; there should be at least a separate area for ticketholders.