JOHN LITHGOW: STORIES BY HEART Previews- Page 2

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/23/17 at 11:00am

quizking101 said: 

Hey, if they don’t have anything to fill the slot, they know they’ll be able to make a few bucks in the lean winter months. It’s similar to a few years ago when LIPS TOGETHER TEETH APART was cancelled and they shoved EVERYDAY RAPTURE in there in 10 Days. They’d rather fill it with some self-indulgent passion project rather than it go empty"

Everyday Rapture was fantastic.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 12/23/17 at 11:25am

quizking101 said: "LightsOut90 said: "what the hell is roundabout doing man, except for it being super cheap to produce with a name, WHY is roundabout producing this on broadway?"

Hey, if they don’t have anything to fill the slot, they know they’ll be able to make a few bucks in the lean winter months. It’s similar to a few years ago when LIPS TOGETHER TEETH APART was cancelled and they shoved EVERYDAY RAPTURE in there in 10 Days. They’d rather fill it with some self-indulgent passion project rather than it go empty"

At least Everyday Rapture had some craft behind it. So this is literally Lithgow sitting on a stage and reading to the audience?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/23/17 at 12:54pm

To clarify, Lithgow isn't reading the stories. This isn't a Bettle Midler in "I'll Eat You Last" situation where the star just sits on the couch all evening. He has memorized the two short stories and then recites them/acts them out with different voices, etc.

"Haircut" is simply a barber talking to a client, so he pantomimes cutting someone's hair while telling the story, but there's not too much action.

The Wodehouse story has a lot more action and maybe a dozen characters for him to play, so he's moving all around the stage and acting them out.

I mean, to say there's no craft here is wrong. Lithgow is very talented- it's just the first story is boring and basically terrible; the second a case of too little, too late.

He has been touring with the show for years and I assume this was a case of something falling through and Roundabout needing a cheap, easy replacement to plug a hole. In that way the comparison to Sherie's show is apt.

Also, Everyday Rapture was fine in the American Airlines, but it played much better at 2nd Stage, as I'm sure Lithgow's show would fare better in an environmental setting with the Transport Group or the like.

[mikem]

Posted: 12/23/17 at 1:45pm

Some more information about the history of the show for those who are unfamiliar with it:

The show was first mounted in 2008 as 90 minutes, one act, with only one main story, which was Uncle Fred Flits By, the current second act story.  It was put on in the Newhouse on Sunday and Monday evenings, when the regular show in that space was dark.  Then it was re-mounted in 2009, with the main story alternating between Uncle Fred and Haircut.  Then it was mounted elsewhere as 2 acts, with the second act story originally being Haircut.

Reviews of prior productions seem to indicate that Haircut is a poor choice.  I'm surprised it's still in the show.

I saw the show in its original 2008 version, and I found the show charming but extremely slight.  I also think it's the kind of show that would suffer from being drawn out into 2 main stories and 2 acts.  (An interesting side note is that the top ticket price in 2008 was $35, which I think reflected the thought that this was a pleasant diversion rather than a full course meal.  Now the top price is $139.)

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 1/10/18 at 12:12am

this is already on papering websites 

[little_sally]

Posted: 1/11/18 at 9:22am

I saw this last night and I have to say, it's not nearly as dreadful as reports make it out to be. Did I love it? No but it's far from the worst thing I've ever seen (far from the worst thing I've seen this season!) Lithgow is terrific, of course, and while first act drags a bit, the second act is way more entertaining. The highlights, however, are when Lithgow speaks candidly about his family, and I wish the whole show was about his father and childhood.

That being said, I'm still  not sure what Roundabout was thinking putting this in the American Airlines. The Laura Pels, sure, but one of their Broadway spaces? I also noticed a lot of walkouts at intermission.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 1/11/18 at 10:43am

I'll also chime in here:

The play IS slight, but Lithgow is a master, and I enjoyed his performance. Would I pay full price (I didn't)? Probably not. Would I pay TDF prices (or even better, papering service "prices", yes.