Jonathan Pryce & Eileen Atkins ‘ HEIGHT OF THE STORM Coming To Broadway

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Official-Jonathan-Pryce-and-Eileen-Atkins-Will-Lead-THE-HEIGHT-OF-THE-STORM-on-Broadway-20190206

I saw this a couple months ago in London and its very...interesting. Im curious to see what American audiences think of this - even the ushers at the theatre said they dont know what to make of it and go back and forth over what it means.

Updated On: 2/6/19 at 11:47 AM

I skipped this on my last London trip (saw the Inheritance a second time instead) because everyone told me it was just confusing and while they're both terrific neither performance was must-see. This seems very strange to transfer.

Why does MTC keep on doing so many British shows?

There was no review thread for this play because no one bothered to start one. I guess people were still too busy debating Slave Play and the casting for Company to even notice this had opened. LOL. There is a brief previews thread that can be searched for.

The critics' reviews overall were mixed to positive with a few negatives. While critics fairly consistently lauded most, if not all of the performances and unanimously praised the two leads, some critics were intrigued by the premise of the play and really enjoyed the twists and turns and the lack of clarity of what was actually happening, while other critics including Jesse Green at the Times just felt the audience was being played with and overly manipulated being pushed in one direction and then being yanked in another, resented that and as a result downgraded their view of the play.

I really enjoyed it. It drew me in and of course Pryce and Atkins were masterful. I wondered while watching it if I was the only one without clarity as to what was actually going on and how to interpret the arrivals, departures and interactions of certain characters. Glad to know I wasn't. We're all so used to plays, movies and especially T.V. shows where everything is neatly wrapped up and every plot point is resolved in the last scene, a show like this is an outlier but of the 11 shows I saw on my recent trip, it's one of the 2 or 3 I was still thinking about days after I saw it and that's not a bad thing. A definite go see it from me if for no other reason than to watch two master actors at the top of their game and there are plenty of other reasons.

I'm tempted to see this just to see Pryce live but I HATED The Father. Is this play actually about something? Also, are there any jarring stage effects (e.g. periodic bright lights)?

I saw this Saturday night, and I found it elegant and intriguing. I am of "a certain age," and I now have friends who are declining mentally, and I see how it changes them but, even more, how it changes their families. I thought this play was amazingly accurate without being clinical, and the relationship between the husband and wife was beautiful. If you are looking for a linear plot, this is not your cup of tea.

Atkins is a treasure. She has such enormous stage presence without effort or showiness.

I was emotionally struck by the performance, and have not stopped thinking about it.

I didn't see The Father but I suppose my being closer to situations like the one presented makes this much more involving than it might to other audience members. I thought Atkins could not have been more perfect.

It says a lot about me, too, that my two favorite productions so far this season are plays where people say "nothing happens": Betrayal and Storm.

GeorgeandDot said: "jbm2 said: "Thinking of taking a 14 year old to see this....
would it be appropriate ? "

Yes, but I would recommend against it. It's not very good."

Advise against it because it’s not very good? Or because it’s not appropriate for that age?