Journey's End Today

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 6:23pm

I was lucky enough to catch the Matinee performance of Journey's End today...If you are at all able to get there before it closes (which will no doubt be soon) I urge you to do so. I got student rush tickets to problem at about 11:30. I was a little worried when I got seated because I was sitting next to a group of girls who spent literally 20 minutes swooning over Mr. Dancy...they ended up being mostly undistracting with the exception of one girl who kept opening and closing her cell phone.

If you are a student, I highly reccomend the rush seats. They are front row and pretty much eliminate any difficulty seeing the candle-lit actors. And wow, are they fine actors. Every member of the cast is equally stunning in my opinion. Each convincing and moving and approprately conveying the tension of the trenches. They gel wonderfully as an ensemble, coming together as what is probably the most talented cast I have seen all season in either a play or musical.

The play itself is pretty much a dream for a student fresh off of studying World War 1, and one who has become extremely interested in the subject. It is a perfect portrayel of war and it's horrors. Technically, all design elements were perfect. I especially liked the set which lent the play the claustrophobia it needs.

I was an absolute wreck by the end of the play, though I'd been pretty much crying throughout. I waited for a little to thank some of the actors at the Stage Door, and was told by Mr. Sands to "cheer up"...all in all it was an incredible afternoon at the theatre. I will definitely try to get another visit in.

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 6:42pm

Can you get one or two tickets with a student ID?

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 6:55pm

Two.

(Do it Do it Do it Do it)

Wow I've become quite the shill...It's really that incredible.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 10:12pm

Wonderful review. I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I encourage people to get out and see this fantastic first-rate piece of theatre.

[purple_lightsaber]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 10:27pm

I feel bad now...I was there with my two friends (my friend SarahBeth was the one with the cell phone, I'm terribly sorry...). It was actually my second time there, so I apologize for being annoying. I'm a tad obsessed with Hugh, but today I was actually there to just see the show...I hope it wasn't too annoying...I'm sorry again... Thanks for taking our picture, though.

[keybowvio]

Posted: 4/4/07 at 10:37pm

aspiring actress- how soon is soon for when you expect it to close?

[myManCape]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:07am

It should last until the end of April. I have said it before and will continue to say "Journey's End is the best show on broadway with out a doubt. And one of the best shows I have ever seen on a broadway stage."

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:10am

No worries purple...as I said, you turned out to be absolutely fine...(and let me say Mr. Dancy is indeed swoon-worthy). You were not at all annoying, but I had my moment of doubt. Really though, it all worked out, no need to apologize.

I find it really sad, but I would go with MyManCape's prediction. It is hands down one of if not the best things running, and deserves so much more than it's getting. It will be a sad sad day when this closes and Tarzan and Phantom etc continue to run forever.

[Qfan2.0]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 2:28am

I whole heartedly agree with your review. One of the msot moving touching plays i've seen ina long time. Plus, some great monologues and scenes to use which is always a good thing.

[OnMyWay]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 2:37am

I will join in and agree. I loved this show way more than I anticipated. I decided to do student rush at the last minute, and I'm so glad I did! I'm sad to hear it's closing soon. I was also sad to learn that Stark Sands doesn't plan on marrying me.

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 4:26am

Ugh April?!?! I would've loved to see this incredible show one more time before it closes. This saddens me.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 11:53am

Well if more people decided to see this incredible play, we wouldn't have anything to worry about...sigh.

[keybowvio]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 11:55am

if its probably closing so soon, why wouldn't they announce a closing date?

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 11:58am

Mr. Sands actually posted on his website that there was a definite chance of closing soon, but that he would be given two weeks notice...

[keybowvio]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:03pm

okay, sad to hear it.

one more thing, the box office opens at 10, and thats when you can buy student tix? right?

[myManCape]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:03pm

It has to have a very low running cost with almost no day to day expenses. That said it still cant limp on at 30% capacity in a small theatre and expect to be successful. Expect an announcement in a few weeks. If the producers have money to burn they might try and make it till nominations are announced.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:05pm

Yes, when the box office opens, 2 tickets can be purchased per ID.

That isn't to say that you need to be there right at 10 though...

[keybowvio]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:07pm

thanx, I'll definitely be making an effort to see it soon.

[purple_lightsaber]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:00pm

Thanks...my worst nightmare is being annoying at a show like all the people I find annoying...I can't help it, though, I'm practically in love with the man...

Anyway, I really wish this show could last. I love it so much, because it really hits home for me. Raleigh is only a year older than I am, and I could never do what he does over the course of the play. It really strikes a cord with me. I've actually seen it twice, and I wish I could go again. It truly is a fantastic play.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:15pm

I just can't help thinking how valuble an experience this play would be for anybody studying World War 1. Over the summer, we had to read All Quiet on the Western Front to help illustrate the horrors of trench warfare, but nothing has the emotional impact of this play. I was physically sickened at certain points by the stress and the "waiting" that so often goes on.

PLOT SPOILERS:

The perfect example is the Raleigh/Osbourne scene before the raid...you know (sort of) what's coming, but their concious denial of it is so stressful and heartbreaking that by the time the raid actually happened I was a total goner...Actually purple, you can probably vouch for that haha.

[purple_lightsaber]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:20pm

I could, yes, aspiringactress. But don't worry. I was bawling like a baby the first time I saw it. I couldn't help it, I was crying for about an hour. I waited for Hugh after, and I was still crying. The play just leaves you emotionally drained. I didn't cry yesterday only because I already knew it was coming.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 3:35pm

Doesn't it suck that good theatre doesn't succeed anymore for being good? It's so disappointing. Broadway is supposed to be "it" when it comes to theatre. What has it turned into?

New Musicals: Disney, Jukebox, Movie Adaptations.

Musical Revivals: GREASE, GUYS & DOLLS, GYPSY every 10-15 years.

New Plays: Non-American, often fantastic though, rarely successful.

Play Revivals: "The Classics" over and over again. INHERIT THE WIND again -- as wonderful as the recent production is -- that's beside the point. THE GLASS MENAGERIE again, A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN again. The fact that we had the ancient AWAKE AND SING resurrected last season last as long as it did was because it was put on by a non-profit. I honestly believe that JOURNEY'S END is this year's AWAKE AND SING, only it's a commercial run and it needs ongoing ticket sales to survive. FAITH HEALER was a pleasant surprise last year, but it had stars in it that gave ticket buyers an incentive to see it. MTC put on a beautiful production of TRANSLATIONS earlier this season, and we should be greatful for theaters like MTC, Lincoln Center Theater, and Roundabout (not so much lately), for putting on fine productions of not-so-popular, rarely revived plays. I'm also grateful though for commercial producers who are willing to take a risk on bringing an ancient play back to beautiful life as is the case with JOURNEY'S END.

Audiences have changed. Ticket prices are not affordable. People cannot try out new shows. It's too much of a financial risk. People can't afford to drop $100 on an unknown PLAY -- regardless of the reviews -- when all they can afford to see is 1 or 2 Broadway shows a year, and for $110 they can see a big, flashy musical.

*sigh*

[myManCape]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 3:39pm

Foster, I dont know if you saw my thread from a few days ago but I'll quote something from it that I found very interesting:

"What I find funny, is that the directors notes in the playbill state that the original producers in 1930 put their money into an investment to show that the public’s taste was more sophisticated than it was given credit for, and it paid off as the show became a hit. Todays general population may be proving exactly what the original producers feared. The publics taste is not very sophisticated at all, if it were this production would be sold out till July 1. "

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 7:24pm

Foster, that is so true. That's how I felt went I saw Sweeney Todd and then the next day saw The Wedding Singer. I'm not saying there's not a place for musical comedy on Broadway, but I just felt like Sweeney was what Broadway was about: Theater at it's Best. Wedding Singer is not great theater. It's not even good theater.

My only complaint is that Broadway is very traditional as far as theater goes, with a few exceptions here and there. Everything is a proscenium, with the exception of Circle in the Square. I wish they could have a blackbox type theater on Broadway for more experimental stagings. I think small shows like this just get lost in the HUGE theaters on Broadway, but might work brillantly in a smaller house.

This show seems great. I really wish I could see it, but alas, I won't.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 9:37pm

What's even more upsetting is looking at the rest of the theatre scene in Manhattan, most (I know, fightin words) of the good theatre is now happening elsewhere (like Brooklyn) because of Manhattan real estate rising...and with the way outer-borough prices are starting to look, cities like Chicago and SF will foster most of the creativity (not sad for those cities, just sad for New Yorkers). It's part of why I feel more and more that if I want to create theatre that I feel is relevant and theatre that pushes boundaries, I better start saving now to find a small space somewhere and build a company that way...