LEOPOLDSTADT Previews- Page 2

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/20/22 at 2:44pm

Wick3 said: "Play was roughly 2h10mins no intermission last night.


To me, it never felt long. Yes it was hard for me to remember everyone’s names but certain scenes and character names I did remember. Having the family tree written in the playbill is a good idea. In one of the scene/act changes they showed the family tree and that helped a lot. Would be great to see photos of the actors above their names though that might be asking too much. Lol

i can see this play as a contender for Best Play. The costuming was so good that I didn’t even realize some of the actors played dual roles!

yes there is merch. During walk-in, merch person is downstairs near the bar and restrooms. At the end of the show, merch person is in the lobby area of box office."

 

Did you notice merch beyond the tote, window card and magnet?

 

[Wick3]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 12:05am

Script of the play was also part of merch.

I also saw Tom Stoppard in the audience (so cool to see!)

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 1:01am

My buddy Joe won the lottery 9/20 and I went with him. We sat in the first row center orchestra. You enter the lottery between midnight and 9 a.m. for the next days performance.  At 9:20 a.m. he was notified and paid $94. for two tickets. The show tonight seemed packed and it was powerfully well done. I hear it plays to the end of January. No intermission and about 2:20 running time.

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 1:05am

They do sell merchandise in lobby after show and downstairs near bar before. 

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 1:13am

I thought that was the playwright in the audience tonight. Years ago I would have asked Tom Stoppard to sign my playbill but now a days I'm not inclined to bother people because I don't want to draw attention to them.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 11:38am

BIG BALONEY said: "They do sell merchandise in lobby after show and downstairs near bar before."

Do you remember what they sold?

[Wick3]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 2:57pm

 

Updated On: 9/21/22 at 02:57 PM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/21/22 at 3:15pm

Wick3 said: "

"

AH! Thank you :) 

[willep]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 12:07pm

BIG BALONEY said: "My buddy Joe won the lottery 9/20 and I went with him. We sat in the first row center orchestra. You enter the lottery between midnight and 9 a.m. for the next days performance. At 9:20 a.m. he was notified and paid $94. for two tickets. The show tonight seemed packed and it was powerfully well done. I hear it plays to the end of January. No intermission and about 2:20 running time."

How we’re your seats? Won for tomorrow night and am wondering about stage height etc. A Strange Loop was killer on the neck while POTUS was a terrific seat for the front row rush.

 

[TBone]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 1:55pm

I won for a performance last weekend and also sat front row center. The stage isn’t that high so I thought the view was excellent - with the exception of the images projected on the scrim that comes down between scenes. That did require craning my neck back. This is the photo I took before the show if it helps any. https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/184713/Longacre+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-AA/seat-107/ 

The person next to had also seen the show from further back in the orchestra and did mention that they preferred that seat. 

Updated On: 9/22/22 at 01:55 PM

[ELP]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 3:39pm

TBone said: "I won for a performance last weekend and also sat front row center. The stage isn’t that high so I thought the view was excellent - with the exception of the images projected on the scrim that comes down between scenes. That did require craning my neck back. This is the photo I took before the show if it helps any.https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/184713/Longacre+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-AA/seat-107/

The person next to had also seen the show from further back in the orchestra and did mention that they preferred that seat."

This person has seen the show twice already - in 1 week? Must be that good or this person is associated with the show in some way....or both!

Updated On: 9/22/22 at 03:39 PM

[willep]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 4:13pm

Thanks!

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 5:50pm

ELP said: "TBone said: "I won for a performance last weekend and also sat front row center. The stage isn’t that high so I thought the view was excellent - with the exception of the images projected on the scrim that comes down between scenes. That did require craning my neck back. This is the photo I took before the show if it helps any.https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/184713/Longacre+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-AA/seat-107/

The person next to had also seen the show from further back in the orchestra and did mention that they preferred that seat."

This person has seen the show twice already - in 1 week? Must be that good or this person is associated with the show in some way....or both!"

I am not affiliated with the show in ANY capacity, saw it last week and already have tickets to see it two more times. Yes, in my personal opinion, it *is* that good. 

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 9:10pm

Hight was perfect and in center orchestra first row, just probably three seats had less legroom on end of row. You feel your right in the middle of the play.

[ELP]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 10:33pm

hearthemsing22 said: "ELP said: "TBone said: "I won for a performance last weekend and also sat front row center. The stage isn’t that high so I thought the view was excellent - with the exception of the images projected on the scrim that comes down between scenes. That did require craning my neck back. This is the photo I took before the show if it helps any.https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/184713/Longacre+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-AA/seat-107/

The person next to had also seen the show from further back in the orchestra and did mention that they preferred that seat."

This person has seen the show twice already - in 1 week? Must be that good or this person is associated with the show in some way....or both!"

I am not affiliated with the show in ANY capacity, saw it last week and already have tickets to see it two more times. Yes, in my personal opinion, it *is* that good."

Wow! No better endorsement than that!! Looking forward to seeing this play.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 11:32pm

It's a damn good play. The earlier scenes plod along sometimes, but the final two are a gutpunch. It's heartbreaking to see where this family starts and where they end up by 1955. You can tell this is deeply personal for Stoppard (and the ending has been compared to Schindler's List, which is a fair comparison).

The acting ensemble is terrific overall, with the MVPs being David Krumholtz (what a pleasant surprise!!!) and a shattering performance by Brandon Uranowitz –– too early to predict a Featured Actor Tony win, but Uranowitz is the kind of performance the Tonys like. Some people don't get much to do (Caissie Levy).

Updated On: 9/22/22 at 11:32 PM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 11:37pm

ELP said: "hearthemsing22 said: "ELP said: "TBone said: "I won for a performance last weekend and also sat front row center. The stage isn’t that high so I thought the view was excellent - with the exception of the images projected on the scrim that comes down between scenes. That did require craning my neck back. This is the photo I took before the show if it helps any.https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/184713/Longacre+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-AA/seat-107/

The person next to had also seen the show from further back in the orchestra and did mention that they preferred that seat."

This person has seen the show twice already - in 1 week? Must be that good or this person is associated with the show in some way....or both!"

I am not affiliated with the show in ANY capacity, saw it last week and already have tickets to see it two more times. Yes, in my personal opinion, it *is* that good."

Wow! No better endorsement than that!! Looking forward to seeing this play."

Please believe me when I say-I had not intended on seeing it. Then I read about it, and thought some family members might be interested. Ended up getting the random chance to see it last week, and truly-it’s a gut punch but also one of the best plays I’ve seen in a while. I think I was numb walking out of the theater (in a good way!). 

[Wick3]

Posted: 9/22/22 at 11:56pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It's a damn good play. The earlier scenes plod along sometimes, but the final two are a gutpunch. It's heartbreaking to see where this family starts and where they end up by 1955.You can tell this is deeply personal for Stoppard (and the ending has been compared to Schindler's List, which is a fair comparison)."

There were parts that also reminded me of the Woman in Gold movie.

[kurtal]

Posted: 9/23/22 at 9:26am

I saw this last night from the Balcony (B1).  Good view...far but didn't feel distant.

Let me start by saying that I thought this show was good -- and very well performed.

But...it left me a bit cold overall.  I totally understand what Stoppard was trying to do here, but I personally wanted it to be either smaller or bigger.  The moments that are planted early could have had even more of an emotional impact later if they were given the time and space to breathe.  By cramming everything into a 2h10 run time, I wasn't left with any time to process and absorb the small moments of the vast cast of characters.  And so much of the dialogue was whittled down to historical lecture and exposition that felt overly didactic.  HISTORY IS HAPPENING!

It's odd for me to say this, but I think this should have been longer.  Give it two acts.  Stay with the characters longer in the earlier scenes.  Let us get to know them even more as humans rather than as chess pieces (or knots in string) in the epic journey.

All of that said, this is a good piece of theatre and very well acted.  Standout performances by Brandon Uranowitz, Jenna Augen (though I preferred her in 1924), Faye Castelow.  David Krumholtz struggled with some of the lines when I saw it, but the foundation for a brilliant performance is there.  I wish Eden Epstein's Hermine had more to do...she was excellent.  The only performance whose choices I truly struggled with was Seth Numrich as Jacob.  It didn't feel grounded enough, and I didn't connect with the role enough given the centrality of his narrative in the later scenes.

All criticisms aside...very good show.  Would recommend if you're looking for a fairly straightforward and expectedly tragic narrative centered on early 20th century European history.  

 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/24/22 at 9:05am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It's a damn good play. The earlier scenes plod along sometimes, but the final two are a gutpunch. It's heartbreaking to see where this family starts and where they end up by 1955.You can tell this is deeply personal for Stoppard (and the ending has been compared to Schindler's List, which is a fair comparison).

The acting ensemble is terrific overall, with the MVPs being David Krumholtz (what a pleasant surprise!!!) and a shattering performance by Brandon Uranowitz –– too early to predict a Featured Actor Tony win, but Uranowitz is the kind of performance the Tonys like. Some people don't get much to do (Caissie Levy)."

I saw the show last night from a lotto seat (Orch Left B-6, no obstruction) and this is pretty much what I was going to say verbatim, especially echoing the praise for Uranowitz, who had grown so much as an actor over the last decade and, having seen him now in five different shows, this is HIS moment for sure - especially in that shattering final act.

My only quibble is that they need to tighten the pace a bit since last night ran about 2:20-2:25, as opposed to 2:10.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 9:33am

I saw this last night and despite it being a handsome production with largely great performances, I was left rather cold, as well. The enormous cast and the leaps through almost 60 years mean we can never really get to know these characters, and their fates are telegraphed from the instant the curtain rises if anybody has even a cursory knowledge of history and antisemitism. I was truly left wanting more- this could have been a longer work, or multiple plays, instead of what it is, which is sort of a crash course in early 20th century antisemitism leading up to the Holocaust.  
 

While this is clearly very personal for Stoppard- and there’s no small amount of guilt suffusing the play- for me, it sort of became a work that is trodding ground innovated by decades of Jewish artists of all types without adding anything new. There’s absolutely value in that, and it’s not a bad play. But coming from a playwright of Stoppard’s stature, it feels like he’s late. 
 

Updated On: 9/30/22 at 09:33 AM

[Capeguy]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 9:48am

I was there last night for the last preview. I was very moved and thought it was quite good. I do agree that we didn't get to know the characters very well for the most part. I wonder what it was like in London. It seems that it could have benefited by having an intermission and running the full original 3 hours. It actually went by rather quickly although, I too wasn't always sure who was who. Nonetheless, it's worth seeing and will probably be a major contender for a Tony.

[kurtal]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 10:45am

Kad said: "I saw this last night and despite it being a handsome production with largely great performances, I was left rather cold, as well. The enormous cast and the leaps through almost 60 years mean we can never really get to know these characters, and their fates are telegraphed from the instant the curtain rises if anybody has even a cursory knowledge of history and antisemitism. I was truly left wanting more- this could have been a longer work, or multiple plays, instead of what it is, which is sort of a crash course in early 20th century antisemitism leading up to the Holocaust.


While this is clearly very personal for Stoppard- and there’s no small amount of guilt suffusing the play- for me, it sort of became a work that is trodding ground innovated by decades of Jewish artists of all types without adding anything new. There’s absolutely value in that, and it’s not a bad play. But coming from a playwright of Stoppard’s stature, it feels like he’s late.
"

This is it.   This definitely encapsulates my thoughts.  The play is good.  But it felt like he's trying to be this definitive voice on the Holocaust, when there are so many other works that did it earlier and better.  It's kind of like when a kid goes to college and discovers new political ideas and then comes home for Thanksgiving and is an insufferable know-it-all.  

Again,  it's a good play.  It just didn't surprise me in any way.