Posted: 9/28/24 at 4:36pm
Just saw the matinee. The play itself is fine, but RDJ’s star power is undeniable; he IS the show, and he’s fantastic. The rest of the the cast ranges from good to godawful, but he’s worth the price of admission, and the production itself looks incredibly expensive.
Posted: 9/28/24 at 5:03pm
I don't see the play until next week, but in-ears are increasingly common onstage –– more so for musicals (to hear the band or costars or a click track), but not unheard of for plays too.
If it's a high-tech play, he may need to do or say super-specific things at an exact moment.
If it's being used to jog his memory on an as-needed basis, that's really not anyone's business. Most actors would love that safety net, especially in previews when things can change multiple times a week. And it doesn't sound like RDJ's stumbling around on the level of Pacino or Bruce Willis, who clearly didn't have a grasp on the material (though now we know that Willis was dealing with the early days of dementia).
Think most people paying $100++ would vastly prefer this situation over, for example, Elaine Stritch's refusal to use an in-ear in her later years, leading to borderline unintelligible and uncomfortable (tho still iconic) performances.
Theatre adapts with the times. Those unwilling to embrace change should find something else to occupy their time!
Posted: 9/28/24 at 8:11pm
I was at today's matinee (along with Taffy apparently) and like chrishuyen I work in a tech-adjacent field, so I was interested in this from the get-go. While Disgraced is the better Akhtar play, I still thought this was excellent. Some great insights on AI, technology, literature, and plagiarism.
RDJ is absolutely fantastic, he commands the stage in every scene. I didn't notice an earpiece today.
Among the supporting cast, I enjoyed Andrea's comic relief and the way Ruthie's doctor was an "angel of death" throughout the proceedings.
Sher melds the tech and theatre here better than he did in Corruption. He's also staged a great final moment for RDJ.
I agree that the digital likeness wasn't a huge deal, it reminded me of how directors like Ivo and Jamie Lloyd employ video (though Sher doesn't use the tech as a crutch like those two).
Posted: 9/29/24 at 5:18pm
I was in the second row at the matinee yesterday and didn’t notice an earpiece, for what it’s worth. I agree with many here - I enjoyed it but it could’ve used another draft. RDJ is fantastic and really owns the show. I also really enjoyed his scene with the NYT reporter and thought that brought up interesting ideas. I love Andrea, but she was in a different play than everyone else.
Posted: 10/1/24 at 1:56pm
If anyone's interested, selling a ticket for tomorrow's show: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/thread-buysell/McNealWednesdayOctober-1-Left-Mezz-Row-E--150
