MY FAIR LADY (2018) Previews- Page 22

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 10:48am

bwayphreak234 said: "I was row C seat 105, and the view was great! It's definitely very close, but you do not miss anything at all. Your seats will be great!"

Ha! We saw the show from the very same spot! Agreed that the view was wonderful. 

[ivskow]

Posted: 3/27/18 at 12:58pm

Does anyone have insight into student rush recently? Or, have experience with rush at LCT for other shows? Curious about popularity of the rush, timing to arrive, etc. The website's FAQ was minimally useful. 

[p.s.]

Posted: 3/28/18 at 12:24pm

Regarding B101 and 102 --

I was in C101.  The stage is low. You miss nothing.

 

p.s.  Please keep your feet out of the aisle.

[JVJ93]

Posted: 3/28/18 at 1:44pm

I think It’s so funny that all the bitter queens who denounced the casting of Ambrose since day one are now the ones who are suddenly changing their tune and sending all kinds of praise.

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/28/18 at 2:14pm

I still remember when Ambrose was cast in Funny Girl back in 2012 only to see the show get cancelled before previews. I'm soooo glad she got another chance to star on Bway through My Fair Lady!

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/28/18 at 11:45pm

Went tonight. Had amazing LincTix seat in the 2nd row. The set was stunning. I have admired Lauren for years.

... And I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I’ve had only 2 other theater experiences out of hundreds that I’ve ever thought of leaving early and this was one of them. It dragged, and felt longer than all 8 hours of Angels. I guess this makes up for all the shows I liked that no one else did!

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 1:21am

Greenifyme2, what made it drag? Why didn't you like it?

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 1:59am

I'm curious to hear as well

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 6:07am

The scene in this musical revival that to me raised it from entertaining to memorable was the confrontation between Eliza and Higgins in his mother's conservatory after his mother had left the room.

It moved me.

I thought to myself that even Shaw would not have been disappointed with this treatment of his play. Then I remembered that I had taken an undergraduate course on Shaw and in no play of his that I ever read did he try to move an audience to tears. Sentimental claptrap.

But I still feel that Shaw would have tolerated this production rather well.

In Bart We Trust.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 8:36am

MusicAndPassion said: "Greenifyme2, what made it drag? Why didn't you like it?"

I knew Lauren isn’t the strongest singer (she sounds lovely, but doesn’t fill a room) and assumed that the rest of the cast would make up for it, but that wasn’t the case. I felt like I was listening to talk-singing from all of the men (except the actor who played Freddy, who perked my ears anytime he opened his mouth-he was loverly) and every time the father or Henry opened their mouths I found myself counting the minutes until they were done. 

I learned it seems to be play with music, not a musical, and found myself wishing they’d just cut all of the songs, made it a play, and cut the runtime in half. The music didn’t add anything for me (which is huge because normally I watch a play wishing there was music). I found myself doing something I never do, which was checking the song list in the playbill mid-second act to see when it would be over.

The show-stopping “Getting Married in the Morning” felt out of place with its sudden over-the-topness. Where did that come from?I didn’t connect with the characters and was annoyed with most of them. By then, they already lost me.

It was just such a huge disconnect for me, and I’m really surprised because while I don’t love every show I see, usually an amazing seat and being so close is more than enough to keep me engaged and I find joy even just being in the room. 

I’d do the 7.5 hours of Angels again. Over this in a heartbeat.

And as much as I respect Lauren and love her as an actress, I couldn’t help but dreamcast during the show, thinking that Lindsay Mendez would have blown the role of Eliza out of the water. She would have made it special, even with a weak cast and boring songs around her. Visually it was beautiful but there was nothing else special about the production. A smaller local theater could have put up the acting and singing I saw last night. It wasn’t Broadway.

Updated On: 3/29/18 at 08:36 AM

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 9:13am

Interesting. Are you familiar with Pygmalion, the George Bernard Shaw play that My Fair Lady adapted into its musical? Perhaps a solid production of this play will tickle your fancy more than My Fair Lady.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 9:15am

The first production shot has been released!

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 9:21am

MusicAndPassion said: "Interesting. Are you familiar with Pygmalion, the George Bernard Shaw play that My Fair Lady adapted into its musical? Perhaps a solid production of this play will tickle your fancy more than My Fair Lady."

Yes. I’ve read the play, although it’s been awhile. Despite never seeing a production of MFL before last night, I was very familiar with quite a few songs (although I’m unsure how)! 

[raddersons]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 9:56am

I was also there last night, and agree with GreenifyMe. I was totally unfamiliar with My Fair Lady, but I came out... not a huge fan. The set and staging were stunning, but thought that the songs are (mostly) boring, Higgins is so unlikable, and the acting wasn't particularly on point for the comedy. I'm wondering if it was just an off night for the cast, but the only scene that made me laugh was the Derby scene. The actors playing Eliza and Higgins had almost no chemistry -- I barely even understood that she really fell in love with him until she was singing. The pacing of the show is also pretty mysterious - the second she makes any small progress, she's suddenly in love with Higgins and we suddenly skip ahead to her big debut. 

I usually go into these Bartlett Sher productions thinking "oh god, another old boring musical" and come out completely charmed and loving them. I don't think I hate My Fair Lady, but I think this is evidence that they're not all as charming as I thought.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 9:59am

WOW, WOW, WOW, Diana looks magnificent in that production shot.   COMMANDING!  And the costume is wonderful.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 10:08am

raddersons said: "I was also there last night, and agree with GreenifyMe. I wastotally unfamiliar with My Fair Lady, but I came out... not a huge fan. The set and staging were stunning, but thoughtthat the songs are (mostly) boring, Higgins issounlikable, and the acting wasn't particularly on point for the comedy. I'm wondering if it was just an off night for the cast, but the only scene that made me laugh was the Derby scene. The actors playing Eliza and Higgins hadalmost no chemistry -- I barely even understood that she really fell in love with him until she was singing.The pacing of the show is also pretty mysterious - the second she makes any small progress, she's suddenly in love with Higgins and we suddenly skip ahead to her big debut.

I usually go into these Bartlett Sher productions thinking "oh god, another old boring musical" and come out completely charmed and loving them. I don't think IhateMy Fair Lady, but I think this is evidence that they're not all as charming as I thought."

I’m sorry you agree! Was hoping it was just me. I do wonder though, as in hindsight I recall... as I was entering the theater one of the ushers said to me “oh you’re still smiling, that’s because you just got here” and I over heard the man in front of me ask the usher if he’s seen the show and how he liked it and replied with “it’s ... something.” Maybe there are more people that are less enthusiastic about it than we think?

 

[ActorGuyIL]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 10:51am

greenifyme2 said: 
"I’m sorry you agree! Was hoping it was just me. I do wonder though, asin hindsight I recall...as I was entering the theater one of the ushers said to me “oh you’re still smiling, that’s because you just got here” and I over heard the man in front of me ask the usher if he’s seen the show and how he liked it and replied with “it’s ... something.” Maybe there are more people that are less enthusiastic about it than we think?"

That usher should be fired.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 10:51am

I admit I'm not an expert on usher etiquette, but that sounds . . . maybe a little unprofessional?

Beautiful picture of Diana Rigg. I love her costume. I'm surprised the first photo released didn't include either Lauren or Harry or both, though.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 10:53am

"I’m sorry you agree! Was hoping it was just me. I do wonder though, as in hindsight I recall... as I was entering the theater one of the ushers said to me “oh you’re still smiling, that’s because you just got here” and I over heard the man in front of me ask the usher if he’s seen the show and how he liked it and replied with “it’s ... something.” Maybe there are more people that are less enthusiastic about it than we think?"

That's sort of an odd thing to say by the usher for a myriad of reasons. It's one thing to answer a question directly asked (and trying to find a balance of representing the theatre and selling the show and lying if you really did not like it), but it's another thing entirely to invite yourself to make a snarky comment like that to someone who was smiling and excited to see the show in order to share your opinion. It was like the usher was trying to ruin a patron's experience or shape their opinion before hand so they'll start the night expecting it to be bad. The usher should at least be reprimanded. 

Anyway, it seems your issues with the production are mostly about the material itself and if you don't connect with the actual material, it's hard for any production to succeed. Maybe you would have preferred a more classical musical comedy approach to the show or maybe you'll prefer the movie version that sort of fleshes out some of the scenes with extended beats and close-ups so you get the sense of progression of the growing attraction between Henry and Eliza. Also, Stanley Holloway totally made it so Alfred Doolittle belonged in the show. I sort of think it's either the tone, pacing of the stage version, or Butz's acting/direction that sort of created a dissonance between him and the rest of the show. Usually, that whole "middle class morality" scene in Act I between Higgins and Doolittle is one of the highlights for me and is one of those things that seriously drives the point home, but I didn't like the way Butz rushed through that scene.

Updated On: 3/29/18 at 10:53 AM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 11:12am

Broadway.com Fresh Faces feature on Harry Hadden-Paton:

https://www.broadway.com/buzz/191632/my-fair-ladys-harry-hadden-paton-on-revealing-his-boy-band-past-making-over-eliza-doolittle-in-the-age-of-metoo/

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 11:38am

I think an issue that will need to be worked out is that Lauren Ambrose and Norbert Leo-Butz are both clearly American and so the British accents, lingo and vocabulary don't come naturally to them. When Ambrose went up in lines she started reverting to Americanisms and the accents aren't consistent. 

Leo-Butz does have big shoes to fill. Stanley Holloway was one of those vaudeville performers who could do a little of everything: singing, dancing, acting. He also had this natural joie de vivre that I think is an important part of the character. Doolittle is a drunk and a moocher, but he's also a charmer. I felt like Butz just didn't have the charm to make us understand why Higgins is taken despite himself with Doolittle.

[JIMG3]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 2:29pm

MCfan2 said: "I admit I'm not an expert on usher etiquette, but that sounds . . . maybe a little unprofessional?

Beautiful picture of Diana Rigg. I love her costume. I'm surprised the first photo released didn't include either Lauren or Harry or both, though."

As someone who is “expert” on usher etiquette, it’s completely inexcusable. 

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 2:46pm

ActorGuyIL said: "greenifyme2 said:
"I’m sorry you agree! Was hoping it was just me. I do wonder though, asin hindsight I recall...as I was entering the theater one of the ushers said to me “oh you’re still smiling, that’s because you just got here” and I over heard the man in front of me ask the usher if he’s seen the show and how he liked it and replied with “it’s ... something.” Maybe there are more people that are less enthusiastic about it than we think?"

That usher should be fired."

That's the interesting thing. Those comments came from TWO different ushers! It wasn't the same usher.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 2:54pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: ""
That's sort of an odd thing to say by the usher for a myriad of reasons. It's one thing to answer a question directly asked (and trying to find a balance of representing the theatre and selling the show and lying if you really did not like it), but it's another thing entirely to invite yourself to make a snarky comment like that to someone who was smiling and excited to see the show in order to share your opinion. It was like the usher wastrying to ruin a patron's experience or shape their opinion before hand so they'll start the night expecting it to be bad. The usher should at least be reprimanded.

Anyway, it seems your issues with the production are mostly about the material itself and if you don't connect with the actual material, it's hard for any production to succeed. Maybe you would have preferred a more classical musical comedy approach to the show or maybe you'll prefer the movie version that sort of fleshes out some of the scenes with extended beats and close-ups so you get the sense of progression of the growing attraction between Henry and Eliza. Also, Stanley Holloway totally made it so Alfred Doolittle belonged in the show. I sort of think it's either the tone, pacing of the stage version, or Butz's acting/direction that sort of created a dissonance between him and the rest of the show. Usually, that whole "middle class morality" scene in Act I between Higgins and Doolittle is one of the highlights for me and is one of those things that seriously drives the point home, but I didn't like the way Butz rushed through that scene."

Yeah the ushers' comments didn't effect me at all. I really didn't think much of it at all until this morning until we were discussing our dislikes on the board.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 3:40pm

greenifyme2 said: "That's the interesting thing. Those comments came from TWO different ushers! It wasn't the same usher."

Yes, that was clear from your post. I think we were all referring to the usher who made the unprovoked remark, not the usher who was asked a question.