Mr. Burns @ Playwrights- Page 2
Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
DressedInYourPajamas
Understudy Joined: 7/7/12
#25Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/25/13 at 5:21pmI just saw this this afternoon and thought it was spectacular. Washburn is such a fresh, unique, and interesting voice and her play is enrapturing. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but it definitely makes you think and is incredibly interesting, whether you end up enjoying it or not. See it.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#26Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/25/13 at 5:51pm
I think I'm def. going to rush this. Seems weird, but I might be into it.
What's the design like?
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#27Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/25/13 at 6:25pmI saw this, by total chance, when I was in DC last spring. I really liked the material. It's a long play but it worked for me. I don't know how much they'll try to cut down at this point. The DC production ran around 2.5 hours, too.
#28Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/25/13 at 6:41pmI honestly think that describing the design would qualify as a spoiler.
stevenycguy
Broadway Star Joined: 12/7/05
#29Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 12:01am
This show has some very funny moments and a lot of musical parodies that are great fun to watch. Loved all the skits about The Jetsons, today's pop songs, etc. The Mr Burns fight sequence set to a lot of songs is great fun. This show has a lot of potential.
But the first 45 minutes talking about the Simpsons are interminable. This show would be far stronger if they simply cut the entire first 45 minutes, and start the show after the "fake intermission pause". Then eliminate the intermission and you'll be left with a very funny 90 minute show.
#30Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 12:09am
From what I've heard, though, deleting the first third of the show might make it into a funny farce about pop culture in the future, rather than a sometimes dry but unique look at the process of myth making.
It's like the journey may be boring to some, but it makes the destination more rewarding.
#32Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:23am
I LOVED this show. It's going to be polarizing, yes, but what it affectively does is portray the roles of pop culture and storytelling in society and then delves into how mythologies are formed--what they mean to the cultures creating them, why we tell stories, how we hear stories, and so on.
It's not a play where character is king. It's key to note that the actors are all playing "themselves" from a credit standpoint. Quincy Tyler Bernstine plays Quincy, etc. Because as much as they're all people, their roles in the show are as storytellers.
I'll echo those who said Matthew Maher wasn't at all difficult to understand. He's a stunning actor. He and Bernstine are two of my favorite performers working the boards these days. FWIW, last night's audience was very appreciative. No walkouts that I saw. But I'm sure there will be more, sadly. It's a nervy, unusual play, so certainly there will be those turned off by it. I'm thrilled to have seen it and expect to be thinking on it for some time.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#33Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:38am
A monument of self-indulgent drivel, and a monumental waste of time.
The song "I Will Survive" was played as the benumbed, defeated audience trudged out of the theatre. Whether the audience will survive something like this, however, is open to question.
#34Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:51am
^^
After reading that review, I think I'll go tomorrow.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#35Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:56am
^
I'm surprised you haven't gone already.
No question, it's right up your alley.
#36Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:58am
I hope to go this week sometime. I've heard some good things and reading the comments in this thread has me very excited!
Matthew Maher gave one of the best performances of last season in The Flick and I'm thrilled he's working again so soon.
#37Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 10:45amYou know, I kind of clicked this thread seeing the name "Mr. Burns" and wondering jokingly if it might have anything to do with The Simpsons. I don't know whether I'm delighted or alarmed to have that instinct confirmed.
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28
#38Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 11:04am
A sincere question, After Eight: you seem to very strongly dislike most shows you go to, particularly new plays. So I really wonder--why do you keep going?
I'm truly not being facetious. From the outside, I just don't understand the urge since you seem so consistently let down.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#39Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 11:50am
Sauja,
I go in the hopes of seeing good theatre.
If I dislike most plays I see (and I don't believe that's the case), it's the fault of the plays. I'm entirely open to good theatre.
I've liked several good new plays this summer, but have not commented on them here, because they were in smaller venues and no one here seemed to see them.
#40Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 1:04pmPlease. You didn't comment on them because you enjoy being as vitriolic and condescending about everything as you possibly can.
#41Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 2:33pm
To be fair, he did rave about The Old Friends.
Though, he couldn't do so without insulting everything he hates, but still.
#42Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 2:44pm
Fair enough, After Eight! Hope the like-to-dislike ratio at least keeps it worth it.
Meanwhile, I wish more folks on here would talk about some of the smaller, less publicized theater options (I myself of guilty of tending to chat about whatever is most discussed). I'm usually eager to hear about things off the beaten path in case I'm missing a gem.
#43Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 2:57pm
I've liked several good new plays this summer, but have not commented on them here, because they were in smaller venues and no one here seemed to see them.
Oh please. I guess we've all been using this board totally wrong. Instead of using it as a way to spread word-of-mouth about shows you might not have seen because you were unaware of them, we were just dissuading people from seeing shows we hate. Thank you for showing us the error of our ways, After Eight! Let's all go back to spewing hate about everything to the public while the shows that go unseen by most can be our little secrets. Also I don't think plays performed by your cats in the living room count.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#44Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 7:58pm
I gave Sauja my reasons, and those are my reasons.
Updated On: 9/1/13 at 07:58 PM
#45Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 11:45pm
All I can think of is this.
Updated On: 8/26/13 at 11:45 PM
stevenycguy
Broadway Star Joined: 12/7/05
#46Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/26/13 at 11:57pm
Actually, their audience base has a large portion of theatergoers in their 20s due to their $25 to $30 ticket promotions to attract younger audiences.
They should be commended for doing edgy non-mainstream work quite successfully. I totally loved every minute of their prior show "The Flick" and gave it a standing ovation (reminded me of "The Breakfast Club").
#47Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/27/13 at 12:00am
They are really the only high-profile midtown theater that is doing it even close to right, or trying at all to get consistently new work out there at affordable prices, and I am always grateful for that.
Updated On: 8/27/13 at 12:00 AM
#48Mr. Burns @ Playwrights
Posted: 8/27/13 at 12:04am
My response was to After Eight saying "Plus, I owe YOU no tips on good plays. Go find them yourself, you arrogant little punk."
Which was basically the message board equivalent of get off my lawn.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
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