NETWORK Previews — Page 3

I have found there to be railing issues in the Belasco balcony. I was in the second row on the house left aisle for Farinelli, and there were two railings (aisle and ledge) blocking my view. I would opt for fourth row back or further and center section.

---

Take it from me, to be a director all you need to have is no talent.

You’ll pardon me, but to have no talent is not enough. What you need is an idea- something that’s gonna make your shtick special.

In some ways, Ivo van Hove’s shtick works best here in Network as his love affair with video screens, constant music and assaulting sound effects are a natural fit for a play about a TV show. The problem is, none of this feels fresh because we’ve seen it all from Ivo before. Yes, there are some cool camera tricks and nicely staged sequences, but by having almost every single moment up on the screens, the duller moments dilute the more impressive ones.

I also am not a fan of coming to the theater to watch scenes play out on a screen that are acted in the wings. Even when the action is taking place on stage, it’s hard not to watch the screens instead (especially from the balcony; why watch Cranston act live, when you can get a close up of his face on the screen in front of you?)

Since so much time is spent watch video, I felt very distanced and removed from the action. I had no emotional connection to anything going on. As others have said, Cranston is excellent, but I rarely was 100% engaged in the performances or dialogue with the veritable fun home of gimmicks vying for my attention.

I was really looking forward to this as I had heard such good things, and maybe my expectations were too high and/or my disdain for Ivo is too great, but I was left underwhelmed outside of Cranston.

---

Seems like a bunch of us were there tonight! I don’t need to rehash what others are saying, but overall I really enjoyed it and my husband said it’s his favorite theater experience I’ve taken him to by far.

Cranston is a gem. I think it helped to be close because when he got emotional so did I.

I risked the stage door and it wasn’t crowded at all. The reports are true- he’s a very nice man that takes time for everyone. Just be aware he can’t autograph anything not from the show. I had brought something else he was in and he wasn’t allowed to sign it. Still a great stage door experience, after hearing mostly horror stories lately of others.

Updated On: 11/15/18 at 12:29 AM

I can't believe I'm about to compare Bryan Cranston to a puppet, but here goes. Not unlike the puppet in King Kong, people will have to decide whether or not Cranston is worth the price of admission. In this case, I think he is, but how much to spend and where to sit is definitely a concern. $399 for a show that runs 1:55 seems outrageous to me. I sat in mezzanine G 107, a very centered $89 seat, and I thought it was a perfect view to take in the entire set and the video screen, while still being able to see facial expressions.

I checked out the orchestra for a friend, and, if I were buying down there, I'd save some money and buy seat O 2 for $119. The view from there was shockingly good for the price, considering that row N is considerably more expensive, even premium on certain days. Orchestra P 2 is also an excellent option. I would choose the right orchestra first, but the left orchestra (O 1/P 1), would also be great.

I went up to the balcony, and, yes, the railing along the edge is problematic, especially for short people. Sitting back in a seat in row A, the view was very obstructed. A seat cushion would be a necessity there, as well as sitting forward in the seat. For the $49 seats, I think the best options are center balcony seats E 114, E 101, and F 101. The aisle seats (E 2/F 2, E 1/F 1) are also good, but the handrails, as well as the tall ledge rail at the bottom of the stairs, will definitely be in your line of sight. They're not deal-breakers, though. Be aware, there are poles up there that obstruct some seats. For example, center balcony seats E 102, E 113, and F 102 have a pole smack dab in the middle of their view. The poles are located in front of balcony row D, between seats C 5-7, C 6-8, C 103-104, and C 111-112. There are also 2 poles in front of the far ends of row C, between row B seats 19-21 and 20-22. The platform at the front of the stage didn't appear to be easily visible from the balcony, but this isn't an issue, since pretty much everything is on the video screens. There's a point when Cranston is sitting on the edge of the stage, which isn't projected, that I'm assuming will require some leaning forward to see.

So, the stage seating... From my vantage point, it definitely looked like a unique experience. I couldn't see the people at the bar, however, during the first half of the show, there were many times when I saw the people at the tables forced to look at the video screen, because the actors playing the TV crew were standing directly in front of them, blocking the view of the anchor desk. The second half appeared to be much better for them, since the staging is more wide open.

The pics below are from my seat in center mezzanine G 107, right orchestra O 2, and center balcony E 114, respectively. As with all pics, the view is much closer in person. Any other questions, please let me know!

Updated On: 11/15/18 at 09:39 AM

JayElle said: "CT2NYC....it would be easier to read yr stuff if you broke it up into multiple paragraphs..."

Fair enough. Fixed!

any merch reports?

I attended the show last night and found the evening to be a mixed bag. Cranston is basically the reason to see this show and he is sensational. I’m not sure how he is going to do this until March. His poor voice sounded like it could crap out any performance now when he was yelling. Everything else didn’t really add up.
The staging was just sloppy and all over the place.
If you aren’t sitting in the center section the vast majority of the show needs to be watched on a TV screen. Even the scenes where he was center stage I couldn’t really see due to all the cameras everywhere. I was sitting about halfway down row J on the house left side in the orchestra and I’d say I couldn’t see about half of the stage due to the onstage production booth which I couldn’t even see from where I was sitting. I had the clearest view of people eating. When I bought my ticket a month ago they guy at the box office assured me I would have a full view.
Oh well. This was my most anticipated show of the season and I left very disappointed.

So, outside of Bryan Cranston’s earthquaking performance, I was underwhelmed by Network. Don’t get me wrong: Cranston is insanely strong and tailor-made for the role of Howard Beale. But everything around him is either schticky or middling in quality.

I thought Tatiana Maslany was wildly miscast in a role made legendary by the great Faye Dunaway. Everything she did felt like a deliberate acting choice and not genuine. Tony Goldwyn was okay; nothing special.

I actually got a little mad (as hell, and I-- never mind) at:

Part of me feels like this property was maybe not meant to be adapted for the stage. The TV screens scattered around the Belasco and the live camera work being done, yes, are very cool. But it all makes you feel very detached as an audience member in the theatre. With the exception of Cranston’s thunderous “mad as hell” speech, there was no time when I felt enthralled to be part of a live theatergoing experience. I felt like I could get the gist of the show if they posted the live recordings on Netflix.

For Tony nominations, Bryan Cranston will obviously get a Best Actor nod. I think the show may also get Best Lighting and Best Scenic Design, and will probably get a Best Play nomination. But truth be told, I couldn’t stop thinking about another new play this season, The Ferryman, when I was deeply engrossed in every minute. This one, unfortunately, left me a bit cold.

Whizzer wrote in part, "I also am not a fan of coming to the theater to watch scenes play out on a screen that are acted in the wings. Even when the action is taking place on stage, it’s hard not to watch the screens instead (especially from the balcony; why watch Cranston act live, when you can get a close up of his face on the screen in front of you?) .....Since so much time is spent watch video, I felt very distanced and removed from the action. I had no emotional connection to anything going on. As others have said, Cranston is excellent, but I rarely was 100% engaged in the performances or dialogue with the veritable fun home of gimmicks vying for my attention. "

Couldn't agree more. Tonight was my 2nd showing, but this time on the stage. It is not worth the price and not as good as the Great Comet stage seating. They email rqmts prior to show: need u to wear dark clothing and check bags, and coats. But I did not expect them to take my 4 x 6 inch clutch bag which I could've kept on my lap. I explained I needed several personal items, e.g., 2 small Rx bottles, tissue, lozenges. They said "take them w/you." But you can't keep anything on the table. I literally had to stuff those items and my cel phones into my bra b/c I didn't have any pockets. My fellow table sharer was forced to wear a black jacket over his dark shirt b/c "his arms were showing," yet they didn't impose that on any women.

Unlike Great Comet where stage seating enabled u to see the audience and actors at all times, Network did not. The glaring spotlights blinded us at the tables and we could only see the backs of the actors 80% of the time. So we had to watch the screen. The actors carrying the mobile film cameras also blocked our view. Many stage sitters were ticked via their facial expressions and post-show comments to staff. I could see more from center orchestra 4th row on my first visit than I could this time & I was in 1st stage row next to sofa. Sound was sketchy as the amplifiers r in the orchestra/balcony areas. For many scenes we could hear voices, but not see who was talking. The folks in the 3rd stage row (bar) looked bored and ticked. You couldn't have anything on table other than food/drink for appearances.

Well, how would've it looked if I started fishing around in my sports bra to find my Rx bottles, lozenge, tissues while it being beamed onto the megascreen? Likely would've gotten a laugh as well as make the producer realize a small clutch is less obvious that fishing thru my large boobs while wearing a turtleneck.

You could not have a Playbill until you left the show b/c they didn't want that at the table or on yr lap either. You have to do bathroom run prior to start of show & b4 they open the theater to non-stage patrons. They escorted us b/c the house wasn't open yet. I felt like I was on a 4th grade school field trip.

When I could see the audience during the repeat of "I'm mad as hell," many folks looked unhappy. Alot did not participate & some looked like "what the hell is this?" Having Saudi Arabia replace the Symbionese Liberation Army/Joanne Chesimard as the "bad guy" just didn't make sense to me...

As for food, 1st course tiny spring roll & empanada...2nd sliced rare sirloin over cauliflower salad (no salt/petter avail plus butter knife to cut meat), chocolate cake. The offered set cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks. Staff suggests tipping the server.

I don't recommend the stage unless you first see the show from the orch/mezz/balcony. It's too hard to follow it from there & you have limited views, but there is the unique opportunity to be up there w/them. Some actors came over to chat pre-show.

At the end of the show, they project the inaugurations of Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump. Obama got cheers; trump got jeers. No response to the others.

One of the actors said they're selling tickets thru Mar 17 with an option to extend to June 9 for Tonys. It depends on whether Cranston wants to go beyond March. At this rate, I'm not sure it can make it till June. He's great to watch, but the rest of the cast seemed overshadowed.

Cranston's book is pre-autographed, but I got him to also sign the front cover. The show poster is in "negotiations" and not available until post opening. Cranston's playbill cover is from the London production per staff, but they're negotiating if it will be him solo on the revised poster. He's carrying the show, so why not the poster!

That's my beef w/the show and its execution. I will post a photo of the glaring stage lights tomorrow if I can upload it.

Saw this two nights ago and mostly found it a bit of a shrug. I am and always will be a huge fan of Ivo van Hove’s work, but this production feels like a cheap imitation of his oeuvre - complete with a climactic moment of flying paper in a glass box, half-heartedly executed by Tatiana Maslany - full of gimmicks we’ve seen him do before to more startling effect.

Several actors are not necessarily miscast so much as they are flat-out bad. Like, scratch your head, “these people got cast in a Broadway play?” bad. Others barely register. Tony Goldwyn is doing fine work, but craggy and tired is not a terribly exciting action to watch for two hours. The real standout among the ensemble for me was Alyssa Bresnahan as Goldwyn’s wife, who completely understood the operatic nature of the staging and sold me every second of her 5 minutes on stage.

Now, the best part: everything said about Bryan Cranston is true. The man is an absolute powerhouse and the performance he’s giving is thrilling. You can say what you want about him always playing a similar kind of blustery character all the time, but he is able to find so many shadings in what could easily be a soundwall of a performance. Enough can’t be said of the scene leading up to the “mad as hell” quote. When those makeup artists start crying with him, the production realizes the full magnitude of the false prophet theme that dominates the material. Just a great, great performance.

But a great performance isn’t enough to sustain an evening of theatre that should - and does - have much more on its mind. Why do this play now? Yes, it was speaking of a future of media that we have not only matched but transcended (or reached new, unthinkable levels of awful rather). But what more does van Hove’s deconstruction have to say about it other than “See? They were right!” The answer, for me at least, is “not much.”

Thrilling when Cranston takes the stage; not-so-much when he leaves it. Van Hove has explored similar themes through similar means before and I found it far more affecting and illuminating than mostly anything onstage at the Belasco currently.

This was so good in London. Seems like something has been lost with the new cast.

Updated On: 11/18/18 at 10:09 AM

desperateAndee wrote: "As much as it pains me to to say this, I found Maslany to be terribly miscast. Some of her Diana was working but I don't think she has the right force power to drive home that character. "

Agree. Faye Dunaway aced it. To me, Faye was this visual sexy fox hiding the cutthroat snake personality. Was it the long blonde hair? Don't know, but the current Diana couldn't cut that.

As for William Holden vs Tony, Holden's boozing and smoking made him look physically old and worn. But it was his physical appearance that meshed with Peter Finch as two washed-up has-beens, while Tony looked too polished and stiff.