Posted: 12/18/15 at 9:33am
Posted: 12/18/15 at 10:48am
Act 1 is definitely a lot of exposition. Act 2, with its very few lines of dialogue, has always been my favorite, though. I do also enjoy act 3 a lot, but that second act has me in stitches.
Posted: 12/18/15 at 10:52am
I agree - I think Acts 2 and 3 are equally hilarious; and if done well, Act 1's exposition can be highly farcical, too.
Posted: 12/18/15 at 10:59am
I'm seeing the matinee on Saturday and I'm very excited!
I watched the movie a couple of months ago and found it very tiresome. I kept thinking, "This was meant to be funny, but somehow I'm not laughing." I'm wondering what the movie did wrong. The casting seemed good to me.
Updated On: 12/18/15 at 10:59 AM
Posted: 12/18/15 at 11:06am
Posted: 12/18/15 at 11:09am
What the movie did wrong first was being made. Stage farce loses almost all its appeal on film. It can be modified into light comedy, but good farce on film is rare.
The second thing they did wrong was setting it in America. One of the great things about the play is the blurry line between the actors and the characters they play; when the actors and characters talk in different accents (and when the English accents are all terrible) that aspect is lost completely.
The play is built like an intricate clock; change one little gear, and the whole thing stops. The screenplay changed a lot more than one little gear, and the entire thing just wheezed to a halt. It also didn't help that the screenwriter, Marty Kaplan, had no experience writing movies before Noises Off (and almost no experience afterwards, either). He was a speechwriter for VP Walter Mondale, with a Harvard degree in molecular biology (?). Bogdanovich, always an eccentrically hit and miss director, was not wise to choose him to adapt the play.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 8:15am
I saw this last night. This was my first introduction to the play. I had never seen a production of the play or even read it. I absolutely loved it. The play is pure hilarity and insanity from beginning to end. The cast is all perfect with Megan Hilty being the standout for me. Her performance alone is worth the price of a ticket. The set was beautiful. This is just a such a fun play. I definitely plan on going back!
Posted: 12/20/15 at 8:41am
I first saw this play in, believe it or not, a wonderful local high school production over 15 years ago. I've loved it ever since.
I went in last night hesitant, not expecting much for such an early preview. But Roundabout has assembled one of their best productions and casts in years. They truly could open tomorrow.
While the play can get a little tedious by the 3rd act if you've seen it a few times (only because of its repetitiveness), the cast mines every delicious moment for a laugh. Martin and Hilty are the standouts, with Hilty stealing the show repeatedly throughout the night.
I can't wait to see what the critics think. After the last revival, this is pure joy!
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:20am
I'm glad to here great things for Megan Hilty!
Maybe she'll get her first Tony this season! At least a nom, right?
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:28am
^She's never been nominated before, so hopefully that will change come May 3rd.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:29am
Gah! Can't wait to have my son see this! (And me too!)
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:29am
Gah! Can't wait to have my son see this! (And me too!)
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:40am
Went last night after finally winning one of those TodayTix lotteries and have to echo the praise- a terrific production of what is arguably one of the funniest plays ever written. As repetitive as the show can get, since it's essentially the same text three times in a row, this cast mines the little nuances for all that they're worth. The whole cast shines, but what's great about this cast is that people stand out even in the less flashy roles. In particular, David Furr is a very very funny Garry, and Kate Jennings Grant makes the most that anyone could with the thankless role of Belinda. And Hilty is a standout as well- it's a great role, but her commitment to every bit is perfect.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 10:41am
Saw the matinee yesterday. It was my first exposure to the piece. I can't say I loved the play itself, but the production and cast were absolutely fantastic. It did not feel like an early preview whatsoever. Every single cast member is giving a strong and delightful performance. I'm sure Hilty could be remembered with a Tony nomination. I definitely predict the critics will go gaga for this revival. I was surprised to see that Brantley loved the last revival, I don't usually hear many good things about it.
Updated On: 12/20/15 at 10:41 AM
Posted: 12/20/15 at 12:53pm
My wife and I saw the show on Thursday from pretty good $10 seats (thank you, Roundabout!). She found it incredibly funny. I liked the show, too, but did think it had some flat spots (even given that it was a first preview). In any case, I would agree with others that the whole cast is exceptionally strong, that Megan Hilty was hilarious, and that David Furr also found a lot of laughs in material that, I'm guessing, on paper doesn't present nearly so many obvious opportunities. Especially in Act I, he really did a lot with his actor-character's extreme lack of verbal articulacy.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 1:34pm
I saw the matinee yesterday with three friends and we all loved it. Performances were all hilarious, especially Furr and Hilty. She performs a stunt on a stairway that has to be seen to be believed. (Plus, the same stairway is used to hilarious effect in Act III.) And that's where Andrea Martin lets it all hang out. I give all the actors an A for commitment!
My friends and I also had $10 seats. The view was fine but we missed a few lines. Maybe the sound wasn't the best up there.
Updated On: 1/3/16 at 01:34 PM
Posted: 12/20/15 at 3:43pm
I've looked back and for every Broadway production, Brooke has always been nominated. So fingers crossed the trend continues. I'd LOVE to see Hilty win the Tony.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 4:14pm
Agreed. It takes a talented actress to portray a really bad actress, and Hilty had me in proverbial stitches. She, Martin, Shamos and Furr--the last as physically dexterous as his character is inarticulate--are all top tier performers who made for a truly funny evening.
Posted: 12/20/15 at 5:02pm
I know I'm in the minority on this but I love the movie. I've never laughed so hard. I like the American conceit as it introduced new comic possibilities and made it easier to distinguish between the actors and characters. It was also perfectly cast.
I saw the 2001 revival and enjoyed it but not overly. I'm seeing this new production tomorrow night and I'm looking forward.
Posted: 12/23/15 at 5:51pm
Saw the matinee today and had a great time. This cast is just about pitch perfect and everyone is making the most of their roles, especially someone like Kate Jennings Grant, who makes what could be such a thankless role into someone equally as warm and wacky in her own low-key way.
But I agree with the others, the absolute standouts are Hilty and Furr who each feel completely fresh and inspired and both find moment after moment of expert physical comedy. Something as little as Hilty exiting a door and then waltzing off across the back window was an absolute RIOT and showed such a great understanding of character and physicality.
I think once we get to the third act (which is still great), the pratfalls and commotion starts to feel a bit tiring, but I thought the first act was wonderful and the second was borderline genius.
I think this can get even better and better over previews. Great start as of now.
Updated On: 12/23/15 at 05:51 PM
Posted: 1/2/16 at 11:55pm
Going next week. One of my favorite plays. Did it once in HS.
Anyone have any info in terms of the stage door. Who came out etc?
Posted: 1/3/16 at 3:24am
I believe Campbell Scott was the only one who didn't come out. Andrea Martin didn't want pictures taken. But she and the rest of the cast were extremely nice and really seemed to enjoy working on this production.
Posted: 1/3/16 at 9:24am
Not to be rude, but even Daniel Davis came out and was nice? I have never met him personally, but I am just basing off his supposed reputation that he earned doing La Cage 10 years ago.
Posted: 1/3/16 at 10:03am
Does anyone know if anyone comes out during matinees?
Posted: 1/3/16 at 10:51am
Has anyone been seated in the boxes for this yet?
