OTHELLO Previews — Page 2

The policy on the pouches clearly states that you can go to the lobby to unlock the phones and that if you have a valid need

Yes, and then you immediately need to leave the theater since, with this production, there is no re-entry to the show.

People's addiction to their phones is f*cking wild.

TarHeelAlan said: "OhHiii said: "I think the babies whining about putting their phones away for 2.5 hours shouldn't be admitted in. If you can't be without your phone screen for that amount of time (the same as many feature films), you shouldn't be going to the theater where it's expected of you."

Please stop and think about the "babies whining"for a moment. There are parents in the audience with child care at home who may need to reach mom and dad. Ditto for doctors on call and other first responders, as I think pagers have gone the way of the dodo bird. Will those people feel their phones vibrate inside a Yonder pouch? Did you know that some people have apps on their phones for medical purposes, i.e. a diabetic can be alerted if their blood sugar is dropping dangerously low? If these people can just get a silent notification by setting the phone to vibrate only, they can step away to handle an emergency, But will they feel the vibration if the phone is locked in a Yonder pouch?


Sorry to disagree, but (respectfully) each of those "reasons" are complete and total BS. If mommy and daddy can't bare the thought of being away from the kids for 1.5-2 hours (they can do a "wellness check in" at intermission), then it's simple -- either find a sitter you trust more, or don't go out to the theatre (or at least don't go to this particular play). As far as being "on call" and "low blood sugar", smart phones have been widely used for less than 20 years --- I don't recall people dropping dead or being carried out on stretchers on a routine basis pre-2000. Same thing with medical professionals -- if it's their night off, they have someone equally competent who is on call and ready to step in should a kidney or a liver become available for a transplant. There is no legit reason that someone can't survive for an hour or two without their phone -- and if they truly believe they cannot -- it's time for them to seek professional help.

"I set it in the near future," Leon told Broadway.com. "Because whatever the political climate was, I didn't want it to be that. But I didn't want it to be so far ahead that it felt like, 'Oh, that's so far ahead. That's not me.'" Leon also expressed an aversion to a strictly historical Othello, classically set during the 16th-century Ottoman-Venetian War: "I didn't want to do that version of Shakespeare," he said. "And so it's like, 'Oh, let's set it in October 2028.' That allows the audience to find themselves in the story of it."



Aside from its near-futureness, October 2028 is also curiously at the epicenter of America's next Presidential election cycle. Coincidence? Only time and a trip to the Barrymore Theatre will tell.

https://www.broadway.com/buzz/205231/kenny-leon-sets-his-denzel-washington-led-othello-in-the-near-future-lets-set-it-in-october-2028/

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "I will wait to comment on the performances until after tonight, but since the direction/concept of the show itself won't change between dress and first preview tonight, I'll say that I don't understand the choice to set it in October 2028. It is clearly meant to have the audience in mind of the next US Presidential election, but then absolutely nothing else is done to fit that concept. The rest of the show could be set today, or 30 years ago, and it would look & feel exactly the same. It's literally just a date projected at the start, and then that's it."

Very much looking forward to yours - and others - first impressions tonight. I'm most interested in the physical productions for this and "Good Night and Good Luck."

That’s accurate as of now. Saturday the show started at 8:15 and ended exactly at 11pm.

Enjoy it tonight guys! 😘

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 07:49 PM

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "So, how many times can Denzel call line before that $300+ seat's price tag starts to really sting? Because it's one time too many for me."

Oh wow. He is 70 years old so it may be harder to memorize lines. Since this is a double billing, I can see Denzel fans forgiving him but Jake fans may think otherwise. I applaud Denzel for keeping the first preview as scheduled. In other productions, they would have postponed previews a few days or even a week if the actor or producers felt they weren't ready.

So he was still calling for line last night? That’s what I was afraid of. It was so excessive during the dress that I didn’t know how he’d possibly get it all memorized in less than 2 days before the people who paid $500-$900 arrive.

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "So, how many times can Denzel call line before that $300+ seat's price tag starts to really sting? Because it's one time too many for me."

How many times did he actually ask for a line?

Between this, Al Pacino’s struggles in China Doll, Tayne Daly dropping out of Doubt with an “illness,” and George Clooney stressing about blanking on his lines, makes me think Broadway is a young person's game. For those who have been attending Broadway shows for years, has older performers forgetting their lines always been a thing? Or a more recent occurrence?


Wick3 said: "GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "So, how many times can Denzel call line before that $300+ seat's price tag starts to really sting? Because it's one time too many for me."

Oh wow. He is 70 years old so it may be harder to memorize lines. Since this is a double billing, I can see Denzel fans forgiving him but Jake fans may think otherwise. I applaud Denzel for keeping the first preview as scheduled. In other productions, they would have postponed previews a few days or even a week if the actor or producers felt they weren't ready.

"