Orphans First Preview

I caught the first preview of Orphans tonight and I didn't have much of a reaction to it. The play left me emotionally and (mostly) intellectually disengaged.

I thought the acting was all great though. I'd even go as far as to say Tom Sturridge, who bounds around the stage like a jaguar in an exhibit at the zoo, was excellent. Still, I didn't care about the characters, and at the end I couldn't figure out what the point of the play was.

Orphans reminded me of Behanding in Spokane, but less funny, although I must admit some people in the audience laughed a lot.

This could be a SLIGHT SPOILER- but I don't really know if it spoils anything...

I assumed there was going to be some twist at the end; a big reveal that would make the previous 90 minutes worthwhile. Instead there's no revelation. It was what it was, and that didn't amount to much. For a minute I thought Harold was going to be a figment of their imagination, or maybe he would turn out to be their father, but he was who he said he was, and the curtain came down.

END SLIGHT SPOILER

I wasn't in pain or anything, and the direction keeps the action zipping along, but I walked out of the theater completely not caring. I wish all three of these actors had been in a different play to showcase their talents.

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There is a rumor going around tumblr that Shia LeBouf was seated front row center tonight!
Confirm or deny?

You know, I had mixed emotions reading your review, Whizzer. On the one hand, I was really looking forward to seeing Alec in this...but I am also feeling overwhelmed by all the shows opening this spring, and although this one, as well as Big Knife, was on my list, your reaction at least helps me set some priorities here...and perhaps save some of my B'way dollars to take my daughter to Pippin

Wow, Whizzer... I have to think from reading your fresh report that something must be terribly amiss with this production if it yielded such a reaction from you. I saw the Original 1985 OB production (from Steppenwolf) several times, and always found it quite moving. I truly did not know what to expect from this Broadway mounting but emotional indifference is not something I anticipated from someone who has just departed the theatre. A real head scratcher...

That could very well be the case, but I have to think something is wrong with the production as well. I wasn't sure ORPHANS needed to mounted on Broadway at this moment in time.

I was there tonight-- I just flew in from chicago this afternoon, and my sister surprised me with rush tickets. They were in the last row of the mezzanine, so we got to the stage door quickly, but we had to wait for an hour. There was a huge crowd, and we were of the lucky few to get autographs.

As for the show, it was fine. Great performances from all the actors, but it wasn't that captivating of a play. The beginning was a little slow, but then it picked up. There was some really funny material, but I left sort of wondering what the point was. It was worth the $30 rush ticket, but I wouldn't want to pay much more.

So this is yet another box office that said earlier in the day (to me) there would be no rush tickets, then started giving them out right before the show? Yikes...

I am really not one who is really negative and can usually find some redeeming quality in a production. And maybe if I had stayed though Act Two, I would have. However, like the droves that went before us, I just couldn't bare another hour. I could barely keep my eyes open. This was definitely one of those times I was glad I was comped. The acting was fine...it was the material that was dreck. Perhaps Shia was mocking it with his standing "O".

I saw the play tonight. I loved the play, and loved the actors in it. No one I could see left at intermission - all seats were full for both acts, and there was a pretty much an audience-wide standing-o at the end.

The play made perfect sense to me, I had no problems with it at all. And the actors were all wonderful in it.

"It's amazing to me that he was able to step in so late in the process and so completely embody the character"


I think he only missed two days of rehersal...didn't he?

AND, this is Ben Fosters FIRST stage appearance -- anywhere. Very impressive.

This doesn't really answer your question but I've always found Orphans to be a rather abstract play, leaning more to the experimental theater end of the spectrum than realism. I'm not sure the play neccessarily comes to grand point at the end (and if it does its a rather bleak one) but throughout I find many enlightening ruminations on brotherhood, fatherhood, power, and control.

I think that there are really interesting themes of loving someone so much that it is actually detrimental to their health and development. The relationship between Treat and Phillip is super intriguing I thought.