Posted: 1/13/23 at 11:48pm
As I mentioned above, the invited dress last night ran about 1 hour 55 minutes (with no intermission).
Updated On: 1/13/23 at 11:48 PM
Posted: 1/14/23 at 9:14am
I love Bartlett Sher and both Danny Burstein and Nathan Lane, but I just can't muster up a single ounce of excitement for this.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 10:35am
I just watched a video of the curtain call and yeah - Danny looks SO MUCH YOUNGER than I thought he would, especially next to a white haired Nathan Lane.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 12:08pm
I was there last night and can echo most of what Holle says. Except, as good as Danny was, I was completely wowed by Nathan. Poor Zoe was rushing her lines like she wanted to get them out before she forgot them. But she's a great actress (her performance in Loot with Alec Baldwin thirty-seven years ago still sticks with me) and will eventually be terrific.
I don't know if the below could be counted as a spoiler, as it doesn't become apparent till the end (I dont' know how to toggle)
I kept wondering, "What is this play about?". Walking in I knew nothing, I didn't know this was based on a photo essay and they were all three playing real people interpreted by White. But eventually, almost eye-rollingly, you are hit over the head with the fact the play is finally about the existential fear of one's parents death.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 12:10pm
bwayphreak234 said: "I love Bartlett Sher and both Danny Burstein and Nathan Lane, but I just can't muster up a single ounce of excitement for this."
Ditto. I had more excitement for 2019’s Gary.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 12:12pm
Zoe Wanamaker is my main reason for wanting to see this - so I appreciate for the heads up. I'll give it a few weeks or a month before seeing it, to give her some time to settle in.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 3:31pm
I was there last night and was pleasantly surprised having gone into it entirely blind. It is definitely Danny and Nathan’s show, Zoe is a bit left behind and she had enough odd line moments that I wondered if it was somehow deliberate to her character. I’m sure that will change with time, though! Both Danny and Nathan are quite good, and I trust Zoe will get there.
I think as of now it’s a bit scattered. Thematically it’s very cohesive but I feel there was a bit too much bickering and I wish there were more of a boiling point to things. This show has less of a climax and more of a subtle reveal. I’m not against this kind of structure, but there was far too much conflict that felt like it was mainly written for Nathan Lane to have a few funny lines. I think a solid 20 minutes could be cut and I wouldn’t miss a thing.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 6:05pm
I saw today's matinee. Zoe Wanamaker was solid on her lines, and I thought her delivery and timing were spot on. I found the play rather slight, but took pleasure in watching three veterans make the most of it.
Posted: 1/14/23 at 7:09pm
Saw today’s matinee and for me it was a perfect example of great actors elevating mediocre material. Danny Burstein and Zoe Wanamaker (in a smaller role) were terrific, but Nathan Lane is the MVP here in a complex, funny, and completely believable performance. Other than some sound issues that will get resolved, I wouldn’t have known this was a second preview. The play is oddly structured, with much of it delivered in narrative directly to the audience; I found myself thinking of the “show, don’t tell” adage several times. And though I got used to it after a while, it can be a bit jarring to have constant projection of photographs of Larry Sultan’s real parents, who bear scant resemblance to Wanamaker and Lane. The play raises some interesting issues about whether art reflects or distorts truth, but it does so in an unnecessarily didactic and repetitive way. Still, anyone who has dealt with aging parents and the fear of losing them, as well as confronting their own mortality, will have a hard time not shedding a few tears.
Posted: 1/15/23 at 3:03pm
I was at the first preview (front row mezzanine, through TDF), and I echo a lot of what has been said here. But I'm not feeling nearly so generous to the material. The structure of the play is confusing -- why all the fourth wall breaking? And the constant yo-yoing between direct audience address and actual scene work, for me, undercut the value of the scene work itself. Another commenter mentioned that this piece was a lot of tell and not enough show. I agree completely.
There were a few moments where I laughed, and I felt at least a bit emotionally moved towards the end. But I had many more moments where I rolled my eyes at a completely heavy-handed line or groaned at the fourth time a character turned to the audience and said "The thing about [x] is...", So yeah, I kinda hated this text.
That said, the three performers elevated it (to a point), and all put in great efforts. If you're a giant fan of any of the cast, it'll be worth it to see them do excellent work. Otherwise, I don't know that I'd rush out to see it.
Curtain: 8:05, Curtain Call: 9:55
Posted: 1/16/23 at 10:43am
I was at the Saturday 1/14 matinee. Was that indeed Danny on? I was frustrated because I was sure it was a cover and no announcement was made. I figured something happened too late to put a note in the playbill etc. But I’m looking at photos of the understudy David Mason and it doesn’t look like him either; in fact he looks a bit like Danny when they both have facial hair. And two previous posters were at the Sat matinee and didn’t say anything about it not being Danny. So I guess it was Danny!
Posted: 1/16/23 at 1:18pm
I was at the matinee on the 14th too. I loved it. I went because of the performers, and on that front the production really delivered. Danny Burstein is doing incredible work, and its fun to see how he constantly grows as an actor. Nathan Lane - just wow. Zoe seemed not quite there - but she still held her own. Didn't really know much about the play or the guy its based on, so it was cool to discover that.
It definitely felt a little repetitive at times.
Long story short I laughed and I cried and I felt like I got a full experience without getting a face full of spinach. So its not the highest form of the art yet the experience was satisfying in so many ways.
Posted: 1/16/23 at 4:21pm
DCNY said: "I was at the Saturday 1/14 matinee. Was that indeed Danny on? I was frustrated because I was sure it was a cover and no announcement was made. I figured something happened too late to put a note in the playbill etc. But I’m looking at photos of the understudy David Mason and it doesn’t look like him either; in fact he looks a bit like Danny when they both have facial hair. And two previous posters were at the Sat matinee and didn’t say anything about it not being Danny. So I guess it was Danny!"
Yes, it was.
Posted: 1/16/23 at 6:00pm
Looks like they're not selling the last 5 rows of the rear-mezz
Posted: 1/16/23 at 9:25pm
On January 9, I bought a seat in the top row of the rear mezzanine for the April 12 matinee.
But a few days ago, I received an email from Criterion Ticketing that said that my seat was being upgraded. I’m to pick up the new ticket at will call on April 12.
Posted: 1/29/23 at 10:36am
Caught this earlier this week and thought it was a total waste of time. Dozed off two or three times. The play itself is so middling and lacking in craft that even the three terrific actors can’t elevate it. Big miss for me.
Posted: 1/29/23 at 11:17am
Is there anything interesting about the staging or direction? This just all around feels like a “meh” but it somehow attracted major talent.
Posted: 1/29/23 at 5:02pm
Certainly seems like one to wait til after opening to see
Posted: 1/29/23 at 6:58pm
At least the rush seats seem to be in good view (checked a couple times during the week and noticed first couple rows of the mezz/lodge) but what an interesting piece for which phenomenal talent.
Posted: 1/30/23 at 1:38am
Does anyone know if the theater is selling in-person rush seats? (Aside from Today Tix lottery)
Posted: 1/30/23 at 3:11pm
SouthernCakes said: "Is there anything interesting about the staging or direction? This just all around feels like a “meh” but it somehow attracted major talent."
There is a set reveal about 3/4s in that is initially cool, but doesn’t end up amounting to much. Otherwise, all the action takes place in a sparsely furnished living room with pictures projected on the back wall. Saw this a week-ish ago and unfortunately it’s pretty underbaked. Just almost no conflict or shape to the piece, and while I think the photo exhibits and book were probably compelling, the story as adapted here just didn’t create much in satisfying drama. Lane is definitely wonderful and has a great role. Danny doesn’t have much to work with, though appealing as always. For Lane completists it’s worth it, otherwise a bit of a miss.
Posted: 1/31/23 at 5:33pm
TDF Info--to those who have seen the play via TDF: where were your seats located? Thanks.
Posted: 1/31/23 at 5:42pm
For anyone who has seen the show more recently (or anyone who reads this in the coming days/weeks) :
How did you feel about Zoe Wanamaker's performance? I mentioned in a post above that she's my main reason for wanting to see the show, but early reports said she hadn't found her footing yet, so I was hoping to give her time. Can anyone who's seen it more recently attest to whether she still comes across as struggling with the lines/role?
Posted: 2/1/23 at 12:32pm
Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:18am
I saw the show tonight. It’s definitely a little messy Lifetime movie-ish with schmaltzy pop psychology about family dynamics thrown in, but Nathan Lane and ESPECIALLY Danny Burstein commanded my attention. Wanamaker unfortunately isn’t given much of anything to work with and seems to spend most of the show tossing off one liners between bits of stage business and going on and off stage.
I feel like there is WAY too much tell and not enough show, especially with the entire lack of a fourth wall. Bart Sher was there tonight and he seemed to be taking notes and even asked for our opinions at the stage door - a really nice guy - so I guess he’s in the process of make some tweaks still even though he’s now more heavily focused toward CAMELOT.
Burstein and Wanamaker came out of the stage door and signed and were both very sweet people. Danny Burstein is just the nicest soul. Lane also came out, didn’t sign, but politely thanked us for coming to the show (getting some notes from Sher on the way out the door before getting into his car).
