PLAZA SUITE revival coming Spring 2020

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:13am

With Broderick & Parker at the Hudson Theater.

 

Matthew Broderick & Sarah Jessica Parker to Star in Broadway Revival of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:19am

No idea what to expect from John Benjamin Hickey as a director (and the NYT notes that he'll take a "brief leave" from The Inheritance to do this). Feels sort of like Stanley Tucci directing Lend Me A Tenor.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:21am

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:24am

I wonder if they’ll bring in a “name” to replace Hickey during his hiatus from the show.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:27am

Not too familiar with the piece, is this more of a comedy I'm assuming? Or a dark comedy/dramedy at least? intrigued by the cast, either a home run or a missed opportunity I feel. Broderick is usually quite good ons stage, or at the least decent. Parker we'll have to wait and see on. Excited for this one!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:31am

Broderick will no doubt bring his trademark “Hey guys, try not to snore too loud when I’m onstage” brand of humorless humor to the show. I’m very excited to see SJP again, though!

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:33am

Jordan Catalano said: "Broderick will no doubt bring his trademark “Hey guys, try not to snore too loud when I’m onstage” brand of humorless humor to the show. I’m very excited to see SJP again, though!"

Drag him yaaas. Haha. I agree, I'm quite looking forward to seeing SJP on stage again.

[AADA81]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:37am

I've only seen the film with Walter Matthau, but it seems to me that Broderick is a bit miscast here.  I just hope he doesn't bring along some of that 'nebbish nerd' shtick he's been doing since The Producers, which is tiresome and annoyingly unfunny.  Parker is a great comedienne, though, so this could be interesting.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:44am

I enjoyed them together when SJP did her stint in How to Succeed, but that was back in the 90s when Matthew was actually still trying, and not leaning on his comedy shtick.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:46am

Jordan Catalano said: "I wonder if they’ll bring in a “name” to replace Hickey during his hiatus from the show."

I mean, Hickey himself isn't a "name" (see: Six Degrees of Separation), but maybe they'll wait and see how sales are and how the understudy is.

The NYT calls it a "brief leave," but Boston previews begin February 5 and Broadway previews begin March 13 (April 13 opening). Unless he's doing double-duty during previews (Inheritance is dark Mon-Tues and Plaza Suite has previews Mon-Tues). This is all assuming Inheritance extends thru the Tonys –– it's currently on sale through 3/1.

[goodlead]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:52am

Do we really need a Neil Simon revival? Hasn't comedy evolved beyond his 1960s sensibility?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 10:55am

Do we really need to see Shakespeare? Hasn’t theatre evolved since then?

Do we really need to see Sondheim revivals from the 50s/60s/70s? Hasn’t musical theatre changed since then?

Do we really need art galleries to display Monet paintings? Hasn’t set changed since his time?

Do we really need to listen to music from the 60s? Hasn’t music changed since then?

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:40am

Wow, you really hammered that point home, didntcha?

I respectfully disagree with your point. Unlike impressionist paintings, Shakespeare plays and many (not all) Sondheim musical plays, the particular brand of comedy Neil Simon wrote really does seem to me to have an expiration date. How many I Dream of Jeanie or Gilligan’s Island episodes seem funny to us today? The 60’s sitcom rhythms of many Simon comedies have not aged well to my ears, whereas the deeper emotions in Brighton Beach Memoirs or Biloxi Blues seem built to last for generations.

Since Plaza Suite spans shticky slapstick to high drama, it’ll be curious to see how it fares in 2020.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:43am

AADA81 said: "I've only seen the film with Walter Matthau, but it seems to me that Broderick is a bit miscast here."

 

Simon thought Matthau was miscast in the movie, so we'll see about Broderick.

 

Doesn't one of the acts have to do with a womanizing film producer trying to seduce an old flame? I don't know how that will play today.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:51am

I didn’t “hammer” anything. Just pointed out that it will always be a ridiculous argument that just because something is dated, it shouldn’t be seen or viewed.

But hope you feel extra woke in your response.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:54am

carolinaguy said: Doesn't one of the acts have to do with a womanizing film producer trying to seduce an old flame? I don't know how that will play today.

Right -- because that sort of thing could NEVER happen in this day and age.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:59am

Totally valid to question if Simon is relevant today. Everyone has been asking that since the 2009 failure of Brighton Beach/Biloxi Blues. But that was David Cromer approaching them like an Arthur Miller play, and Manny Azenberg entered into that awful exclusive advertising deal with the Times that sunk the show.

I don't think this production will give us a definitive answer. 

Some of his plays still work: a lot of people said they'd like to see Elaine May in Lost In Yonkers. The Odd Couple still mostly works, and The Sunshine Boys was a big hit in London with Danny Devito & Richard Griffiths but didn't work in LA when Judd Hirsch replaced Griffiths. It might still require a bit of distance between when they were written and today.

[Steven A2]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 11:59am

Jordan Catalano said: "I didn’t “hammer” anything. Just pointed out that it will always be a ridiculous argument that just because something is dated, it shouldn’t be seen or viewed.

But hope you feel extra woke in your response."

I can see how offering so many examples could be perceived as hammering instead of just sharing your observation. Regardless your reaction to that suggestion seems a bit over the top.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 12:56pm

This thread is exhibit A on why Neil Simon's humor isn't "dated". 

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 12:57pm

I was having dinner last night at Joe Allen's and John Benjamin Hicky was at the table next to me talking about this and how thrilled and exhausting the next year will be. Seemed like a great guy with some wonderful ideas.

Anyways, carry on sparring.

Updated On: 9/10/19 at 12:57 PM

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 1:02pm

JSquared2 said: "carolinaguy said:Doesn't one of the acts have to do with a womanizing film producer trying to seduce an old flame? I don't know how that will play today.

Right -- because that sort of thing could NEVER happen in this day and age."

 

Obviously it happens. And it's not funny. And this is a comedy, isn't it?

 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 1:16pm

I’ve served these 3 before at my restaurant and they are some of the nicest humans!!! So excited to see this!

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 1:17pm

carolinaguy said: "JSquared2 said: "carolinaguy said:Doesn't one of the acts have to do with a womanizing film producer trying to seduce an old flame? I don't know how that will play today.

Right -- because that sort of thing could NEVER happen in this day and age."



Obviously it happens. And it's not funny. And this is a comedy, isn't it?

"

Yep, this exactly! If finding this stuff funny is "clutching my pearls" then so be it. Ill clutch away. Guess its hilarious to be predatory!  Im not familiar with the show, but if true, then ya 2020 is not the time for this play. Doesn't mean it shouldn't have ever existed, it just isn't timely anymore. Im anxious to read reviews once things get going in Boston. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 1:22pm

carolinaguy said: "JSquared2 said: "carolinaguy said:Doesn't one of the acts have to do with a womanizing film producer trying to seduce an old flame? I don't know how that will play today.

Right -- because that sort of thing could NEVER happen in this day and age."

Obviously it happens. And it's not funny. And this is a comedy, isn't it?

Oh please -- just kindly take your woke self away and find something else to be outraged by.

 

[DCS]

Posted: 9/10/19 at 2:22pm

Hard pass on this one. Broderick has become tired and boring on stage and Parker is simply just annoying. This looks like a production you'd see back in the 70s and some dinner theatre.