Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
#1Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 12:49pm
A friend of mine is working on the show and said to me that there were no changes and that it's just them not learning their lines.
And these are professional actors?
HA!
#2re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 12:58pmThis is really, really embarrassing. There is really no excuse to be performing before a paying audience if your cast doesn't know their lines, exempting a last-minute cast change (like Norbert Leo Butz in Speed-the-Plow).
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#2re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 2:24pmAccording to the article in the NY Times today, the actors are still learning new lines due to the many rewrites of Lonergan. If anyone has followed Lonergan, this is par for the course. The only difference is now he is also the director. It sounded promising but perhaps wearing too many hats is not his strong suit. It's unfortunate that they didn't postpone previews for a couple of weeks.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#3re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 10:52pmI kind of want to see this, but not for $60. I really like "This Is Our Youth."
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#4re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 10:56pmI will see it on Saturday and not rely on first night observers who were quick to bash and go to the media. I find it strange that there's been two preview performances since then and no one has posted anything about them.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#5re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 11:01pm
There's a new and interesting article from the NYTimes ( by Patrick Healy) on how this kind of play interruption has been handled in the past...and also the present --
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/theater/29actors.html
#6re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/28/09 at 11:11pmNobody "went to the media." The Times and The Daily News used quotes pulled from message board posts in their articles.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#7re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/29/09 at 1:55amWho cares if it didn't happen in the previews proceeding. The first preview was a paying audience and while they shouldn't be expecting a final product, the use of a prompter is inexcusable and embarrassing.
#8re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:04pmThis article totally vindicates me. 6 months ago I was villified when I broke the news to everyone that Lansbury was wearing an earpiece in Blithe Spirit I was flamed because no one wanted to believe that an 83 year old woman (Jessica Fletcher notwithstanding)might have some trouble remembering her lines.
Other than that, did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln?
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#9re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/30/09 at 9:22pm
Reidel's column today is very informative on this subject.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#10re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/31/09 at 1:08am
I saw the play tonight and Matthew Broderick did not need a prompter.
The play is dreadful, though, and three hours in length.
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#11re: Prompter on Hand for First Week of THE STARRY MESSENGER
Posted: 10/31/09 at 9:50pm
**Minor Spoiler**
I saw it this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised but in agreement that Lonergan is all over the place with his story. I found some of it very enjoyable and moving. However, it is way too long. There could easily be 30-45 minutes of unnecessary dialogue cut, especially a ridiculously long monologue towards the end about the history of the Hayden Planetarium.
However, there are themes through this story that are very worthwhile if Lonergan can bring them together. Lonergan writes humanity better than anyone and there are many instances where that comes through in this play.
The only actor on book today was the recently added one and the cast handled the much too lengthy dialogue very well, especially Broderick. While a bit stiff in the beginning I found his performance very good, showing emotions that I haven't seen from him in a long time. He and Catalina Moreno had some good scenes and decent chemistry for a middle-aged man/younger woman scenario. J. Smith-Cameron was solid as usual with some very touching scenes with Broderick.
Hopefully, Lonergan will come to his senses and trim this play. It does have a lot of potential.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
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