Quick Lennon review - and nasty doormen

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 8:07am

Went to see Lennon with my wife (def NOT a Lennon fan, but said she thought it was OK, just there for Terry) on Friday night. First problem was getting into the Broadhurst theatre - they didn't open the doors until 20 mintues until 8, and it was raining out. Then, they only had two doors open inside and the security people were going through everyones stuff meticulously, especially looking for water bottles or food it seemed. If you had leftovers from a resrtaurant (which we did), you were told to either bring them back to the restaurant (it was now 10 min before showtime), or throw them out. They were very nasty, also to people with water bottles who they just reached in a threw the water away (meanwhile selling water on the other side of the door). At least at the Imperial, they allowed you to check them in at the coatcheck. So while I let wife in (line was VERYYYYY long), I ran back to the parking garage to see if they would hold our stuff (they did). Anyway, I finally got back in. The show didn't start till about 8:15 since they were still letting people in - couldn't they open the doors earlier????

Anyway, to the show. It was good, but nothing I'll go back and see again. We went mainly to see Terrence Mann, but the the whole cast is excellent. I agree with another poster that Yoko is portrayed as all goody-goody, but i guess that's to be expected. I also had listened to Paul McCartney on the radio earlier in the week (with Howard Stern), giving a different story as to how John and Yoko met (she DID know he was a Beatle, the play infers that she didn't). We did like the play, even though Terry didn't sing much on his own and did some silly stuff - played lots of different charactors. It was enjoyable - we had second row center orch seats which were perfect. And after thinking about it, I guess it really IS a jukebox musical - lots of Lennon songs strung together into a story - isn't that what Good Vibrations and All Shook Up do? This one was much better though, with a superb Broadway-seasoned cast. Go see it and judge for yourself - get discount tickets though!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 8:29am

So I guess whaat you're saying is that LENNON should be playing at the Imperial, right?

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 8:48am

Actually I've had no problem bringing leftovers into any theatre I've been in. Only now at the Broadhurst, and they were VERY nasty about it. No problems when 700 Sundays was playing there recently though. The problem was that they opened the doors very late, and the process of getting into the theatre was VERY slow and arduous, compared to any other theatre I've been to. DRS is great at the Imperial (as was BFO and Les Mis!) They just need to do something about the process of getting people into the theatre (this particular one for this particular show) on time, was already frustrated before sitting down! Maybe it was just an unusually bad night?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 9:47am

Helloooooo....

There had been a number of bombings in London and security throughout New York and other "target" cities has been heightened. If you'd gone to the Imperial this weekend you might have had the same problems with your leftovers.

Didn't that ever occur to you?

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:53am

Yes it has...

They inspect your stuff anyway, so after they verify it's OK, you still can't bring it in? They don't have to be so nasty about it, could have offered to allow you to check it in at coatroom (which they DO have), they could have opened their doors earlier if they knew it would take longer to get people in.

[exedore]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:29am

I'd place my money on them trying to keep tapers out than looking for explosives.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:49am

I say good for them. I think theatres are too lenient. I don’t want to sit there and smell your leftover fish all through a show. And God knows there are horror stories of people eating everything from candy to Big Macs and making the people around them suffer so they can enjoy their meal. If you want food in a theatre go to Beef and Boards and see State Fair with Dawn Wells and chow down on that prime rib. As for the water, I am sure there plenty of people who try to take their own “Water”…wink wink…so they don’t have to wait for intermission to enjoy their beverage of choice.

I think theatres should do more of this! It is not as if they started the show before everyone was seated and you missed twenty minutes of the first act…

Updated On: 7/11/05 at 11:49 AM

[Tom1071]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:51am

Ken-

Sometimes there are unforseen circumstances that keep a house from opening on time. The show is still in previews and is probably going through changes daily. Implementing those changes could have lead to the delay of opening the doors.

Have you ever noticed how Broadway theatres aren't filthy like movie theatres? That's because they don't allow food inside and no drinks other than bottles water in the seating area.

And as far as them being nasty about it. I have seen theatre patron who are far nastier and think that the price of admission allows them to do and behave however they like. Now that might not have been the case with you but the house staff at theatres have to put up with a lot of unnecessary BS. They don't want to go through your bags. They don't want to have anything to do with you other than telling you where to sit but in light of recent events they have to no choice.

I know that it didn't happen but I like "What if" scenarios. I imagine that if they hadn't gone through peoples bags and a bomb had gone off at your performance you might be saying, "Why don't they inspect peoples bags when they are coming in? That is of course if you happened to survive. Things could have been a lot worse than what happened to you.


Updated On: 7/11/05 at 11:51 AM

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:07pm

I don't mind them checking bags at all, and if they had offered to hold them somewhere until the performance was over that would have been fine too. But just to say I have to throw my stuff out? And be rude about it? I certainly didn't plan on eating any of it there, and it was wrapped very well such that no smells would escape. I really was given no options as I was entering, was just treated very nastily.

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:10pm

As for opening the doors earlier, I wonder if they always open them at 7:40 for an 8 pm show? Normally shows are pretty good about getting people in on time for an 8 pm start, even those in previews...

[Tom1071]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:15pm

Doors usually open one half hour before curtain.

They don't know that you aren't going to try and eat what you brought. They just don't want you to have the opportunity. People do terrible things when they think no one is looking.
Updated On: 7/11/05 at 12:15 PM

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:48pm

They did the exact same thing at Hairspray, so it isn't the Broadhurst. The make you throwout your water bottles because they're afraid there could be acid or chemicals in it. Even though they forgot to make me throw out mine.
Updated On: 7/11/05 at 12:48 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:53pm

When I saw Hair at the Broadhurst there was acid or chemicals in my water and it was fine. The times they are a changing, it's a blowin in the wind.

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:59pm

LOL

Well, it was the first time (been to many many plays) that they made me do that.....

[Di2]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 1:05pm

all bway shows begin at 8:15 pm..not 8

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 1:10pm

Since when? All that I've been to start at 8 if they say they start at 8....

[Magdalene]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 1:22pm

Well, now I know to check with the theater before I leave home!

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 1:31pm

I'd make sure I was there for an 8 PM start for any 8 PM start-time. For many shows, if you aren't there by the start they won't let you in until a "suitable break in the performance".

Kind of annoying having many people coming in after the show already started.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 1:57pm

Shows usually start at 8:08. Give or take a minute or two.

[teth]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 2:01pm

Didn't see this when I was glancing but sorry if it has been mentioned: are cameras allowed in the theater then?

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 2:22pm

When I go to eat before a show, I make sure I have plenty of time between dinner and the show just in case I need to take leftovers to the car. Not that you were going to eat your food but a lot of people do during shows. And it's rude. I never take anything into the theatre. Not even water. If I want water I will hit the fountain before the show or during intermission. It's not our living room. It's the theatre!

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 2:30pm

Car is in the parking garage, so usually no access to it after dinner. So usually have no choice but to take it with us.

And, no cameras are never allowed....

[leefowler]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 2:52pm

When I saw Lennon last week, I arrived at around 7:40, and there was a loooong line to get in, much different than other Broadway shows. I didn't get to the front doors until around 7:55, at which point there was a huge number of people behind me waiting to get in. The show started very late because of this. The security once we finally got to the front didn't seem to be very different than other shows. Eveyrone in line I talked too said this had never happened to them before. I've been to a couple hundred Broadway
shows in my day, and trust me, this was odd.

Oh, and the show sucked too.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 2:57pm

Maybe there is a security issue at the theatre that people don't know about. Also I forgot that you don't drive to your space in most of the lots in NYC. Here in Denver you have access to your car in parking structures.

Updated On: 7/11/05 at 02:57 PM

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 3:38pm

I have been to probably at about 200 shows in NYC, on, off and off-off Broadway and yes, it was the most unusual for me too in terms of how long it took to get in and the long, long line even after I finally did get in at about 7:55 PM. Show started about 8:15 PM. Other shows I have gone to start on time, or very close to it, even in previews.