Road to Mecca First Preview

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/16/11 at 11:52pm

Yikes, does Roundabout have another doozie on their hands. The first 45 minutes or so are simply excruciating. Some of the most mind-numbing, pointless talk; I just wanted something to happen or some conflict to be introduced. Anyone who doesn't nod off a little deserves a medal. Then, about 10 minutes until the end of act one, a small hint of conflict is introduced. Jim Dale makes his entrance as the curtain falls.

Intermission also doubled as the final curtain for many of the few in attendance tonight.

Act two was actually more entertaining because it was a bit campy in spots and very random. The main conflict wrapped up when Jim Dale made his exit, which I thought would signal the end of this dismal affair, but like an infomercial you could hear the playwright saying, "But wait! There's more!"

There were lots of cheesy lines, like when both Jim and Carla told Rosemary that she had more light inside of her than all the candles in the room! Slight Joke Spoiler*** Carla pulls a bottle of valium out of her bag and Rosemary asked if it was an artificial sweetner. Huh?

All three actors are good in their own right, but the play and this production aren't going to argue that case for any of them. I truly believe Rosemary Harris is a brilliant actress and it's a shame to see her in junk like this. (She did have to call for lines several times and a prompter sat in the front row)

I the Roundabout oeuvre I would rank this slightly worse than Language Archives, but a little better than Philanthropist.

[thismyshow]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:02am

im seeing it sunday afternoon, thank god i only paid 10 bucks, Roundabout really needs to focus on putting up new works instead of so many revivals (seriously all their main stage productions this year are revivals)

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:05am

thismyshow- I believe Roundabout has amended their mission statement, but the goal of theater company is primarily to but on revivals. What new shows have played on Broadway for Roundabout other than People in the Picture and special event type shows like Wishful Drinking?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:12am

I'll take that medal!

I think you're being far too harsh for a first preview (I also think you need to add spoilers in your subject line). Road to Mecca is not a readily accessible play, true - you have to pay attention and be engaged in a piece like this. You can't just sit back and be entertained. Maybe this just is not the play for you.

I can't even imagine what you mean by the "campy" bits in act 2. At least we can agree that the cast is excellent - though personally I think it's a bit tactless to mention the prompter. Ms Harris is over 80 and it's the first preview. I'd give them some time to settle in before being quite so critical.

[After Eight]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:22am

I'd say my reaction was somewhat less negative than Whizzer's, but the evening was definitely disappointing, and a very long haul. The play did broach worthwhile issues, but it not come to life either dramatically or emotionally. I feel exactly as Whizzer regarding the "coda" after Jim Dale's departure. That's where the play needed to end. That it continued really tried the audience's patience. The lighting was exceedingly dark, which also didn't help matters any. Perhaps it's the fault of the writing, or that it's the first preview, but the actors, good as they are, didn't shine here as they have in the past.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:22am

The reason I'm being so harsh is I don't think my lack of enjoyment had anything to do with the performances- this may be the best cast you can assemble for this play. The problem is, in my opinion, the play stinks!

I do like plenty of shows where you have to pay attention and aren't fluffy entertainment. This show didn't make me think, and I wasn't involved with the characters. Rosemary had a big choice to make, and quite frankly I didn't care if she did one thing or the other. I felt there was so little tension, so little conflict.

*******SPOILERS- Jim's speech about potatoes at the top of act two was so random it was a tad campy (his delivery too). All the revelations in the last 10 minutes were also so random and glossed over. Stuff like Carla having an abortion. It was like why just drop this bomb on us now and then make jokes about valium two minutes later.
END SPOILERS

I felt kind of like I did after Man and Boy. I had to ask myself, and my friends who decided to stay for act two, why did they choose to revive this? What value does this play hold for an audience today? If you can't sit back and be entertained, like at an Other Desert Cities, then what are we to get out of this piece?

Updated On: 12/17/11 at 12:22 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:25am

Damn, I was really excited for this one. Roundabout seemed to be getting better for a while there but now they're going back to their old ways.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:28am

I mean who ISN'T excited to see Rosemary Harris on stage. But like my excitement for seeing Ellen Burstyn in that bust Atmosphere of Memory, it's hard not to walk out thinking great talent is being ill-used.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:29am

Well just look at what they made poor Mary Louise Parker do a couple years ago with HEDDA GABLER.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:33am

Oh that Hedda was painful. That was right before The Philanthropist if I'm not mistaken. Man For All Seasons was right around that time too...all these were boring, painful or boring and painful productions.

[thismyshow]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:52am

Brief Encounter, Everyday Rapture, The 39 Steps are 3 recent new works that roundabout first premiered on Broadway.....

[dave1606]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 1:22am

I was there tonight and have to say that it was truly a low point of the theater season this year. I adore Rosemary Harris, and could not help remembering how amazing she was in the Royal Family, but just felt bad fer her in this. She does have some very few nice moments, but they are isolated in what is just a whole lot of dull.

This play had no reason for being brought back, and this staging certainly did it no favors.

My friend left at intermission with MANY other patrons.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 1:23am

I was distracted by Rosemary Harris' lack of a South African accent. A few times near the end of the 2nd act, there was a hint of the accent, but as she was supposed to have come from the same place as Jim Dale's character, it was just bizarre that he had such a strong SA accent while she had barely any at all.

[AC126748]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 6:00am

I'm disappointed by this. By virtue of the cast alone, I've been expecting something marvelous. I guess I'll wait and see on Sunday.


Brief Encounter, Everyday Rapture, The 39 Steps are 3 recent new works that roundabout first premiered on Broadway.....


Time to nitpick: Neither of these shows are really "new works" that premiered. BRIEF ENCOUNTER came from London by way of Brooklyn; EVERYDAY RAPTURE came from Second Stage; THE 39 STEPS came from London by way of Boston. In these cases, Roundabout did what they do best: They brought in pre-existing productions. Producing new work on Broadway has never really been Roundabout's thing; before THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE, the last completely new, never-before-produced work they presented on Broadway was A NAKED GIRL ON THE APPIAN WAY in 2005.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:01pm

I was at 1st Preview as well (sitting beside many a BWW member).

I left at intermission.

I had a nice nap, though.

The first 10 minutes are literally spent with the 2 ladies saying "Hello" to each other.

The next 20 minutes are spent with the 2 ladies sitting down telling each-other how they feel.

The next 20 minutes are spent with the 2 ladies (still sitting down) talking about "what's new?"

The next 10 minutes are spent with the 2 ladies lighting candles.

The last 10 seconds of Act 1, Jim Dale walks in.

GOOD NIGHT!

Updated On: 12/17/11 at 12:01 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 12:02pm

When do the two ladies make out and wrestle in Jell-O?

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 1:57pm

I have been trying to read this play, and can't even finish the first act on paper. I will see the play because of the superb cast, but I will have a double shot Starbucks espresso before the curtain goes up, I guess.

[vegas2]

Posted: 12/17/11 at 6:05pm

This sounds disappointing. I think I will have to find something else to fill the last slot on my January trip.

[nyel24]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 1:10am

For those who actually stayed for these first two previews does anyone know how long the play is time wise? Thanks.

[srg129]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 2:14am

Whizzer, you did a good job summarizing this. My partner and I thought quite similarly as you did. It's just not a very good play for these three wonderful actors. There's no pulse to this static script. I can't see any improvement occurring through the run of the show.

The hint of conflict comes so late in the first act I kept hoping there would be some dramatic action in the second act. While it did get a slight bit better in the second act and I didn't feel the same "camp" quality you did, it was still very unsatisfying and rather tedious. There were quite a bit of walkouts at intermission. However, lines did not seem to be an issue for any of the actors tonight. I thought the three actors did the best with what they had to work with.

I also thought the ending was like a cut and paste job. And the revelation of the abortion was quite unnecessary at that point in the show. That's just one example of the many non sequitur moments in this show.

The problems with this production don't stop with the script. There was a big deal made of the fact that her home was frightening and off-putting to many in the town, yet the set design seemed so ordinary, not eccentric, and why weren't there any of her representational art pieces in her house? I realize most of her artwork was in front of her house, but I would have expected some unusual pieces in the house. It seemed like you wouldn't even notice the kind of artist she was with that interior. You could barely even notice the ground glass within the set design. It looked like it was occasionally splashed here and there on the window frames. The design was just as dull as the script.

Looking at the bright side of things, for $10 how much can one complain? And how many more times are we going to be able to see Rosemary Harris live on stage. I just wish it was better material that she could really sink her teeth into.

[srg129]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 2:16am

Right now it's running about 2:25 including the intermission.

[thismyshow]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 5:38am

^ A spoiler alert would not hurt!

Updated On: 12/18/11 at 05:38 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 9:18am

Seriously! WTF?!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/18/11 at 10:51pm

I went to the matinee today and while this wasn't the worst thing The Roundabout has ever produced (THE PHILANTHROPIST holds that title) it was an amazingly unnecessary production of a totally uneventful play with completely unmemorable characters. I didn't notice that many walkouts and actually heard positive comments from people during intermission but if I hadn't have read here that Act Two was better I might have considered leaving, myself. The show moves at a dead snails pace and there were more than a few times that I realized I hadn't been paying attention to anything on stage and just thinking about the remaining Christmas presents I needed to buy this week.

The Roundabout should be ashamed to have an actress of the caliber of Mrs. Harris in this show. They honestly couldn't find a better script for her?? And someone needs to tell certain Playwrights that not every idea that goes through your head needs to be put on paper. Some ideas should stay right where they came from.

Updated On: 12/18/11 at 10:51 PM

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 12/19/11 at 12:30am

The running time is 2 hours, 34 minutes. (Starts 6 minutes after time written on ticket, 63 minute Act I, 16 minute intermission, 69 minute Act II.)

There are some poignant moments in Act II and it is a real treat to see Rosemary Harris and Jim Dale on stage. It could be cut down to a 90 minute drama and be made stronger and more effective.

SPOILER: Miss Helen has to decide whether or not she wants to listen to the priest and go into the "old age home". He claims she wasn't paying attention and almost had her house burn when the curtains caught fire due to candles. Elsa Barlow tells her to make up her own mind and do what's in her heart. (Can anyone else tell me more about the plot - I think Miss Helen chose not to go into the old age home, right? Who had an abortion and why? What was the plot point about Elsa Barlow seeing someone walking through the forest and why is this important?)

Updated On: 12/19/11 at 12:30 AM