STRAIGHT WHITE MEN Previews — Page 7

If the play had been titled 'Straightening Out Straight White Men" I would have been interested because God knows they need it and the play would also suggest having a beginning, middle and end with resolution. Plus, perhaps, a modicum of wit along the way. But I'll still keep an open mind until the majors come out.

Easy. The same reason straight white men are likely to bristle when you call them those three words. Straight white men essentially named every other minority group and while doing so, were viewed as neutral. No more. And by focusing a play on them, it views them with the same conscious gaze they've put other groups in for decades. That is indeed subversive.

scripps said: "YouDon'tClimbTrees said: "As much as I love Armie Hammer and am currently obsessed with "Call Me By Your Name," I disliked every moment of this play. I was hoping that seeing it would make me get over my crush on the man. Surprisingly, it almost did."

I hear you! My friendand I sawthis via $99 discount preview seats in the third row for Armie and Armie only, and well ... he knew his lines.That love doesn't burn as brightly as it once did for either of us now. Your loss, Armie!

"

Sigh, thank you for this great post! I thought I was the only one who felt this way. Yes, he knew his lines and that's all I can say about him in this debacle. I mean, it was great to see this magnificent-looking man up close (and I even got to see him walking down the street before the show, which made me melt...) but let me just say... he isn't Oliver.

YouDon'tClimbTrees? wrote:

"Well said, and I completely agree. The reviews will be positive, despite the fact that the play, direction, acting, and entire production are truly awful."



Actually, in all likelihood, the reviews will be absolute raves.

This is what our theatre has become; what theatre criticism has become; what our world has become.

And the future only offers more of the same.

Get ready, for here it comes.

What a relief, then, that it will only be around temporarily, no matter what the reviews are. If you think it sucks, it may even close early. If you think it is great, then you can lament that it's only a limited engagement. The best of both worlds.

jkstheatrescene said: "What a relief, then, that it will only be around temporarily, no matter what the reviews are. If you think it sucks, it may even close early. If you think it is great, then you can lament that it's only a limited engagement. The best of both worlds."

Ha, good point. I bet it will stick around through the September 9th closing date (and it won't get extended) because it looks like a lot of the seats have already been sold.

"Yes, and it the raves make absolutely no sense."

If you understand the (di)spirit of the times, it makes absolute sense . If you want to make a career for yourself as a writer, then this is exactly the kind of crap you write. If you want to have a rep, (and continue to have a job), as a critic, this is exactly the kind of crap you praise to high heaven. And if you want to have bragging rights as a producer, this is exactly the kind of crap you produce.

It's a symbiotic --- and unbreakable --- relationship for everyone.

That is, for everyone but the public who pays to suffer through this crap.

But, then, what do they matter, anyway?

Brace yourself for (a lot) more of the same in the future.

My question is this -- is there any "major" critic out there who's going to get it right?

Kad said: "The fact that this play is raising so many hackles on here is wild."

EXACTLY what I thought scrolling this page. Basically a chorus of "How DARE they present this! I'm taking my toys and going home!"

I still think it's incredible and wonderful Second Stage is using their new Broadway space to present a Lee play - challenging but deserving of the exposure - as opposed to simply presently more traditionally commercial fare as a cash grab. It makes me thrilled they finally landed a Bway space and putting it to such great use.

BJR said: "EXACTLY what I thought scrolling this page. Basically a chorus of "How DARE they present this! I'm taking my toys and going home!"

I still think it's incredible and wonderful Second Stage is using their new Broadway space to present a Lee play - challenging but deserving of the exposure - as opposed to simply presently more traditionally commercial fare as a cash grab. It makes me thrilled they finally landed a Bway space and putting it to such great use."

For reasons I've already outlined earlier in this thread, I didn't think Straight White Men was successful. That said, I do find it interesting that Skintight by Joshua Harmon began performances right around the same time, is also a somewhat provocative family drama, and in my opinion also didn't work. However I've seen no "will how horrible this is ever get exposed" discussion about Skintight. Maybe it's because "Straight White Men" as a title is a defensive trigger for some people, maybe more people liked Skintight, or maybe it's because Young Jean Lee is an Asian woman, Harmon is a white men and even if this isn't his best work, he better fits the mold of what people expect a playwright in New York Theatre to look like.

I really don't know the answer but I will say this. I think Phantom of the Opera is horrible, it's been playing on Broadway for 30 years, and that hasn't negatively affected my quality of life one bit. Having diversity in theatre, be it in the type of works being produced and the backgrounds of the creators can only be a good thing, and when there is actual diversity, if I play doesn't connect, you can go and just find one that does.