SWEPT AWAY Previews- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/7/24 at 10:21pm

Hoo Boy, that sure wasn't what I was expecting tonight. As I said at the top of this page for some reason, this is the show I had been most looking forward to. Like I'd say to a child - "I'm not angry at you, I'm disappointed." That 95 minutes seemed to take a hell of a long time to pass. The first 45 minutes or so was confusing to me since I just couldn't get a read on what the hell type of musical I was watching or even what the plot was. More than a couple times I got the feeling I was watching a religious show and was going to learn about Jesus. I mean it all sounded good and I suppose direction and choreography were good but I just didn't really know what the point was and that just made the whole thing DRAG. Then

*SPOILERS?* 

The shipwreck happens and the next 45 minutes is spent on the boat and again I kept thinking "What. Is. The. Point. Here?" There were no real stakes set up beforehand, no *real* character development beyond very basic "getting to know you" type stuff. When finally the big tension happens, I really perked up and thought FINALLY. Some good direction and the script got good for those last few minutes but too little too late for me. Just one of the bigger disappointments for me in quite a long time which again is odd, since I went in knowing nothing about it. But I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, sadly. 

 

[schubox]

Posted: 11/8/24 at 1:17pm

Saw this last night, and pretty much had the exact same thoughts as when I saw it at Berkeley, the first half is a lot of fun and the second half drags. And I never felt like the characters earn the ending they try to present. They did a few things I thought that improved the show since I saw it in CA, more ensemble members, change up on some of the songs, but it’s largely the same from my memory 

[binau]

Posted: 11/8/24 at 1:21pm

Would anyone who has a ticket to Nicole in Sunset and no longer want to go after they found out she is MAGA want to swap their ticket for my Swept Away ticket?? I can't say these reviews are making me believe I made the right purchasing decision!! 

[whatever2]

Posted: 11/8/24 at 1:59pm

binau said: "I can't say these reviews are making me believe I made the right purchasing decision!!"

Buck up! My husband and I both liked Swept Away a great deal when we saw it in DC. I can readily see why this won't be everyone's cup of tea, but i also think this is one you have to find out for yourself whether it's a hit or a miss.

[yyys]

Posted: 11/8/24 at 2:22pm

The worst musical on broadway right now, and maybe the worst jukebox musical ever?

[binau]

Posted: 11/8/24 at 3:10pm

I will still go in with an open mind. It sounds like nothing I've ever seen before, and even for that reason alone I do have to see it. I appreciate that Broadway theatre even in continued economic struggles will take risks. Sometimes they don't always pay off and that's ok to...

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/9/24 at 10:26pm

binau said: "I will still go in with an open mind. It sounds like nothing I've ever seen before, and even for that reason alone I do have to see it. I appreciate that Broadway theatre even in continued economic struggles will take risks. Sometimes they don't always pay off and that's ok to..."

Just saw this and it’s insufferable. Not really a story there. Cool songs, talented cast, but it felt like a staged 54 Below concept album with a big budget. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/10/24 at 10:26pm

The longest 95 minutes on Broadway. Horrendously uninvolving. Couldn’t care less about the characters. Terrible book, worse score. I haven’t been this bored by a show in a long time. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 7:15am

I didn't love this. I didn't hate this. I DID "like" it in that there is a lot to admire - beautiful design and stagecraft, phenomenal cast, great vocals and performances, solid direction... The book is this show's biggest downfall. It's slow and has a lot of lulls. I liked the relationship between the two brothers.

I thought I would dislike this more than I did, and I had very low expectations going in. I was happy they were exceeded, but this is still not a perfect show by any means.

Also, if you're looking for a feel good show, just know that this is NOT it.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 10:10am

I am clearly in the minority so far as I saw this last week and found it moving and incredibly staged. I want to see it again.

I didn't know the Avett Brothers music, and during the first song my ear kind of went "Wait, what?" And then it worked for me. This is the kind of music that working men and sailors in the 1880s would have created and used. A sailor's life on a whaling ship was an odd and complicated fraternity.

The four principals know their characters so well after all their time working this production through to Broadway. They aren't acting anymore. They seem to be projecting their own strengths and weaknesses, and the brothers in particular  are like brothers: struggling against each other but so alike in important ways. Stark Sands blew me away in JOURNEY's END and he is just as good in this.

But the comment by someone earlier on this thread astounds me, something about "What's the point?" If you don't get the point of a major human ethical issue, maybe you should go see a musical that does not address anything important. It is true that this show is not going to appeal to many typical musical audience members, but it isn't  GYPSY. But that does not mean it is not valid and effective.

Updated On: 11/11/24 at 10:10 AM

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 10:57am

keen on kean said: "I am clearly in the minority so far as I saw this last week and found it moving and incredibly staged. I want to see it again.

I didn't know the Avett Brothers music, and during the first song my ear kind of went "Wait, what?" And then it worked for me. This is the kind of music that working men and sailors in the 1880s would have created and used. A sailor's life on a whaling ship was an odd and complicated fraternity.

The four principals know their characters so well after all their timer working this production through to Broadway. They aren't acting anymore. They seem to be projecting their own strengths and weaknesses, and the brothers in particular OK are like brothers: struggling against each other but so alike in important ways. Stark Sands blew me away in JOURNEY's END and he is just as good in this.

But the comment by someone earlier on this thread astounds me, something about "What's the point?" If you don't get the point of a major human ethical issue, maybe you should go see a musical that does not address anything important. It is true that this show is not going to appeal to many typical musical audience members, but it isn't GYPSY. But that does not mean it is not valid and effective."

The point of this show may be reaching the creatives and cast, but not all of us in the audience are on the ship. Part of any good show is character development and sadly this has a lot of character circumstances. It’s very much a jukebox of songs that comment on the plot but don’t advance it. 

They could’ve taken a note from Jersey Boys or Beauitful. At least those characters were striving for something. 
 

 

[akhoya87]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 11:15am

You have to give the creatives credit -- they do a great job of making the audience feel as if they're trapped on a boat going nowhere.

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 11:48am

akhoya87 said: "You have to give the creatives credit -- they do a great job of making the audience feel as if they're trapped on a boat going nowhere."

The stage craft is 10/10 across the board. That’s non negotiable, but the craft of the script and story leaves much to be desired. 

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 12:47pm

I am glad someone enjoyed it. I thought I was crazy for my thoughts and feelings about this piece. What an incredibly talented cast. The set was super cool however, after and hour into the show I kept asking myself Why? I did not connect to any of the characters except for younger brother. His yearning for wanting to do something different outside of ones regular routine is tangible. But, the other characters didn't grab me.  The pacing was slow and I found myself nodding off in sections. It is an interesting topic to bring to the Broadway. The creative team did the best they could with a slow script.  I just didn't care enough for any of the characters and honestly wanted my 95 mins back by the end of the show. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 5:14pm

NYT: How the Tale of a Brutal Shipwreck Became a Broadway Musical

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/theater/swept-away-broadway-avett-brothers.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ZE4.wIww.6WOuCzCkElsG

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 6:09pm

Sounds like there may be another Brutal Shipwreck to come…

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 7:00pm

yyys said: "The worst musical on broadway right now, and maybe the worst jukebox musical ever?"

From what I'm gathering from the NYT article, it's based on the Avett Brothers album already about the sunk yacht. Thanks to jukebox part, it's technically out of the running for worst jukebox musical ever.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/11/24 at 11:05pm

Striving for something? So I guess you totally missed why the two brothers end up on a whaling ship? 

And your references to Beautiful and Jersey Boys is oddly appropriate: this isn't a juke box musical. It is not the story of a singing group. Anyone who goes to see an Avett Brothers concert at this show needs to pay closer attention before buying a ticket.

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 1:14am

keen on kean said: "Striving for something? So I guess you totally missed why the two brothers end up on a whaling ship?

And your references to Beautiful and Jersey Boys is oddly appropriate: this isn't a juke box musical. It is not the story of a singing group. Anyone who goes to see an Avett Brothers concert at this show needs to pay closer attention before buying a ticket."

1. Do you know the definition of a Jukebox musical? I’ll give you another shot. 
 

2. An audience shouldn’t have to research a music group for a musical to be good. That falls on the creative team. The show should be a good for  a stranger walking in off the street. 
 

Some Jukeboxes work. Some don’t. Don’t blame us that this doesn’t. 
 

 

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/12/24 at 9:27am

I know the definition of a juke box musical but was referring to the two examples you cited.

This show uses some of the Avett Brothers album inspired by an actual shipwreck but in fact most of the music is from elsewhere in their canon, so the score is not anchored (pun!) in that particular work. I did not research their work before hand, and in fact had only heard clips, but found it very accessible.

 

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 11/13/24 at 11:16pm

This was one of my must-sees until these early reviews started pouring in - I almost didn't see it, but got a rush ticket for tonight last minute and I have to say I'm glad I did.

Was this amazing? Was this incredibly moving? Was this a triumph of theater? No, but I enjoyed it all the same. Suprisingly, I only found myself bored during 10-15 minutes of this show, and I'm someone who (sadly) gets bored very easily. The songs were fine, I thought as far as jukebox musicals go this one was pretty good. I agree with most of things that have been said about the book, though, especially about the lack of character development. The brothers are intriguing, I loved their dynamic, but JGJr's character and the captain fell flat for me. 

I walked out thinking it was worth the $45 and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, then started looking at the real life situation the show (and Avett Brothers album) is based on, and was ASTOUNDED at how interesting it was! I didn't know anything about it, but apparently the case of cannibalism is commonly taught in law school because before that it was pretty much accepted that sailors would have to kill and eat people if it came down to it. The ensuing trial was so intriguing I actually ended up missing my subway stop reading the Wikipedia page. 

It made me think how much better this really could have been. A first act focused on character development on the ship with the other men, or a first act of the men already stranded in the boat and ending with the murder, followed by a second act focused on the trial at hand would have been so amazing. I found myself thinking it could have been something almost like Floyd Collins, since apparently public response to the case greatly effected it. 

All in all, I really wish they would have done more with this. I often find myself walking out of shows thinking "the book needed work, the score was bland, but it has potential," but I REALLY felt it with this one. I know they've gone through a long time of workshops so nothing will change, but it seems a shame for such an interesting premise.

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/13/24 at 11:39pm

keen on kean said: "I know the definition of a juke box musical but was referring to the two examples you cited.

This show uses some of the Avett Brothers album inspired by an actual shipwreck but in fact most of the music is from elsewhere in their canon, so the score is not anchored (pun!) in that particular work. I did not research their work before hand, and in fact had only heard clips, but found it very accessible.

You didn’t really make a point with this response. Beautiful was based on her real life and used multiple songs from various albums. I’m not following your reasoning. I’m glad you liked it. We will see if more folks do. It bored the hell outta me. 

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 3:01pm

My bad if I was not clear. You cited JERSEY BOYS and BEAUTIFUL which are both very specific types of juke box musical because it is a musical about people who write the music being used in the musical. In the case of SWEPT AWAY, the Avett Brothers created an album years ago only a portion of which was inspired by the shipwreck story and John Logan got permission to look at the entire Avett catalogue for songs to incorporate. So it is not just using an established song set and writing around it.

I don't usually do this much "homework" for any musical but I did not know the Avett Brothers at all before seeing this musical and I was so intrigued that I went back and read up on the development of this work.

I guess I was struck by how appropriate the sound and content of the songs were for a story of the crew of a hard luck commercial whaling ship. Very simple, poignant and earthy.

[Pandandrum]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 4:54pm

I agree with you. This is technically a jukebox musical, but I generally hate those because a loose plot is shoehorned into a "greatest hits" production and it's usually lame to me. I just normally don't go see those.

This was not that because the story already existed (and it's wild to me that some didn't find that compelling), and the songs were chosen from a vast catalog to fit the story rather than the other way around. That's in addition to the obvious fact that it's not ABOUT The Avett Brothers. It's inspired by their album, which was inspired by a book, which was written about an historic event.

I love this show. But it's for deep introspection, not easy payoffs, and that's clearly not for everyone.

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 04:54 PM

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 9:54pm

Watching this felt like *I* was stuck at sea for 16 days - but my salvation wasn't land, it was an exit sign.
 
Razor thin book. Misguided and self-congratulatory direction. Repetitive music. Poor performance from JGJ. I will not be recommending this to anyone I know. 

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 09:54 PM