THE COTTAGE On Broadway - Previews Thread- Page 2

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 7/18/23 at 3:39pm

Laura Bell Bundy is sensational in this and absolutely must become a Broadway mainstay. We cannot go another 15 years without her on the stage. She fully carries this show.

The set is stunning and has some fantastic gags toward the beginning of the show (though they do run out shortly thereafter).

Otherwise, this was just OK. The cast aside from Bundy is OK and the play itself is OK. It's not really a gut-busting comedy, nor does it have anything meaningful to say, but it's enjoyable and light. I do think it could be tightened enough to axe the intermission and just make it a quick and breezy 100-minute play. Didn't dislike it but probably won't remember it a few months from now.

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/21/23 at 4:23pm

Is the first row of the orchestra too close for this show? I'm trying to decide between first row orchestra or first row center mezzanine. Thanks!

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 7/21/23 at 6:15pm

Can't speak for the first row of ORCH but I sat in one of the last rows of the mezz and felt like I was super far back and lost a few of the jokes. Would have liked to have been closer to see Bundy's hilarious facial expressions up close,

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/21/23 at 6:18pm

Thanks for letting me know!

Hopefully, someone can let me know if the center front row orchestra is too close for this show. Do you have a recollection if this is a high or low stage?

[BETTY22]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 2:36pm

Alex Moffat is making a sensational Broadway debut. You might know him from SNL but soon he will be known for this stage performance. 

The physical comedy surround a story about having sex in a stable made me gasp I was laughing so hard.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 3:08pm

BETTY22 said: "Alex Moffat is making a sensational Broadway debut. You might know him from SNL but soon he will be known for this stage performance.

The physical comedy surround a story about having sex in a stable made me gasp I was laughing so hard."

 

I actually bumped into him the day they finished the marquee and doors on the theater. He and others were there taking pictures. Spoke with him briefly, I was bold and just walked up to him as I am a fan of his work on SNL. He said he was really excited about doing the show (And it really showed).  Seemed to be a very nice person.

 

Updated On: 7/23/23 at 03:08 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 3:51pm

nmartin said: "Thanks for letting me know!

Hopefully, someone can let me know if the center front row orchestra is too close for this show. Do you have a recollection if this is a high or low stage?"

The stage is pretty high, so I think front row center would be too close. The people in the pic are in the second row. There's a sofa in the middle of the stage that remains there the entire show, and I imagine it must block the view from the front row at some points.

Updated On: 7/23/23 at 03:51 PM

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 5:57pm

I haven't seen this show, but the stage at the Hayes is very high. I've seen a few shows there from the fourth and fifth rows center orchestra and wished I was farther back. It was very much a staring up situation.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 6:23pm

Friend and I saw the final preview today and we just had the best time. Glad I decided to wait until they had time to get all the timing and things right because it is like a classic farce and a lot of it moves fast. The acting and direction make this production better then the actual script is, but even still we had huge smiles on our face the entire time. 

I went in knowing nothing about it, hadn't opened this thread at all and I'm glad I did.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

For a show that features the longest fart in the history of Broadway (if I'm wrong, please correct me) I think people on here are expecting way too much from it.

As has been noted, Laura Bell Bundy is sensational and her comedic chops are second to none. The fact she has that in her and has stayed away from Broadway for so long is a shame - hopefully she'll be back much more frequently now to make us laugh even more. 

But the whole cast is spectacular, there isn't a weak link. For something that's just mindless and absolutely hilarious I hope it does well. I'll certainly be back to see it again before it ends. 

Updated On: 7/23/23 at 06:23 PM

[angoradebs]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 7:17pm

Jordan, curious if you can answer if they made a (in my opinion much needed) dialogue cut:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In Act I, do Deirdre and Sylvia still have a conversation comparing William and Richard? Like the color of their eyes and everything? It really took the wind out of the sails of the act I ending because everyone figured out the "twist" right then and there

(Also curious if Alex Moffatt is still putting the grapes on Dana/Deirdre's crotch after her character passes out - it seemed like it might have been improvised that first night because someone (LBB?) removed them and Eric put them back, and the whole cast including Dana was in fits of giggles)

 

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 7:56pm

Today he put plastic grapes from the platter on her crotch

[pethian]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 9:46pm

angoradebs said: "Jordan, curious if you can answer if they made a (in my opinion much needed) dialogue cut:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In Act I, do Deirdre and Sylvia still have a conversation comparing William and Richard? Like the color of their eyes and everything? It really took the wind out of the sails of the act I ending because everyone figured out the "twist" right then and there

(Also curious if Alex Moffatt is still putting the grapes on Dana/Deirdre's crotch after her character passes out - it seemed like it might have been improvised that first night because someone (LBB?) removed them and Eric put them back, and the whole cast including Dana was in fits of giggles)

Both the dialogue and the grapes are still in. Neither has been cut.

 

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 7/23/23 at 11:06pm

pethian said: "angoradebs said: "Jordan, curious if you can answer if they made a (in my opinion much needed) dialogue cut:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In Act I, do Deirdre and Sylvia still have a conversation comparing William and Richard? Like the color of their eyes and everything? It really took the wind out of the sails of the act I ending because everyone figured out the "twist" right then and there

(Also curious if Alex Moffatt is still putting the grapes on Dana/Deirdre's crotch after her character passes out - it seemed like it might have been improvised that first night because someone (LBB?) removed them and Eric put them back, and the whole cast including Dana was in fits of giggles)

Both the dialogue and the grapes are still in. Neither has been cut."

 

I 100% agree the dialogue needs to be cut. It immediately gave that twist away! And I know I'm not the only one, many people around me gasped the second it was said. Again, it's a comedy so the reveal doesn't have to carry the plot but it would have been a nice surprise

 

 

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 7/24/23 at 9:11pm

Anyone care to comment on seating (apologies if i missed it)-- the extreme sides seem to be discounted, is there a reason for that? For this sorta farce play, I am usually fine with side seating but dont want to miss anything.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/5/23 at 6:13pm

Saw the matinee today - it's a fun time with a great ensemble cast delivering very funny performances. The set is beautiful - I was pretty far off to the side on house ride (TodayTix rush), but don't feel like I missed a ton. Laura Bell Bundy is terrific, and I hope we see her again sooner rather than later in another show. All the being said, this is a show I probably won't really remember seeing a few months now.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/5/23 at 8:27pm

thanks for answering re the extreme sides. i was thinking of getting tickets for this weekend but the houses looked pretty empty and they were still only offering seats for $150+. I'll wait.

[Sauja]

Posted: 8/12/23 at 10:49am

Seating question—does anyone know if on the far sides of the Hayes mezzanine seating, there’s an aisle? Or is it Iike in the orchestra where the far sides end at a wall? Trying to balance my desire for the cheapest possible ticket with my claustrophobia/need for an aisle. Thanks!

[angoradebs]

Posted: 8/12/23 at 11:58am

No aisle on the far sides of mezz

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 11:32pm

i had fun tonight-- TDF has us front right mezzanine--there really isnt a bad seat though I suppose right is preferable to left-- but this is a thoroughly mediocre play. its like a cheap carbon copy of a funny farce, dulled down, muddled. it has its moments but never rises to the hysteria it aims for, and it simply has few moments of cleverness/wit.

the cast seems to be having fun, and the audience sure was. I know people were enamored with Laura Bell Bundy, and yes shes a joy to watch, but i found her character quite boring, and without any funny lines, i found her relying on broad shtick that didnt really work for me. McCormack was great and his character WAS interesting/funny for the first half hour or so but is quickly left with little to say/do of interest. I am a yuuuge Moffat fan from SNL, and it was a pleasure to watch him be so strange/wacky, but again-- no real meat on the bones. 

I actually thought the standout was Dana Steingold, who was hilarious from start to finish and more than held her own with the bigger resumes on stage. And I found Lilli Cooper utterly boring in both POTUS and Tootsie, but she was a fun surprise here. 

given the high prices and limited discounts, i was surprised to see so many empty (good) seats on a saturday night. if prices come down, i'd recommend this as a fizzy 2 hour diversion.

[Mark Waltz]

Posted: 8/29/23 at 10:19pm

I saw this tonight, and before the show started and during intermission, a lot of people were pointing out details of the curtain that I felt were metaphors for the plot. Not going to give any details away, but that was a great way to get people to start to engage with the show before hand and put away their phones!

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 8/30/23 at 10:26am

I'll echo what others have said about Dana Steinberg. Other than that, the best thing I can say for this play/production is that it made me remember how much I love the smell of theatre cigarettes.

[aislestorm2]

Posted: 9/6/23 at 8:51pm

For me, the curtain was the best part of the evening. This is like community theatre for 10 times the price.