THE FERRYMAN Previews — Page 2

I'm sold.

A big banquet of a play and a grand production with a wonderful cast. The story is pieced together bit by bit and as the pieces fit together the suspense builds. What begins as a sunny family comedy with dark shadings ends up careening into full throttle melodrama. Yes, melodrama I'm afraid and not tragedy. The play has literary, folkloric and historical references aplenty and it wears them a bit too heavily. The pace never slackens under Sam Mendes shrewd and entertaining direction. And some of Butterworth's characters who come on for only a few scenes are creations you wish you could spend an entire evening with. I especially loved Dearbhla Molloy as the militant Aunt Pat and Justin Edwards as Tom Kettle, two of Butterworth's more fantastic creations. I was less pleased with the lead, Paddy Considine who plays a character whose motivations I couldn't quite understand especially when the play reached its conclusion. In fact, the play makes less sense to me the more the I think about it. But I don't think it will matter, the audience ate it up and it's a tremendously good production.

Updated On: 10/2/18 at 11:24 PM

Adding myself to the list of people completely blown away. Before today I wasn't sure it could live up to the hype. It's a really good play that Sam Mendes delivers to utter perfection. In a lesser directors hands they would not have been able to play with all of the many tones and shades of the story and all the colorful characters with such amazing clarity.

A perfect cast, especially the previously listed Considine, Donnelley (who could possibly end up on stage at radio city come June), Flannigan (who's long winded storys I could have listened to for the entire 3.5 hour play), Molloy, Edwards as well as Tom Glynn-Carney as the wannabe rebel and the tiny Matilda Lawler as Honor Carney, who can't be more than 7 or 8 years and delivers most of the play laugh lines to utter perfection, especially some perfectly timed profanities.

Its like if all the great Irish writers wrote one play incorporating all of their strengths and Sam Mendes found one voice in it. Truly a magical and gut wrenching night at the theatre.

I have one or two qualms with the writing (the speed everything blows up at the end is a little convenient and some moments in the third act that could use a little trimming) but nothing that could have possibly made me enjoy and be emotionally destroyed by this play anymore. Its the play of the year.

Updated On: 10/3/18 at 12:07 AM

Rushed this morning. Got there at 9am and was first in line. About 7 people were there by the time box office opened at 10am.

Got two tickets in Row A Mezz. 2 seats off far side aisle marked partial view.

Excited to see this after all of the glowing reviews from last night!

Did TDF last night and all three seats were in mezz row E. My other friend was there and she got row D orch, but she was a single. We tried mezz row A far sides at intermission since they were empty and immediately realized poor view and moved back. Long enjoyable evening but got caught in torrential rains after show ended.

I would love to hear reports about the view from rush seats.

There was also a "pause" somewhere in the middle of The Iceman Cometh last year, but it was long enough that it felt like an intermission where you could stretch and talk. They just didn't want people going to the bathroom or buying snacks.

JBC3 said: "most people make it through a 2+ hr movie without a bathroom break and here they will have one

i am sure life will go on fine"

Yeah most of the people on here would be fine sitting through all three hours of this with no intermission at all. This debate has been had to death already. But your movie comparison is ridiculous. Because if you have to go to the bathroom during a movie, you get up and go. That is not so easy in a Broadway theatre, and often, there are policies that if you leave your seat for any reason, you will not be allowed back. I saw Boys in the Band toward the beginning of previews when they were still selling the myth that it was 90 minutes. The thing was two solid hours! Having had a dinner with wine prior, as well as a pre-show drink, the whole thing turned into a major pee-mergency halfway through. Granted, I probably have a bladder the size of a small peanut but I don't go to Broadway to suffer, so I might be out on this one. For all of you who have bucket sized bladders, more power to you, and enjoy.

Like a good book that you don't want to end.

Picked up a pair of limited view tickets from the StubHub center at 39th and Broadway. The tickets had appeared on StubHub about 3 days ago, for $33 each, but were being sold as a set. The partial view meant we missed the kitchen sink windows, entry to the home, and half the stove.

At the first intermission, seatmate Sue scoped out a pair of available 6th row center seats, so we moved there for the remaining 2 hours.

We both loved the pace of the 3 hour 15 minute show.

The richly detailed set is a smorgasbord of mismatched chairs, artwork by the children, whiskey, a silver boom box, boardgames, and a solid up to the rafters staircase.

No weak characters. Great duo exchanges, and boisterous free for alls with nearly the full ensemble.

The nods to birth and a good life were plentiful.

The dialogue was easy to understand. I sorta want to call it Irish Light. I mean, nobody had a thick brogue.

The rare play that I want to see again.

Aww come on Matt Rogers.

What is ridiculous is you intentionally obfuscating the point I made. We all know full well that you can leave a movie theatre for the restroom more easily than a play.

But I would hazard to say that 95-98% of the people never do. Given that The Ferryman offers an interval for a bathroom break after the long first act, close to 100% of the people should be able to remain seated for the two subsequent acts. I do no want to see when the biological needs of the very few outweigh the artistic choices made in service of the work and for the many.

So, on this topic, piss off I say good-naturedly … I guess either during the interval or in your seat if you cannot hold it.

Updated On: 10/4/18 at 04:44 AM

I'm at the theatre now for the rush. I got here a little before 8. I'm still first in line. I'll update this in a bit once I find out where I'm sitting.

Also, doesn't look like there's anyone in line at The Waverly Gallery and I hear that one has a rush that hasn't been announced officially if anyone's interested.

Updated On: 10/4/18 at 08:04 AM

I just have to comment that I laughed at the poster who said they couldn’t sit through a 100 minute play because they drank a bottle of wine at dinner and had a pre show cocktail.

I mean you do realize you don’t have to do that, right?

.And you do realize alcohol makes you have to take a whiz like nobody’s business, yes?.

Skip the booze - Have a glass of water an hour before the show and I promise you will survive the one hour first act on this one.