I finally saw The Front Page tonight, and I enjoyed it very much besides the absolutely dreadful first act. I was so incredibly close to leaving at intermission, but I heeded the advice of others on here and my friends and stuck it out, and I am so glad I did!
The show is a revolving door of stars, and it's a pleasure to watch this extremely talented group just having fun up on that stage. Micah Stock was absolutely hilarious. The play really finds its footing once Nathan Lane comes in at the end of act 2.
Nathan Lane is, as others have said, playing Nathan Lane. And honestly, it's what he does best. He was excellent, hilarious and, of course, larger than life.
The set was beautiful and so detailed, and the special effects were great. Unfortunately, I was seated towards the back of the orchestra under the mezzanine, and the mezzanine overhang is pretty damn bad at the Broadhurst.
I would definitely recommend this! Just know going in that the first act is going to be painful, but the pay off in the subsequent acts more than makes up for it!
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
How age appropriate would you say this is? My dad is taking the whole family to this because he likes Nathan Lane, but he hasn't done any research on the material or anything like that. He seems convinced that even my 12 year old sister will love the show, just wondering if it's okay for to see. I literally know nothing about the show lol
^ While there's nothing horrible content wise, there is some language if I am remembering correctly. I can't see a 12 year old being entertained by this. I'm an adult and I just about fell asleep during the first act.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
Fluffy 2 said: "How age appropriate would you say this is? My dad is taking the whole family to this because he likes Nathan Lane, but he hasn't done any research on the material or anything like that. He seems convinced that even my 12 year old sister will love the show, just wondering if it's okay for to see. I literally know nothing about the show lol
It really depends on the 12-year-old. Some kids may be mature enough but there is a lot of salty newsroom dialogue, and dialogue that is insulting to women, racial slurs etc. It is consistent with the times of the original play (the 20s). It is also a long play with a lot of exhibition and build-up so a 12-year-old in today's day and age might want more action, etc. Once you get past the first act things pick up but I'm not sure someone that young would want to wait it out.
I saw The Front Page tonight (12/27, 7pm) but was very disappointed to learn at the ticket booth that Nathan Lane wasn't performing. (Telecharge also sent an email notification at 5:32pm for the 7pm show.) I was given the option of exchanging (not possible during my 5-day visit) or getting a refund but I decided to see it. Walter Burns was played by Tony Award-winner Michael McGrath who was fine in the role. I admit I bought tickets because of Nathan Lane. I've wanted to see him live for a long time.
I still enjoyed the show, specifically acts 2 and 3. (I was nodding off in the 1st act.) I thought the ensemble was very good. I sat in mezzanine, row H, and could still see facial expressions.
Oh well...hopefully I'll get to see Nathan Lane at some point.
Nathan is out again for today's matinee. Pretty dissappointed, I really don't like the show njf my dad does so I took him. Only thing I was looking forward to was Lane. Oh well.
I saw the Monday afternoon performance. Lane was in (the whole cast) but I found him one-note. I actually wouldn't mind seeing McGrath's take on the role.
For me, Robert Morse and Sherie Rene Scott came across best in their small roles. I did like Slattery more than most, too.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body