THE HEIR APPARENT Previews

I know everyone is soooo excited for VIOLET starting tonight but I'm more interested in people's opinions of THE HEIR APPARENT beginning tonight at CSC. David Ives is one of my favorite playwrights so he can do no wrong. I loved their production of Ives' THE SCHOOL FOR LIES so very pumped for this.

Anyone going?
CSC Link

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This show is BEYOND BRILLIANT. David Ives is a genius, which anyone who saw "The School For Lies" already knows. Ever since that show, about five years ago, I've been waiting to see if he would do another French "transaptation" and it has been worth the wait. Aside from the script itself, the verse and dialogue of which is witty beyond words, you have a phenomenal, dream-team of a cast across-the-board. I happen to have grown up with these 17th and 18th century French comedies, so it was just NIRVANA. The thing is comic heaven--run don't walk.

I would not go so far as to say the cast is a dream team across the board, but I agree that the play is great (and hysterical) and that at least Whitehead and Elrod could not be better. Also Rando has done great work here.

2hr10min including intermission

I'm seeing this tomorrow night. Very excited! If this is even half as funny as All in the Timing, I'll be happy. (I know it's a different kind of play. )

Well, sad to say, I felt let down by this. I just didn't think it was that funny. It had its clever moments, certainly, but there were long stretches without a laugh. I enjoy a good poop joke as much as anyone, maybe more, but there was an over reliance on this bodily function, I thought. For all the frenetic activity on stage, and many solid elements (there's a poop joke for you, free of charge), the play just didn't add up to much. The performances were enjoyable, but I got the feeling at times the actors were trying too hard. I had been looking forward to this for quite a while. Maybe my expectations were just too high.

Saw this the other night and I am still smiling. David Ives has once again proven why he is one of my favorite playwrights. He has a sense of language that you'd be hard pressed to find in this day and age. Everything about this play was brilliant. He even makes sh!t jokes funny!

I don't even feel the need to go into detail about the production because it was just that perfect. The cast was spectacular across the board and I'm not even the biggest Carson Elrod fan. David Pittu does deserve a special call-out for the work he is doing. I don't want to spoil it because the moment you see his character you burst out laughing.

While this might not have been as good as THE SCHOOL FOR LIES, it's another example of a wonderful David Ives "translaptation" that is not to be missed.

macnyc, I think the issue you had might have been going in expecting ALL IN THE TIMING which is my least favorite of the Ives productions I've seen. Primary Stages is doing another collection of one-acts next season called LIVES OF THE SAINTS which you might enjoy more.

As a total side note, I would highly recommend checking out his book, "Voss." It's classified as a young adult novel but it's got some more adult themes and the language you've come to expect from Ives.

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