THE ROOMMATE Previews- Page 4

[matonad44]

Posted: 9/6/24 at 10:45pm

Relative to the first preview, Mia & Patti have found their rhythm.

I thought the enthusiasm of a first-preview audience was responsible for such uproarious laughter throughout, but that was just as much the case tonight. Patti, having more time to marinate in this role, has found more vulnerability and has discovered more ways to really mine the depths of the more reflective moments, without sacrificing any of the comedy. In fact, tonight Patti got even more laughs than the first preview. The tenderness that develops between the two characters feels fully fleshed out now. Mia seems even more comfortable.

And the audience tonight was on their best behavior, thankfully.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 9/6/24 at 10:57pm

I actually think the audience is behaving so poorly is because of the clunky direction with SO MANY "cut to black, 3 minute scene change that lets the audience start talking to each other, lights up new scene" moments.

This was...well, fine. I was amused enough at some moments and once I realized Patti was channeling Bea Arthur sitcom acting I leaned into what she was doing more. I did start picturing Anette playing a less sitcom-y sleeker and cooler character. I do think Patti is lacking a certain, for lack of a better term, cool vibe needed for that kind of character and she needs to be persuasive (for many reasons) and charming and Patti plays outright scary/pushy from the start. 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 7:35pm

I was at today's matinee. The audience was usual for a Broadway play, with some laughing at inopportune moments, but I didn't see any behavior like what's mentioned in this thread, either during the show or the scene changes with Yazbek's jazzy music.

The play itself is very slight. Patti is never less than entertaining, but she could play this role in her sleep- though I did like her line that "herbs only become drugs when capitalism gets involved."

The real treat, however, was seeing Mia Farrow for the first time (I missed her in Love Letters). She's marvelous and her "French" phone call was the highlight of the show for me. (Also, that's Ronan Farrow as her son on the voicemail)

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 10:20pm

i was there tonight. i think this play could really benefit from an intermission because it felt longer than it actually was. 

i found myself thinking it was a sit-commy slight whiff of a play, but it grew some meat on the bones towards the end that kicked up a notch for me. 

patti lupone feels somewhat miscast- shes playing patti in a strangely bad wig. im not sure if any other actress could really fix the imbalance here, though: her character Robin is a supporting role to Sharon. And Mia Farrow is doing knockout work with her. Knockout. I've never seen her onstage, and am not a particular fan of or expert in her film performances but this role seems written for her. She takes us on a real and believable journey, and broke my heart by the end. Brah-vo.

Updated On: 9/7/24 at 10:20 PM

[Voter]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 10:43pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "i was there tonight. i think this play could really benefit from an intermission because it felt longer than it actually was. 

i found myself thinking it was a sit-commy slight whiff of a play, but it grew some meat on the bones towards the end that kicked up a notch for me. 

patti lupone feels somewhat miscast- shes playing patti in a strangely bad wig. im not sure if any other actress could really fix the imbalance here, though: her character Robin is a supporting role to Sharon. And Mia Farrow is doing knockout work with her. Knockout. I've never seen her onstage, and am not a particular fan of or expert in her film performances but this role seems written for her. She takes us on a real and believable journey, and broke my heart by the end. Brah-vo."


 

I was there tonight too. Our audience was well behaved imo. I actually really liked this play. It’s one of those plays where the superstars and celebrities elevate the material. I wasn’t bored so there is a good sign 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 11:08pm

audience was fine, even better than fine, though I was seated (front right mezz) next to someone who loudly reacted to EVERY moment in the show- WOW! OH NO! OMIGOD! NO! WOW!-- and therefore belongs in prison. 

but an anomaly for sure, audience was overall great and very enthusiastic (and sold out upstairs)

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 11:13pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "audience was fine, even better than fine, though I was seated (front right mezz) next to someone who loudly reacted to EVERY moment in the show- WOW! OH NO! OMIGOD! NO! WOW!-- and therefore belongs in prison.

but an anomaly for sure, audience was overall great and very enthusiastic (and sold out upstairs)"


That…sounds like the audience was not at all fine.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 11:19pm

one irritating inappropriate person does not turn a whole audience into a bad one? 

[TotallyEffed]

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

lol no but it was just whiplash to read that the audience was fine but someone was also loudly speaking the whole show 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/7/24 at 11:57pm

Judging by our reports so far, this feels like one of those plays where if it had opened in a spring slate, may have garnered some Tony nomination buzz for Farrow, but not quite as much for the show itself. Critical response should be interesting in a few days. 

[Voter]

Posted: 9/8/24 at 12:34am

PipingHotPiccolo said: "audience was fine, even better than fine, though I was seated (front right mezz) next to someone who loudly reacted to EVERY moment in the show- WOW! OH NO! OMIGOD! NO! WOW!-- and therefore belongs in prison.

but an anomaly for sure, audience was overall great and very enthusiastic (and sold out upstairs)"


 

I was sitting last row mezzanine and no reaction from the audience stood out to me so I think everyone was well behaved 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 9/8/24 at 12:45am

Bette's Turban said: "I had a fun time. The play is meh but it sure was great watching the two ladies on stage. I saw in the front row all the way to the side and had none of the problems you just mentioned. Mia might be remembered Tony time. But it is very early in the season and I don't think thats what this show is intentionally going for. It is September in NYC with nothing else with names like this playing for now. It is a fun night and what I imagine is their target audience will enjoy. Just don't spend a fortune."

Sitting in the front row (AA) all the way to the side at the Booth would not create any sight line problems because it is a shorter row than those behind it and it does not extend to the walls of the theatre. I was in B 14 house right. Avoid BB 10, A 10, 12, B12 and 14 and C 12 14 and D 16. I think sitting house left in the opposite odd numbers might not be quite as frustrating but the seats would still have sight issues.

My advice to the ladies is to keep it honest and not to play to the audience. It will feel more like Broadway and less like dinner theatre. I would delete Mia’s 65 year old age reference and have them both play closer to their own age. It would add extra empathy to the proceedings. Also dropping Patti’s wig would make her look and feel more natural. 

The night I saw it the audience response was so so and the attention span in the house was mixed. But when the curtain call came everyone jumped to their feet like they had seen the second coming. Such behavior seems to be the norm anymore. A ton of videotaping and immediate posting. It felt like it was more about the two stars rather than the play itself.

 

 


 

 

Updated On: 9/8/24 at 12:45 AM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/10/24 at 6:55pm

Aubrey Plaza vs. Patti LuPone on Hot Ones 

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/10/24 at 7:07pm

It felt like it was more about the two stars rather than the play itself.

Yeah, the people I know who've seen it said the same thing. It's not a good play but people want to see these two women which is weird to me but to each their own.

[binau]

Posted: 9/11/24 at 2:54am

I’m not sure why you’d find that weird? It’s one of the most predictable trends. You could get Meryl Streep on stage to literally read the phone book and it’ll be the hottest ticket in town. 

[JayElle]

Posted: 9/13/24 at 8:29am

Today, NY Daily News praised Mia's performance but not "dated script."  

[Auggie27]

Posted: 9/13/24 at 10:23am

Last spring, two friends - admirers of her work in film - wondered if Farrow would be up to matching her stage-dwelling duet partner. Remembering her strong work in Romantic Comedy my first year in NYC, I had my fingers crossed. From a quick scan of the reviews, it seems that her performance is the de facto centerpiece of this production, in effect its raison d'etre now that it's been unveiled. A lovely turn in a vividly front and center career (and life) that features a truly iconic film role, TV soap, impressive body of work with a globally admired auteur, and, unavoidably enhancing her celebrity, personal relationships with three of the last century's iconoclasts. I'm always rooting for older artists to find unexpected rewards - and validation - later in their working lives, and at 79, Farrow is a new role model. Good for her, in every way possible.