THE ROOMMATE Previews — Page 4

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.

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 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 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.

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

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

Aubrey Plaza vs. Patti LuPone on Hot Ones

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.

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.