The Bacchae....Anyone? — Page 2

I saw this tonight, and I have to agree with everyone. It was just a mess of ideas. There were a lot of little ideas thrown around, but no huge ideas to hold them all together. It started off really interestingly and cool with the actors on stage while the audience is coming in and Groff skirting around the stage and playing in the water and stuff. But once the Chorus came on it was all downhill. There was just nothing here to hold your attention. The monologues seemed never ending at times, and there wasn't much in the way of storytelling to help aid the audience along. I laughed out loud at the Chorus' entrance. They were running in and screaming and they were dressed like ninjas of some sort. The woman playing Agave wasn't nearly over-the-top. I thought she was very just "eh" about the whole situation, which is totally wrong considering she just killed her son. She had a really good scream, and then that was it, there was no where else to build the monologue from there. I thought Groff actually did a pretty good job. He wasn't exactly perfect for the part, but I thought he did a fine job with what he was given. He was interesting, which is totally a compliment. I wish they had cast someone else with a more rock star sex appeal because Groff does come off a little Boy Bandish, but like I said, it didn't really ruin anything for me. I thought he did a great job.

The problem lies in the direction and the overall concept. The parts that Groff sang were great. I thought "wow, this is really cool and an interesting take" because it sort of mixes musical theater/opera/Greek Tragedy, but then the Chorus sings over and over and over again and it sort of ruins it. Does every Greek play need a Chorus if synchronized movements? And why did the actors who weren't needed in the scene suppose to slowly walk on, sit, and then slowly walk off? What's the point of that? What was the point of the water on stage? It wasn't used nearly enough to justify it being there. And what was with the fire? It was so sudden and random. I thought the lighting was pretty good, but in the end, I just can't imagine that someone thought about this production for that long and this is what they came up with?

Yeah, overall a disappointment. I wish she had used the space more and made it more of an environmental show with the Chorus running through the audience and stuff. I think that would have helped us stay engaged. Also, aren't the women suppose to be like savages? They seemed very nicely dressed to be savages. Also, the play needs SEX. I didn't really get the seduction when Groff "seduces" the other guy into dressing up like a woman. It came off more as comical than a seduction; therefore, I was kind of confused as to why it was all happening in the first place.

Yeah, and the messenger got applause during his scene as well, so good for him for overcoming the awful direction and staging. And I thought Agave was terrible, which sucks because she was so good in "Father Comes Home From the Wars," but whatever.

I'm planning on seeing it on Tuesday. How has the stand-by line been doing?

Also, since it's 90 minutes, it'll all be over by 10, I'm assuming?

Thanks.

I'm seeing it with a classics major who's really into Greek stuff so maybe she'll have some insight for me!

I saw the production on Saturday night, and I agree with literally everything dramamama says.

Overall, I'm glad I saw it, and there were small parts that I loved, but overall it didn't add up to a cohesive production at all.

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bwayrose2- and before they did Hair they did Mother Courage, so who knows.

Has anyone gotten up in the morning and done the main line, not standby? what time?:)

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I love the cast in the show but painful is an understatement.
It was really very boring. It did not help matters that I had to go to the bathroom and the line before the show was so long that had I gone I would have missed the show. Sadly, I wish I went on line and skipped it. It is really dull.

His music is awesome at some points, but at other times it sounds like Prince of Egypt or something.

I'm just not sure what you'd do to save this show. I think it's safe to say that after the reviews come out, it will be super easy to get tickets to this.

^Agreed! Don't blame the play for your lack of imagination or ability to LISTEN. rather than see. One of my favorite parts of this play (the only greek play I've ever seen live) is that the most repulsive, terrible things that occur are told secondhand and not seen. And I think the herdsman and the messenger are some of the stronger parts of the show. That being said, the play is pretty much a trainwreck. Not quite sure what the heck the director is going for.

There is a difference between a play and a production.

The play, The Bacchae is a masterpiece.

This production of The Bacchae is a train wreck.

So I watched it last night and I liked it a lot.

We got to the standby line by 5 ish and there were only a couple of people in front of us. However, we didn't get our tickets until 7:50.

Enjoyed the story, the chorus, and the sexy beast that is Jonathan Groff with his Adam Lambert jacket can do no wrong. I thought he was wonderful as Dionysus.

Updated On: 8/22/09 at 04:52 PM

^ Totally, like those guys sitting on the bleachers in suits? I kept wondering why they were there.