Was at the first preview tonight and Wow! It's pretty much everything as you would expect from Ivo Van Hove, meaning its a production at once highly stylized and presentational, alternately grandly theatrical and voyeuristically naturalistic and of course by nature, I'm sure will be highly divisive.
It was exciting to get to see this in a first preview capacity, because I have no doubt there will be many changes made (A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE never stopped changing in the year and half of its time between London and NYC) but I was again riveted by the wonderful and bizarre vision of this extraordinary director. Van Hove's greatest achievement is that in his stripping down, the story and language of these classic plays is never more clear. And there may be no other director who can keep an audience so rapt on the edge of their seats with the shear suspense of the dialogue.
The production is done in contemporary dress and is set in a sort of institutional setting (a school, prison or inner city court house might all possibilities). I was fascinated by the use throughout the evening of a large chalkboard. The performances are all outstanding; since I know everyone will be curious -- Saoirse Ronan seems very confident up there and is already given a very accomplished take on Abigail. Ben Whislaw and especially Tavi Gevinson (as Mary Warren) were standouts. Sophie Okonedo's performance I suspect will be controversial. It's a very stylized performance that is almost 'anti-acting' -- again a typical Van Hove approach.
The production is full of wonderfully strange (and sometimes jaw dropping in a good way) theatrical moments. The most exciting happens, natch during the girls' hysteria in the courtroom, where their 'imagined visions' finally become real in a stunning hurricane moment worthy a Stephen King story.
I'm excited to revisit this later in the run when I'm back in NYC to see how it changes. Ivo Van Hove is no doubt a love it or hate it experience, but I think for the incredible imagination and theatrical prowess he has brought to Broadway this season, he truly deserves a special Tony Award for his work this year.
Updated On: 3/1/16 at 11:30 PM