The Minutes Preview Thread

Got a ticket from TDF for March; looking forward to reading some reviews as well

Just FYI, there are tickets available for opening night in the balcony. I got a pair on Today Tix for $49 each.

GreasedLightning said: "A few photos of the stage floating around Instagram, looks great. "

Yup, if they replicated the Steppenwolf set, it’s pretty awesome.

I had a tiny bit of interest in the show (love the logo, I feel like it tells a lot with just a little), but could someone who knows the play post the big reveal with a spoiler tag? It'll probably make me want to see it

aasjb4ever said: "I had a tiny bit of interest in the show (love the logo, I feel like it tells a lot with just a little), but could someone who knows the play post the big reveal with a spoiler tag? It'll probably make me want to see it"

But why? the play is a total, semi-twilight zone (nothing supernatural) situation. The "reveal" is the entire play. In other words, the play is a bunch of blah-blah-blah for the first 70 minutes, and it then goes nuts in the final 20 minutes. It's helpful to remember that this is the author of Bug and Killer Joe.

Updated On: 2/25/20 at 12:16 AM

Just FYI, they have tickets available for March and April on Audience Rewards for a reasonable points/$$ price. I have a hard time using my AR points because so many shows require a ton of points, so this was a good one for me.

TECHNICALLY I’m not spoiling the twist of this play, but if the general themes that the twist hinges on bother you, stop reading. I tried to be a bit vague.


I had such a frustrating experience with this play. It feels like an attempt at a scathing satire, like a well meaning attempt at magnifying the dangers of washing away historical transgressions against a particular group and race of people and it’s even, in a a way, about more than just that. About the dangers of conformity, National interest etc.

And yet...it feels as though Letts has a hard time skewing these topics comfortably, confidently. It’s As though he’s making a blanket generalization about the character of those in power having the control to rewrite history and being like “isn’t that bad?”

I mean, yeah? It’s bad...and what else?

I felt like Larissa Fasthorse achieved what Letts was going for in one of her recent plays (I won’t name- it spoils a bit of The Minutes, but it was a very popular play this season regionally). But in a funnier, more scathing way that also felt more genuine when reaching the danger of its themes.

Than again, it brings to the conversation: who is allowed to tell whose story? Am I exempt from trying to tell a story about injustice against a group of people because I am not one of them? Or does it matter, if done with clarity? Is my well meaning attempt still genuine? Maybe it’s genuine, but am I doing it well?

It’s an interesting conversation starter, and while I don’t necessarily think the play succeeds in achieving the righteousness or horror it intends to impart, it has me thinking. I just wish it had me caring more about the characters onstage and less about the ownership of history and who is allowed to write about who. But that’s what’s makes it a good play- not a great one. In terms of plays this season that touch on grand, heavy social themes (Slave Play, The Inheritance) it’s the most successful at what it’s going for. But in terms of a fulfilling and meaningful experiences, The Sound Inside has got it beat.

The cast is uniformly excellent. However, if Austin Pendleton doesn’t get a Tony nomination for perfecting the art of senility, I may riot. In a cast that works in genuinely listening, breathing, and flowing together, he receives the strongest response in both laughs and affection from the audience. I’m not sure anyone else is doing work that would warrant award recognition. And for Jesse Mueller fans- unfortunately she has almost nothing to do. But she makes the most of her moments and gels well with the ensemble.

David Zinn’s set ought to be preserved and kept in a museum. It’s one of the most beautiful and functional scenic designs I’ve seen on a broadway stage.

Sorry this was such a mess. But I wanted to get out some sort of immediate thoughts.

Updated On: 2/25/20 at 10:38 PM

Went tonight and loved the show. That said, I completely expect the show to be divisive among many. Letts is truly attempting to do something here and I thought he nailed the majority of it.

Going to stay away from mentioning anything because the show needs to be seen and the experience is best served walking in with knowing as little as possible.

The entire ensemble works rather well but as a previous poster stated, I found Austin Pendleton to be the true standout.

While I don't know if you will love or hate play, I feel confident that you'll be speaking about it afterwards. Perhaps that is the true meaning of what art should do.

Someone earlier in the thread asked about the stage door and it looked fairly crowded. i was out of the theater quickly and was surprised there was such a large crowd already gathered.