"I too would've liked to see another director's take on this, one that wouldn't have bent the production so much to his/her conceptual take, which I think obfuscated much of the material. "
obfuscated = render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible. LOL
Does anyone have a sense for whether the creative team is going to make revisions during previews, or do we think that the play has been around for so long that further noticeable changes are unlikely at this point?
This really has a long road ahead of it. Reminds me of the Scottsboro Boys. It is on tdf for a ton of dates.It needs universal raves and if this thread is any indication it will not get them.
By the way,my wife and I saw it Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I think I might have found my new favorite musical. Brechtian in style, the musical is pitch black and absolutely delicious. I also think it is Kander and Ebb's best score, at least on first listen, with a classical twist. It haunted me and though I can't remember much of the melodies, I do remember the goosebumps that the score gave me. It almost felt otherworldly. The set was overwhelming and almost felt like a skeleton. The cast was unbelievable, but I can't say anything about them that hasn't been said before. The main character of the show really was death, and it was mirrored in the otherworldly score, the skeletal set, the terrifyingly graceful performances, and the fact that it is likely to be the last Kander and Ebb show we'll ever see. Go see it.
Rumor has it that Ms. Rivera intends to make “The Visit” her theatrical finale. That would come as little surprise: Though the show’s tonal fusion — half swoony, half grotesque — makes it a tricky sell on Broadway, her colleagues would not be surprised to see Ms. Rivera on the podium when the Tonys roll around. But retirement is not yet on her schedule, she said.
Fantod, thank you for finding the right words to describe what I felt about this show. From day 1, I've realized this show will have an uphill battle and that it has some flaws, but something just really stuck out about it. It was elegant and sleek and precise. The show had a sense of grace to it from the start and that has been very appealing.
Ly, I'm happy you want this show to succeed, but I just don't think it's that great. There's a great show there somewhere with a great score, but this is just not that production. I wanted Rivera to be a powerhouse, but she did't feel up to the challenge. Maybe I come from the age of Patti Lupone, but I just wanted a powerhouse singer who could command the stage.