Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike- Page 4

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/15/13 at 3:41pm

The new Spike is not only deliciously hot (seriously) but totally delightful in the role.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/15/13 at 3:45pm

has Belenky gone on as Spike already??

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/15/13 at 3:52pm

I saw Creed.

[tripelite]

Posted: 8/15/13 at 4:14pm

I hesitated seeing it when I found out Sigourney and Billy were gone, but I thought Julie White and Creed Garnick were amazing. They had only been for a few nights, but you would have thought they originated the roles.

I did feel, however, that Kristine Nielsen stole the show. It's worth catching this to just see her.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/16/13 at 1:00am

The play is delightful. The entire cast was superb. I didn't want to see it for a long time because I didn't find the clips at all funny or interesting. Now I'm thinking that I just didn't care for what Weaver was doing with the role in those clips. Her one liners fell flat, she seemed to be giving a stylized two-dimensional take on things, not at all Chekhovian, and nothing seemed humorous or real - again this was just from clips, so maybe in the context of the show Weaver's performance worked, but frankly, after seeing the play tonight, I'm wondering if she was simply miscast. White - whom I've never been a big fan of - is giving a fantastic performance, wonderfully funny, she makes Masha both fascinating and likable She cracked up a few times tonight when Nielsen was working her magic - but who can blame her? Pierce is truly wonderful. The three of them are completely convincing as siblings.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/18/13 at 12:32am

I got to see this one last time tonight and I'm so glad I did. I've raved about the cast over and over, so I won't repeat myself, but I'll just say that they've all gotten better, something I imagined was not possible. As for the new additions to the cast, Julie White is fantastic. She does take Masha in a completely different direction than Weaver, but it's welcome (if a bit jarring at first) and it gives the play a new life and makes it funnier than ever. Creed Garnick was fine as Spike, but he never reached the levels of hilarity that Magnussen did. The role definitely registers as more of a minor part with him in it. And Lisel Allen Yeager is a strong Nina, but does anyone know why Genevieve Angelson's name is still on the board in the theater lobby??

The rear mezzanine was surprisingly empty (I'd say it was about 65% full) for a Saturday evening performance, but the audience seemed to love it. Even if some of the audience members (particularly the younger ones) were not on their best behavior throughout. Anyway, I'm sad to see this show go in a couple of days, but I'm thrilled it's lived on for as long as it has. And that it's a bonafide financial success! I'd definitely recommend seeing it with White; I got a $37 rush ticket at around 1:00 today...you can't beat that.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/18/13 at 12:41am

The show's seen a dip in grosses/attendance since Weaver left, so she was definitely a draw. I wish I had time this week to see it once more, but I don't. I'm surprised they're not touring this at all(even for only 6 months), instead it's being offered to regional houses.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/18/13 at 8:49am

That's really a shame, though not all surprising, that with Weaver's departure the box office is suffering. In the perfect world, people should be clamoring to see White's performance.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/18/13 at 3:43pm

Julie White's interpretation is much more organic than Weaver. Weaver was stiff and cold and austere. White is definitely in the loony bin with her siblings. You can see them all being raised by the same parents. I enjoyed both women, but White was more thrilling. There's a improv feel to the current cast. They take more beats between lines, react more to each other and sometimes lose it with each other. The usher told me the show is running about 10 minutes longer with the new cast.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/18/13 at 3:57pm

I don't know if "organic" is the word I'd use to describe her performance, but she certainly does register as more of a believable part of their family, albeit distantly at first. But you can tell she almost knows how much like Vanya and Sonia she fundamentally is, so for the first half of the show, she's virtually bouncing off the walls to make sure no one notices. But by the end, once all of her charades have been stripped away, you really do believe she's part of their family, and that she's cut from the same cloth. The more I think about her choices, the more impressed I am that she took the character in a completely different direction than Weaver did.

I certainly liked Weaver, but White is a definite improvement. She manages to wring laughs out of lines I had completely forgot existed in the show at all. She also manages to find new ways to mine laughs from lines that Weaver landed with aplomb, by using different vocal inflections and putting emphasis on a different part of the laugh line. It's a really strong performance that is even stronger if you have seen Weaver's, and can pick out these differentiations.

[theaterdrew]

Posted: 8/24/13 at 5:41pm

Finally saw this show, their last matinee. Loved Julie White and although I couldn't help thinking now and then about how Sigourney Weaver would have played the moment, I am happier to have seen Julie's performance. Only at the end did I think Sigourney's take might have provided a clearer change of path. I agree with those who thought Kristine Nielsen's performance was astounding. So, so glad I got to see it on the original Broadway stage.

****Spoiler question: The "wawa" line got the hugest laugh today. Julie almost lost it. Was that always the case?

[Movidude742]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 8:49am

It got a big laugh Friday night, I know I clapped, but they said it like it was 2 words. People fortunate enough to live by Wawa convenience stores would say it properly.

The biggest laugh on Friday was a different line. When Sonia is doing the Maggie Smith at the Oscars bit, she kicks her leg out the slit of her dress Angelina Jolie style, and slipped and for a moment looked like she almost fell. And Julie White had to turn upstage to hide her laughing, or as she put it at the stage door her 'losing her **** onstage'

This is not a complaint, the audience loved seeing a real moment, and I loved that once more we saw the best thing about live theater, no one gers the same performance twice and anything can happen

[theaterdrew]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 9:42am

The laugh at the Saturday matinee was to Julie's response to hearing "wa-wa." Her incredulity hit big.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 5:17pm

anyone lucky enough to go the final performance??

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 6:24pm

I just got back. They brought Durang out for a bow. No speeches.

[willep]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 10:14pm

So glad I got to see this on Thursday night, finally. I thought Julie White was absolutely wonderful. She actually left me wondering how Weaver fit the part at all, I really can't imagine her in the role. The first act was good, the second act was great (the phone call, the rant, etc).

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 10:26pm

If there is any show in the 13-14 season I am sorry to have missed it's this one. I could have caught the first preview off Broadway if I had been in NY two days later, but que sera sera. I'm a San Franciscan, and the regional (I think) premiere is at Berkeley Rep. Anthony Fusco, one of the finest actors in the Bay Area, is playing Vanya...I feel pretty good about this.

[Movidude742]

Posted: 8/26/13 at 10:16am

"The laugh at the Saturday matinee was to Julie's response to hearing "wa-wa." Her incredulity hit big."

Wawas isn't new tho. If she grew up in Bucks County she would have been familiar with the name. Big marketing campaign 30 years ago and whatnot.

Spike or Nina on the other hand were not from there and could have had that moment.

But come on, it is just a nit pick. It doesn't really lessen the show at all. I am just happy that Wawa made it into a work like this at all.

[theaterfan862]

Posted: 8/26/13 at 10:34am

I wished I could have seen this show one more time! I got to see it twice and it really was one of my all time favorites! The cast was incredible especially Kristine Nielsen! I miss this show already.

[BwayGeek2]

Posted: 10/3/13 at 5:39pm

Kicking myself for not going back to see Julie White! Sounds like she was amazing. Hopefully we'll see her back on stage soon.