Velocity Of Autumn

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 4/12/14 at 12:03am

I was glad to see Estelle Parsons back on stage but this play has no business on Broadway. It runs about 85 minutes but it seems a lot longer. The orchestra was not full and there were a lot of what looked like industry people there who I'm sure were comped. Steven Spinella was hard to hear at times and is wasted in his role of the son, he also wears an ugly wig that is very distracting. The plot is paper thin and the set seems to have been pulled from stock from another production of another play. I don't see this lasting very long unless they get some Tony nominations.
The most interesting part of the evening was a conversation I overheard as I was leaving the theater that The Elephant Man has booked the Booth for the fall.

Updated On: 4/12/14 at 12:03 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/12/14 at 12:25am

Isn't that interesting? I'm not sure how to take that. So this is a limited engagement, or they just don't expect it to run very long?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 4:31pm

I saw this Sunday. While I'm not quite as dour about it as you, it really is not going to succeed. At the talkback session, they were practically begging for people to use social media to get tickets sold and even gave out a discount code to post.

I thought both performances were very good. I found the problem to be mostly solely at the feet of the script. The basic idea is very interesting and thought provoking, but it doesn't really go anywhere. Much of the time, the dialogue sounded unnatural.

There was one tremendously touching monologue however that was both well written and stunningly delivered (Spinella).

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 4:52pm

yeah the lead producer is a charlatan, he told us saturday afternoon that the show was a Pulitzer nominee and the thing about 8 countries wanting the rights to produce it sounded odd too

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 4:54pm

Because "countries" want to produce plays. He said similar things to us. Trying to make them sound so much more important/successful.

[musicalman2]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 5:29pm

actually, I think that theaters from multiple countries want to license the show. I have a friend who was thinking about investing, and the producers provided proof of those requests. I'm not sure that's so unusual, given the universal quality of the story.

[AirJewels]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 5:30pm

I went to the Sunday matinee and nodded off 3 times. It was the first time I've ever fallen asleep at the theater.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 5:39pm

This definitely needed a bigger name for Spinella's part to survive, i wouldn't be surprised if it closes on opening night.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 9:36pm

Reminds me of the sixties re closing on opening night. Such gems as:

Here's Where I Belong
Billy
Gantry

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 4/15/14 at 9:49pm

a friend and I were walking by the Booth Theater earlier tonight and Velocity Of Autumn didn't seem to have a show. I wonder if it was a planned night off or if they cancelled tonight's performance.

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/16/14 at 3:46am

They start at 7 on Tuesdays, so if you were there after 8:30, they were done for the night already...

[wexy]

Posted: 4/16/14 at 10:16am

awesome. going Friday. it could be one of the classic bombs that we've all seen....

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/16/14 at 11:45am

It's not "awful" and certainly won't go down as a Carrie-like production. It just isn't very good.

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 11:57am

I loved the show....Estelle Parsons is fabulous. She is 87 years old with all that energy. Full house when I went. I hope she gets the Tony....

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 11:59am

Against Audra? Not a chance in hell.

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 12:12pm

I know...but Audra has many Tonys and Estelle has none..

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 12:13pm

Life ain't fair.

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 12:18pm

Reminds me of the Great Geraldine Page...Won a Oscar, many Emmys but No Tony...oh well, that's Life

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/19/14 at 12:36pm

She won't win the Tony. I'm not even sure she'll be nominated. I haven't seen too many of this year's plays, so I don't have very specific opinions. While I liked her performance, I can't say it wasn't anything we haven't seen her do before.

I was there last Sunday matinee. The mezz was not even 25% full. Can't speak to the orchestra.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/20/14 at 10:46am

Saw it last night. Was going in expecting the worst but we were pleasantly surprised

It is an entertaining 2 person show with Parsons the main reason for seeing it. Spinella is good but the show belongs to her. I can state we definitely enjoyed it much more than the elongated Seinfeld episode called The Realistic Jones

Those older viewers can identify with many things she said. Even if you hate the play you should still see it for what may be her last Broadway appearance . The orchestra, while heavily papered, was full. No idea re upstairs.

If nominated, she obviously stand no chance against Audra or Cherry Jones but a nomination would be nice. I jokingly told my wife they must not hold out to much for the show as there is no merchandise and not even a magnet.

We gave it an 8 1/2 out of 10. Not worth full price but than again what straight play is worth shelling out close to $ 140 a pop for a seat.

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 4/20/14 at 11:47am

I am glad you enjoyed it Mr. Roxy. I am afraid this will be Ms. Parsons last time on Broadway too. A nomination would be nice.