WEST SIDE STORY (2019 Revival) Preview Thread- Page 30

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/5/20 at 11:27pm

I saw this again tonight and enjoyed it more than I did the first time. I think the month and half since I was there last has given them a chance to really tighten things up and work on their performances. I was very happy when I saw Isaac was in tonight, I was fully prepared for an understudy.
That’s not to say I think it’s a perfect production - I hate the choreography and still don’t understand why the Robbins choreo couldn’t work here. It really just takes me out of at times.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/5/20 at 11:27pm

JDonaghy4 said: "I do agree with you that this director always talks down to us, and some of the projections (like the ones you mentioned) were doing that, even if i found them effective. Didnt he do the Crucible a few years back? Same problem."

 

His production of The Crucible had very few projections, and the projections it did have were pretty unobtrusive. Or were you referring to something other than the projections? 

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 2/5/20 at 11:43pm

JBroadway said: "JDonaghy4 said: "I do agree with you that this director always talks down to us, and some of the projections (like the ones you mentioned) were doing that, even if i found them effective. Didnt he do the Crucible a few years back? Same problem."



His production of The Crucible had very few projections, and the projections it did have were pretty unobtrusive. Or were you referring to something other than the projections?

"

sorry I was not clear. i wasnt referring specifically to the Crucible projections- i thought the performances were pretty good but the show, overall, wasnt particularly subtle.

 

[BenElliott]

Posted: 2/5/20 at 11:58pm

JDonaghy4 said: "BenElliott said: "I loved the video work in Network, but here? Trash. Everything is absolutely ruined by it. It's just a big, empty ugly stage with some student film upstaging everyone.

He's talking so far down to the audience that I found it nearly insulting. Everything about this is lifeless, mathematical, painfully on the nose, and at times, exploitive."

to each their own because i liked it alot but i have to STRONGLY disagree re the video projections as compared to Network. In that show it was utterly pointless; here at least it set a scene, gave you a physical context. God, I hated Network.

I do agree with you that this director always talks down to us, and some of the projections (like the ones you mentioned) were doing that, even if i found them effective. Didnt he do the Crucible a few years back? Same problem."

Because Network was about a TV show, the cameras and projections felt natural, but here they just felt on-the-nose and overbearing.  I could tell what they were going for, but it felt shamelessly manipulative and occasionally exploitative.

[rclocalz]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 12:50am

Stephen Sondheim was in the audience tonight. I snapped a photo behind my back: https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/ezmg16/stephen_sondheim_was_at_west_side_story_tonight/

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:16am

How did Sondheim seem? I’ve been extremely worried about him lately from the reports.

[rclocalz]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:25am

He actually seemed to be in good spirits. I didn’t see him walking or anything so not sure how his recovery from his fall is going.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 9:03am

Did we lose the WSS protest thread entirely? I’m curious mainly because I posted a few minutes before it disappeared and I’m pretty sure my post was kosher. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 9:41am

Both that and the "I'm not Amar's Victim" thread disappeared. I've never seen this happen before (granted I haven't been around long). Seen threads locked, but not removed. And to my knowledge, no explanation. 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 10:06am

joevitus said: "Both that and the "I'm not Amar's Victim" thread disappeared. I've never seen this happen before (granted I haven't been around long). Seen threads locked, but not removed. And to my knowledge, no explanation."

Alexandra Waterbury's instagram post about the protest has all comments deleted and disabled. I guess throwing around words like rapist, pedophile and sexual offender caught up with her.

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 11:45am

kdogg36 said: "Did we lose the WSS protest thread entirely? I’m curious mainly because I posted a few minutes before it disappeared and I’m pretty sure my post was kosher."

 

Just before the disappearance of the thread, a contributor made some decidedly disgusting comments that I won't characterize here.  I can only assume this swayed BWW toward shutting the thing down.   

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 12:11pm

Thanks gibsons2 and Highland Guy for the likely explanations. 

Edit: I realize "likely explanations" might read as sarcastic--lots of emotions on these topics--but I really do mean the reasons you give are most likely accurate.

Updated On: 2/6/20 at 12:11 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 12:51pm

Man, I stepped away from that thread for like an hour and then apparently all hell broke loose?

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:01pm

SporkGoddess said: "Man, I stepped away from that thread for like an hour and then apparently all hell broke loose?"

Honestly, nothing on there right before it got deleted seemed much different from any other day. They probably just got tired of policing it.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 1:29pm

Still not convinced that this WSS production is worth my time on my next visit to NYC. Have seen the show and the movie countless times, and although the recent NYT magazine article was intriguing, hard to imagine WSS without the Robbins choreography (and no "Somewhere" ballet, really?) And I am not a fan of van Hove (NETWORK was a mess, save Cranston's performance, and his "stamp" on classics is all about him, and not the material, imo).

The last few months of reader comments are all over the place, and ticket prices are quite high.

What to do?

[Rosette3]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 2:00pm

jayinchelsea said: "Still not convinced that this WSS production is worth my time on my next visit to NYC. Have seen the show and the movie countless times, and although the recent NYT magazine article was intriguing, hard to imagine WSS without the Robbins choreography (and no "Somewhere" ballet, really?) And I am not a fan of van Hove (NETWORK was a mess, save Cranston's performance, and his "stamp" on classics is all about him, and not the material, imo).

The last few months of reader comments are all over the place, and ticket prices are quite high.

What to do?"

Get rush tickets? At least that's what I'm kinda doing except I got a $39 rear mezz seat. If it's a bust at least I only spent $50 on it. If I love it I might invest in better seats if I want to see again. 

[52889j]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 5:27pm

Saw this last night with Sondheim and Cherry Jones in the house.

Add me to the 'loved' camp. The staging worked for me throughout and the cast is really pulling their weight. I was particularly impressed by the 'dancer-first' performers' singing. Powell's choices in Something's Coming and Maria are just plain revelatory.

Updated On: 2/6/20 at 05:27 PM

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 5:32pm

What did Sondheim's reactions suggest?

[Damiensta]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 6:17pm

I finally saw WSS and thought it was good with few exceptions. First of all, I hope Isaac is not forgotten come Tony time. He is the reason to see this. 
Now , I have to say the biggest disappointment for me Was the Anita role. I don’t know if it’s the cuts that were made or actress. But I found the role noting in this productions.

I mostly enjoyed the projections, but there were certain parts were I kept debating do I look at the stage or at the action on the projection.

spoiler.......

cant imagine why they haven’t used as advertising the shot when Maria and Tony are facing each other as the cast pulls them apart. That is a great scene.

 

[Dan6]

Posted: 2/6/20 at 7:40pm

Does anyone know if Isaac is regularly taking Wednesday matinees off (and is likely to continue to do so)? I have tickets for a Wednesday matinee in late March and am wondering whether I should try to exchange (which would also require me to exchange some other show, since my weeklong trip is fully booked). I’m hearing such great things about his performance and would hate to get an understudy on my one chance to see the show. Thanks!

[52889j]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 10:22am

joevitus said: "What did Sondheim's reactions suggest?"

He was seated a ways behind me so all I can report is that he did stand for the curtain call.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 12:26pm

Damiensta said: "
spoiler.......

cant imagine why they haven’t used as advertising the shot when Maria and Tony are facing each other as the cast pulls them apart. That is a great scene.

"

I hated this part when both sides were pulling them apart.  It looked cartoonish, felt very comedic, and took all seriousness out of the scene.

[Anshel2]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 12:30pm

bwaylyric said: "Damiensta said: "
spoiler.......

cant imagine why they haven’t used as advertising the shot when Maria and Tony are facing each other as the cast pulls them apart. That is a great scene.

"

I hated this part when both sides were pulling them apart. It looked cartoonish, felt very comedic, and took all seriousness out of the scene."

Agreed.  I loved the show, hated the staging of Tonight.  A balcony scene without a balcony!  Hated the pulling.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 12:34pm

Anshel2 said: "A balcony scene without a balcony!"

 

Maybe Van Hove was trying to go back to the historical Shakespearean roots of the "balcony scene" in Romeo & Juliet, which, in reality, was not written to be performed with a balcony. The use of a balcony in that scene was a tradition that developed after Shakespeare's day! 

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 2:13pm

One of my absolute favorite staging moments was “Tonight” and particularly the scene after with the two gangs pulling them apart.