WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Preview Thread

[cougarnewtin]

Posted: 3/2/20 at 8:16pm

Anyone seeing WAOVW tomorrow night? Im going Wednesday, its been a while since Ive seen a show so early in previews, so Im excited. Its also about the tenth production of this show Ive seen but the first on broadway... so Im very anxious to see this production of the play that got me into playwriting in the first place.

[Alessio2]

Posted: 3/2/20 at 11:13pm

I am so excited to see this one! I have tickets in two weeks...I have never seen the movie, or any production, or read the script or anything...

[Joe Dee]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 1:40pm

I'm desperate to see pics of cast and set for this production particuarly because a) I love the show and b) I love EDIT: SCOTT PASK's set design (I don't know why I posted Buether)

Also: I hope that responses to this post can talk about the number of empty seats...haven't bought my tickets yet (hoping to see it in April)

Updated On: 3/3/20 at 01:40 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 1:50pm

Joe Dee said: "I'm desperate to see pics of cast and set for this production particuarly because a) I love the show and b) I love Miriam Buether's set design)

Also: I hope that responses to this post can talk about the number of empty seats...haven't bought my tickets yet (hoping to see it in April)"

What would there be for anyone to say about empty seats?  If you need to know how many seats are available, just look on Telecharge's website a few hours before the show.

.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 1:52pm

This is a Rudin production. Don't be surprised if there aren't a ton of production photos made available.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 1:57pm

Would love to know as well! I am not a “play” person, but Edward Albee has my heart. I love his writings and this is my favorite play by far. Have tickets for the end of this month!

[DrHapgood]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:12pm

Joe Dee said: "I'm desperate to see pics of cast and set for this production particuarly because a) I love the show and b) I love Miriam Buether's set design)

I was in and out of the Booth a few times during tech last week and can say the set looks pretty cool!

 

[justinsewad]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:37pm

It says that Scott Pask designed the set. 

Updated On: 3/3/20 at 03:37 PM

[brian1973]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 4:05pm

The set is mainly bookshelves and doesn’t look very exciting. You can see the pics on Instagram by someone who works at the theatre.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 8:16pm

On Instagram, the Playbill (which is the show artwork and not a Rudin rehearsal shot cover) includes an insert saying the show will be performed with one intermission and the total runtime is 2 hours and 50 minutes. Just heads up in case people don’t know the show. Plus, the “not permitted to return” disclaimer if people get up during the performance.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 8:42pm

One !!!!???

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/3/20 at 9:08pm

When I saw the last London revival, they just had a “break” between acts 2 and 3 that lasted a few minutes.

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 1:43am

Was anyone there?

[Lily8307]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 2:22am

Anyone know if they're selling rush tickets? Heard someone mention something about rush implying that they got them, but haven't seen any kind of official announcement.

[SGarrett2]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 7:51am

They are selling rush for $39 and I got a ticket just after 6pm last night. My seat was C 14 in the orchestra, which was last seat house right. It appears that they are selling the last 2 seats house left and right of rows B, C, and D based off of who I talked to around me last night and what Telecharge shows available over the next few days. You miss a corner of the stage but no more than maybe 2 minutes of one character the whole show from the seat. It also definitely beats the $169 that the other orchestra seats are listed as.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 8:28am

SGarrett2 said: "They are selling rush for $39 and I got a ticket just after 6pm last night. My seat was C 14 in the orchestra, which was last seat house right. It appears that they are selling the last 2 seats house left and right of rows B, C, and D based off of who I talked to around me last night and what Telecharge shows available over the next few days. You miss a corner of the stage but no more than maybe 2 minutes of one character the whole show from the seat. It also definitely beats the $169 that the other orchestra seats are listed as."

And how is the show itself?

[tgc07]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 10:11am

I was there last night. I haven't seen a production before but read the play years ago. I enjoyed it. Metcalf was amazing and the cast overall was strong. In great shape for a first preview. 

One thing I will say is that I think they should have a short intermission between Acts 2 and 3. Just a minute, like the pause in Iceman Cometh (I think? Not sure how long that was. I think the Ferryman had a 2 or 3 minute second intermission).  I know they're building the intensity but it reached a point where I wanted to just stretch for a second so I could fully appreciate Act 3. Also, no late seating/reseating. So if you have to use the restroom, definitely go during the intermission.

Show started at 8:05, intermission ended at 9:15, show ended at 11pm. Didn't see any merch.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 10:26am

^^Thanks for your report. Very much looking forward to seeing this next month; Metcalf as Martha sold me.

That second part sounds like a long haul. I think they should add a pause too; The Ferryman had a five-minute pause between the second and third acts. I don't know why Scott Rudin hates America's bladders; I always feel like I have to dehydrate myself to see one of his productions. (I take medication that can act as a diuretic, so it's a worry for me when we start talking about an hour and a half or more without the possibility of a potty break--gets the mental stress going.)

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:02pm

Desperate to hear more for those there last night.  I'm wondering if the production is in good shape now for a visit next week or would waiting for it to tighten and getting tickets closer to opening be a better option?

[AlanB3]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:28pm

Unless it is a full-on intermission between the second and third acts, it isn't going to be a bathroom break for anyone as you'd never get back to your seat in time. But a break long enough to stretch would be nice no doubt.

[tgc07]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:33pm

Compared to some first previews I've seen, this one is fairly polished. I would say that Act 3 drags a little though that could just be a combination of me being cramped and a little tired. I didn't fully connect with the intensity of the ending. Not sure how much things would change through previews. The one thing that I'd hope would change would be the intermission thing but I don't know that they would. 

[Ravenclaw]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 3:29pm

I imagine the one intermission decision was purely Rudin's so he wouldn't have to pay the crew overtime. It's a shame because it not only will it make for a long second half, but each act has a clearly defined arc that I imagine will suffer if acts two and three are pushed together. I remember reading an interview with Pam MacKinnon and Albee around the time of the last revival where they said that the two intermissions still operate in real time--in their understanding of the play, those intermissions are two fifteen-minute stretches when none of the four characters are in the living room. 

Any reports on the rest of the cast? I think we all imagined Laurie Metcalf would be spectacular, but it really is an ensemble piece. It's crazy to think that the last revival just seven years ago marked the Broadway acting debuts of Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon, both of whom are now on the verge of celebrity status.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 6:34pm

In the last revival of "A Delicate Balance" the curtain went down and then right back up between the second and third act. It confused the hell out of people who started running when the curtain started going down and then were ushered back to their seats. 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 8:26pm

Thanks to those who have posted about the cut intermission. This play is long as hell and this is not okay. I’m getting so sick of productions doing this over and over. It’s almost as if they don’t want the opportunity to sell more of their $38.00 cocktails. Anyway, they just lost a customer. Thanks for saving me from another pee-mergency.

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 9:42pm

Trying to go into this show as blind as possible but wanting to know if this play is super violent, scary, or gory just so I can prepare myself.