WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Preview Thread- Page 2

[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.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 9:49pm

InTheBathroom1 said: "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."

LOL, whatever gave you that idea? It is not "super violent, scary, or gory". It's just people screaming at each other for three hours. The only scary thing about it is that they cut one of the intermissions.

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 10:14pm

Thank you Matt! That’s very helpful! All the social media just seems to be hitting hard “a sick play about sick people” and that can mean so many things nowadays.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 10:36pm

For comparison, Mockingbird is running about 2:50-2:55 these days, and only has only one intermission. I did standing room the other week and couldn’t believe I wasn’t on the street until 10:55.

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:37am

going on Monday. Will try to give a detailed account- surprised no one's really chimed in about how this fairs to the Morton/Letts revival...

[PianoMann]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 2:42am

Falsettolands said: "surprised no one's really chimed in about how this fairs to the Morton/Letts revival..."

I am definitely interested in hearing about this, too. It will take a lot to convince me that I need to see another production of Woolf with the memory of the last, brilliant one so fresh in my mind. This certainly has the makings of a good production on paper, and I usually never pass up the chance to see Metcalf, but I can't help but feel like it will pale in comparison... I'm happy to be persuaded otherwise, though!

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 7:54am

VotePeron said: "For comparison, Mockingbird is running about 2:50-2:55 these days, and only has only one intermission. I did standing room the other week and couldn’t believe I wasn’t on the street until 10:55.
"

For Mockingbird, the intermission starts roughly 1 hour 25 minutes after the play starts so the second part is roughly an hour and 10 minutes.

For this production of Woolf, intermission starts 55 minutes after the play starts. This means after intermission you’ll sit through roughly 1 hour and 45 mins of the play (with a 45 second “pause” between acts 2 and 3.) The pause just shows the curtain going down and then going back up. When I saw the play last night, some people stood up to stretch their legs but that’s pretty much it. Definitely no time to go to the restroom or to even leave your row. House lights didn’t come up either.

Intermission was around 20 minutes so I think they can probably have two 10-minute intermissions but I doubt they’d do it. Oddly enough women’s restroom barely had  any line during intermission.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 7:59am

... but how’s the show....

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 9:15am

I saw the second preview last night. It's a stellar revival. When originally announced, I feared Metcalf, who has made a career of playing rather matronly archetypes might not have sufficient blousy sexuality to pull off Martha, but she's terrific. Strident, but also intelligent and extremely sexually confident. Martha's seduction of Nick, in particular, here, actually plays as more believable than it often does. Rupert Everett is a George very much in the Richard Burton mode (and he uses his native English accent for the part) and Russell Tovey and (especially) Patsy Ferran are ideally cast.  Every revival of the play seems to showcase some different aspect of the relationships, and in this revival what stood out for me was George and Martha's intense need to be 'seen' by the other. 

At last night's performance there was indeed only a 30 second pause between Acts 2 and Acts 3. The elimination of the second intermission didn't bother me. I'd frankly rather get out of the theatre at 10:50 than 11:00. 

The design is extremely effective -- SPOILERS

With each new act, one of the major walls of the set is stripped away, leaving the final scene essentially played on an island.

There is a pause between Acts 2-3 of about 30 seconds. The cutting of the second intermission didn't bother me. 

Updated On: 3/5/20 at 09:15 AM

[The Other One]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 9:19am

The Anthony Page revival in 2005 also dispensed with the second intermission.  There might have been a three minute break between Acts Two and Three.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 11:40am

I saw the show last night as well and am still collecting my thoughts, but I loved this production, especially Metcalf, whom we may as well just rename the Best Actress in a Play Tony the "Laurie award" because she is giving a fully lived-in Martha that is bold, low-class, SEXUAL, hilarious, yet vulnerable and is truly mesmerizing to watch.

She is the first Martha I've seen (Turner, Morton, Staunton) that I truly bought the seduction of Nick. She looks great and isn't afraid to use her body. I fully believed Tovey wanted to sleep with her for the fun of it as well as the job perks it would create. They had wonderful chemistry. Heck, I even bought she wanted to sleep with George at points. She also seemed to be enjoying George's taunts and names, genuinely laughing and egging him on at the start. 

The direction is again top-notch from Mantello who really gets to the heart of great actors. They are all giving great performances that feel nuanced and not gimmicky or broad. The night starts out with Metcalf very much in sitcom mode, getting laugh after laugh, performing such great physical comedy, but as the night goes on, more and more gets stripped away dropping both her ability to laugh at things and her desire to to make others laugh. How she treats the heart-break of George's words in act 2 (the "at daddy's party!" speech) was taken to a new place I've never seen it played before. Instead of blind rage and a throaty scream she changes to a shrieking headvoice. Needless to say George's final attack on her left me gobsmacked, I honestly felt like time stood still when she heard and processed the news.

I thought Everett was very good, playing the role a bit more forceful from the beginning that I like, but still a very mannered and funny performance, same with Patsy Ferran. Tovey was my only disappointment, but his American accent always distracts me. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 11:56am

PianoMann said: "Falsettolands said: "surprised no one's really chimed in about how this fairs to the Morton/Letts revival..."

I am definitely interested in hearing about this, too. It will take a lot to convince me that I need to see another production of Woolf with the memory of the last, brilliant one so fresh in my mind. This certainly has the makings of a good production on paper, and I usually never pass up the chance to see Metcalf, but I can't help but feel like it will pale in comparison... I'm happy to be persuaded otherwise, though!"

Imagine if Laurie Metcalf was playing Martha opposite Tracy Letts as George. Then we'd have the parents from Lady Bird reuniting.

 

[PianoMann]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 12:04pm

That would be something, Jeffrey.

I have no doubt Metcalf is brilliant in the role. I'm particularly curious if (and skeptical that) Everett can top Letts' performance. One for the history books, in my mind, truly.

[east side story]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 12:28pm

Sounds like Metcalf is another threat this Tony season. Who would be her main competition? MLP for either of her appearances this season?

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 12:44pm

Laura Linney is also in the mix. And from earlier in the season, we have Eileen Atkins, Marisa Tomei, and Zawe Ashton. The nominating committee could even remember Queen Audra from Frankie & Johnny.

 

But Metcalf in a solid revival of WAoVW sounds like voter catnip.

[east side story]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 12:45pm

Linney isn't winning, so it's either Parker's second or Metcalf's third. 

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:06pm

Sounds like Metcalf has a strong shot of winning, what about Everett? The role of George has already won three Tonys, so we think it could get a fourth?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:10pm

Hot Pants said: "Sounds like Metcalf has a strong shot of winning, what about Everett? The role of George has already won three Tonys, so we think it could get a fourth?"

I kind of doubt it. Everett is doing very good work, but seems less revelatory in the role than Tracey Letts and Bill Irwin did. 

[JVJ93]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:13pm

east side story said: "Linney isn't winning, so it's either Parker's second or Metcalf's third."

Agreed. I think It all kinda hinders on MLP’s performance in HILTD. 

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:17pm

Michael Bennett said: "Hot Pants said: "Sounds like Metcalf has a strong shot of winning, what about Everett? The role of George has already won three Tonys, so we think it could get a fourth?"

I kind of doubt it. Everett is doing very good work, but seems less revelatory in the role than Tracey Letts and Bill Irwin did."

I agree he's far less relevatory and didn't make me realize much more about George or his dynamics in the piece like the others have. He could win though if his category is particularly weak. I'm having trouble thinking of the other potential nominees but I didn't walk out last night truly amazed by anything other than Metcalf's performance. 

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:20pm

I think Patsy Ferran is also pretty darn terrific as Honey. She is ideal for this role.

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 1:20pm

This is the first production of the play I've ever seen and I came knowing nothing about the play. What stood out for me the most was Metcalf's performance. Amazing! I'm a fan of Tovey and enjoyed his performance as well (Metcalf is one lucky gal who gets to dance/kiss/hug Tovey at every performance!) lol

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 2:14pm

Dan Stevens in Hangmen would get my vote for best Actor. So far this season.

[carnzee]

Posted: 3/6/20 at 12:50am

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9U6IQiJbHJ/?igshid=1xagi409cjyb5

Love this rehearsal pic of Metcalf. Surprised Rudin isn't doing his typical rehearsal picture playbill cover this time.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

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

How's the design work? Contemporary or period?