#1
Posted: 8/4/15 at 10:39am
Anyone on here going? I'm super excited that Sherie Rene Scott has written a new show, and I hope it gets the praise that everyone expects it too!
WHORL INSIDE A LOOP Starts Tonight at Second Stage
#2
Posted: 8/4/15 at 10:58am
I'll be there and will report back!
#3
Posted: 8/4/15 at 11:15am
I would see Sherie do anything. Can't wait!
#4
Posted: 8/5/15 at 10:42am
I caught this last night and while I has mostly positive things to say about it, I do feel that the show is undone by the last ten minutes. Much like a film that has a bad twist ending, it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
That being said, the rest of the show is mostly excellent. The cast is very, very strong. The premise is that an Broadway actress (Sherie in the show, starring in Conquistadors! The Musical! A nod to WOTV?) has been assigned to do community service in a maximum security prison. (“I was hoping for a medium to medium rare security prison, she says” ).
The warden has assigned her to a group of prisoners to work with them to have them tell their own stories in their own words. Sherie “directs” them using the other prisoners as props and characters. The stories are quite powerful and many of them are very moving. The cast of the six inmates are quite excellent. Derrick Baskin has a powerful monologue, as does Ryan Quinn. This all reminded me of the drama class in Orange in the New Black, but is very effective.
Sherie is very funny (lots of her humor from Everyday Rapture is here), but the main story is definitely the inmates. One thing I have not mentioned is that the other part of the conceit here is that the inmates play other characters in Sherie’s life, her husband, friends, etc. These scenes are very funny and quite entertaining.
The set is very bare, (I’d never seen the back wall of the second stage theater before!) with just a wooden platform in the center, folding chairs a chalkboard and lights.
Overall I really did like it, but I’ll be curious to see if the twist divides people.
Updated On: 8/5/15 at 10:42 AM
#5
Posted: 8/5/15 at 11:02am
The twist, in the moment, made me feel like I was watching an amateur production of a high school drama ensemble. However, on the walk home in thinking about it, my mind changed. The twist was the POINT! It was brilliant. I just wish it was executed better (directing, and perhaps the dialogue).
Loved the show. Go see.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#6
Posted: 8/5/15 at 6:34pm
I'm glad to hear people (well the two of you) are enjoying it! I really want to see this but won't be in the city until late October. Is there any room for an extension? Also, does anyone think this show might have bigger aspirations (open-ended off-broadway or broadway comes to mind)?
#7
Posted: 8/5/15 at 11:23pm
It's a small play with no big names, so I'd imagine this is it. An extension, totally. But I can't imagine it would transfer to Broadway. If it were a musical, possible. But I can't remember the last time a 2nd stage play went to Bway.
#8
Posted: 8/5/15 at 11:48pm
The Little Dog Laughed...
#9
Posted: 8/6/15 at 7:47am
Hate to be that guy, but can anyone who's seen it provide a running time? Trying to make plans around seeing the show this weekend.
#10
Posted: 8/6/15 at 8:11am
It ran about 110 no intermission yesterday.
#11
Posted: 8/15/15 at 11:25am
Saw the show last night and LOVED it. All of the actors were phenomenal and portrayed a variety of characters very effectively. You were never unclear as to who they were at the time. It's pretty much the polar opposite of the sh!tty acting of INFORMED CONSENT with a similar concept.
I think the main issue with stories like this is that someone (myself included) might walk in thinking it's a very heavy/overly serious piece but it's not at all. There was so much humor throughout that you never felt weighed down by the fact that these people were in prison and all of the hardships they faced. That isn't to discount the emotional aspect is lost because it's also very powerful.
I honestly had no problem with the "twist" and didn't think it made the piece. It just added another layer of depth. Highly recommend this especially since most things playing Off-Broadway currently are terrible.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah
#12
Posted: 8/15/15 at 6:34pm
The whole thing felt very phony and one-sided to me. The guy on the downtown D train this afternoon at 167th St reading his poetry about Hurt and Pain felt way more “real” than everyone up on that stage. This was an extended skit dragged out to almost 2 hours of pure boredom. Couldn’t they have done anything at all with the set (talk about a cheap barebones set; worst they’ve ever had at Second Stage!) And the dialogue was all from the point of view from the maximum security inmates. Also - perhaps they could have had the victims of their crimes speak out too. Instead of just hearing them run their mouths for almost 2 nonstop hours. In addition, they couldn’t even afford a real handheld metal detector? They had to have the inmates make childish sound effects? What a total phony waste of time this show was.
#13
Posted: 8/15/15 at 7:04pm
I haven't seen the show, but sounds like the metal detector noises are kind of in line with the design/direction. It sounds like it's a bare bones, brechtian type thing.
#14
Posted: 8/15/15 at 7:34pm
Doubtful of an extension as Invisible Thread (formerly Witness Uganda) starts late October.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#15
Posted: 8/16/15 at 12:35am
"The twist, in the moment, made me feel like I was watching an amateur production of a high school drama ensemble. However, on the walk home in thinking about it, my mind changed. The twist was the POINT! It was brilliant. I just wish it was executed better (directing, and perhaps the dialogue)."
Tonight was my second time seeing the show. I really enjoyed it both times, more so the second time. The first time I was busy being upset at Sherie's character and feeling like she stuck out awkwardly in the play, unnecessary even though she held the show together. The "twist" fell flat to me because I wasn't in the right place to appreciate it.
The second time I went in determined to pay attention to Walter's pamphlet for the parole board which I couldn't really fully digest the first time, sandwiched in between the other scenes. It made me better appreciate the title and that connection between Sunnyside and Sherie's character throughout the show. Being better prepared and yes, a little removed, I was also better able to appreciate Sherie's character's scenes outside of the prison and to see the twist at work throughout the play. It was a less viscerally emotional experience but a richer one in terms of understanding.
"Couldn’t they have done anything at all with the set (talk about a cheap barebones set; worst they’ve ever had at Second Stage!) [...] In addition, they couldn’t even afford a real handheld metal detector? They had to have the inmates make childish sound effects? What a total phony waste of time this show was."
That's all explained by the "twist." The way the actors play so many parts and the way they use the prison uniforms in particular is one of my favorite parts of the production.
Updated On: 8/16/15 at 12:35 AM
#16
Posted: 8/17/15 at 12:12pm
I saw this last night and loved it but I think I need to see it again. I agree with posters above, the last ten minutes felt muddled and confusing to me and I must admit I got a little confused. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, what was this big "twist" you guys are talking about? I can't tell if I just saw it coming a mile away or if I actually totally missed something.
#17
Posted: 8/17/15 at 12:30pm
Saw this on Saturday... I'd give it a 5 out of 10. Good acting (it's nice to see actors who know their lines after witnessing Taye Diggs do exactly the opposite in Hedwig) but what a disappointing twist. Sherie is a talent but should focus said talent on a Broadway show. I'm tired of these mediocre passion projects.
"See that poster on the wall? Rocky Marciano." - Andy Karl as Rocky in 'ROCKY'
#18
Posted: 8/17/15 at 12:37pm
Saw this last night and thought the sum was greater than it's parts. Overall I enjoyed it, and thought the acting was very strong. I didn't mind the "twist" but I also don't think it was so surprising either.
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
#19
Posted: 8/17/15 at 12:46pm
By now, you'd think people would stop putting tonight in thread titles. 
#20
Posted: 8/17/15 at 1:18pm
*** SPOILERS ABOUT THE ENDING ***
What was so genius about the ending to me is that it turned the discomfort I was feeling about watching the very serious stories of six black men in prison through the lens of a privileged white character on its head. Between Amazing Grace and the Stonewall movie, there has been a lot of talk this summer about white people hijacking stories about people of color.
The twist showed how the prisoners didn't know anything real about her just like she didn't know anything real about them. It became their story. I thought it was really powerful.
While the Second Stage subscriber base isn't as old as the one at MTC or Roundabout, I wonder if their audience will get it. The audience I saw the show with wasn't really feeling it.
Updated On: 8/17/15 at 01:18 PM
#21
Posted: 8/17/15 at 3:24pm
SPOILERS
"At the risk of sounding like an idiot, what was this big "twist" you guys are talking about? I can't tell if I just saw it coming a mile away or if I actually totally missed something."
What Vespertine said. It's what you sense all along, that the prisoners are telling their own story, but you can't be entirely sure because small casts often recycle actors and even the use of the prison uniforms could just be a stylistic choice. Even though you start with Walter/Sunnyside it largely seems to be the story of Sherie's character. And at the end you learn that after her betrayal, the prisoners still put on their play but incorporate her into it, inventing parts of her life and all the interactions she had inside and outside of the prison that they couldn't have known about.
It puts into question much of the play. They would have shaken hands with her. Does she actually have a WIAL or close to one? Was she actually guilty of the crime that she was volunteering to clear herself of or was it something they invented since Dep. King never told them about it? Is she really that similar to Walter or did they build those parallels to explain the amoral, manipulative thing that she had done? How much of it was real?
Speaking of, I'd be interested if someone could find an article on what this play was based on because I've heard that some part of it is rooted in truth.
Updated On: 8/17/15 at 03:24 PM
#22
Posted: 8/17/15 at 3:29pm
I saw it and liked it.
#23
Posted: 8/17/15 at 3:31pm
The show was clearly based on/inspired by Sherie's life. Similar to Everyday Rapture, however, it's hard to know what's the truth and what's "the truth, just better." I can't help but wonder if the character "Eileen" from the parties is based on a certain two-time Tony winner who starred with her in Women on the Verge.
Spoilers:
So is the Sherie character supposed to have been played by a man the whole time? Still working this play out in my head.
#24
Posted: 8/17/15 at 3:37pm
"So is the Sherie character supposed to have been played by a man the whole time? Still working this play out in my head."
Yes, I think so. It does feel off because it means that one guy who was part of the group never got to tell his own story. Of course, that would have spoiled the moment. I was also really unsure about the guy on the sidelines. Sometimes he seemed to be operating the lights/soundboard and sometimes he was just hanging out.
#25
Posted: 8/17/15 at 3:39pm
More spoilers- And was the betrayal that she was in there doing community service and wasn't volunteering or that she had created the website for the play she was writing and was already taking the steps to produce it outside of the prison?
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