I saw the third preview and really liked it. (It's been in previews since April 30). The monologues are intertwined and the three actors do not interact directly with one another, but all three are onstage for the duration of the piece and the monologues switch back and forth among the three actors. The set is a single long bench that does not move, but the actors do not stay on the bench the entire show; they move around quite a bit, stand, sit, walk around. Even though the set doesn't change, there are some very nice lighting effects that suggest different locations and time of day.
Because the three characters do not know each other, it is quite fascinating to try and figure out how, if at all, they relate to one another, both thematically and in terms of plot.
I thought Norton, Gallagher and d'Arcy James were terrific; Gallagher did seem to me to struggle just a tad with the accent at the very start, but in short time he settled in nicely, and as I said I saw it very early in previews so I would imagine he is fine now that it is several weeks into the run. All three actors have terrific stage presence and manner, which is necessary in a play structured like this.
I was never bored. I don't think it's the greatest play ever written, but I do like McPherson's style of language and storytelling quite a lot, and I also really like all three of these actors. The stories are actually quite poignant. I really enjoyed myself.
The show was about 90 minutes without intermission when I saw it.
If I'm not mistaken, it opens in a couple days, so reviews should be out soon.
"This is wanting something, this is reaching for it,
This is wishing that a moment would arrive.
This is taking chances, this is almost touching, what the beauty is." --The Light in the Piazza
