first preview reports (unfairly?) trash "Festen"

I was startled to read three intelligently written reports at That Other Board that basically trash "Festen." The London reviews are to a reviewer, raves, full of lavish praise for the script and its theatrical execution. And the tone of those reviews in the UK suggest a legitimately high toned, artistic evening. Yet these early reports indicate the evening is borderline camp (and not just because of Ms. Mc G.) The same director, same play, same designers -- is this a quirk that bespeaks acid tongues over at the other board, or do we see early glimmers of a misguided show in trouble at the starting gate? I can't wait to see it now, having read altogether polar opposite responses.

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Updated On: 3/24/06 at 11:47 AM

I'm going this weekend, and certainly hope the crepehanging is more than premature. Sisto and Hayden (and certainly the much respected Brygman) are actors with taste -- and career options --and it's hard to fathom them jumping on board a piece that didn't read well.

But, revisiting a classic board theme/debate ... perhaps this thread has another benefit: we should all beware very early verdicts that portray evenings in black/white terms. I appreciated Margo's tone in the THREE PENNY report. I'm hoping other FESTEN viewers report here as the show does gel and becomes a (more?) persuasive reprentation of the text. To pan a show based on a first preview is unfairly brutal, indeed needlessly cruel.

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I'm seeing it soon, after previews I believe, and I will report back. I have faith that the show will be good.

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Is anyone here old enough to remember the brouhaha that columnist Dorothy Kilgallen created when she put negative items about the musical SKYSCAPER in her column while it was still in previews? She "mysteriously" died shortly afterwards.

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Seeing it next Saturday night. We shall see.....

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I saw it tonight, too. I was certainly interested, but there *are* some problems. No complaints with the actor's performances, but the "American-ness" of the cast definitely sits a little uncomfortably, to the point of getting in the way, I think.

It was very difficult to hear much of the time, too. I was in the second row, and still had trouble at times. There was quite a bit of grumbling about the sound that I overheard during intermission, and at one point late in act two, an audience member actually called out "we can't hear you" in frustration during Larry Bryggman's climactic speech.

This is one that I would be inclined to see again after previews.

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Updated On: 3/24/06 at 11:55 PM

I saw it last night, too. When the guy yelled out "we can't hear you," I wanted to turn around and say "you're not missing anything." Veryown, you're appalled at the audience member who couldn't hear? I'm appalled at this crap they put on the stage. It is an atrocious production. It is one of the 5 worst things I have ever seen on the New York stage. Ali McGraw is particularly awful; she exhibits junior high school caliber acting at best.

Iflit, we were in the row C, so maybe we were sitting right behind you (!!) and I agree that it was difficult to hear even from there. I can't imagine what people in the balcony heard. I don't blame the guy for shouting out -- at least it woke some people up.

The technical difficulties with the set notwithstanding, the problems of miscasting and the overall tone of the production are beyond saving. I'm glad so many of you are optimistic (without having had to shell out $96 per seat for this) but I'm afraid this mess should close before it opens. It's simply dreadful.

No he was RUDE...I had the pleasure of sitting directly in front of the man. DIRECTLY in front of him. He commented loudly on EVERY THING. My favorite was when the fairly skinny, but curvey, girl asked "Am I too skinny?" and he loudly and sarcastically said, "Ha...too skinny?" Then proceeded to loudly crumple his program through the rest of the show (maybe thats why he couldn't hear...he was doing it very loudly). He then commented on everything "the computer generated set" got a slight chuckle from me.

I have to say, I was in the balcony, one row in front of him and I could hear okay...not great, but fine. They need to project more, but I only found myself straining to what was being said once. But, hey 2nd preview...

I also enjoyed at the top of act two when the man came into the empty room and said "Hello?" and half the audience replied in unison. Weird audience.

The play needs a lot of tightening, and I think it could get there. Hard to judge from this preview. I was hoping it would be a bit more "shocking" and the secret would be more interested...but, hey what can you do? :)

SOME SPOILERS HERE>>>>>>

LOL. I didn't know the shouter was an ass throughout. It was weird when the second act opened and people responded. A couple across the aisle from me not only said "hello" back but the guy continued "yes, we're still here." I think it speaks to the overall antsiness of the audience. The play just didn't engage me for the reason Parker gave: the "secret" just isn't that interesting. When Christian reveals it, I believed it immediately. I just couldn't suspend disbelief enough to think that this family would deny the obvious. So, when that letter was read and Elsa kinda breaks down (well, in that Ali MacGraw kinda way), I was yawning, and questioned "what was written in that letter from the dead girl to convince the family of something they rejected when her twin brother said it hours before??" To be honest, I thought maybe it was about the fact that they condemn father-daughter molestation but overlooked father-son...

Perhaps in the hands of a better cast, it would have been more "dramatic."

MacGraw's speech at the table -- with that wooden face -- was HORRIBLY delivered. Maybe she's spent too long on her yoga videos and not enough time keeping her up her acting chops.

And, Jeremy Sisto's abusive underwear-clad behavior came right from Six Feet Under. Why was he denied entry to the party at the top of the play, and then the issue of him not being welcome never raised again? Just plain stupid and not very interesting. And, all that running around was insane staging.

I definitely agree with Flit about the child actor. Frankly, I think it verges on abuse to subject any kid to this play.

In the Times theater listing, the producers elected to include a phrase from Time Out regarding the play: "Hilarious & Heartbreaking." Hilarious????! Really???

For me, there is just too much wrong with this production to be corrected by opening night. It needs to do a Farrah Fawcett and close before opening.

Updated On: 3/25/06 at 11:22 AM

My appetite is even more whetted. I'm going tomorrow afternoon.

I find the sound issues very odd for the relatively cozy confines of the Music Box. But don't pity the folks upstairs; theater seats in the mezz are accoustically the best, as the sound travels in that arc. And today, everything is miked. I noticed it at RABBIT HOLE and MR. SLOANE. The unamplified voice sounds naked and thin now, no?

Hearing about the man who shouted at Brygman, I'm reminded of seeing AND MISS REARSON DRINKS A LITTLE 30 years ago, when a women yelled at Estelle Parsons to speak up. "Miss Parsons! We can't hear HALF of what you're saying!" I was dumbfounded, but Estelle said "thank you very much!" and continued.

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No. Go and see what YOU think of it. I didn't hate it.

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I saw todays matinee and was pleasantly suprised. The entire show has to be understood carefully in order to understad it. I thought that the entire cast was brilliant in their own way. THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD SAY IS DEFINITLEY WORTH WHILE.

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Okaaaaaay. We either saw different plays, or there's some serious shilling going on... Just because some of us didn't like the show, and I for one resented spending nearly $100 per seat for it, doesn't mean our opinions are "trash." And thanks for the condescending explanation of the differences between musicals and plays. I always wondered about that.

Auggie, what did you think? (Good point about overamplification making unmiked voices sound thin. Maybe that was the issue here.)

Updated On: 3/26/06 at 10:17 AM