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Post by dlevi on Dec 12, 2016 9:00:11 GMT
I saw it on Friday evening and was thrilled by it. Sir Matthew is back in top form after a few years of artistically treading water, he has come up with a full evening narrative ballet that is satisfying on every level.
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404 posts
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Post by dlevi on Jun 10, 2016 22:19:33 GMT
I saw the original production in the West End and thought it was one of the worst things I'd ever seen. When it was produced off-Broadway a few years ago I avoided it . Nothing could induce me to see it again. The this year I was given a ticket to the Broadway revival and having nothing else to do that evening I went. And it was RIVETING! Brilliant performances and direction. A thrilling production that is not to be missed. Fun? No. But amazing.
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Post by dlevi on May 29, 2016 7:40:28 GMT
I love Laura Benanti. I think her frustration has more to do with the subscription audience who go to the Roundabout Theatre than anything else. Much like attending anything at The Manhattan Theatre Club, these audience subscribe year after year after year to see 5 or 6 shows and there are usually only one or two they really want to see. So most of the time she's playing to an audience of people who are only there because they already have tickets, not because they specifically want to see that show. So she's up agianst and audience that basically wants the show over before it begins. And also, she's great in She Loves Me. Great. And I think she knows when she's great and when she's not so great, so if you know you're doing a great job and the audience doesn't get it, it's gotta be frustrating.
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Post by dlevi on May 29, 2016 7:31:51 GMT
I saw it last week and thought it was pretty terrific. A little heavy on the atmospheric fog in the first act, but acted with a ferocious intensity. Very worthwhile and I have a feeling this won't be the last we'll see of this play.
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Post by dlevi on Apr 3, 2016 4:09:29 GMT
The production and the direction are fine (some bad choices here and there), but I think a lot of credit needs to be given to Trevor Nunn's direction, because Glenn is basically duplicating what she did in LA and Broadway under his direction. All of her choices, her diction, even the movements, gestures and her personal staging is more or less identical to the Nunn version. I actually disagree with you in terms of her performance. I saw her three or four times way back when and was always struck by how "busy" it was; what I saw on Thursday at the Dress reehearsal was veey simple, with no clutter. It's that thing that happens with older actors - Judi Dench, Tom Courtneay, etc. where they don't so much "perform" as "behave".
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Apr 2, 2016 8:26:06 GMT
Post by dlevi on Apr 2, 2016 8:26:06 GMT
I was there last night as well ( for the first half anyway) - a spectacular set to be sure, but performances that, while committed, couldn't lift the play out of its dramatic stupor. The woman to my right was fast asleep and while her husband was enjoying it, at the interval she said: I'll wait for you in the bar until after the show. When I got on the tube to head home I noticed three people ( not together ) with their programmes -we'd all walked out. The playwright is clearly talented and I'm sure he has something to say but this was over indulgent claptrap.
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404 posts
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Post by dlevi on Apr 1, 2016 14:58:33 GMT
I was there last night as well and it was pretty terrific. Her voice is tentative at times ( it always has been) but in the range where she is comfortable the lady delivers big time. The set such as it is, is clever - especially the grand staircase. Mr Xavier is easy onthe yes and ears, if his perofrmance isn't as gruff as it could be, it's a small price to pay. I had a great time. Wish I could afford to see it again.
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Post by dlevi on Feb 21, 2016 7:08:54 GMT
I go to WhatsOnstage for most of my info . Most of their reviewers are pretty good at evaluating what they've seen and I like the range of ages of their critics.
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404 posts
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Post by dlevi on Feb 19, 2016 1:09:27 GMT
I'm surprised that ths show seems to have so many fans. I thought that while it was slickly produced , it was absolutely awful. The best songs were by Huey Lewis and the book scenes were endless and witless. I'm surprised that its being done in the states as the only reason it did well here in its short Almieda run was the presense of Matt Smith and the relatively small capacity of the theatre.
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