Centralparkgirl, I have it on good authority that UES is north of 23rd Street! :D

Here's a link to get a discount on tickets for it. I used this site for "Chicago" and got $119 seats for $77.
http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/a_t...c_tickets.aspx

So here it is only 28 hours since andrew8's posting and a friend calls me with dirt cheap tix for Aug 25th (one week into previews). Didn't I say I was addicted? I will report back.

OK, we're counting on you for the first Fodorite review.

Looking forward to your report CP. Please let me know how the leg room is at the theater.
My father in law had trouble with the leg room at Lincoln Center when he saw South Pacific.

andrew8, funny you mention that. I've said that before too about the Vivian Beaumont. The problem there is that while it has great sightlines and the rows are stepped (stadium like seating), because of that, there is no way to slide your feet under the seat in front of you. I nearly died of leg cramps in Light in the Piazza, and was thrilled when the two French women next to us left at intermission, so I could actually sit sideways. The Hirschfeld is much better -- not a lot of knee room, but at least your feet can go under the seat in front of you.

Thank you Patrick, that's great information.

Great, CPG. I look forward to your review. Enjoy the show.

Interestingly, we sat in the balcony (or whatever it's called) at the Vivian Beaumont for South Pacific, and I didn't experience any "leg crowding" and I am long-limbed.

But Howard, I'll take that one step further. If I'm not mistaken you were in that discussion before after Light in the Piazza and were surprised by my talking about the leg cramping then, and I thought you mentioned then that it didn't bother you at all. Lee is the same height I am and it doesn't bother him either, but I think some of us are more affected by that being unable to stretch out our legs than others. I suspect andrew's father and I are two of a kind on that score.

Looking forward to your review as well...although we already have tickets for Labor Day....

Well, I'm heading out to meet my friend for dinner, but I'm not too happy. Our seats are in the nosebleed section and I wanted to see the beginning of the Dem. Convention. I didn't plan this well. If Act I is the 'worst of times,' maybe I'll only stay for 'A Tale of One City.'

More later.

I've been following discussions of Tale of Two Cities on a Broadway board. If you leave at intermission, you will not be the first one to do so. Yet some are raving about the show. Hard to get a consensus, so I'll be curious what you think.

So, instead of the wagon they have a tumbril, and instead of the barricades, they have a...ewuu, gillotine?!

That's something Patrick that you've heard of people leaving at intermission.

First, let me say that I am very critical about theater, books, restaurants, etc. I am not one that uses the G word (great) often. Maybe I'm just picky, but I want you to get my opinion in context. I liked the show - not great, but quite good and engaging. It's definitely a Les Miz wannabe and I think it will appeal to a wide audience - just about everyone could see it except young children.

The story, as we all know, is compelling. The music is big, but most lyrics were still clearly understood. It seems ensemble, but James Barbour is the star. He should start dreaming about a Tony. He plays Sidney Carton beautifully as a dark, brooding man (I don't remember Ronald Coleman playing it that way, but I haven't seen the film in ages); he has a wonderful voice and is perfect for this role. His sarcastic moments are not over played. He played Mr. Rochester in 'Jane Eyre' when last on B'way which I don't recall as being memorable (the play). Some of the staging is quite good.

What didn't I love? Act I is too long and it's quite an effort to fit the whole plot of the novel into the play. Some of it was rushed along just to get it in. Madame Defarge, imo, was too attractive, healthy, young, etc. to be convincing in that part. After such hardship, she should have looked like she barely survived. Some brief moments of levity between minor characters were lame, but much of the audience reacted like they were sitting through a full blown comedy (I never understand that).

The only shows this season that I think are worth full price are 'Gypsy' and 'South Pacific.' This show is not, imo, worth $125, but discount tickets are still available. Buy them now before the show opens. You will be entertained!

andrew8, get tix for your father-in law.

Question: why does everyone have a British/American accent when most of the characters are supposed to be French? Remember when actors could do flawless accents? Or look at 'Boeing Boeing' currently.

Thanks for the review CPG.

"Question: why does everyone have a British/American accent when most of the characters are supposed to be French?"

Although they deny being a "Les Miz" copy, maybe they saw they do that in Les Miz and decided to do the same! :D

I meant is it hard to find actors who can do an authentic accent? We were recently in the Berkshires and saw some good regional theater. It was a late Noel Coward piece and some of the cast was supposed to be foreign born. All the accents were wrong or missing. I thought the women in 'Boeing Boeing' nailed it.

And you're right about 'Les Miz.' There was one scene in 'Tale' that so reminded me of 'Master of the House' - not the lyrics, but the tone and accent.

Well the general rule of thumb is that if a play is taking place in a country that would normally speak a different language from the one the play is being performed in, then no accents are used. In this case or in the case of Les Miz, all those French accents would actually start being annoying -- and they really don't make sense anyway since the characters would be speaking French, not English with a French accent. But why it is determined that instead they should be spoken with a British accent is very unclear to me.

CPK, there is a lot of talk about a graveyard number in Act I. Someone just posted that they saw the show again tonight and it has been cut -- supposedly just today. There had been a lot of buzz about how it should be cut, so I guess it has been. Was thee a graveyard number when you saw it last night?
Apparently they are stil making some other cuts as well, and tonight the show ran 2 hours 35 minutes including a 16 minute intermission. Act I was an hour and 25 minutes still, though.