Broadway Banter Anew, November 2015
 

Time for a new thread with a good reason: Finally got to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I'll add another glowing review! It matched, if not surpassed, our expectations. The new lead actor is incredible.

Two bits of advice:

1. Read the book advance. Rather than spoiling your experience by revealing what happens, my wife and I found that reading the book in advance actually enhances the experience--first, because it helps to better understand what's happening, and second, after you read the book, you are really eager to see how the creators of the show have actually created the images and words in the book.

2. Get tickets in the front mezzanine. That area definitely offers the best viewing of the shows visuals.

We were also greatly impressed (saw it in Sept just before the leads changed). I agree too that higher up is better, we were in balcony and it was very good viewing. I am glad that we did not read the book, it was much better for the ending.

"2. Get tickets in the front mezzanine. That area definitely offers the best viewing of the shows visuals."

Yes, although those are most often my favorite seats for most shows, they are especially good for Curious Incident. There is a lot "happening" on the stage floor, especially with projections and the "train", that I can't imagine full appreciation of from the orchestra.

But since Howard has started this, let me say Dames at Sea is great fun. It's a "spoof" of 1930's musicals, and while very "small" with a total cast of only 6, it is outstanding for voices, comedy, and a perfect cast with tons of amazing tap dancing. Of course, if that sort of thing doesn't "grab" you, and you don't appreciate a guy running into a girl and immediately saying "I want to spend my life with you" then stay away. Yes, it's silly! That's the point of what it's making fun of.

Patrick, I totally agree with your comments both about the mezzanine in general and the mezzanine for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. There's no question in my mind that the mezzanine is a far superior location to the orchestra for viewing this show.

Has anyone seen Gin Game or Charles III?

Several friends have seen Charles III and gave it very high marks.

DebitNM, let me assure that having read the book in advance and knowing how the story ended in no way detracted from our enjoyment of the production. In fact, as I wrote, it made us eager how they actually would recreate all aspects of the story on stage.

As always, YMMV, Howard :)

I'll see Charles III next Wednesday (the 18th) and will report then. Everyone seems to rave -- and it did win best new play (Olivier) in London.

DebitNM, forgive my lack of whatever, but what does YMMV mean?

NeoPatrick - I'll be very interested to hear your take on Charles III. Predictably I seem to lean towards the London transfers.
We just re-watched Jewell in the Crown in which Tim Piggot-Smith was so compelling.

Howard, I was curious too, but the main YMMV in the urban dictionary I checked means "your mileage may vary". I'm trying hard to make that somehow apply to your theatre comments. At least it's better than "You make me vomit" which was the only other one I found. LOL

Patrick, I think I've found the answer. Keeping the words "Your mileage may vary" in mind, YMMV can simply mean "Opinions may vary." And, thus, her reaction to my comments makes sense!

Loved King Charles III, Something Rotten, this year's big apple circus and an off broadway thing Imbible.

Finally got to see Cinderella on the National Tour. It's no longer on Broadway but I highly recommend catching the show if it comes near you. Wanted to see the dress transformation but enjoyed ALL of this tweaking of the original R&H show. Two thumbs up.

A few things I saw over the past week. A pretty diverse range…

A View From the Bridge (Broadway) – a unique, stylized, intense interpretation. I wasn’t engaged emotionally but the performances and the directorial choices kept me interested.

Off Broadway:
Shear Madness – After long runs everywhere else, it’s finally in NY. I was very pleasantly surprised – it’s really funny; the cast does a great job with improv & audience participation.

Hell’s Belles – a smart, sharp, very funny little Off-Broadway musical. 3 actresses doing quick changes, playing lots of different parts. Very clever lyrics.

Dada Woof Papa Hot - I thought it was OK. The aspects involving the gay parenting dynamics were more interesting than the plot lines involving infidelities.

spring212, I saw Dada Woof Papa Hot yesterday. I really liked it, but probably admittedly because only recently we've developed a lot of friendship with gay couples who are parenting. I found the play fascinating -- particularly the infidelity aspects, simply because they were based on the pressures of the parenting part of the gay relationships -- not the usual issues. Although for the life of me I'm still trying to figure out the significance of the straight couple where the husband is found to be gay.

And I loved the ending >>>SPOILER ALERT<<< where the guy finds that all the time he was worried about his daughter not loving him the same as her other father, when in reality it was always her wanting to be loved by him.

We saw A View From the Bridge in preview last night, I think it opens today. Spring212's description is spot on <stylized, intense interpretation>.

We very much enjoyed it and I would recommend it highly, I think perhaps I found it more emotionally engaging than Spring. The production choices do a good job of highlighting the universal qualities of the play which helps give it a timeless feel. The performances were excellent and it was great to see Mark Strong on the stage. We had first row stage seats which I recommend, the actors were only a few feet away which heightened the theatricality.

I think the stage seating for A View from the Bridge would make a difference in connecting to the show. Closer is better. Much of the stage is taken up by the audience seating so a view from the mezz wasn’t so great.

Neopatrick – I also liked the end of Dada Woof. That story line and those characters were very engaging. And thanks for your earlier comments about Dames at Sea. I am planning to see it.

Rear Mezzanine for Hamilton OK?

Richard Rodgers theatre

I just saw Hamilton the musical on oct 17, I was gob smacked . Orchestra seats , three rows back center. I am listening to,the soundtrack almost everyday.

This is a game changer, Lin Miranda Manual, Jonathan Groff, Daveed Diggs ....the cast is brilliant .

The music outstanding, it lives up to all of the hype.
Go see it , wherever your seat is, I'm trying to see it again ...not having much luck.

I also saw Finding Neverland with Matthew Morrison and Terrance Mann
I loved it! I,think it is under appreciated , I thoroughly enjoyed it, and might see it ago an this spring with Kelsey Grammar as hook

In also interested in seeing Tuck Everlasting when it opens.

Dec 8 off the see Charles the lll

I bought the Rear Mezz tix. Woo hoo!

Saw King Charles III yesterday matinee. Brilliant! It's like the best Shakespeare play that Shakespeare never wrote. Same rhythm as it's all in blank verse, but with modern language. Acting and directing are simply superb. Had a seat center of second row mezzanine (there are only 11 rows in the total mezzanine/balcony).

Clearly my favorite play of the current season.

NeoPatrick -Good to see your review. I'm really looking forward to seeing Charles III. I've got seats for Monday evening. I had planned to head down to the box office to try for the daily rush seats -apparently in the front row and not too difficult to get. But then it came up on TDF, so I'm really pleased. Hopefully the seats will be ok.

I mentioned some of the theatre we've see on another thread, but it may be worth repeating here.

We've also been to a couple off Off Off Broadway shows, Neighborhood 3 ( at the Flea) and Abyss (at Theatre Lab). Both were well acted but of the two I preferred Abyss which was well composed and directed. It's a play from German about a missing girl set against the background of immigrant who lived through the war in the former Yugoslavia. The review in the Times was spot on. I really enjoy going to these smaller shows too, there's something about seeing the production and the actors up close. At Abyss there were probably less than 60 people in the audience.

We also saw Old Times with Clive Owen et al. last week and I was glad to have seen it, but then again I like Pinter. I understand why many people would be disappointed, it is after all a very short play for the money and Pinter can be rather absurdist. I would imagine that it takes a big star, a short run and a large subscription base to fill this sort of play on Broadway. We went on the spur of the moment having won the online ticket lottery and at $19:65 per ticket (stalls) it was a bargain. I might have felt quite differently if I'd paid a lot and looked forward to this for months.

Looking at Broadway this season there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of drama on offer once you remove the British actors and the productions imported from London. Is this always the case or is it getting more this way, or am I entirely incorrect in the supposition? It may strike me this way in particular because I have no interest in Mamet and limited interest in Shepard. I don't know a great deal about it - but I presume it is a matter of the economics of Broadway (a safer financial bet to bring something well reviewed in London) and/or perhaps the diminishing audience for drama? I'm always happy to see London transfers in NY but I'm just curious what others think?

I realize it's completely different scene for musicals (which often go from NY to the UK) or for drama Off Broadway.

Hmm. Hadn't thought about dramas being limited. And it's pretty standard that the dramas don't usually play that long. I mean currently there is Misery (which it sounds like it is just that!), King Charles III, Gin Game, China Doll, A View From the Bridge, Thérèse Raquin, in addition to Fool for Love, Old Times, and still playing Curious Incident.

I really enjoyed Fool for Love, but then I kind of like Shepard -- and love both Nina Arianda and Sam Rockwell.

Coming up -- The Crucible, Long Day's Journey, Blackbird, Eclipsed, and The Father.

Yes, as usual quite a few revivals or London transfers.

Now that I think of it, I don't think dramas are any more sparse this year than normal -- of course, there are more of them off-Broadway.

Regarding the front row for King Charles III, in addition to looking up at the stage, nearly the entire play takes place on top of a three tiered platform, so I suspect down front you'd really be looking way up.

Glad for your review Patrick
Seeing Charles the lll very soon