Broadway Banter Anew, November 2015
Nov 19th, 2015, 07:09 AM
#22
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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.
Clearly my favorite play of the current season.
Nov 19th, 2015, 08:26 AM
#23
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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.
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.
Nov 19th, 2015, 08:59 AM
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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.
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.
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