The Anarchist First Preview.

[Knowitall]

It doesn't stink. It is a play that needs to be given time to get tight during previews. I enjoyed it

[Jordan Catalano]

Of course you enjoyed it. You work for the show.

[jv92]

I'm sort of dreading this now, and would much rather see the new Durang play earlier than my scheduled date in December since I hear it's excellent, but it IS LuPone.

[egghumor]

...and so it IS every time she has a bowel movement.

Wow, where you guys during THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD???

[Playbilly]

I was going to go after Thanksgiving. Now, doubt...

Guess there's always Scandalous for a hoot.

[oasisjeff]

It's pretty optimistic that you'll be seeing Scandalous very far into the future...

As for Anarchist, there's nothing there to tighten. Is Mamet going to get it down to a tight 55 minutes? I saw it tonight, and there's just nothing much there.

Was there a standing ovation? Sure. People love Patti and Debra. Do they love them in this, though? Not, really.

[oasisjeff]

"There was a steady stream of walkouts starting about 30 minutes in..."

Jordan, you make it sound like they left early... they stayed for half the show!

[givesmevoice]

perfectlymarvelous and I saw the show last night and spent quite a bit of time discussing it afterwards. I think we were both left wanting, although do think that there is potential in the show. To my mind, a lot will improve just by LuPone and Winger settling into Mamet's words and the world of the show. There's not enough tension between them right now, but I attributed that to it being only the third preview.

The show doesn't need to be edited, but it needs a little more bulk and bite. Right now it touches on religious conversation (and how true or false that might be), the justice system and sexuality, but doesn't seem to be a strong critique on any of them. If Mamet wanted my opinion, I would say to go for a critique on the "truths" of religious conversion, since I think there's enough already there to just build a little more. But right now the play is slight and (in perfectlymarvelous' words) neutered. Not just because there's only one f-bomb, but because there's just no bite. Plus I want to hear a little more about the leader of her cause, or even her relationships with her accomplice and women in jail. And for those complaining about her crime not being clear, unless they added it for last night's performance, it's pretty clearly stated by Ann what it was that Cathy (and Althea) had done. Not all of the specifics were mentioned, but we know why she's in jail.

LuPone, as has been said, seems further along in her character development than Winger. I think too much of Winger's performance was shaped around her character's comment on restraint. LuPone definitely has the showier of the two roles, but there needs to be more push from Winger to elevate some of the words. LuPone is great (although I'm biased), although last night I was wondering if maybe there were choices she should've made (seduce, being thrown around in the play a few times, was one verb that occurred to me). And those two women are wearing some of the ugliest shoes I've ever seen.

I don't think the show is as terrible as other posters here do. I've never seen a show this early in previews, so I might be chalking up some of the problems unfairly to that, but I am hopeful that work will be done during their preview period. We were sitting in the rear mezzanine, and although I obviously couldn't see people in the orchestra, I didn't see any walk-outs in the mezz (and there were a lot of people there last night).

Overall I'm disappointed, since I've been waiting a year for this play. I'm interested in hearing about how the show evolves (or doesn't) from now until opening night, and hope I'll be able to see it after it opens.

[Dollypop]

Yes, I saw THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD. In fact I saw it three times. It was a miserable play, but it was LuPone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[egghumor]

Wow, dollypop, how many times do you plan on sitting through THE ANARCHIST?

[showchoirguy]

Another question: Has anyone gone to the box office and asked for or tried rush?

[Dollypop]

Well, I saw the LuPone GYPSY 12 times. Let's see how long THE ANTICHRIST runs.

Patti LuPone is the sun, the moon and the stars!

[showchoirguy]

Dollypop, at the moment it runs until February.

[Dollypop]

Long Live God!

[showchoirguy]

I know, I miss Godspell as well.

[Dollypop]

I have a feeling that THE ANTICHRIST is going to be every bit as good as GODSPELL.

[Rainbowhigh23]

"And can someone please give these poor women better shoes? Thanks."
An Open Letter to David Mamet

[vegas2]

Weeping . . .

I paid good money to get great seats for this in December.

Maybe it will close before then, and I'll get a refund.

[Dollypop]

Maybe the actresses will be wearing better shoes.

[Bettyboy72]

I saw it tonight and I liked it. I was in the front row with the people who rushed and got tix at TKTS. I found it compelling. I liked how it built to the end. It's quick and authentic. LuPone is ready to go and Winger is getting better but still cutting her teeth. I enjoyed it. LuPone, Winger and Mamet all signed. Only Mamet would take photos.

[givesmevoice]

Never mind, I see that Broadway for Broke People has the rush policy on their website.

[macnyc]

I saw this yesterday at the matinee and sat in TDF seats in the rear mezzanine. The fact that I had bad seats may be coloring my impressions a bit. First off, I think this play should be presented in a smaller theater. The tone of it demands intimacy, and that is lacking in a large venue, especially for those of us unfortunate enough to be seated far away. Maybe if I could have seen the actresses' faces more clearly, that would have helped. I agree with other posters that LuPone's portrayal is more developed than Winger's, who seems stiff. There were some line flubs on the part of both, but they recovered very well. As far as the play goes, it is a drama about ideas in the abstract, at least until the very end when something does finally happen, and I have to concentrate very hard on this type of thing to get any meaning out of it. For all my effort, I felt I didn't get enough of a payoff. For those seeking a relaxing and enjoyable night out at the theater, look elsewhere.

[ryankon]

I had a similar reaction: wrong venue, disappointing performance from Winger, abstract for the sake of being abstract. Ultimately a fraudulent experience. I recognize that it's in previews so I suspect Winger will get stronger but I don't think the play is a full meal and it's certainly not being served well in a Broadway house. A huge disappointment.

[Bettyboy72]

I agree the venue is wrong. It should be one where everyone feels like they are in the room with the women. I liked the dialogue.

[Jordan Catalano]

Even though his play is RIDONKULOUSLY awful, it should be at the empty Circle in the Square.

[followspot]

I got completely caught up in it. Go figure. Winger seemed to me to have been directed to be something of a blank, a wall — in character, and not unusual for Mamet, although not necessarily the best way to make your Broadway debut. Definitely would work better in a more intimate venue. Very disappointed in the crap rear mezzanine seats the box office gave TDF purchasers, since the mid-mezzanine was empty. Luckily the Royal mezz ushers are so inept that anyone with any moxie moved down to wherever they wanted. Theatre interior looks like a Shriners hall now instead of a school auditorium, which I guess is an improvement. Would definitely revisit this one later in its run.