Danny Burstein and Sarah Paulson in TALLEY'S FOLLY

[Auggie27]

Who else thinks this is lovely and inspired casting? The play is a beauty, overdue for revival, and Burstein in particular seems just about perfect.

[Leadingplayer]

I'm kind of sick of Sarah Paulson.

[EricMontreal22]

I haven't found any reviews on here of this yet--has anyone seen it? (Yes, I did do a search, but the search function on this site often seems to miss things.) I'm a big Wilson fan, though I can see a small show like this without any really big names could easily slip through the cracks.

[BwayLover]

I saw it and thought it was lovely, sweet and realistically romantic. Both actors gave wonderful, touching performances. It's well worth a visit!

[EricMontreal22]

Good to hear! I kinda wish they had done one of the other plays in the Talley trilogy instead, simply because Folly seems to be Wilson's safest major play--and one of his few plays that shows up a lot, at least regionally, but regardless, that's great to hear.

[BwayGeek2]

Saw it very early in previews and also thought both Sarah and Danny were great - Danny especially. The play itself is a bit slow-moving but I'd say it's worth it for the two of them. Gorgeous set and lighting, too!

[Pammylicious]

That's strange...there was a three page thread of preview reports that in not showing up on the search. i bumped it.

[AndersonTours]

I just saw this tonight.
Brilliant. Wonderful. Funny.
One of the best, most romantic nights in the theater in a long time.
My partner and I just loved it. Found ourselves holding hands at the end, sobbing.
The play itself is a tad dated sometimes, I couldn't help feeling that. But the acting of Burstein & Paulson is just exquisite. Small scale and intimate. Real.
Pitch perfect and beautiful.

[chrisampm2]

AndersonTours,
I'm glad you liked the play. What about the play made you feel it's sometimes dated?

[AndersonTours]

I don't want it to sound like I didn't like it, because, in fact, I loved it.
I think it had to do with a few slow moving sections. My mind wandered a bit here and there in the early parts. That's when it felt creaky. But, I want to say it was only for a moment here or there. Perhaps the director hasn't found the right pacing or something. Maybe it had to do with the set, which is a little odd and looked more like a forgotten backyard than a boathouse. Forced the actors to face away from us a lot. But eventually the set disappeared altogether and all I could watch were the two magnificent performances, which I cannot say enough about.
Overall, I really loved it. A play where true love triumphs! It was really wonderful. And, as I said, the two actors are truly doing beautiful, inspired work.

Are you involved with the show?

[chrisampm2]

Thanks for the details. And forgive my harping, but... Don't new plays often have a few slow-moving sections? It just seems when a play is revived and some of it takes its time, people often say that it's dated instead of just that it seems a little slow sometimes.

[dtzumbrunnen]

I agree with AndersonTours - Saw it last night and while the performances from Paulson and Burstein were lovely - there were several times when I just found my mind wandering away from what was going on.

Then they'd do something funny or dramatic and I'd dive back in, but there were several moments where it all just slipped away from me.

Danny's fast-forward bit at the beginning was especially funny last night, as he called out someone's ringing cell phone (Turn that off!), and was able to fit it in perfectly in his sped-up version. That's not standard, right? Or was I just One Man, Two Guvnors-ed?

[macnyc]

No, that's part of the play. He starts all over again "for the latecomers" and goes at warp speed.

I enjoyed the show, but I was up in the cheap seats, and I think I would have liked it better closer up. The play is of course very talky, with little to no real action, only one set (although a beautiful one), so I think I'm just a creature of the 21st century who has lost my ability to concentrate!

This show could actually serve as a pleasant test for ADD: if you find your mind wandering, you have it!

[CurtainPullDowner]

I thought Danny and Sarah were giving a masterclass in Acting and especially Acting with each other. This piece needs that and they are giving intricate, lovely performances.
The "dated" ideas to me seem to be of the time the play is set and the cultural differences. Which, of course, still exist, but the play hammers them a bit. And Sally's "big secret" seems less of an issue than in that day. But Paulson pulls it off beautifully and gives the ending much pathos.

I thought the set was a bit busy, and could have been less detailed for a more romantic atmosphere.

But I would certainly reccommend it to anyone.

[dtzumbrunnen]

@Mac - I got that the fast forward bit, catching up the latecomers was a part of the play - but when I saw it a cell phone went off during his first go at it, and he said "Turn that off!" Then he kept it in during the fast forward. Thought that was pretty impressive!

Glad this confirms that I have ADD. Can I get some drugs?

[AndersonTours]

That's what I wanted to say, CurtainPullDowner, I thought it was a Master Class in Acting from two smart, brilliant, respected actors. They're not "famous" famous, just really good actors doing their thing. That's what was so refreshing in a way. They were just going back to the basics. Acting in a "real" way. Congrats to their director who guided them in such a lovely way. Or was smart enough to get out of their way. Or whatever.