Saw it tonight. I thought it was fantastic! I actually wasn't that familiar with the play, but was thrilled by both the story and the production (though Lorna's shoes drove me nuts the entire time). I thought it was a beautifully-directed, well-acted, engaging piece. Seth Numrich is brilliant as Joe...and you could hear the entire audience gasp at certain moments in the third act. I Three hours flew by, which means something is being done right. Overall, another win for Bart Sher and LCT!
Holy Crap. Bartlett has done it again. One of the best directors working today by miles and miles. Whatever LCT is paying him it isn't enough. Just when I was down in the dumps about theater and the prospects of a three hour drama seemed unlikely to lift my spirits, Golden Boy rejuvenated me. I can't put my feelings for Bartlett any better than Cyd Charisse did, and the sentiment seems so appropriate this evening...
Seth Numrich (the lead from War Horse) plays Joe so completely and so brilliantly, and this is the SECOND PREVIEW. It's a monster of a part and he's stunning.
Tony Shalhoub is also working wonders up there. His accent is impeccable and the physicality he brings to the role- you can see the whole character by the shuffle of his step and the slight slump of his shoulders. A performance of details that are sent up to the balcony.
Yvonne Strahovski is making her Broadway debut as Lorna (that's not daunting!) and she's fantastic too. Her two scenes with Joe on the park bench are very strong and she looks great in Catherine Zuber's dresses.
Then you've got Danny Mastrogiorgio, Anthony Crivello, Michael Aronov and Danny Burstein turning out terrific performances of their own. I mean what's with this cast? Don't they need previews like normal people to work on their performances?
The floor of the stage has been set with a series of subway grates (5x6) that are lit from below. Four large wooden decks move on and off the stage, dressed with different furniture for the various locations, but it's all very minimal. The lighting design is effective and award worthy.
Right now this show is flying under the radar, but I think word of mouth will be very strong. Thanks to everyone involved for such a great night.
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! Thank you teacake and whizzer, et al. I just knew from the way it was cast, etc., that this would be the one to behold this fall... Thanks for confirming my suspicions. This is a production that moiself would gladly pay current Broadway prices to see.
I can't wait for my next night off. I'm so going to see this. Been a fan of Seth's for awhile now, and glad to see he's finally stepping into the spotlight.
Great evening of theatre. Really, really great. Great writing with wonderful characterizations, and very well acted and directed. Lorna's shoes bothered me too - looking like black orthopedic oxfords - but I think, being previews, that her "real" shoes just aren't ready yet(I hope). Besides the shoes, I only have a couple of quibbles, which I'm sure will also be fixed, and they are both set related. The flat with Moody's office door needs to be better secured. Every time it was used (frequently) it wobbled around. The other thing was a drop at the back of the locker room set. It was supposed to be windows and looked very effective until someone would enter or exit (frequently) right next to it and it flopped around. Like I said, all quibbles that I'm sure will be addressed. The performances were so good, that I really cannot imagine them getting better in the preview process, but they probably will.
This is the production I am most excited for this fall. The comments are making me even more excited. Can't wait to go next weekend.
iluvtheatertrash--Most LCT shows have rush; there is also the LincTix program, which makes $30 tickets available in advance to anyone under 35. You just have to register with the LCT website.
I'm also seeing it next weekend and am excited, especially after reading the positive comments on here. I got my ticket through LincTix (and it's a great seat, too). What's the running time?
I haven't seen this production but judging from the praise here for Bart Sher, I can't help but wonder why he wasn't up to the demands of directing new material in WOMEN ON THE VERGE. Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed Sher's work very much, but WOMEN had great things going for it and needed a director who could shape it into something really grand. That didn't happen.
Why couldn't Hal Prince make Merrily We Roll Along work? Or Michael Bennett Ballroom? Or Nicholas Hytner Sweet Smell of Success? Or Michael Blakemore The Life?
Sh*t happens sometimes with great directors. That's all.
I was there last night and it's a beautiful production with an amazing cast. The transitions between scenes need work (they make a three hour play feel even longer). And there were a few pacing issues, but it's in really good shape. I already have tickets for January to see how it develops throughout the run.
Yes, Bartlett did have a misstep with Women on the Verge, but really it wasn't completely his fault. I don't think the material was ready for Broadway. That show desperately needed an out of town try-out or an off-Broadway production before sending it to the Belasco. Too much work needed to be done and no director/creative team was going to be able to accomplish it in the time allotted.
As the OBCR proves the score is remarkably strong, and you could make something out of the show. I'd love to hear what Bartlett has to say about the experience and how he felt about the "finished" product that opened on Broadway.
Look at the rest of his Broadway resume though: Piazza, South Pacific, Awake and Sing and Joe Turner's. Directing noms for all four, and don't forget about Blood and Gifts or his work at the Met. He is a current master of his craft, and Women of the Verge will go down as a fascinating flop rather than a forgotten one.
I agree. I mean, sure, it was a flop. But it's not like it was Scandalous. I saw Women on the Verge twice. It was a fascinating mess of a show. And I liked what he brought to the show. I just think the Belasco was way too small for it, and the design was too heavy.
And there is always student rush or Lincoln Center. Just go to the box office and ask. I"m sure it'll be in the balcony unless you do a Linc Tix thing.
Just got back... oh, it is wonderful. So moving, powerful, and well-acted. But Bartlett Sher is the quiet star here. His direction is genius, and impeccable.
Tony Shaloub is magnificent in his specificity. Seth Numrich's rise and fall are heart-breaking to watch.
I imagine that this will be a ferocious, tour-de-force once opening arrives.
The play itself feels dated at times, but if you can look past that it is an incredible evening of theatre.
SPOILER: Sher adds a signature touch in Lorna and Joe's final scene as the back wall rises into the air and we are drenched in a stark whiteness as we wait for the news of Joe's death... The doom is palpable.
I love Sher--and I haven't seen this production yet, so I can't really judge--but that sounds exactly like what he did near the end of AWAKE AND SING and JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE. Is that his signature move that he needs to work into everything?
It's a little bit different here, but yes, it is becoming a sort of signature. It's not quite as drastic as it was in AWAKE AND SING! as this is only the upstage wall (which does return). But the moment is striking.
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Posted: 11/10/12 at 01:24am