Macbeth at Park Avenue Armory

[BroadwayDreamer89]

Thanks so much for the feedback! We're going to rush the Sunday manatee. Any stage door reports yet?

[Adair Haywind]

How long is the show?

[Play Esq.]

It's announced as a two hour show...but it feels much longer. No intermission.

[WOSQ]

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[ClydeBarrow]

WOSQ, who is the message directed toward? You do realize that isn't a PM so it's not really being kept under anyone's hat.

[WOSQ]

[forgetmenotnyc]

Some really neat things happening here but also some "not so neat." Depending on where you are seating you are directed to various rooms of the Armories multifloored Park Ave. end (named after various Clans) & after being given one of the most rich programs ever, everyone is then led room/group/clan by clan to the main door into the Drill Hall where with a ring of a big bell & a formal announcement of your clan - the doors swing open to one awe-inspiring dramatic entrance! Hooded silent druids carrying torches lead you into near-darkness down paved paths that cross a barren heath, steering you past mossy rocks, tufted grasses & standing pools of water to seats in the bleachers flanking two sides of a traverse stage.

Unfortunately that was the best part for me. By the end of the evening the whole enterprise had lost all it's magic & I went home disappointed that the story itself didn't capture me.

Honestly, I'm just grateful that I saw the Jack O'Brien Lincoln Center revival with Ethan Hawke last season, otherwise I wouldn't have had the perspective of the power potential of the story. Here I just didn't get drawn into following or feeling Macbeths tragedy.

Maybe I was sitting too far away? For me, the only individual performance that seemed better that the one I had seen last season was Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth. 3 quarters of the way through I was wondering where Macbeth was? I didn't remember how much scene work without him takes over. By the time he made it back he never got me back into his plight.

Sorry to say the best part of the show for me was back where we came in & whenever the staging utilized that relatively empty third of the drill hall not used for scenework I found myself longingly valuing the space & perspective that seemed to possess all the magic.

[musicman_bwayfan]

Any stage door reports and where it is?

Did they make any merchandise for this production?

Thanks!

[BroadwayDreamer89]

I agree with forgetmenotnyc in that the buildup and entrance into the theater is beyond fantastic. That first view of the main stage was worth it enough for me. We did the rush, so our seats were the very back row. They weren't too high up where you couldn't make out faces and I consider them excellent seats for only $19.

I Also agree that Alex Kingston was the absolute highlight. She kept me so intrigued and I wanted to listen to everything she was saying. Her absence in the second half was strongly felt and the energy fell a little for me.

As for the stage door, we did try to stage door but had no idea where to go. We asked a worker and she quickly said there is no stage door and they don't come out to greet. We ended up waiting by the front doors because a small group of people were gathering there. Supporting cast and crew were coming out but no one showed any interest. After a good while a lady came out and said all cast has left the building. So no Kenneth or Alex

No merchandise, but the programs are wonderful and you get a clan specific rubber bracelet which is a nice touch.

As for the rush line... Going to copy and paste what I put in the rush specific thread in case anyone missed it...

"My friend and I did the rush for yesterday's (Sunday) matinee. We got to the theater at 6:45am and there were already 16 people in line. By 9am, the line was wrapped around the block. I'm not sure how many tickets were given out, but I can confirm at least 20. I felt so bad for the people arriving at 8am only to find a line of at least 30-40 people."