NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Previews

[haterobics]

muscle23ftl said: "On the plus side, I got a (real) dumpling (yes, a dumpling...not a pierogi...the cast member called it that too. do they usually give pierogies? i saw it mentioned in the playbill) which was delicious "

It was a pierogi Off-Broadway. The role was recast for the transfer.

[Roscoe]

Well, yeah, it is a period piece -- it's set in a very specific time and place, with references to Napoleon and the social obligations about marriage and the way women are expected to behave.  It also upsets the expectations of typical period drama by adding deliberate anachronism like neon sneakers and Pierre's reference to spending hours at his screen in order to draw parallels between that period in history and this period in history.  It's a fairly common practice, not exactly new, Shakespeare has a character in JULIUS CAESAR refer to clocks that didn't exist in ancient Rome, and let's not forget that other show a block away where the Founding Fathers quote Oscar Hammerstein, talk about "bringing the thunder" and engage in hiphop rhyming battles.

[wonderfulwizard11]

That's true- I guess I meant that it's pretty clear from the beginning that the show is going to be anachronistic. If The Duel (with the light-up sneakers) is the first time you notice it, then I'm not sure what show you'd been watching up til that point. 

[AnnTheatre]

I thought it was really bad.  Vulgar interpretation of a classical timeless book.   Making circus out of “War and Peace”.
PIERRE playing harmonica.  Anatoly almost has sex with Natasha. The girls were never left without chaperone at that time. Hélène Kuragina calls herself  “a slut"”. Marya Dmitriyevna character is more like “madam” from  whorehouse then aristocracy.
Leo Tolstoy   will turn in his grave many times  if he knew about this  interpretation.
One of the worst show I have ever  seen. Got TDF ticket- mez raw C to the right for $47.  Money lost.

[brdwybuff]

Wow! I just got back from this show and what an extradinary experience! I am still in awe. It was amazing to say the least. Everyone should be experience it for the set design alone.

[AnnTheatre]

muscle23ftl said: "Hairspray0901 said: "Saw this yesterday (Thanks, Broadwayweek). Walked up to the theatre and found several pieces of paper taped all around [the front doors, the inside doors, the box office window and the understudy board] all saying Josh Groban would be out. Not a huge fan of his, neither is my friend (we both know his work, though, and know he has a beautiful voice), we were there for the show so saw it anyway. 

We both left rather upset we wasted our money on this production. Not even Groban could have saved it. The first act was so incredibly boring (aside from the prologue, which I loved), I found myself nodding off. On the bus ride in, my friend and I were talking about how we've never left a show at intermission before. When the house lights came up we looked at each other and said "so....remember that conversation we had earlier today?" as we contemplated staying for the 2nd act. We stayed. To my surprise (not so much my friends) the 2nd act was much better. The story finally picked up and the numbers were much better. This is where I ended up missing Groban, though, as Pierre had several solos; I saw Scott Stangland whom I thought acted the part wonderfully but his singing fell flat. 

What was that whole strobe light number in the first act?  Maybe I'm missing something but I found the direction in the first act to be all over the place. On the plus side, I got a (real) dumpling (yes, a dumpling...not a pierogi...the cast member called it that too. do they usually give pierogies? i saw it mentioned in the playbill) which was delicious and a (fake) egg! lol. All in all, I will not be recommending this show to anyone. 

 

I had the same exact experience...a waste of $59 and my time. This was absolutely dreadful and not a cohesive production overall. It's a mess! It's supposed to be a period piece and then suddenly there are people dancing on stage and wearing neon sneakers? Ugh. I can't. I left at intermission. A true mess, no depth. Pure garbage.

I couldn't agree more .  This show  does not belong to Broadway. Bad circus,chaos,tasteless. Has nothing to do with  classical book  based on Tolstoy. I lost money and time too.

 

 

[dramamama611]

Well, yes, actually it does have a great deal to do with War & Peace.  In fact, a recent 4-part mini series, concentrated largely on the same section.

But to say it doesn't belong to [sic] Broadway, is silly. It's ok you didn't care for it, but your personal tastes aren't the judgement barometer.

 

[Andy51]

"I couldn't agree more  . . . Has nothing to do with  classical book  based on Tolstoy. I lost money and time too."

You clearly haven't read the book.  The narrative in the musical adheres very closely to the section of the book it is based on, and much of the dialogue and lyrics are taken directly from Tolstoy's text.

 

 

 

[3GamesToLove]

My wife and I got our tickets to see this in early August. It's my first show on Broadway--we're stopping for a day in NYC on the way to our honeymoon in Montreal.

Any guesses on if there will be cast changes by then, aside from Groban/Oak, obviously? I know it'll still be well within a year of opening, but the fact that so many of the cast have been with the show going back to '12/13 has me wondering if there will be an exodus in the summer.