The Real Thing Previews

[bfreak]

Posted: 10/1/14 at 11:14pm

Previews start tomorrow! Who's going? Post your thoughts on the show here!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 10/1/14 at 11:40pm

I will be there Saturday afternoon.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 10/1/14 at 11:43pm

I will be there! I am very excited for this one.

[WesternSky2]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:47am

I'll be there Saturday! I'm not sure there are words to describe my excitement for this.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:53am

"Real Thing! Take one, two, three..."

[Mr. Musical]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:54am

I'm going tonight! Really excited!

[Mr. Musical]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:29pm

The show just got out. I really enjoyed it and think that the actors are doing a great job. They really have a grasp on Stoppard's language. Once they settle into the beats a little bit more, this will really be a fantastic night of theatre.

The physical production leaves a lot to be desired and I wasn't a fan of the design, which looked like it was done very cheaply.

That said, overall it's a good show, not fantastic, but worth the price of admission for the performances. Ewan McGregor really was astounding.

[The Glenbuck Laird]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:49pm

astounding?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 10:59pm

I was there tonight too and thought it was pretty good, with a great performance from McGregor; his monologue about the cricket bat was the highlight of the evening for me.

I agree that everyone needs to settle in their roles a little bit. I think part of this comes from the accents that the Americans have to adopt. They slipped in and out of them a bit and I think there were times they were concentrating so much on the accents that the rhythm of the dialogue was off. This stuff will obviously work itself out over the preview period.

The other warning would be not to rush too much when first introducing the Brodie plotline. It can go by quickly and he's so important to the story although he isn't on stage until the final scene.

I really do like the play and even if it isn't (yet) a thrilling production it's still a welcome edition to the season.

[greatwhiteway72]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 11:30pm

How were some of other the individual performances? How about the three younger actors?

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 11:31pm

I was there as well and really enjoyed it. This was my first exposure to The Real Thing and I think I absolutely must read it now since I am certain I missed things.

Each actor is turning in fine performances. McGregor certainly walks away with the meatiest part and he certainly milks it for all its worth. He has a certain magnetism about him yet also an underlying vulnerability that makes his portrayal of Henry incredibly authentic. It was also a real treat to see Cynthia Nixon as Charlotte, who steals every scene she is in with such wit and timing.

I do think Maggie Gyllenhaal needs a bit of time to settle into her role, as she seemed to struggle with her accent a bit and had a certain awkwardness about her delivery. That said, she's on the cusp of being on par with McGregor, which is certainly no easy feat. The play is tightly written and truly zips by in the careful hands of this talented cast. I'm not sure if the playing of music is as central to the original production or script, but opening each act with live music was a nice treat and enhanced the music motif.

I actually quite liked the set. Sure, it is Roundabout so you cannot except something big budget, but I thought it was perfect for the play. The lifting piece in the back that became the train windows was a nice touch as well.

This is a refreshingly smart play and it's well serviced by the cast and direction. I truly cannot think of any real complaints and it is shockingly top form for a first preview. I certainly recommend it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 11:35pm

I have to say, after the set and lighting design for Machinal, anything is possible with Roundabout!

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 10/2/14 at 11:58pm

Would someone mind giving a plot summary (including spoilers)? That's the only way I'll be able to follow a Stoppard play :)

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 12:37am

The play has two really rotten people as its protagonists, and so it's hard to care about either one of them. They don't really deserve a happy ending, but they certainly deserve one another. What the audience definitely doesn't deserve is either one of them, nor this icy, narcissistic, self-indulgent, and quite dull play.

Actually, the best thing about the evening are the songs. It would be better for the audience just to play the music of the 60's and junk the play itself.

Ewan McGregor was smooth and charming.

[musicman_bwayfan]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 12:50am

What was the running time?

Did anyone stage door?

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 1:35am

I was on the sidewalk at 10:20.

And I did not.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 8:05am

OK, After Eight, I'll bite. I understand not being a fan of the play (which I didn't like at all in its original production and loved in the last revival) What exactly makes Henry and Annie "really rotten people?" (two people I didn't care about at all in the original and cared a great deal about in the revival, but even in the first it would never occur to me that anyone might think of them as "really rotten").

Are you some kind of Puritan? And if so, how could you possibly ever like any play. Oh, wait, you hardly ever do.

[KBeckNJ]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 2:11pm

Saw the show last night. Ewan McGregor was the only one ready for a true performance. The rest seemed to still be in dress rehearsal mode. It will get better as they warm-up to actually performing in the theater.

That said, of the "young" performers asked about, Ronan Raftery as Billy was the best of the three. Madeline Weinstein was fine and will grow into the part. But I thought Alex Breaux didn't work at all. I was in the first row and I could hardly understand his garbled speech - Brodie is not supposed to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but I've always understood what he said before.

Glad I saw it, but It will be interesting to see how it firms up over the next few weeks.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/3/14 at 11:53pm

Saw Indian Ink last week and this tonight

Liked Ink much better. No idea what was going on with Real.Critics may call this cerebral .My wife and I found it boring. Just reading the synopsis on line was a struggle.Had they put an explanation in the Playbill it would have helped. None of the actors really hit me in the gut with their performance

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 3:22pm

Wow, Roxy, glad you enjoyed INDIAN INK. We saw it last Sunday and were left in the dark for so much of that show, I don't even think a Playbill synopsis would have helped. Couldn't even piece together the simplest things like did Rosemary Harris' scenes take place in England or India?

As for REAL THING, we had flown home before this revival started performances. I have such deeply fond memories of the original 1984 production (and less fond memories of the revival 10 years ago). Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons were so precise and intelligent in their delivery that I knew exactly what motivated them every step of the way, and felt a deep connection to both their stories by the end of the play. I'm saddened to hear this current production leaves you so at sea.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 3:38pm

Wow. Just goes to show theater is a Rorschach. To me Irons and Close were unreal things while Dillane and Ehle were charming flesh and blood people I easily fell in love with.... for real.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 3:39pm

Irons & Close would definitely have helped last night.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 3:50pm

Henrik-- I'm embarrassed to admit that part of my love for the '84 production is due to the elegant turntable sets of Tony Walton, and Tharon Musser's lighting that made moving from scene to scene into a magician's trick -- how could the full-stage sets switch so effortlessly? Love the set=love the show.

Conversely the revival in 2000 had such an UN-inspiring physical production that however wonderful the leads may have been, my heart wasn't in it. Hate the set= have a much harder time giving the show the benefit of the doubt. I know it's shallow of me, but the set designer in me won't be ignored.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 3:53pm

The set last night might have contributed to the confusion. It was not a stellar one.

[ads08]

Posted: 10/4/14 at 4:02pm

I went last night and left disappointed. Full disclosure - I have never read the play and have not seen any previous productions of this play. I found it difficult to follow and so incredibly dull. The only highlight of the show is seeing Cynthia Nixon and Ewan McGregor - they stole the scenes they were in

I also think the set design was lacking. It made the transitions in an already difficult to follow show even more difficult to understand.