I’m so curious to see how this will be received. I could imagine wildly divergent opinions. I saw it last Friday and loved it. I didn’t know the play at all going in. It’s a slow burn, very talky, and runs on familiar Miller themes, but I found it enthralling, surprisingly – and honestly – funny, and I was very weepy at the climax. (So, very like my sex life. Jaykay? Eee.) The direction was pitch-perfect and all four actors were exquisite. I couldn’t single out a favorite performance. My show partner, who isn’t typically as critical as I am but whose tastes sometimes run counter to mine, felt it was slow in spots and that the denouement dragged out. I disagreed. It had me from start to finish, and I left saying the same thing I always say at the end of a satisfying Miller production -- God damn, that man could write.
CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES
I imagine the reviews will be good. The goal is not to review a play, it's to review the production and this production is pretty excellent all around. The play is not top tier Miller, but that's not for us to decide in 2017, really. Just my opinion.
neonlightsxo said: "I imagine the reviews will be good. The goal is not to review a play, it's to review the production and this production is pretty excellent all around. The play is not top tier Miller, but that's not for us to decide in 2017, really. Just my opinion"
I completely agree. While I found the play to be boring and a little incohesive in parts, I thought the performances, for the most part, were top notch.
I saw the show yesterday and I think it's an excellent production of a very good Miller play. This doesn't have the vitality of Ivo van Hove's Miller revivals from last season, but it's well directed and very well performed.
Danny DeVito steals the first act of the show and I would applaud a Tony nomination and even win for him in Featured Actor. It doesn't seem like a terribly hard role for him, but he brings a lot of depth to Solomon that really sneaks up on the audience unexpectedly. The other standout to me is Tony Shalhoub, who never disappoints on stage. He treads the ambiguity of Walter's intentions really well and lands his big monologues beautifully (the one a bit before his exit received hearty applause yesterday). Mark Ruffalo plays well off of both DeVito and Shalhoub and anchors the show, but I struggled to understand a lot of what he was saying, despite him being miked. I also think he stands tall on Jessica Hecht's shoulders; she think she truly helps Ruffalo keep him performance at the same pitch as the other actors.
I could see all three men nominated at the Tonys, which would be well deserved, but I would hate to see Hecht left out. She cruelly missed out on nominations for The Assembled Parties a few years ago and Fiddler last season, so I feel she's unfairly destined to sit this year out, too.
^ I did! Entered the Today Tix lottery at the last minute and ended up snagging a ticket. It was a wonderful performance and show, despite some cell phones ringing and vibrating throughout. They also didn't do anything during the curtain call to show it was the final performance.