I saw the concert under the whale of this and thought it was interminable. But please don't let your opinions on this musical affect your decision whether or not to read the book. Melville's great prose poem is one of the greatest things ever written, though much of it is thoroughly undramatic.
I've read the script, and I have to say it's a minor work from the author. Clearly it wants to be very spooky and ephemeral, but Hnath's modern Greek tragedy style doesn't mesh well with the story. That being said, it's as well-plotted as any play and definitely has a complete dramatic arc. Will be interesting to see if it comes off in performance.
AllThatJazz2 said: "Synecdoche2 said: "Gee, I wonder why it might have made a goodplay. (Glares in Rostand)"
If that comment was directed at my post, I'm well aware of the origin of the play. What Imeant was that turning Cyrano into a musical for this particular productionwas unnecessary - if anything, it hampers the material."
I was glaring at the authors, who are trying the 10th? 11th? failed Cyrano musical.
GilmoreGirlO2 said: "I haven’t read “Moby Dick”, but I got the sense (which was confirmed by the person I went with, who has read it) that Malloy’s score truly evokes the feel of the story and captures the moments perfectly."
Having read the book, I can tell you that this is definitely not true.
I think it's worth actually reading the change.org text, which focuses mostly on what the petition writer views as queer black men being disrespectful to black women. This is what the petition itself reads:
This past Saturday I attended Slave Play for the 8pm showing. I wanted to verbalize that this was one of the most disrespectful displays of anti-Black sentiment disguised as art that I have ever seen. As a Black woman I was terribly offended and traumatized by the graph
Was there tonight and I thought it was terrific. The spoken dialogue needs some work, but the chamber opera part of it is excellent with dazzlingly complex and haunting music and an equivocally powerful story. Lee Sunday Evans did terrific work, particularly with the visual aesthetic.
Christian theming in musical theatre is really making quite the comeback.
Best Versions of Chekhov? May 10
2019, 06:38:22 PM
Paul Schmidt’s translations are generally considered to be the academic standard. Personally, I also enjoy Annie Baker’s Uncle Vanya and Tom Stoppard’s Cherry Orchard, but there are many playable and readable versions of all five (and a half) of his plays.
If you’re new to Chekhov, look for one of the approx. 5000 adaptations of The Seagull as it is easily his most accessible, though the very best thing is to see a Chekhov production first.
To offer a contrary opinion for those interested in this production, I thought it was rather terrific and I found the play to be a bit of an under-appreciated masterwork. It's brutal and very poetic (read: not at all naturalistic) but it's also sweepingly epic and very affecting (and this is coming from someone who is not generally a Shepard fan).
Learning from Lear and Three Tall Women it is patently obvious to me that while Jackson is a good dramatic actor, she really has a knack for comedy. That being said, I think The Visit would be terrific for her.
