Saw the show today via the TodayTix lottery and loved it. I am a longtime David Byrne fan, but surprisingly my friend had never heard any Talking Heads songs previously, despite having lived through the 1980s! But she loved this show too. Our seats were not together, which surprised me, in Row G and Row H in the center balcony I can’t complain at all about the view, but I think the mezzanine is perfect for this show!
I saw this Saturday at 5pm. Had the very last row of the balcony.
HOLY COW!! Why aren’t more people talking about this show. It’s incredible! One of the best things I’ve seen in a while. It’s so moving, tightly directed and choreographed, and yet is breathes and feels so easy and delightful. What a wonderful 90 minutes in the theater. I will remember this for a very long time to come.
I wouldn’t think so. Most of the show is David center stage performing with the others going in and out. The most prominent are the 2 singers and they’re usually next to him. There’s also a guitarist who gets his moment at the lip of the stage. You only have the full ensemble a couple of times (e.g. the finale/encore). The choreography isn’t exactly Warren Carlyle. I think Row D would be a great seat.
I was inadvertently double-booked for tonight and decided to see this and I'm glad I did.
I've been a Talking Heads/David Byrne fan for 40 years, so I may come at this with bias, but he and the rest of the cast sound incredible and this is a wildly entertaining show.
I'm surprised more people are not talking about this, but seeing the audience tonight, might explain it.
This is the worst behaved audience I have ever seen in a Broadway theater. I'm guessing that many in the audience have never been in a Broadway theater. But,once you accept that this is a concert and not "theater," it's easier to accept the drunk folks, the drugs, the talking, the phones etc.
This is David Byrne's show, but it would be nothing without the uber-talented supporting cast. They sing, they play instruments, they move and they support David Byrne in every way imaginable.
It's a pricey ticket for a misbehaved audience, but if you go, knowing what to expect, the show itself is worth every penny.
Thank you for these comments about the audience ... that really helped me decide if I wanted to pay the time and money to see this. I have never liked Talking Heads/David Byrne’s music very much but I was thinking of giving this a try. But the bad audience comments definitely helped me decide to never worry about seeing this. Thank you!
uncageg said: "I may see it after the holidays. I have always been a fan of his music and this show looks like it is excellent. I really do want to see it."
I think you’ll love it.
And, I don’t mean to imply the audience was mean or unpleasant. They just didn’t act as we expect a Broadway audience should.
We were toward the rear of the orchestra on the aisle and I highly recommend an aisle, if you can manage.
The gentleman mid-row in front of us was really into it and started swinging his arms while “dancing” and nearly clobbered the woman seated next to him. I felt a bit safer on the aisle :)
I hope you get to see it. Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Bumping to ask if the way Once In A Lifetime was performed on SNL is the way it was in American Utopia, because it has the feel of a stage presentation.
I agree. The impact is much greater on the broadway stage. I think there were more musicians because the music sounded a little weaker on snl. In the theater, that music gets into your whole body and you can't stop moving around to the beat. Byrne requested that the audience stand and dance during one of the numbers. I didn't stop moving around all night. I'd see that show several more times.