Dave Malloy's Moby Dick at A.R.T.

[chris d]

I saw it last night and thought it was... Interesting. Very much a work in progress and tonally all over the place. It's subtitled "a musical reckoning," basically meaning trying to fit the book's themes into The State of America Today. It's sloppy at best in that regard: the racial elements are glib and the environmentalist aspect tacked on very minimally. Having Ishmael be an emcee-type of the present day is a great idea but handled unevenly throughout. Starbuck's act 1 finale is good but needs to be better, as the audience's response was a bit tepid (tepid throughout really, as the show is quite long and pretty schizophrenic). Ahab as a character should, of course, carry a lot of emotional intensity and weight, especially as contrasted with Ishmael's warmth. His songs just aren't good enough. The score has moments but is so crammed with every musical genre known to man that it becomes contrived.

I left feeling entertained but nothing really seeped in. I wanted more thought-provoking stuff from such thematically vast source material. They need to dig deeper. It takes more than "meta" moments and anachronisms to make a great show. I wish them the best!

[theaterdarling]

FYI TodayTix has begun offering $20.00 lottery tickets

[dramamama611]

BTW....I walked around the theater, pre show, to get a feeling what the sight lines might be like on the sides of the stage.

If your seats arent actually marked partial view, I think you'll be very happy; Dave Malloy and Or Matias were even sitting in the last row of the side for notes.

If your seats ARE marked partial view, you wobt miss much at all, youll just see a few things later then others for the most part, and wont see full faces as much as you'd like.

[Lifesmellsweird]

chris d said: "I saw it last night and thought it was... Interesting. Very much a work in progress and tonally all over the place”

Tonally all over the place is a perfect description of this piece, but I also think that that is exactly what they were going for.

[Hamilfan2]

I know the part Dave Malloy was supposed to play was relaxed by a stationary white bust. Can anyone speak to how this worked?

[Wee Thomas2]

Saw the matinee yesterday.  The staging is one of the more impressive things we have ever seen.

 

Show ran just over 3:15 from lights off to bows, so they seem to have tightened things up a bit, we were told "3 and a half hours" upon entering the theater.

 

A few empty seats in the Audience Left section, a few more (10?) after intermission.  Maybe folks thought lights on after 2 hours was the end of the show?

 

Things they don't need that could make the show tighter:  Eliminate the audience participation part.  That will save the 5-7 minutes to chose and "dress" the volunteers.  The song they sing with the audience sitting on the floor could totally be eliminated and wouldn't cost a thing plot-wise.

 

To answer the last question, the bust is of Herman Melville and they do speak to him now and then, and not in a nice way.  Did they need approval of the estate to stage this?
 

A question of mine, regarding the Queequeg character, in his introductory song he tells us he will tell us about his place of origin in a later song.  Did they cut that later song?  We thought he was the best actor on the floor, but didn't feel like the cast had much passion.  Could be the length of the show, with an early matinee after a long evening performance the night before.

[aimeric]

Wee Thomas2 said: "

A question of mine, regarding the Queequeg character, in his introductory song he tells us he will tell us about his place of origin in a later song. Did they cut that later song? We thought he was the best actor on the floor, but didn't feel like the cast had much passion. Could be the length of the show, with an early matinee after a long evening performance the night before.

"

 

I assumed that he was referring to the song he sang with Ishmael about them sharing a bed.  I hope they didn't cut that from your performance; that was one of my favorite parts all night.

 

[dramamama611]

 

To answer the last question, the bust is of Herman Melville and they do speak to him now and then, and not in a nice way.  Did they need approval of the estate to stage this?

 

He's a public figure - no permission necessary.   And Moby Dick is, I'm fairly certain, is in the public domain.
 

[Wee Thomas2]

They have not eliminated the bed song, but I was expecting a song about his place of origin.

One other thing that disappointed us was the manifestation of the whale. It was done fine, but that effect had already been used multiple times in the show. If they had saved it for just Moby himself I think it would have been more amazing.

[willep]

Wee Thomas2 said: "Things they don't need that could make the show tighter: Eliminate the audience participation part. That will save the 5-7 minutes to chose and "dress" the volunteers. The song they sing with the audience sitting on the floor could totally be eliminated and wouldn't cost a thing plot-wise."

While I agree that cutting the audience participation would be a good idea and save AT LEAST 5-7 minutes, probably more, I disagree that A Squeeze of the Hand should be cut. It’s a beautiful song in which we do get a progression of the Ishmael/Queequeg relationship that is important. Not to mention, it really is a beautiful song and that is lost in everyone laughing at the reactions of the audience members to the sperm oil.

 

[Wee Thomas2]

Considering they refer to squeezing out the sperm about 25 times and maybe mention oil once, I wonder why the audience reacts like that?

[MrsSallyAdams]

I'm told the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg is explicitly, as opposed to sub-textually, romantic in this. Does this story make up a large part of the musical or is it only in part one?

[aimeric]

MrsSallyAdams said: "I'm told the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg is explicitly, as opposed to sub-textually, romantic in this. Does this story make up a large part of the musical or is it only in part one?"

 

It's a thread that runs throughout the musical.  To call it explicitly romantic would, perhaps, give too strong an impression?  Depends on what you expect.  It was emphasized, but I didn't find it too much more emphasized than in the book.  No kissing, etc., just clear fondness in a just-a-little-more-than-a-friend way.

[annang]

I have two $25 tickets available for the 12/19 matinee (1pm). Just trying to make back what I paid, which is $60 including fees. Message me if interested. Thanks!

[barcelona20]

This show definitely needs more work than Great Comet, although I didn't have a huge problem with the length. My biggest issue was with the music. There's only one standout song at the end of part 2, which somewhat reminded me of No One Else. Otherwise, a lot of the music was just "there", but didn't heighten the emotional impact of the characters.

Although I didn't have a big problem with the length, there definitely should be some cutting. I'd probably start first with Fedallas monologue. While there were a few funny jokes, it went on way too long and stalls the momentum. I don't see this show ever making it to Broadway, unless a non-profit wants to take the wheel.

[gibsons2]

annang said: "I have two $25 tickets available for the 12/19 matinee (1pm). Just trying to make back what I paid, which is $60 including fees. Message me if interested. Thanks!"

You may want to list your tickets on StubHub. People resell tix for exorbitant prices there for this production and somehow they are being sold. I listed both of my tickets at a face value $35 and someone bought them within few hours.

 

[Lurker2]

Super long shot - I have one ticket for the saturday night performance on January 11 (closing weekend) that I can no longer attend - does anyone have a ticket for another performance that they would want to swap?  It was at the $95 price level, but I'm willing to take one at any price and pay the difference if it's more.  Ideally a Wednesday night, Friday, Saturday or Sunday performance but I'm flexible

[annang]

gibsons2 said: "annang said: "I have two $25 tickets available for the 12/19 matinee (1pm). Just trying to make back what I paid, which is $60 including fees. Message me if interested. Thanks!"

You may want to list your tickets on StubHub. People resell tix for exorbitant prices there for this production and somehow they arebeing sold. I listed both of my tickets at a face value $35 and someone bought them within few hours.

I will if I have to, but I’d rather sell them here and not give fees to Stubhub if I can avoid it. 
"

 

[Kad]

Saw this last night and thought it was pretty brilliant, unwieldiness and length and all. To paraphrase a line given to the show’s meta iteration of Ishmael, the warts are part of what makes it what it is.

Malloy’s score, dense and idiosyncratic and so clearly his, undoubtedly will yield more riches and layers the more it’s listened to, just as his other scores do.

Surprised that folks complain that the second half is slow- it is not only much shorter than the first half, but it is the more straightforward half when it comes to storytelling.

This is also the first Malloy show I’ve seen with substantial book scenes and spoken word, which I thought was interesting.

The set is also beautiful in its simplicity- combining ship, whale, ocean, and church elegantly.

[theaterdarling]

Lurker2 said: "Super long shot - I have one ticket for the saturday night performance on January 11 (closing weekend) that I can no longer attend - does anyone have a ticket for another performancethat they would want to swap? It was at the $95 price level, but I'm willing to take one at any price and pay the difference if it's more. Ideally a Wednesday night, Friday, Saturday or Sunday performance but I'm flexible"

I might be able to help you -  I have a ticket for evening show Sat Dec 28.  Though I only paid $25.00--it's a good seat Port (side) Row BB seat 5 - no obstruction. Though it says "Wet Deck" on ticket, from what I've read, it seems the only people getting wet (or sperm-oiled, more accurately), are those who volunteer for the boats-but someone can correct me. Would you be interested in an even swap? Message me if so. Let me know your seat location and if your ticket is for matinee or evening on Jan 11.

[willep]

It isn’t the sperm oil that the wet deck is about. The sperm oil is just in buckets that the audience volunteers deal with. The wet deck is for water blown out of the whales’ blow holes. Unless something has changed. When I went, the wet deck didn’t get wet, but I’ve heard they’ve added more since.

[JBroadway]

willep said: "It isn’t the sperm oil that the wet deck is about. The sperm oil is just in buckets that the audience volunteers deal with. The wet deck is for water blown out of the whales’ blow holes. Unless something has changed. When I went, the wet deck didn’t get wet, but I’ve heard they’ve added more since."


I have to tell you, I’ve mostly been avoiding this thread  so I can avoid spoilers, but I decided to check in on it just to see what’s being discussed. I read your post first, with barely any context (still haven’t looked into the context). Absolutely hilariously to read out of context! ?

[Lurker2]

theaterdarling said: "Lurker2 said: "Super long shot - I have one ticket for the saturday night performance on January 11 (closing weekend) that I can no longer attend - does anyone have a ticket for another performancethat they would want to swap? It was at the $95 price level, but I'm willing to take one at any price and pay the difference if it's more. Ideally a Wednesday night, Friday, Saturday or Sunday performance but I'm flexible"

 



I might be able to help you - I have a ticket for evening show Sat Dec 28. Though I only paid $25.00--it's a good seat Port (side) Row BB seat 5 - no obstruction. Though it says "Wet Deck" on ticket, from what I've read, it seems the only people getting wet (or sperm-oiled, more accurately), are those who volunteer for the boats-but someone can correct me. Would you be interested in an even swap? Message me if so. Let me know your seat location and if your ticket is for matinee or evening on Jan 11."

Unfortunately I have a wedding the 28th so I can’t make it that night. Thanks though!!

[mcsquared]

Saw yesterday's matinee during a special day trip to Boston from NC. Still kind of processing whether it was worth it. I think I missed some details because I hadn't read the book and didn't see what effect was mentioned in spoiler that symbolized passing of Moby Dick. Agree that the Pip sequence seemed too long. Singing and production values were definitely amazing. It was sold out production but there were at least 5 empty seats at beginning and 10 more by end with a few intermission walkouts. I was in row ee on starboard side and it was a good seat.