Slave Play Preview Thread

[Mike66]

Sorry to pipe up.  I don't post much.

I really and honestly thought that I could read some opinions about the play.  So I can decide to see it when I come to NY.  I don't live nearby, so I have to learn before I buy because I cant see everything each year.

There are 100 posts and I still don't know anything except that its between 2 hours and 2 hours 15 minutes and they had an invited dress.  And that many people who post don't like many other people who post.

Could some folks who SAW the show offer some opinions ABOUT THE SHOW, and whether it's worth seeing, and how the acting is, and the writing, and the staging, and the views, and even about rushing the show.

Please.

and Thank you

[rg7759]

no, but i didn't hesitate to buy these tickets because i saw jeremy harris' DADDY and it was phenomenal. also, ive seen ato and james in other plays, they also are great.

[Matt Rogers]

Well, I found the information I needed about this play. Two hours and fifteen minutes and no intermission.

Why do current Broadway producers hate bladders so much?

Intermissions cut at Boys in the Band and Three Tall Women. One of the intermissions cut from the recent Long Day’s Journey into Night, The Crucible, and All My Sons, an endless Network with no intermission, and on and on and on.

And now this? I’m out.

[leighmiserables]

Since no one has really posted opinions yet, I'll add mine. I avoided doing so up until this point as I only saw the invited dress, and I understand that seeing a show for free may skew one's opinion towards the positive. However, I will be seeing it again (and paying for it this time), so I guess that counts for something. 

First of all, the design elements were all fantastic. Clint Ramos's set design was simple yet incredibly effective, and paired very well with Jiyoun Chang's lighting design. The real star of design for me, however, was Lindsay Jones's sound work. I was seated in the rear mezz, which usually gets the short end of the stick in terms of sound, but everything was fantastic for me. Overall a very strong creative team. 

I thought all the performances were incredibly strong. I found James Cusati-Moyer (Dustin) to be a particular stand-out, as well as Sullivan Jones (Phillip), who had the least material to work with but still managed to have quite a few fantastic moments -- his performance more than any felt the most natural to me.  

I absolutely loved the script, though I do think the second act could benefit from a rigorous final cut and shed 10 minutes or so in the second act, which definitely got a bit muddled after a while. Overall, though, I thought it was a great combination of humor, drama, and some satire that has been incredibly successful in sparking deep thought and conversation about the subjects it covers (it's been four days and my friends and I are still discussing it). 

I am still a bit conflicted on Kaneisha as a character. I thought Joaquina Kalukango gave a brilliant performance, but despite the script's best efforts it became very difficult to sympathize with her at a point -- I admit that by the end I found myself feeling worse for Jim than for her. My friends who I saw it with and I agreed her points/problems were valid, but (without spoiling) her way of working through them were incredibly troubling. Particularly the very end...(spoiler below) 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

I couldn't help but feel at the end that it was Jim who you should feel bad for at the end of the show, not Kaneisha. While he was the one "assaulting" her, he was the one who was unable to consent in that situation as she had essentially given him the ultimatum of: "do this thing to me that you find incredibly despicable and uncomfortable, or I will leave you forever." I understand that these characters needed to come to terms with the past in some way, but surely this wasn't the right one? Or maybe it was? I'm still conflicted and I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this. 

If that was the playwright's intention, I think it was incredibly successful. If not, I think something can be done there to clarify his actual intention. 

I really enjoyed the other two couples, however, particularly the treatment of Alana's character and Gary's monologue towards the end of the show. 

Overall, a fantastic night of theatre that I suggest all to partake in.

Re: seating -- I was in the fourth or so row of the rear mezz and had a perfect view. I would tentatively say that this is a show that looks better from the mezz, having not sat in the orchestra myself. I think O'Harris said this himself on twitter. 

Re: the length of the show -- If you can sit through a 2-3 hour long movie, this shouldn't be much different. It truly does not feel too long. I would shave it down if I was the playwright, but that's more for artistic reasons than timing ones. Part of me almost wanted it to be longer at points. 

[Damiensta]

Damiensta said: "I was there tonite. Show started around 8:10 due to the will call line being so long that if practically reach corner. Security even asked if there were free tix. Show ended around 10:20ish no intermission.
I couldn’t imagine any bad seats for this production with how set was designed . I was in mezzanine.
Now on to the show, I went in with no knowledge of plot. It’s an interesting play . I’m not sure if I hated or liked it. May take me a few days to process. But I will say it dragged toward the end.
Cast was uniformly good with stand out James and Annie McNamara.
I was also expecting more controversial plot considering all the bitching in this thread .... but that’s besides the point
I think is better if you go into it with no knowledge of plot.

Theatre seemed full from where I was.
Will wait for Whizzer review , even though I haven’t seen a post from him in awhile

"

 

I forgot got to mention that on a surperficial level  - bravo Paul Alexander Nolan body. N I’m not talking about his neither region. Just body n abs in general

 

[rg7759]

Matt Rogers said: "Intermissions cut at Boys in the Band and Three Tall Women. One of the intermissions cut from the recent Long Day’s Journey into Night, The Crucible, and All My Sons, an endless Network with no intermission, and on and on and on.

And now this? I’m out."

network and b in the b were comfortable lengths. you're ridiculous

[haterobics]

Bladders are pretty programmable. Seeing a show without an intermission, drinks less a few hours leading into it? I prefer an intermission, but I certainly wouldn't use that as a means of deciding whether to see something. Apparently not, as I see this on Saturday night.

As for the lack of information, it's only had what... three performances if you count the one about to let out? Not sure why people think we usually hear any faster than this...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

A "you kids get off my lawn" column from Michael Riedel that has some scoop on the ticket sales (or lack thereof).

One great quote at the end though:    Production spokesman Rick Miramontez tells me, “I assure you this town is teeming with adventurous theater lovers who will find their way to the Golden Theatre while you’re hanging outside the St. James waiting to find out who’s going to replace Carol Channing in ‘Hello, Dolly!’ ”

https://nypost.com/2019/09/12/slave-play-may-be-provocative-but-it-sure-isnt-selling-tickets/

[GreasedLightning]

Huge spoiler alert for the Riedel article, btw... readers beware.

[uncageg]

Leighmiserables, I was there tonight, Thursday, and sat where you did. I was in Row D seat 116.

 

Your thoughts on the show are pretty much the same as mine. And yes, they could trim about 10 minutes off of Act II. It got "wordy". 

This is a daring and fresh piece to put on Broadway.It goes to unexpected places. Yes, there is race, but so much more. 

My thought is that if you are an open minded adult, this won't "shock" you. Any "shock" I felt was that they were touching on subjects that people don't normally talk open about. And they just lay it out there. I thought this may be a play, like "FAIRVIEW", that I would need some time to process. I told a friend on the way home that they pretty much process it for you!

At first I was not totally satisfied with the end. I wanted more closure. But I realized we actually got it with those last word. It spoke for all of the characters.

I could actually see this again. There were two black ladies sitting behind me to the side that commented on everything until we all just looked at them and they finally shut up. Also somebody's GPS directions (That's a new one!) decided to give a woman directions while she was sitting still in her seat. I missed a line that Phillip says that got applause because of the two women.

If you want something fresh and different, see this. It is not for everybody. The man sitting in front of me complained all the way out saying (Not verbatim as to not give anything away) "I liked the first act but they lost me after that. Just awful". Says a lot about that man, in my opinion.

I hope this has a healthy run and extends if possible. 

Also, it started at about 8:16. The Will Call line was very long. I am assuming that is why it started late. I could see the orchestra section and there were a lot of empty seats up until about 5 minutes before it started. The theater was full. Also, the cast took their curtain call, left the stage and the audience's response seemed to make them come out for a second curtain call. It seemed that they weren't expecting that as a door on the set opened, closed and then opened again and they came out.

Just an ending note...the actors take their curtain call with very serious "you just saw something important we are drained" looks on their faces. It just struck me that I would rather see them with proud smiles. It wasn't a harrowing play. It just taps into areas we don't normally find in Broadway shows. Areas that exist in life.Just an observation and opinion.

[BWAY Baby2]

Slave Play is fully a part of a system that is consuming and profiting off of black bodies and black identity,” Harris told the New York Times earlier this year. “The play does not allow you to escape ....        

Please Dear God- not another one of those. Was mildly interested, but.......

[Lot666]

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "A "you kids get off my lawn" column from Michael Riedel"

His entire reason for existence is summed up in that headline ("‘Slave Play’ may be provocative, but it sure isn’t selling tickets"). He absolutely lives for gleeful malice and takes great delight in the misfortune of others.

[Lot666]

uncageg said: "the actors take their curtain call with very serious "you just saw something important we are drained" looks on their faces. It just struck me that I would rather see them with proud smiles. It wasn't a harrowing play. "

The curtain call for 1984 was the same way, but that was definitely a harrowing play.

[Theater3232]

It will be interesting to see the average ticket price.  Typically long will-call lines are indicative of huge numbers of dirt-cheap TDF and/or comp tickets being picked up at the box office.  Since people who purchase on Telecharge tend to print out their tickets, and Todaytix buyers have a representative meet them outside the theater.

[uncageg]

Lot666 said: "uncageg said: "the actors take their curtain call with very serious "you just saw something important we are drained" looks on their faces. It just struck me that I would rather see them with proud smiles. It wasn't a harrowing play. "

The curtain call for 1984 was the same way, but that was definitely a harrowing play."

It was, quite harrowing. 

A few thoughts went through my mind last night.  It might sound weird or nit picky, but I expected sly smiles. Kinda like, yes,we went there. It just struck me, for some reason.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Saw it last night, loved the performances, and agree with posters who say they could shave about 10 min off the show.

Anyone who is offended by the material... well it’s kind of sad that you are because it is definitely some thought provoking stuff.

Definitely worth the price of the TDF ticket.

[jast]

Just curious. Where was the tdf seat you sat in?

 

[Pashacar]

GreasedLightning said: "Huge spoiler alert for the Riedel article, btw... readers beware."

What an obnoxious thing to do, and without any warning. Just wielding his platform to undermine something he doesn't like.

[cjmclaughlin10]

I wonder if he’s seen it for himself. I think it is incredibly irresponsible to report on a work of art that you haven’t personally experienced

[Kad]

Riedel never was and never will be a journalist. He's a gossip columnist and a waning third-rate one at that.