Really Really: Anyone Seen It?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 2:29am

I love me some David Cromer. Curious to hear people's thoughts.

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 8:08am

The play deals with an accusation of rape at a college dorm party, and examines not only the truth of the accusation, but the moral convictions of the two students' circle of friends.

It's chilling, sobering, and something of a downer. It's not at all flattering to its characters, but it doesn't compromise towards them either, which is admirable. Dramatically, the first act is taut, the second less so. Non-stop swearing. I hope that's not how college students actually speak nowadays. I'm pretty sure they don't speak in some of the more convoluted, highfalutin phrases that the actors have to say.

There were some audibility problems, but I would say the play was directed ably and straightforwardly. A talented cast does a fine job.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 8:52am

I'm a fan of Zosia on Girls, so glad to hear it

[jeffmiele]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 8:56am

I'm excited. My girlfriend and I both have professional live-in jobs on college campuses, we're going on valentine's day. Based on some things I have heard I feel it may be accurate to some degree. The stuff you see on a daily basis is interesting. Her and I both have to be part of an on call rotation, I'm on call this week actually, and trust me I was up hetting calls until about 6 this morning of absolutely crazy stuff that has gone on at the campus.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 12:56pm

Something tells me this isn't actually how college age kids act, anyway.

How were the tech elements? I feel like David Cromer does "poor theater" type stuff really well.

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/2/13 at 11:27pm

^

I found them to be functional, nothing spectacular.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 12:16am

Hated this show. No idea how stuff like this gets produced more than once. Horrendous dialogue-no one talks like this. I work at a University. It was trying hard to be like LaBute (whose work I also hate). This is the kind of crap where nothing makes sense and no characters actions make sense. It makes intellectuals and drama students feel deep to try to make sense of it. If you don't get it you're made to feel stupid. The first act is a Lifetime movie, the second act is a LaBute knockoff. Save your money. It's poorly written but tries to save itself by being provocative at the end.

[misto625]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 12:35am

I was at the first preview. Bernard Telsey and Robert LuPone were actually sitting in the row behind me.

I'm still somewhat confused about what actually happened in the course of events in the play, and what Leigh only invented. I'm also a little confused about her motivation. I thought that the casting was excellent and the dialogue seemed very realistic for how entitled college athletes would talk.

I was curious about the play, and now my curiosity has been satisfied. The play is very relevant, given the events in Steubenville, OH and other places.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 12:41am

I just came back from seeing this play and I really liked it. I found it to be pretty good overall and the best way to describe it was realistic fiction. As someone who is college aged, I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit of a mixed bag. Some of it was realistic some not. However, without going into too much detail to avoid giving away spoilers, there were some moments and character choices that I liked and could see happening, but at the same time (and I think that this is a result of the acting choices) there was one moment that should have come off with more dramatic tension than it did. But, like I said, this moment was due to the acting choices, and since it is early on in previews I think that the actors overall need a chance to grow into their roles more.

I think that this is an overall good show. The ending does leave room for conversation however because it can be a little bit confusing. However, even though I went on my own I had a nice conversation with a group of college aged girls sitting next to me and between the lot of us we were able to not only figure out the ending but figure out and make sense of the well done twists and turns that lead to the dramatic finale. I do suggest this play to others and will go back after it opens to see if some of the acting struggles worked themselves out in the preview period. Overall, I was shocked (in a good way) with some stuff I was seeing and it was very entertaining and enjoyable as well.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 12:55pm

Eh, now I'm curious to hear the dialogue. I feel like it can always go two ways. Like the way the characters spoke in Stick Fly. My guess though is that behind closed doors, athletes don't talk like this, no one does. We don't talk in correction english all the time, etc. etc.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 2:13pm

The way most people truly speak would make for a very abrasive piece of theatre.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 3:10pm

I think that the way that the characters speak in this play isn't 100 per cent realistic. However, I think that Kad is right, that if the characters were to speak the way that college age kids actually speak it would make for a very abrasive experience.

I have always felt that with plays, the dialogue that is being used is realistic but not how the characters would really talk if the events were actually going on. For example, with Really Really, as someone who is in college and is the age of the characters in the play, I can tell you that that's not how people that age actually speak. However, I felt that the language used worked with in the context of it being a play but would seem odd if it were real life events. I am not sure if this makes sense and I can try to elaborate if need be.

[kevinr]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 4:07pm

Did anyone meet the cast at the Stage Door? I am seeing this on Saturday and wondered where the cast exits and if they are "fan friendly"?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 10:17pm

I think it would be interesting if you they had a scene among friends and they talked truly like we all talk, and then a scene with an administrator and the dialogue was a little more safe. That's really how it is. With friends we're all completely different.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 10:45pm

There's really no need for an administrator/authority figure character in this play. It'd be superfluous and take the focus elsewhere.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/3/13 at 11:17pm

I'm fine with coarse dialogue and the acting was top notch-I just didn't like the play. I often think poorly written plays are the most talked about. If you have a lot of holes and the characters act erratically and don't have an identity, then people love to talk and fill in the rest.

I'm also ok with unknowns and ambiguous endings. However, this play made no sense to me. I had no idea of anyone's motivation and no idea what any of the characters wanted. I think those are important for a solid play.

The final scene was ridiculous. I noticed the younger people staying in their seats and talking and the 30+ people were audibly saying "what the hell was that", "no idea what that was about", "that was ridiculous" and "are you kidding me?"

So maybe this speaks to a different demographic. Also, I didnt see this as a show about rape, I saw it as a statement on the entitlement of the Millennials.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 12:06pm

Well, that's what the playwright has indicated was his focus.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 7:44pm

"....no idea how stuff like this gets produced more than once...."

Hmmm, I dunno, but maybe by getting rave reviews at Signature Thetre in Arlington and selling out every single performance, for a start.

[musicman_bwayfan]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 8:13pm

Did they keep the nudity from the Signature Theater production? What's the running time?

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 8:19pm

When I saw it, ran a bit less than 2:30 with intermission. But I think it started late. I did not notice nudity, but there is definitely some eye candy on display.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 10:06pm

Eye candy you say?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/4/13 at 10:38pm

Two male cast members are shirtless for much of the show. No nudity, but Matt's pants came down during the final scene baring his butt, but he pulled them up and seemed rather uneasy acting that scene. I dont think nudity was planned. Zosia had trouble staying in her bra during the final scene and there was some nip slips, but again she was adjusting and it seemed like an accident. I dont think both actors have really gotten comfortable with that final scene yet.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 12:18am

David C. Hull is shirtless a lot. It's very nice.

Matt Lauria's shirtless/bare chested for the last scene. Though it's not exactly a scene that would make you want him.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/6/13 at 8:12pm

What's the running time?

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 2/6/13 at 9:22pm

2 hours 15 minutes, according to www.mcctheater.org/shows/12-13_season/reallyreally/index.html