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John @ Signature Theatre Co. - Page 5

John @ Signature Theatre Co.

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WhizzerMarvin
#100John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/25/15 at 10:26am

Thanks so much for posting that speech. It's such lovely prose and I can hear Engel, clear as a bell, saying the final line. 


Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco. Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!

Roscoe
#101John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/25/15 at 10:46am

And the little touch that she still calls him "sir."


"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

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Kad
#102John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 12:26am

Saw this tonight and loved everything about it. The 3-hour runtime flew by, and my friend and I were left delighted, intrigued, and moved. Georgia Engel and Lois Smith are treasures and give phenomenal performances.

I'm baffled by how much some people are making of the offstage action and pauses- reading this thread, I went in expecting lengthy stretches of looking at a set while trying to decipher offstage murmurs. Nope. There is only a few minute long segment very early in the play in which the characters all leave the stage and  - 3 minutes at most, including the time it took them to go up and down stairs.

The supernatural elements added an eerie air, and I appreciated that they went unexplained and did not have some climactic revelation. They were there, easily dismissed as coincidence or accepted as supernatural, contributing to the meticulously rendered environment and relationships.


"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

After Eight
#103John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 6:00am

So when do we theatregoers know we are going to be in for it big time?

When we see that a play is by Annie Baker?

Well, yes, obviously.

But also, when we hear a character on stage ask another, "tell me a story."

Right then and there we pray that said request will go unfulfilled, because otherwise,
we know that a heaping helping of ennui is headed our way.

Do you think said question is voiced in the latest snobfest, or in this case, snobfeast, du jour? Sure as shootin'! Comes the moment when the girlfriend asks her lump-of-clay boyfriend to tell her a "scary story." Though the entire audience would like to shout,"Please say no!," we know 'twould all be in vain. No way is this playwright going to relinquish the opportunity to inflict yet another stretch of pointless, deadening dullness upon us all. So dutifully, Mr. Clay sets about telling us a drab, aimless tale that is not in the slightest bit scary, and which, of course, never reaches a conclusion. After all, how could the playwright ever deign to give the audience something conclusive!

Anyhow, the sorry tale is told --- in its own priceless manner. The actor says a line or two, then stops and pauses, as if lost in deep thought, (perhaps wondering how he got stuck in this opus?). Then he takes up the story again by repeating the previous words he uttered; then he stops again, starts again by repeating previous words, stops again, and so on. It's like a car gasping for gas sputtering up a hill, going up three feet, rolling back two, and then covering the same ground again, all the while going nowhere. To try and fight the boredom of it all, I took to guessing where he would pause, and what words he would repeat. Not trying to blow my own horn, but I proved to be very good at it!

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Reginald Tresilian
#104John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 6:43am

No sentence beginning with "Though the entire audience would like to . . . " can end with anything approaching accuracy.

 

After Eight
#105John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 7:20am

"And the little touch that she still calls him "sir.""

 

How wonderful!:  "And the little touch that she still calls him "sir.""

(Guffaw)

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Kad
#106John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 8:32am

The majority of the audience in attendance last night was rapt the entire time- laughter abounded, silence when a character had a deep moment. A  third of the audience even stayed for the talk back, and engaged the actors and dramaturg in some of the most thoughtful questions I've ever seen at one of these things- a pretty impressive turnout, considering the hour and the length of the show.

And walkouts? Well. It was a packed house, and remained so for the entirety of the performance.

I don't know what audience After Eight continuously speaks for, but they certainly weren't there last night.


"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

Roscoe
#107John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 11:49am

The old lady sitting next to me kept sighing audibly throughout the third act, and one woman found Kitty's offer of Vienna fingers hilariously funny for some reason, but folks seemed quite attentive overall at the performance I saw.  


"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

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themysteriousgrowl
#108John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 8/26/15 at 3:26pm

 

^Oh, so After Eight DID go back a second time.


CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES

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Susanswerphone
#109John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/3/15 at 7:29pm

theatregoer3 said: "Susanswerphone, let us know what you think! It was still in previews when I saw it. I'd be interested to know what how it shapes up by opening.

After two false starts, I finally was able to make it to NY to see this yesterday afternoon. I am so very, very glad that I did! I only wish there were more time in the run as I would definitely go back. I'm baffled by the complaints of long silences, no plot and, in particular, lazy playwriting.  Hardly. This work is expertly crafted and given three fine performances---Ms. Engel and Ms. Smith in particular and Chris Abbott. My only quibble was with Hong Chau. I found her inaudible a good portion of the time. I suspect it's a lack of stage training and experience as she certainly is an accomplished actress, evidenced by her work Inherent Vice and 'Treme. Still, this ranks as one of the finer OB works this season. If you haven't seen it, there are a handful of seats available for Sunday evening. GO! 

 

"

 

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theatregoer3
#110John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/4/15 at 5:02pm

So glad you enjoyed it, Susananswerphone! I would go again if I could. Another great work from a great contemporary playwright.

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EthelMae
#111John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/4/15 at 11:02pm

Excited to see last performance Sunday night. When I saw they added this show earlier this week, I went to the box office to get a ticket. I asked the box office why they added the performance and he told me they were getting angry patrons at the BO who still wanted tix to the remaining SO shows!
P.S. Finally caught up with The Flick last Friday and loved it. A new cast went in Tuesday, except for one remaining actor. Curious to see it again. Her plays, Annie Baker, feel like long good novels to me. I like being around the characters for so long a time. Although I can see why others differ.

After Eight
#112John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 7:38am

"I asked the box office why they added the performance and he told me they were getting angry patrons at the BO who still wanted tix to the remaining SO shows!"

Pretentious droves storming the gates of the box-office, angry at the thought of missing out on the latest snob must-see. Hell hath no fury like an entitled snob deprived of bragging rights! The poor box-office personnel, having to deal with this miserable crowd!

 

Can you see the scene at Sunday brunch?  "What? You didn't see the Annie Baker play!? A masterpiece, an absolute masterpiece! I was enthralled." "Well, I did get to see Hamilton." "I saw it twice. At premium prices." "Did you read the Times review of Hamlet in London?" "I saw it on my trip there just last week. A revelation!" "How's your goat cheese and golden beets salad?" "Golden. Just like John. You really shouldn't have missed it." 

 

Something tells me we haven't seen the last of this opus.

 

A bad penny always turns up.

 

After Eight
#113John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 7:39am

 

 

Updated On: 9/5/15 at 07:39 AM

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Susanswerphone
#114John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 10:06am

"A bad penny always turns up."

True dat. In your case, it turns up twice. There was no need to double-post. We understood your point the first time. Myopic, but clear as a bell.

 

 

 

"

 

After Eight
#115John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 10:52am

^

 

Sorry for the double post.

 

Careful, though. Your venom is dribbling down your chin.

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Susanswerphone
#116John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 11:10am

^

Thanks Pot.

Forever Yours, Kettle

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EthelMae
#117John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 11:33am

Ok After Eight. This is the first time you've responded to one of my posts. For the record, I just like the play and the actors in JOHN. I don't care that Ms. Baker happens to be the "it" playwright at the moment. Although after seeing The Flick, I can see why.
The funny thing is, I agree with you on hype being piled high on certain productions. I haven't seen HAMILTON yet but everyone I know who has says it's worth all the hype. But I do laugh when I go on Broadway World or Playbill and they constantly have stories about this show. "Pictures of the set moving into the Richard Rodgers!" That type of thing amuses me because you can see the publicity office cranking these stories out.
And JOHN has gotten its share of hype I grant you. But it's just playing its run out, with a slight extension, and it's gone Sunday. I don't hear many talking about this play. I don't think you can put it in that lump of productions that people say "oh you must see!"

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little_sally
#118John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 9/5/15 at 12:41pm

Saw this last night and really, really enjoyed it (although I am still trying to digest it.) The 3:15 just flew by, and the acting was just great all around. It also had one of my favorite sets in a long time.

I definitely want to see "The Flick" now.


A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

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haterobics
#119John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 10/25/15 at 2:35am

Just a heads up, Annie Baker did a hour-plus interview on Marc Maron's WTF podcast where she talks pretty openly about John, The Flick, her background, and what she tries to accomplish with her shows, etc. I'm 2/3 of the way through it, and finding it pretty interesting. FYI...

 

http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_645_-_annie_baker

 

 

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BakerWilliams
#120John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 2/26/17 at 2:11pm

John remains the high point of my 15+ years of seeing theatre, so I flew all the way out to San Francisco to see the new production at the American Conservatory Theatre, which once again stars Georgia Engel and is directed by Ken Rus Schmoll (who did Antlia Pneumatica) and I was once again reminded that this play is really the best piece of work to come out of the modern form of the medium. Engel's performance is somehow even deeper than before, seeming to physically shake the theatre with her honeysuckle voice. Schmoll's production is 15 minutes shorter than Sam Gold's, which I think is ultimately damaging to the play, but he still gets at the heart of the matter and clearly respects Baker's vision. The rest of the cast is very fine, with Ann McDonough seeming better suited for the role of Genevieve than Lois Smith (who would have made a marvelous Kitty if the play had opened 10 years ago), though of course no working actress today could ever have the physical presence of Smith. Like the Signature Theatre production, the set design is gorgeous.

If you've never seen the play, GO! It's an extraordinary play, and one that I really haven't been able to stop thinking about since I saw it originally. 


"In memory, everything happens to music"
Updated On: 2/26/17 at 02:11 PM

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EthelMae
#121John @ Signature Theatre Co.
Posted: 2/26/17 at 5:55pm

How cool BakerWilliams! I hadn't heard that this play was being done again. And with Georgia Engel again! I saw it twice here in NYC and always hoped it would have an open run like The Flick did. Anyway, thx for the report.