NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Previews- Page 20

[Dave13]

Posted: 12/23/16 at 11:27pm

I saw the show at today's matinee.  I was sitting in the second Row on the aisle of the Banquettes.  I thought the seat was perfect.  As I sat down, I did make a comment that the tables and stage seating below the banquettes sucked.  Banquettes seem to be the best seating in my opinion. 

As for the show itself, I enjoyed the show but I have no idea what the story was about other than a few things I will keep to myself, so not to spoil the show for others. I did admire the originality and creativity of the staging of the show and how the actors moved throughout the audience.  I loved the concept of the show, but I just wish the score was better to fully comprehend the story. It felt more like a Las Vegas show instead of a Broadway show to me.   

 

[SarahNYC2]

Posted: 12/24/16 at 10:51am

I went to the matinee yesterday. Bought my ticket on Monday so didn't have much choices. I was in Seat 1, row c section 2 of rear/center mezzanine. It was a great seat. I got a dumpling. I got a shaker (whole row got shakers). Could see everything, and was on the aisle so it was fun seeing the ensemble up and down the aisle.

Really glad I got to see it. 

[Dave13]

Posted: 12/24/16 at 3:39pm

SarahNYC2 said: "I went to the matinee yesterday. Bought my ticket on Monday so didn't have much choices. I was in Seat 1, row c section 2 of rear/center mezzanine. It was a great seat. I got a dumpling. I got a shaker (whole row got shakers). Could see everything, and was on the aisle so it was fun seeing the ensemble up and down the aisle.

Really glad I got to see it. 

 

"

If you were at Friday's matinee.  You probably saw me on stage.  I was the one that Anatole pushed me m to make a spot to sit down.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 1/3/17 at 5:23pm

Saw this Sunday evening from TKTS.  Center of the last row in the Orchestra, 2 rows behind that long snaking stage in the audience.

 

Had seen this in Cambridge, and they certainly increased the amount of spectacle in the show to match the space!  Groban was fine, he didn't "take over" as much as we feared.  The story is still just an excuse for the circus and it definitely follows the formula of "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with spectacle."

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 1/3/17 at 6:33pm

I don't understand the people who claim that the show isn't well written.  I think that Malloy has written a brilliantly complex and original score that is entirely unique.  I loved DEH and I thought that the score was memorable and melodic, but it wasn't anything particularly new or innovative, especially in the orchestrations, but I found the Great Comet score to be fascinating.  Yes, the staging is flashy, but the score is also great.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/3/17 at 6:41pm

Without a big spoiler, I will add to the above in support of Malloy's craft: COMET pulls all of its disparate threads together in the final 15 minutes. Those last emotional and musically rich moments sealed the deal for me, because everything -- starting with "Dust and Ashes," which floats untethered from the action in the middle of act one (or it seemingly does...) -- is paid off.  Beautifully. It's a lovely, extended ending, one that serves even Tolstoy, and makes the ultimate case for the whole show.  

[rachel818]

Posted: 1/3/17 at 6:54pm

Chiming in to agree w/ Auggie27 and icecreambenjamin. I've long been a fan of the score and the storytelling, but seeing it in person was just that much better. Beyond that, it's sung and performed beautifully by the cast. The ensemble vocal arrangements are just gorgeous.

[HSky]

Posted: 1/3/17 at 7:25pm

I haven't started on the complete text yet, but I recently got the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace referenced by Dave Malloy and skipped ahead to locate and read the segment that inspired the musical. It was fascinating to read, the same way it was to pick up Ron Chernow's Hamilton and immediately start associating certain passages with lyrics. Tomorrow will be my first time seeing the show after reading that segment and I think I'm going to have a newfound appreciation for how much of the book's spirit Malloy was able to incorporate whereas before a few of the lyrics struck me as odd, interesting choices. 

[alexidarling15]

Posted: 1/14/17 at 9:17pm

Has anyone rushed this recently? I'm planning to try for the Wed matinee and am trying to figure out what time to arrive. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/14/17 at 10:01pm

Can't speak too much on it, but when I showed up to get a ticket for The Humans this morning across the street, the line was already quite long. This was at maybe 8:15, so I'd come early. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 1/31/17 at 4:25pm

I couldn't find the thread that covers the Great Comet cast album, but I have heard from a friend of mine that plays in the band that they're recording their cast album this week.

Edit: Apparently they recorded it yesterday at Avatar.

Updated On: 1/31/17 at 04:25 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 1/31/17 at 4:29pm

Finally!

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 2/6/17 at 11:12am

Saw this yesterday (Thanks, Broadwayweek). Walked up to the theatre and found several pieces of paper taped all around [the front doors, the inside doors, the box office window and the understudy board] all saying Josh Groban would be out. Not a huge fan of his, neither is my friend (we both know his work, though, and know he has a beautiful voice), we were there for the show so saw it anyway. 

We both left rather upset we wasted our money on this production. Not even Groban could have saved it. The first act was so incredibly boring (aside from the prologue, which I loved), I found myself nodding off. On the bus ride in, my friend and I were talking about how we've never left a show at intermission before. When the house lights came up we looked at each other and said "so....remember that conversation we had earlier today?" as we contemplated staying for the 2nd act. We stayed. To my surprise (not so much my friends) the 2nd act was much better. The story finally picked up and the numbers were much better. This is where I ended up missing Groban, though, as Pierre had several solos; I saw Scott Stangland whom I thought acted the part wonderfully but his singing fell flat. 

What was that whole strobe light number in the first act?  Maybe I'm missing something but I found the direction in the first act to be all over the place. On the plus side, I got a (real) dumpling (yes, a dumpling...not a pierogi...the cast member called it that too. do they usually give pierogies? i saw it mentioned in the playbill) which was delicious and a (fake) egg! lol. All in all, I will not be recommending this show to anyone. 

Updated On: 2/6/17 at 11:12 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/6/17 at 6:56pm

This video was rather surprising https://youtu.be/9ELZX8wBifk

[broadwaygirl89]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 2:31pm

I've been scouring this thread and keep losing my place, so I apologize if this question has been answered before. Between the orchestra, on stage seating, and mezzanine - where do you have the best overall view of the show? I'm leaning towards the Mezz, but also wanted to ask about Front Mezzanine - Right, Left, and then the R Center and L Center and where the best view or place to sit is there.

Any feedback you have would be helpful. I'll eventually want to sit on stage for that experience, but for a first viewing my dad and I would prefer to have the best "overall" view. Thanks!

Updated On: 2/14/17 at 02:31 PM

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 2:40pm

Center rear mezzanine is, in my opinion, the best view of the show.  There's that walkway up there, so you have plenty of interaction and you have a clear view of the entire theatre.

[sorano916]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:58pm

Besides the initial ART discount code that included onstage seating, have there been any others? Any codes that I see are for orchestra and mezz.

[vampire musical]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:10pm

Saw this in Row B of the Orchestra on the side.  DO NOT recommend sitting there.  We could not see most of what was happening on stage because of the table seating in front of us and the elevation of the stage and all the gold safety rails.  Very annoying since these were supposedly "great seats".  If I saw it again I'd get any seat on stage or in the front row mezz.  You want to have an elevated view for this one. 

Got a shaker.  Asked for a pierogi when they were passing them out and was refused by the cast member and who instead gave it to the woman sitting a few seats down from me who wasn't really paying attention. He literally said "who wants a pierogi?" to which I said "I do!" and then he just said "Nah."  Ok...

 

[Willie4316]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:35pm

sorano916 said: "Besides the initial ART discount code that included onstage seating, have there been any others? Any codes that I see are for orchestra and mezz.

"

For February, try code gcbox1117. There's another one through April that Playbill has but I can't remember.

[sorano916]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:58pm

Willie4316 said: "sorano916 said: "Besides the initial ART discount code that included onstage seating, have there been any others? Any codes that I see are for orchestra and mezz."

For February, try code gcbox1117. There's another one through April that Playbill has but I can't remember."

 

Thanks! Trying to get one for March 1st. I'll look around for the Playbill one because the one on their website is only for orch & mezz.

 

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/15/17 at 1:09pm

I finally saw this last night, and while when walking in I almost got a refund, because Denee and Lucas were out, I am so glad that I didn't. Lauren Zakrin is absolutely astounding as Natasha. I think hers was my favorite performance, she absolutely blew me away. She brought this amazing naivety to Natasha, and then was equally heartbreaking in the second act. Her No One Else was absolutely sublime, but Pierre and Natasha is where she really shined. Josh Canfield was equally spectacular as Anatole, and Josh Groban is understandably terrific as Pierre; his Dust and Ashes was one of the highlights of the night. Amber Gray and Brittain Ashford were both wonderful; Charming is one of my favorite numbers in the score, and Amber was phenomenal. I absolutely adored the show, and I think it's my favorite of the season.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 10:40am

I saw the show once in the Meatpacking District, and twice in the tent next to the Imperial.  Saw it on Broadway a few months back, when Groban was out, from Orchestra seats which were merely okay.  Saw it again the other night, from first row of the front mezz, and I'd heartily recommend that as being the ideal way to see the show on Broadway -- it's all right there, and the sound mix sounds so much better without being bounced around under the mezzanine.

I still miss the comparative intimacy of the productions at the Kazinos, though.  Still, this is easily my favorite musical of the new millennium.

 

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 2/21/17 at 11:53pm

Hairspray0901 said: "Saw this yesterday (Thanks, Broadwayweek). Walked up to the theatre and found several pieces of paper taped all around [the front doors, the inside doors, the box office window and the understudy board] all saying Josh Groban would be out. Not a huge fan of his, neither is my friend (we both know his work, though, and know he has a beautiful voice), we were there for the show so saw it anyway. 

We both left rather upset we wasted our money on this production. Not even Groban could have saved it. The first act was so incredibly boring (aside from the prologue, which I loved), I found myself nodding off. On the bus ride in, my friend and I were talking about how we've never left a show at intermission before. When the house lights came up we looked at each other and said "so....remember that conversation we had earlier today?" as we contemplated staying for the 2nd act. We stayed. To my surprise (not so much my friends) the 2nd act was much better. The story finally picked up and the numbers were much better. This is where I ended up missing Groban, though, as Pierre had several solos; I saw Scott Stangland whom I thought acted the part wonderfully but his singing fell flat. 

What was that whole strobe light number in the first act?  Maybe I'm missing something but I found the direction in the first act to be all over the place. On the plus side, I got a (real) dumpling (yes, a dumpling...not a pierogi...the cast member called it that too. do they usually give pierogies? i saw it mentioned in the playbill) which was delicious and a (fake) egg! lol. All in all, I will not be recommending this show to anyone. 

 

I had the same exact experience...a waste of $59 and my time. This was absolutely dreadful and not a cohesive production overall. It's a mess! It's supposed to be a period piece and then suddenly there are people dancing on stage and wearing neon sneakers? Ugh. I can't. I left at intermission. A true mess, no depth. Pure garbage.

[willep]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 7:52am

Well, no, it isn't really supposed to be a period piece.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 8:44am

Right- I mean, you're allowed to not like it, but I don't see how anyone could think the show is period in any meaningful way after watching 30 seconds of the prologue.