OSLO Previews- Page 2

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/22/17 at 1:13pm

^ agreed

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/22/17 at 1:30pm

Truth.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/22/17 at 2:08pm

What a great year for new plays! I'm excited to see all of these! I think SWEAT is the best I've seen thus far.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/23/17 at 7:22am

little_sally said: "I suspect Oslo, Sweat, and Indecent are all locks but I'm more interested in what gets the fourth slot."

Heisenberg? Significant Other?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/23/17 at 8:55pm

Bumping since first preview is happening right now!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/23/17 at 10:47pm

Are there any reports from tonight?

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/23/17 at 11:04pm

If I'm not mistaken, the show runs close to three hours so it very well may be still going or just ended. I'm thinking people may need to gather their thoughts after this one (I know I did. And I mean that in a good way.) 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/24/17 at 8:30am

OK.

Did anyone on here attend the first preview last night?

[phan24]

Posted: 3/24/17 at 8:41am

The show runs 3 hours and 10 minutes long with two intermissions, everyone was in great shape but the plot either grabs you or loses you, sometimes it felt a little too caricature-ish for the theme. I don't think I could go back.

[supersam1026]

Posted: 3/25/17 at 9:58pm

Any reports from these first couple shows?

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 1:49am

I can't believe that Oslo is running that long. The length puts everyone in overtime.

Just to clarify Jitney has never been performed on Broadway so MTC is submitting  it for best play.

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 1:45pm

MTC can petition the tony administration if they want, but I dont see how a Best Play petition would be granted. Jitney falls under the "classic" rule, just like Hedwig, Violet, etc. This final version of the play ran Off-Broadway in 2000 and has played many other cities around the US (and in London). So it can be deemed a "classic" (and therefore a revival) because of two qualifications: 1.) it will be considered part of the popular/historical theatrical repertoire and 2.) it has had a professional production in Manhattan more than 3 years ago.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 2:11am

I tend to believe what the previous poster is saying. I heard this (submitted for best play) from someone who works at the theatre so I just assumed they knew what they were talking about. But what you have laid out makes sense. So I am going to chose to believe what you have posted.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 8:32am

I saw this yesterday afternoon and really liked it. Yes, it's a history lesson but it's still incredibly compelling, and there are some edge-of-your-seats scenes. I credit Sher with that. The acting is across the boards great, with Anthony Azizi and Michael Aronov being the standouts for me. Their scenes in the second act are so fantastic, I could watch them act opposite each other forever.

Yes, this is over three hours with two intermissions but it doesn't drag at all. I also don't think you need to know anything about this bit of history before going in. There's a helpful character list included with the Playbill but the writing makes everything clear enough that everything is easy to follow.

Overall, this is the best new play of the Broadway season that I've seen so far (I have tickets to A Doll's House, Part 2, Sweat, and Indecent in April) and wouldn't be mad if it won the Tony.

For the person who asked about the view from row C, or the front row in this case, it's a great view. Unlike many LCT productions, Oslo's set does not extend to the back of the stage so you won't miss anything. Everything is pretty much played downstage.

Updated On: 3/27/17 at 08:32 AM

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 8:52am

I forgot to mention the one thing I disliked about the play.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The constant narration by Ehle. Some of it is necessary, sure, but a lot of it felt like "show, don't tell!" and a lot of it was already implied. Of course if you cut it, Ehle's character is reduced to nothing.

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 9:05am

Question for those who have seen this... is this really hard to follow if you are not familiar with the politics and history that the play deals with?

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 9:41am

bwayphreak234 said: "Question for those who have seen this... is this really hard to follow if you are not familiar with the politics and history that the play deals with?

 

As I mentioned above, no.

 

[evic]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 10:07am

Riveting, brilliant staging and acting.  A bit long but i cannot see what they could cut.  Recommend it highly.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:16pm

Can anybody who has seen this recently provide an approximate running time? Thanks! 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 12:19am

All politics end in tragedy, Mona. Don't speed up your demise...

 

I caught Oslo's preview this evening and really was taken with the play, performances and Bartlett's direction. This has been my favorite play so far this season and unless Indecent or Doll's Life: The Play pull a surprise upset for me, I'll be rooting for Oslo come Tony time. 

All of the performances were strong- several actors play multiple roles- but four actors really stood out and should be nominated: Michael Aronov (brilliant), Anthony Azizi, Jefferson Mays and the always wonderful Jennifer Ehle. Mays and Ehle rarely get a break from being on stage; two show days must be positively draining. (I was on the street at 11:10, so it's running a little over three hours.)

The history is fascinating and told in an engaging way. This is a bit like 1776: The Israeli/Palestinian Norwegian peace talks edition. We all know the ending, but the suspense is in seeing how they get there. There's an insert in the Playbill explaining who everyone is, but you won't need to reference it. Everything is spelled out clearly. Those with fears of confusion need not worry. 

I love Bartlett Sher. Oslo now joins Golden Boy and Joe Turner's for me as another great directorial achievement of a play. Everything is fluid and constantly moving. The poor person managing the lighting cues gets as much of a workout as the actors. The talks are bursting with verve and passion and that kinetic energy is transferred over to his direction. 

The set is sparse- the Beaumont feels vast- almost like we're at the U.N., come to hear Norway's pitch to aid in the peace talk process. Faded projections of photos and news clips are occasionally shown the extremely high walls that run across the back length of the stage. 

Don't let the long runtime scare you away from this one. A great play that should not be missed. 

[BroadwayBeebe]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 7:48pm

Seeing this tonight and there is a slip in the playbill that tonight's performance will only have one intermission.  Any idea when they made that change?

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 9:12pm

I saw the show Thursday and the usher told us it was the first night with one intermission. I was greatful for it as the show ended at 10:50am. I much prefer a slightly longer running time for each act to getting out earlier!

The show is wonderful btw. I loved Jefferson Mays and Jennifer Ehle and totally agree with everyone else. Thrilling political theater and beautifully staged at the Beaumont. Definitely a must see!

[little_sally]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 9:13pm

dave1606 said: "I saw the show Thursday and the usher told us it was the first night with one intermission. I was greatful for it as the show ended at 10:50am. I much prefer a slightly longer running time for each act to getting out earlier!

The show is wonderful btw. I loved Jefferson Mays and Jennifer Ehle and totally agree with everyone else. Thrilling political theater and beautifully staged at the Beaumont. Definitely a must see!

When did the one intermission happen in the play? 

 

[BroadwayBeebe]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 11:08pm

Intermission tonight was at the end of what I assume was Act 1 where they are back in the first scene of the play again. Intermission was at 9:07 and it ended at 10:54

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 4/2/17 at 12:03am

Wow. That makes Act Two seem a bit long.