1984 publicity stunt
1984 publicity stunt
#11984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 9:56pm
In an effort to make the play seem dark, edgy, frightening and powerful while also seeking some much needed publicity, the show bans those under 13 from seeing it.
"We have found our advance to be slowing recently and have thought of an ingenious way to counter some of the narrative that our show is boring, uninspired or a waste of time. By pretending that the show is too scary for anyone under the age of 13, we can try to convince the public that our show is an unmissable event".
A 12 year-old theatre goer reacts to the news "From what I hear, the real reason this policy was implemented was so that the show could not be accused of child abuse for torturing patrons with boredom. They can get away with it for adults but not children. Thank you for sparing us, 1984."
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/21/17 at 09:56 PM
UncleCharlie
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/26/16
#31984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 10:00pm
Link: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/No-1984-After-2004-Broadway-Production-Announces-Age-Restriction-20170621
Interesting. I can sort see why they would want to do this, especially if they've had complaints (possibly from parents who took their kids after reading the book in school). But I wonder how precedented this is. I've never seen this done before. Seems like there are a ton of shows out there that are more deserving of age restrictions than 1984, but those producers just let parents decide for themselves. Still, it sorta makes sense as a concept, considering we do the exact same thing with film.
froote
Broadway Star Joined: 2/14/17
#41984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 10:01pm
I mean there are fully grown adults here saying the show was too much for them. I think it's understandable.
#51984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 10:03pm
UncleCharlie said: "You're just jealous your mom can't take you now.
"
If the show can stay open for another 2 years I might be old enough!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#61984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 10:05pm
Sounds like a publicity stunt to me.
Keeping BroadwayWorld Illustrated
GreasedLightning
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/11/14
#71984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 11:06pm
qolbinau said: "In an effort to make the play seem dark, edgy, frightening and powerful while also seeking some much needed publicity, the show bans those under 13 from seeing it.
"We have found our advance to be slowing recently and have thought of an ingenious way to counter some of the narrative that our show is boring, uninspired or a waste of time. By pretending that the show is too scary for anyone under the age of 13, we can try to convince the public that our show is an unmissable event".
A 12 year-old theatre goer reacts to the news "From what I hear, the real reason this policy was implemented was so that the show could not be accused of child abuse for torturing patrons with boredom. They can get away with it for adults but not children. Thank you for sparing us, 1984."
"
Have you even SEEN the show? Or are you just being a bitter b*tch about it?
#91984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/21/17 at 11:52pm
So 13 year olds can see Harry Potters nuts and watch him stab horses but 1984 is too much. Okkkkkkk. Whatevs.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
#101984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 12:06am
Bettyboy72 said: "So 13 year olds can see Harry Potters nuts and watch him stab horses but 1984 is too much. Okkkkkkk. Whatevs. "
I agree it's strange in context, but when you think about it, you can't really blame the producers of 1984 for that. They weren't in charge of Equus, or any of the other shows that are less kid-friendly than 1984.
bfreak
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/6/11
#111984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 12:23am
How do you suppose they'll even enforce this? How could they really tell the difference if a kid is 12 or 13 with proof on a nightly basis? Thoughts?
LightsOut90
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/2/14
#121984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 12:37am
this is such a dumb stunt, when I saw it in London there was an entire class of 8th year student behind me and they were entranced by it
DrewBill
Stand-by Joined: 4/22/08
#131984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 12:56am
I saw this production last week. During the torture scene 4 or 5 people left the theater, including a parent with a child. I liked the show very much, but it is very intense and absolutely not appropriate for children. I was actually shocked that there wasn't already an advisory of some sort for this show.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#141984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 5:25am
There was an advisory...i believe they suggested over 13 then as well.
How much if a stunt could it be. I doubt there were too many families rushing to see this.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#151984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 5:26am
GreasedLightning said: "qolbinau said: "In an effort to make the play seem dark, edgy, frightening and powerful while also seeking some much needed publicity, the show bans those under 13 from seeing it.
"We have found our advance to be slowing recently and have thought of an ingenious way to counter some of the narrative that our show is boring, uninspired or a waste of time. By pretending that the show is too scary for anyone under the age of 13, we can try to convince the public that our show is an unmissable event".
A 12 year-old theatre goer reacts to the news "From what I hear, the real reason this policy was implemented was so that the show could not be accused of child abuse for torturing patrons with boredom. They can get away with it for adults but not children. Thank you for sparing us, 1984."
"
Have you even SEEN the show? Or are you just being a bitter b*tch about it?
"
My post was clearly a joke, calm down - jesus!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#161984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 7:05am
LightsOut90 said: "this is such a dumb stunt, when I saw it in London there was an entire class of 8th year student behind me and they were entranced by it "
Aren't most 8th graders at least 13?
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#171984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 8:33am
Bettyboy72 said: "So 13 year olds can see Harry Potters nuts and watch him stab horses but 1984 is too much. Okkkkkkk. Whatevs."
I saw both Equus and 1984, and I would've been comfortable taking a minor to Equus but I would not take a minor to this production of 1984. While 'Muricans are curiously prudish about nudity/sexuality, they're generally blasé about exposing children to violence.
One saw very little of "Harry Potters nuts" in Equus (blink and you missed it) and the depiction of horse-stabbing was highly stylized and far from literal (cage-like sculptures made of chrome pipes approximated the shape of horse heads). On the other hand, 1984 depicts the lengthy torture of a man in extremely literal and graphic terms.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#181984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 12:59pm
givesmevoice said: "LightsOut90 said: "this is such a dumb stunt, when I saw it in London there was an entire class of 8th year student behind me and they were entranced by it "
Aren't most 8th graders at least 13?"
Year 8 in the U.K. would be 12/13 year olds.
#191984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 1:01pm
Lot666 said: "One saw very little of "Harry Potters nuts" in Equus (blink and you missed it)"
Missed them.
#201984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 1:04pm
Typical bourgeois American prudery about "protecting" children from reality. Heck, I know people who call 19 year olds "children."
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#211984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 1:16pm
It doesn't seem like it would be much of a publicity stunt because you'd have to know about the show in the first place to be more intrigued now that there's an age restriction. Of course, there have been worse examples of marketing... I wonder if they were just getting too many complaints, or just one or two from very vocal parties.
#241984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 3:53pm
As stated above, I doubt many young people were rushing to see it anyway.
Just gets a bit of an eyebrow raise from me. Generally an advisory is enough for theatrical productions, even particularly graphic ones.
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Owen22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#251984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 3:54pm
UncleCharlie said: "You're just jealous your mom can't take you now.
I love you.
"
#261984 publicity stunt
Posted: 6/22/17 at 4:02pm
perfectlymarvelous said: "givesmevoice said: "LightsOut90 said: "this is such a dumb stunt, when I saw it in London there was an entire class of 8th year student behind me and they were entranced by it "
Aren't most 8th graders at least 13?"
Year 8 in the U.K. would be 12/13 year olds. "
in the US, 8th graders are 13/14 years old. so an 8th grade class wouldn't be barred.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
