I too am on the fence about this one. There’s a lot to like and a lot to dislike here. The scenes with the children are probably the best scenes but they don’t advance the plot. Same with Finoula Flannigan who is probably a shoo in for at least a Tony nomination. Two maiden aunts in one family? At least Aunt Pat links back to the days of the revolution. I would drop the prologue. The less said about the ending the better. And sitting in the mezzanine for 3 plus hours is a mild form of torture in itself. With a cast this size and running over 3 hours this can’t be viable economically even if it sells out (let alone selling thru TDF). Thank you Mr Rudin for spending some of your Hello Dolly money on this even if it’s only a qualified success.
Saw this last night and although there is much to admire I found the 31/4 hour sit in the mezz of the Jacobs a bit of a chore. I kept on thinking that crossing over to union overtime seemed unnecessary for this production. Yes there is much to admire but it is indeed over baked and it could have benefited by cutting 20 minutes from the show. Certainly to reduce the running costs by many thousand of dollars per week. God bless TDF though. $45 per ticket makes it all so much better considering gonna shell out full price for Network!
nycward said: "Saw this last night and although there is much to admire I found the 31/4 hour sit in the mezz ofthe Jacobs a bit of a chore.I kept on thinking that crossing over to union overtime seemed unnecessary for this production. Yes there is much to admire but it is indeed over baked and it could have benefited by cutting 20 minutes from the show. Certainly to reduce the running costs by many thousand of dollars per week. God bless TDF though. $45 per ticket makes it all so much better considering gonna shellout full price for Network!"
I could not have said it better myself, even including paying full price for Network. I really enjoyed the show but it was just a little too long. Personally I didn't feel the whole 3.25 hours, since the ladies on either side of me left after act one so I could stretch out a bit. But it was very long.
nycward said: "Saw this last night and although there is much to admire I found the 31/4 hour sit in the mezz ofthe Jacobs a bit of a chore.I kept on thinking that crossing over to union overtime seemed unnecessary for this production."
As the show ends before 11pm (all evening curtains are 7pm, ending at 10:15pm), there is no union overtime incurred, correct?
Regarding the show, I didn't find it a chore in the slightest to sit through. The 3hrs 15mins whizzed by much faster than the 2hr 10min Waverly Gallery, and I found the whole evening to be a satisfying and delicious look at what's possible in a hyper-realism play with a 21-member cast. By far one of the best things I've seen this year, and can't recommend it enough. Cannot wait to go back, soon!
I saw this production last night and while it's certainly entertaining and there are moments of great writing, it's not a very good play. It's just 3+ hours of cliche and then a sudden burst of bizarre shock value at the very end. The ending, is atrocious. The audience around me burst into laughter at the ending, which I don't think is what the writers were going for. It's just an over-the-top mess all of a sudden. The music is absurd and manipulative. Frankly, this is junk food theatre, which I guess is fine, but I was expecting a really great new play and that's not what this is.
This play shines in it's performances, which are really wonderful. The kids and the aunts are great. The leading lady also gives a wonderful performance.
Overall, this is the Mcdonald's of Broadway plays. It's enjoyable, but it's certainly not gourmet.
I saw the Waverly Gallery matinee today and was blown away, however. THAT is the play everyone should buzzing about, especially Elaine May and Joan Allen who are giving two of the best performances that I've ever seen on the Broadway stage.
GeorgeandDot said: "I saw this production last night and while it's certainly entertaining and there are moments of great writing, it's not a very good play. It's just 3+ hours of cliche and then a sudden burst of bizarre shock value at the very end. The ending, is atrocious. The audience around me burst into laughter at the ending, which I don't think is what the writers were going for. It's just an over-the-top mess all of a sudden. The music is absurd and manipulative. Frankly, this is junk food theatre, which I guess is fine, but I was expecting a really great new play and that's not what this is.
This play shines in it's performances, which are really wonderful. The kids and the aunts are great. The leading lady also gives a wonderful performance.
Overall, this is the Mcdonald's of Broadway plays. It's enjoyable, but it's certainly not gourmet.
I saw the Waverly Gallery matinee today and was blown away, however. THAT is the play everyone should buzzing about, especially Elaine May and Joan Allen who are giving two of the best performances that I've ever seen on the Broadway stage."
Has anyone, by chance, sat in the first row for this show? I am planning on going in November and was wondering if it is worth paying extra and sitting in the front. It is Premium but 50 less than the premium cost in second row. I saw The Color Purple in the front row and loved it.
Oh, this is one of the great ones. I saw the play when it first transferred to the West End and again on Friday at the Jacobs. The Ferryman still more than lives up to the hype. It's even better now, The ensemble cast, who are all giving stellar performances, has grown even stronger, I guess from running the show in London. I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk about Paddy Considine, Laura Donnelly and Genevieve O'Reilly, and of course the adorable and really scary Tom Glynn-Carney. It's important to know that this a really accessible show, It's an epic family story that is an addictive as binge watching a Netflix series. It zips by and at the end of the show, I felt I could have spent even more time getting to know these amazing characters. I would recommend The Ferryman to anyone who wants to see an extraordinary play and wants a great night out at the theater.
I couldn't disagree more with some of the negative reviews, though the holders of these opinions are certainly entitled to them.
I saw the West End production in March (Paddy Consadine had just moved on from the role). There are so many elements to discuss in terms of what makes this a great play, including of course the size and ensemble nature of the cast as well as the menagerie of course, even the realistic nature of the mise en scene, but I think this play begins and ends with the writing. It's the kind of writing that allows actors to become giants on the stage.
I don't think one needs to be well versed in Modern Irish history to take the most from this play - in fact one would be better of to review their mythologies - Greek and otherwise, as there are two worlds on stage in The Ferryman, the 'normal' quotidian world of Armagh in 1981 and the mythological world of which this is merely a reflection. The allusions to mythology punch through in the script, not just in terms of the titular ferryman but throughout - particularly in that ending, which was neither 'out of nowhere' or laughable, but essential, perhaps surprising, and mythologically speaking - inevitable.
I'm fine to wear my heart on my sleeve and say that I think Jez Butterworth is among the greatest living playwrights working at the moment (along with McDonagh).
I wish I could see the Broadway production, but I'm overseas until June - hopefully it is still running then.
This isn't in the same league as Jerusalem but it's a funny and thrilling piece of theatre. When I saw it in London a guy in the row behind me leapt up and shouted "what an ending," when the sudden release came after the slow build, and I wouldn't disagree with him. It's not a philosophical masterpiece nor is it profound nor does it offer insight into the human condition but it is both damn good fun and a damn good roller coaster ride.
Apparently there has been criticism of it in the Irish republic as being cliched.
And the little lad gets the best line about a watch and concrete shoes.
This plays seems like they put every cliche that you could think of from every play ever written and then started throwing darts. Whatever got hit, got put in the show. I found myself saying that they really should've chosen ONE ending. There were like five endings within the last minute of the play. I really did feel that it came out of nowhere considering how the play, at first, seemed to be going for realism. It suffers from a major identity crisis. It just doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a black comedy, or a mythology play, or a political thriller or a family drama. It kind of just chooses to do all of it. I disagree that it's too long. As it is, I think it's too short to fully explore every element that it puts before us. It kind of comes together as a half baked mess. Of course, it is entertaining, but the writing isn't very impressive, even if the dialogue is great.
Georgeanddat said: "It just doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a black comedy, or a mythology play, or a political thriller or a family drama. It kind of just chooses to do all of it."
I assume that was a deliberate choice and the debate is more about whether it succeeds: yes; no; yes; maybe. I certainly enjoyed the Act I set-up that results in the family laughing at the wrong assumption that the author has lured the audience into.
VotePeron said: "nycward said: "Saw this last night and although there is much to admire I found the 31/4 hour sit in the mezz ofthe Jacobs a bit of a chore.I kept on thinking that crossing over to union overtime seemed unnecessary for this production."
As the show ends before 11pm (all evening curtains are 7pm, ending at 10:15pm), there is no union overtime incurred, correct?
I believe that the union rules about overtime extend past three hours of performing. The start time has no baring on the rule.
CT2NYC said: "If anyone's looking for a great price on seats, right orchestra P 24-26 are oddly priced at $40 on Telecharge for the 1 p.m. show on Wednesday 10/17."
BalconyClub said: "CT2NYC said: "If anyone's looking for a great price on seats, right orchestra P 24-26 are oddly priced at $40 on Telecharge for the 1 p.m. show on Wednesday 10/17."
Limited view seats have been selling at $40.
Maybe these are limited view seats?
Last week, my seats in H17-H19 were limited view."
I don't believe so, since they're selling at $149 all this weekend, with no disclaimer, they just say ORCHO. The $40 seats are labeled ORCHMI.
CT2NYC said: "BalconyClub said: "CT2NYC said: "If anyone's looking for a great price on seats, right orchestra P 24-26 are oddly priced at $40 on Telecharge for the 1 p.m. show on Wednesday 10/17."
Limited view seats have been selling at $40.
Maybe these are limited view seats?
Last week, my seats in H17-H19 were limited view."
I don't believe so, since they're selling at $149 all this weekend, with no disclaimer, they just say ORCHO. The $40 seats are labeled ORCHMI."
GeorgeandDot said: "it's not a very good play. It's just 3+ hours of cliche and then a sudden burst of bizarre shock value at the very end. The ending, is atrocious. The audience around me burst into laughter at the ending. Frankly, this is junk food theatre, which I guess is fine, but I was expecting a really great new play and that's not what this is.
Just saw this tonight and GeorgeandDot nails it.
I'm so disappointed lately with what seems to be a lack of subtext and a burning desire of playwrights to TELL a play rather than SHOW us one. Decent dialogue does not automatically make a decent play and fails to hide that this is 3+ hours of exposition.
This play, as was said, has no idea what it wants to be and ultimately succeeds at being nothing but a long, superficial cliche with nothing at stake and let's not talk about the ending which is ludicrous and some folks did laugh (although not the man sleeping next to me).
About two hours in, I was inclined to think that this could be a 90 minute play, but a play has a journey, a trajectory, something to say, a story or slice of life, to show us, and this has none of that.
This is my 3rd and final Jez Butterworth play. The first act of Jerusalem was good and the rest was a repetitive bore. The River was dull as dirt and twice as pointless. I was hoping this would be "third times the charm" but instead, it was "three strikes you're out" for me.
The audience seemed to like it, but there was laughter at the ending and the man sleeping next to me woke up in time to give a standing ovation to the play, so take that for what it's worth.
On the good side, the acting was uniformly good, including the kids, the goose and the bunny. The live animals and real baby serve no purpose except as another pointless gimmick.
One of the five endings reminded me of Of Mice and Men and the "spontaneous" dance was done more effectively and better in Dancing At Lughnasa (also starring the great Dearbhla Molloy).
This is a long slog with small bursts of entertaining dialogue. There is plenty of time to let your mind wander and by the time you come back to what's on stage, you won't have missed a thing.
NYfanfromCA said: "sppunk said: "They didn’t sell magnets when we saw this in London, but want one as we collect them for every show.
Can you go into a theater to purchase merch without a ticket?
If not can someone pick one up for me? I’ll make it worth your while."
I collect magnets, also, and will be at this show next Saturday. If you can't get into the lobby at intermission or after a show lets out to get one, let me know and I can pick one up for you."
You probably can purchase if you bring your ticket showing that you had attended a previous show....
joined:12/20/15
joined:
12/20/15
Posted: 10/6/18 at 11:32am