Sunday @The Atlantic

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 6:05am

Previews have started for this new play from Jack Thorne, I think Lee Sunday Evans has done some interesting work in the past, so this one is high on my list. Early reports are appreciated as always

In this new play by Tony winner Jack Thorne, friends gather for a book group, anxious to prove their intellectual worth, but that anxiety gets the better of any actual discussion as emotional truths come pouring out.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 10:52am

Seeing this one in a couple weeks, though my expectations are pretty low. Jack Thorne’s work on Cursed Child and King Kong haven’t given me much faith in his writing prowess. But then again, I’ve never seen one of his real plays (the ones that weren’t commissioned by a huge commercial franchise). So we’ll see.

I will say, I like the premise of a millennial book group - sounds like it could be fresh and interesting. But one red flag for me is the phrase “emotional truths come pouring out” - sounds like one of those plays where every character vomits out their deepest secrets like it’s nothing, sucking all of the dramatic tension out of the play. These kinds of “truth vomit” plays are far too common nowadays.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 11:17am

Agreed. I'm kind of sick of plays that are essentially 90 minutes of a person screaming at a "bad" character "don't you know racism/homophobia/rape/abuse/etc are WRONG?!" 

[macnyc]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 9:57am

I have hope for Sunday. I thought Let the Right One In was terrific. Of course, that was based on a book and movie. And it benefited from a top-notch production. I don’t know if Sunday is an original story or not. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 10:15am

macnyc said: "I have hope for Sunday. I thought Let the Right One In was terrific. Of course, that was based on a book and movie. And it benefited from a top-notch production.I don’t know if Sunday is an original story or not."

 

I forgot that Thorne adapted Let the Right One In. That show was indeed excellent. But as you said, it was a fairly direct adaptation (right?), and anyway I thought John Tiffany’s work on that show was really what made it for me. 
 

Updated On: 9/6/19 at 10:15 AM

[rg7759]

Posted: 9/8/19 at 8:42am

Please delete the duplicate thread

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 9/8/19 at 10:14am

I saw Thorne’s adaptation of Woyzeck in London. Have to say it was an expensive nap in a theater that’s even more uncomfortable than most Broadway houses. His writing feels meandering for my taste, and just lacks the craft of charm that transports an audience to an imagined world.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/16/19 at 9:49am

I saw this yesterday, and I feel like I need to eat my words a bit. I actually really liked it. 

Full disclosure: I am the target audience for this show. I'm a 20-something recent college grad living in New York, and trying to start a career. So on some level, of course I have some bias toward this show. But also, I think because I have a deep personal understanding of this world, and these characters' experiences, I held the show under a closer microscope. I've seen plenty of shows about teens and young adults that I hated because they struck me as so inauthentic and forced. But I'm happy to say that this show captured something very truthful.

I think the description of the show is a bit misleading, and makes it sounds like a more conventional drama than it is (not that the play is all that groundbreaking). The first part of the show focuses on this book group, but the second (and arguable more important) part focuses on one of the girls in particular, and the rest of her evening after the book group. There were a few moments during the book group that struck me as forced and inauthentic. Particularly with regards to one of the characters, who is played as something of an a**-hole caricature. But in the end, I think the show hits on some significant truths, and feels emotionally honest. The naturalistic style of the writing and the direction is done well. It felt grounded and engrossing. 

I enjoyed the use of one character as an omniscient narrator, telling us things about each characters' past, present, and future, and giving us insight into each characters' defining moments. The use of movement is a little strange at first, but I think ultimately it works. I would never have guessed that this was written by Jack Thorne - not only because of his spotty record in the last couple years, but also because I never would have guessed that it wasn't written by an American. 

The show could use some tightening. It does meander a bit, and the show let out at the 1h50m mark, despite the house staff's instance that the show was only 90 minutes (this is a frustrating trend that is happening more and more often - but I guess it's a conversation for another thread) 

[jbird5]

Posted: 9/16/19 at 7:42pm

Thorne wrote some of my favorite episodes of the British “Shameless” and “Skins” TV series. He also created a Sci-Fi series called “The Fades” which I haven’t seen but is kind of a cult show. He’s very talented which is probably why JK Rowling chose him as a collaborator. I actually really liked the first part of CC when I saw it a second time. The second part not at all. And you can hardly blame him for Kong.

Edit: Not that it means anything, but he has 5 BAFTAs to go along with his Tony.
 

Updated On: 9/16/19 at 07:42 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/20/19 at 12:02pm

I saw this last night and I really hated it. It's so meandering and pretentious and really needs to figure out what it wants to be about. It's also about 1:50 without an intermission.