WEST SIDE STORY (2019 Revival) Preview Thread- Page 6

[BJR]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:03pm

SouthernCakes said: "Are there any big scene changes or pieces or is it mostly blank and projections?"

Scene changes are the back wall opening to show the rooms. Otherwise, open stage and projections.

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:03pm

BJR said: "SouthernCakes said: "Are there any big scene changes or pieces or is it mostly blank and projections?"

Scene changes are the back wall opening to show the rooms. Otherwise, open stage and projections."

What was Cool like? 

[Zion24]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:11pm

QueenAlice said: "Fish cut almost all the choreography out of Oklahoma along with all the music that went with it.And Agnes DeMille’s contribution to that show was right up there with Jerome Robbins’s on West Side Story. To say Fish didn’t cut anything is to miss the point completely. Yes he did. He cut a lot."

this doesnt seem complicated: as much as you may miss the original choreo, the Fish production did not cut any songs, dialogue, plot. It was the same story told from a new angle. To compare that with a production that eliminates whole songs, shaves off at least 30 minutes, and seems to wholly reduce entire characters presence, seems silly. Even if you hated Oklahoma! revival-- i didnt, but you went for the traditional choreo, i get why you would-- this WSS sounds like a hella lot more of a chop job. ANd maybe it will be brilliant! in that barn of a theater, i am sure i will get to it before it closes.

[supersam1026]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:11pm

I was using what was in the Playbill and it was listed as "Taunting", so that is why I used the verbiage. What is seen in the show is absolutely rape, really no way around that. Very disturbing and I'm betting stays in.

Cool is all new choreography (as is the whole show). No finger snapping or anything like that in sight. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:13pm

Globefan said: "What was Cool like?"

 

"Cool" wasn't especially memorable for me. Unless there was something I really didn't pick up on, it was done fairly traditionally, except with the new choreography. 

 

[BJR]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:13pm

Globefan said: "BJR said: "SouthernCakes said: "Are there any big scene changes or pieces or is it mostly blank and projections?"

Scene changes are the back wall opening to show the rooms. Otherwise, open stage and projections."

What was Cool like?"

Honestly, that was a number that I missed the storytelling. The whole concept of the movement exploding from tension and Riff trying to suppress it, well, it just wasn't there. But again, the vocabulary was exciting and the dancing great. Great example of how I wish they could be married - the vocabulary of this one with the storytelling of Robbins.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:14pm

With the much shorter runtime, does it feel like much of the book is cut?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:17pm

ljay889 said: "With the much shorter runtime, does it feel like much of the book is cut?"

 

I'm not hugely familiar with the original book, but I didn't the feeling that a lot was cut (though of course I know that there must have been some big chops in order to get the show down to 1h45m). For me, it all flowed pretty well. And the earlier rumor about all the dialogue getting cut was very much false. 

[BJR]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:18pm

ljay889 said: "With the much shorter runtime, does it feel like much of the book is cut?"

I couldn't tell you what was cut. Maybe some Doc stuff? Maybe some Anita stuff? They both seemed like smaller parts to me. But it just felt streamlined, not like story points were being skipped over.

It doesn't feel like a too-short run time, partly because it was first preview and the pacing isn't there.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:19pm

Thanks JBroadway, BJR and supersam1026 for all your thoughts and recollections. It’s encouraging reading and a joy to watch an informative, creative debate unfold on here finally. Much appreciated.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:23pm

BJR said: "ljay889 said: "With the much shorter runtime, does it feel like much of the book is cut?"

I couldn't tell you what was cut. Maybe some Doc stuff? Maybe some Anita stuff? They both seemed like smaller parts to me. But it just felt streamlined, not like story points were being skipped over.

It doesn't feel like a too-short run time, partly because it was first preview and the pacing isn't there."

Interesting. I’m going to assume they purposely cast an Anita that wouldn’t steal the show, something that Chita, Debbie, and Karen all did. 

[BJR]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:25pm

ukpuppetboy said: "Thanks JBroadway, BJR and supersam1026 for all your thoughts and recollections. It’s encouraging reading and a joy to watch an informative, creative debate unfold on here finally. Much appreciated."

Oh don't worry - some are gonna hate it! Haha

This production is not meant to be the seminal West Side to End All West Sides. It's a telling of it. And one I think has great potential.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:27pm

I just got home from the first preview. I will admit that I was a skeptic going into this as I have never been particularly fond of Ivo Van Hove's work before. That being said, the West Side Story I saw tonight was utterly breathtaking, invigorating, and EXHILARATING beyond belief. I truly loved this production.

Ivo Van Hove stated in a previous interview that his concept for this production was "a race against time", and this is very evident here in the speediness and urgency of the pacing. The concept is crystal clear, and 110% effective. I have seen West Side Story countless times before, but I have never been on the edge of my seat like I was tonight.

Ivo pulls some old tricks out of his hat such as the live video feeds and a lot of onstage rain. However, unlike in some of his previous works I have seen, they don't feel gimmicky here at all. One problem I did have was that I felt like the drug store and beauty shop were too far upstage, but the live recording of the scenes in these areas was deftly done and projected onto the back wall. The entire stage of the Broadway has been laid bare from wall to wall and from the deck to the rafters. The playing space is CAVERNOUS, but it never feels too big or empty.

The cast is excellent with Issac Powell's Tony being the standout. He is truly stellar. The cast is very young, insanely talented, and full of energy. I found the new choreography to be absolutely thrilling and flawlessly executed by the entire cast.

This is very much a West Side Story for today's America. It's extremely dark, gritty, and raw. This will not be for everyone by a long shot. I think this will be one of the most divisive productions ever as a matter of fact. For me, though, this was a reminder of just how exciting and stirring Broadway theatre can be.

 

[supersam1026]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:30pm

OK, maybe I wasn't in the minority as I thought initially! I'm absolutely fascinated to see how this evolves throughout previews. Have not stopped thinking about it since leaving the theater about 90 min ago.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:32pm

@broadwayphreak234

I feel like you and I have similar taste in shows. I get the sense that we tend to agree on divisive things, but maybe it's just a few recent cases. 

 

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:35pm

supersam1026 said: "OK, maybe I wasn't in the minorityas I thought initially! I'm absolutely fascinated to see how this evolves throughout previews. Have not stopped thinking about it since leaving the theater about 90 min ago."

Based on what you're saying, it sounds like a great companion for the new film. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:36pm

I...don't understand why it's surprising anyone that this is good. Ivo is one of the world's most talented modern directors, with a pristine, Tony-winning track record of work in NYC. WSS is one of the most beloved American musicals of all time. They workshopped this production for nearly 2 years. Sondheim himself stands behind the changes being made.

Only this board could twist it in the past year to make it seem like this would be a disaster. The production is nearly completely sold out through the holidays - in the Broadway Theater of all places. This is going to be a huge hit. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:40pm

Does Whizzer still do first preview reports? 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:44pm

VotePeron said: "The production is nearly completely sold out through the holidays - in the Broadway Theater of all places. This is going to be a huge hit."

You might be right, but I don't think it's a stretch to say at this point a large number of ticket sales could very likely be due to name recognition alone. We don't know how audiences are going to react to this specific production once they actually see it and realize it may not be the West Side Story they were expecting when they bought their ticket, and how that will affect word of mouth.

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:45pm

Lots of talk of projections and video and I’m a bit unclear. Are there scenes acted offstage that are filmed and projected? Are the cameras “in” the story? What purpose does this serve dramatically (narratively) or aesthetically? Thanks!

Updated On: 12/10/19 at 11:45 PM

[Dolly80]

Posted: 12/10/19 at 11:59pm

I can’t begin to imagine how on earth they arrived at the decision to cast Ramsar in this.

Not just because of what he did, and that this cast is made up of so many young performers making their debuts, but the fact he creates such a distraction from the good work these people are doing. And especially in the current climate where abuses like this aren’t and shouldn’t be allowed.

Also he’s a terrible actor, as proved in Carousel.

[tstrome1995]

Posted: 12/11/19 at 12:00am

is most of the show in the middle of the stage? considering buying a ticket up close but to the side of the orchestra, will anything  major be missed from having some of the stage obstructed? 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/11/19 at 12:00am

kade.ivy said: "Are there scenes acted offstage that are filmed and projected?"

Yes, a few of them are totally offstage. Though most of them are in little rooms that built just behind the stage that you can partially see into.

 

Are the cameras “in” the story?

Not really. We are meant to suspend our disbelief and ignore them.

 

What purpose does this serve dramatically (narratively)or aesthetically?

Depends on who you ask I guess. It's sort of up to artistic interpretation. In my opinion, it creates a stark difference between the interior spaces, which are safe, realistic, and grounded, as opposite the exterior spaces - i.e, the streets of New York - which are cold, vulnerable, and unforgiving. 

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/11/19 at 12:04am

tstrome1995 said: "is most of the showin the middle of the stage? considering buying a ticket up close but to the side of the orchestra, will anything major be missed from having some of the stage obstructed?"

 

You probably won't miss anything happening on the stage, but you might miss something in the projections. I was in one of the house left box seats (which was a rush seat). I couldn't see inside Doc's (which was ok because all of it was on video). I was able to see most of the projections, but there were a few moments in the video that I couldn't see. I felt like I got the gist of it though. Overall I thought it was a good seat. Much preferable to those god-awful rear-mezz seats at the Broadway, which they are selling for the same price as rush. 

Updated On: 12/11/19 at 12:04 AM

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 12/11/19 at 12:11am

I just HAVE to ask... was Amar booed at curtain call?

No need for further discussion, a simple yes or no will do.