DEATH OF A SALESMAN 2022 Previews- Page 2

[GoldenGiggery]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 11:54am

So I won rush tickets to this for the Wednesday evening performance. Frankly, it was a mixed bag for me.
 

—I LOVED Wendell’s performance as Willy Loman. I thought he made good decisions with showing the character’s descent into madness, depression, and overall mental erosion. It was played very tragically, and I felt genuine sorrow for his fate, despite Willy’s shortcomings.

 

—I found McKinley Belcher a compelling Happy, and a great implied echo of Linda; overlooked and under appreciated. He played a good contrast of who Biff was intended to be. I’m curious to see more from him.

 

—The concept of the set design was interesting, with the house finally getting a roof once the house is paid in full. More could have been done with that idea though.

 

—Khris Davis was passable as Biff, but spoke very affected for some reason. A lot of wavering vocal emphasis during arguments with Willy in places where it seemed unnatural, and not enough of a difference between teenage and adult Biff.

——Sharon Clarke….idk I’ve wanted to like her, but I just don’t understand the hype she receives. I’ve seen her in two shows now; this and Caroline or Change, and I’ve found her very middle of the road. Like I could throw a rock in a NY community theater and hit 5 who do exactly what she does. Decent as Linda, with a great funeral monologue as well as the “Respect is owed” moment, but I never felt as though she were truly in despair or that life had worn her out. Many times it just felt like she was saying the lines with a (noticeable) American accent. Idk if anyone else caught it, but she places a lot of weight on her words ending in R, in a way most Americans do not.

 

Overall, I give it (as it stands in previews) 2.5/5. Mainly for Arthur Miller’s AMAZING play withstanding the test of time, and Wendell’s excellent performance. It needs work though, mainly via better directing. I think many issues could be worked out with that.

[GoldenGiggery]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 12:03pm

Sidebar, I know there’s always the threat of misbehaving audience members in any theatre, but holy god, this had to be one of my worst experiences ever with a disrespectful viewer. 
 

I was in Center Orch Row M, and the couple in front of me had clearly been drinking prior and during the show. About 35 min in, the man in front of KEPT getting on his phone every 20 minutes. In Act 1, the brightness was on high, and then in Act 2 he assumed no one would notice if he switched to a black background to text. Throughout the entirety of the show, this occurred at least 7 times, and despite the person next to me kicking the back of his seat in frustration, and the person I was with telling whispering “dude, get off your phone!” he never did. And the ushers did NOTHING. Not at any point. 
 

The only reason I mention this here, and not the “Worst Experience” chain, is because my grievance is Ambassador Theatre Group specific. I’m not sure what’s going on with the staff at this theatre, because something very similar happened at Plaza Suite back in July. But it’s as if they don’t care that a performance is being disrespected/disrupted.l for everyone. It’s incredibly disheartening. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 12:54pm

I also caught this on Wednesday evening and it was also a mixed bag for me. There were quite a few times where everything came together in an explosive and effective way - namely Sharon D. Clarke at the end of Act I when the facade of holding it together starts to crack and fall apart as Biff (a passable Khris Davis) chipped away at her.

I definitely enjoy how they portrayed Willy's delusional state as he moves through and around the timeline. However, there were far too many times where the direction was just so bizarre that it took me out of the proceedings. Using an instrument (I can't remember if it was a sax or a banjo) to indicate someone talking on the other end of the phone was very..."Charlie Brown". Also, there were times where everyone felt disparate, which is less of the performers' fault than the director - I shouldn't at any point feel like Willy Loman, Caroline Thibodeaux, and Hermes are sharing a scene together.

Wendell Pierce is EXCELLENT. He tackles this role like the bear that it is and, as someone who is a psychiatric nurse, I thought he was VERY effective in how he portrayed a character who is dealing with a neurological diminishment likely caused by a traumatic brain injury. It's an affliction that can easily become scenery-chewing, but I actually felt for him because I've worked with many patients who have the same form of delusional thought and mood lability to the point where it becomes disruptive in day to day life. I also found Sharon D. Clarke to be fantastic as Linda, because that role requires a strong will, but also a vulnerability that comes with being a caregiver on the edge of breaking down. McKinley Belcher also was a great parallel to Linda as Happy in terms of fighting to be visible in Willy's eyes amidst her hero worship of Biff. 

Unfortunately, the other two main plot-driving performances left a lot to be desired. As someone said before, Khris Davis is remarkably stiff as Biff. He delivers the lines but I never really felt any rise-and-fall of emotion from him as a character with, colloquially, "Terminal Adolescent Syndrome" would have - it was just a very flat affect. Additionally, and dear God it kills me to type this, but Andre De Shields was the absolute wrong choice for Ben. I get that the character is a spectre to Willy, but it's almost as if Cromwell/Elliot directed him to play him just like Hermes, from the ethereal gliding and gait, down to the monochromatic suit with the embellished footwear. I hope this is not his last Broadway role since I wouldn't want a legend like that ending his career with what is essentially a glorified cameo.

I'll give it a 6/10. There are some great performances to witness here, but it's mired in a lot of questionable directorial choices.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 1:01pm

Golden, sorry to hear about those crappy patrons, but getting an usher and reporting it is the way to go for a long play such as this one. A person kicking a seat is very immature and childish. It will also do nothing. Getting security so they are threatened and potentially out hundreds of dollars does the trick.

Sharon Clarke….idk I’ve wanted to like her, but I just don’t understand the hype she receives. I’ve seen her in two shows now; this and Caroline or Change, and I’ve found her very middle of the road. Like I could throw a rock in a NY community theater and hit 5 who do exactly what she does

Same. She's just a really boring actress for me. 

 

[GoldenGiggery]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 1:47pm

Golden, sorry to hear about those crappy patrons, but getting an usher and reporting it is the way to go for a long play such as this one. A person kicking a seat is very immature and childish. It will also do nothing. Getting security so they are threatened and potentially out hundreds of dollars does the trick.

 

You’d think that would help, because the person who kicked’s partner actually did tell an usher at intermission, but then it continued to happen, and no usher ever said anything. I’m stumped honestly. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 1:53pm

That's just them being terrible ushers, then. At Company, these three horrible women in the second row (two seats from me) were live streaming and other crap, and 2 ushers confronted them, and then security showed up and removed them. It was so beautiful. I know ushers don't get paid much but they should do their job, even if it's "uncomfortable". 

[musikman]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 3:56pm

Caught this last night, and sorry to say that it was a disappointment.   Very much felt that 3+ hour running time.  I had been so looking forward to this as well.

Some acting bits and scenes were good, but much of it felt wooden or stilted.  The direction was either too heavy-handed (the constant photograph flashes), or was lacking clarity or a clear vision.

Not to be crass, but I was definitely hoping that Willy would finally do the deed so we could get up and go.

Ironically, the best moments of the night for me were the singing portions.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 5:45pm

I wonder how many of the "questionable directorial choices" were made in the original London production and which were made here.  The London production drew so many raves where the reaction here so far has seemed much more tepid.

[GoldenGiggery]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 6:01pm

I would imagine a few changes were made. The only people to transfer are Wendell and Sharon; the entire supporting cast is different in this production. Also, Marianne Elliott co-directed the West End production, whereas the Broadway version is solely Miranda Cromwell. 
 

Perrrrrrsonally, I feel like the bar is not as high in London for Non-Shakespearean plays, especially for material that’s American. 

[MentalVortex]

Posted: 9/30/22 at 6:37pm

I haven't seen the Broadway production but I did see it when it played at the Young Vic. 

From reading what everyone is saying I would say that probably little has changed: the singing, photograph flashes, the laughter, even Willy's brother and how he is portrayed were all present in the London production. Hearing what de Shields is doing is exactly how the actor here played that character.

I assumed Marianne Elliott's role in London was a mentor of sorts; helping, encouraging and guiding Miranda Cromwell through the production and what she envisioned. I'm not sure how accurate that is, just my guess. 

I wasn't as enthusiastic with the production, unlike the critics, I pretty much loathed Wendell Pierce's performance (found it lacking nuance) and certain directorial choices.

Updated On: 9/30/22 at 06:37 PM

[nycward]

Posted: 10/1/22 at 3:03pm

I caught a performance earlier in the week compliments of TDF. We had extraordinary seats which was great for us but unfortunately may say something about the box office performance. We enjoyed it tremendously. Having seen a number of productions through the years the best compliment that I can give is that the production felt as if it was always written about a black family in post war New York. It kept me focused and present throughout the 3 hours (on the dot to cope with Equity overtime rules) and the company really delivered for me. As written before Andre DeSheilds seems to be channeling his work in Hadestown, but if we see Ben as truly the Angel of Death it all felt appropriate. I think the reviews will match Brantley's initial take on the original Old Vic production. It was a satisfying night in the theatre for us.

[sppunk]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 12:22am

Saw this tonight. It was good but forgettable and felt too long. More importantly I felt like I was being shouted at for 3 straight hours and that wasn’t fun. 

Lots of empty seats. Wonder if it’ll eventually close early in the orchestra on both sides in the wings.  

[Ke3]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 1:13am

GoldenGiggery said: "—Sharon Clarke….idk I’ve wanted to like her, but I just don’t understand the hype she receives. I’ve seen her in two shows now; this and Caroline or Change, and I’ve found her very middle of the road. Like I could throw a rock in a NY community theater and hit 5 who do exactly what she does."

Sharon Catherine Brown, her understudy in Caroline, left me in tears. Everything I've seen of Clarke in the role has left me feeling tepid, at best. Lot's Wife, both the OBC or the bootleg with SCB make me feel it intensely, even though neither Tonya or Sharon is overplaying it. Clarke feels "fine". Haven't listened to her recording since the first time, and the live performance clips are incredibly underwhelming.

 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 5:44pm

I saw this last night and have many thoughts! Overall, I really liked it! 

I got the TodayTix Rush tickets and the $20 off code worked on them, so they were only $33 a piece with fees! Our seats were Row C and GOSH is that stage high (and it gets higher during some parts of the show). I couldn't imagine being further forward than we were! It must be awful. We were also able to move back to row D for the second act, which actually helped a lot. Also, bless this show for being at the Hudson. My butt was definitely feeling the length of it, but at least I wasn't also squished into a tiny seat with no leg room!

I actually thought all the performances were solid, including Khris Davis. I can see some of what people were saying about him, but thought he was really strong in the second act. I was able to empathize with him much more than any other character. 

I am Sharon D. Clarke's #1 fan. I absolutely adore her and thought she was fantastic here. There isn't really much to say about her because I just thought she was fantastic. I will always be here to defend from you haters  

I've come to realize that Andre De Shields does not act, he delivers. If you need someone to be ethereal and deliver lines ethereally, you call Andre De Shields. Whether that be a Greek god or a wealthy ghost. Personally, it didn't really take me out of it because I thought it actually worked really well for the part. 

Wendell Pierce and McKinley Belcher III are a bit harder to nail for me. Both are giving good performances, Pierce especially, but I just found the characters so supremely unlikeable. By the end, I wanted to get out of my seat and slap them both. I haven't read it since high school, so I'm not sure if it's the writing, direction, or maybe the performances and I'm lying to myself, but they're just awful people.

I thought the singing was a nice addition actually and I can't imagine it adds that much time to the run-time. 

The set was really cool. It was more minimalist than a lot of Elliot and Harper stuff, but still had some of their hallmarks like all the movement on and of the stage and things popping out of places or being revealed in some way. 

I also thought the race changes worked well. It was subtle, but I couldn't stop myself from feeling the implications of Willy's race on his success. Of course, this story works with white Lomans, but, with Black Lomans, I thought it was heightened. It's just another reminder of the failures of the American Dream. It is not equally applied to all people for reasons outside of their control. 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/2/22 at 5:46pm

It slipped my mind that Chris Harper pays their salary now. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/6/22 at 11:34pm

I really hate to say it but this fell a bit flat to me. It felt overly long, with little crack and pop to hold it all together. It felt like it was missing an anchor to ground all this bitter passion. Some of the performances felt inconsistent and half baked. There’s good stuff there, but it left me feeling disappointed.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 12:01am

jkcohen626 said: "I saw this last night and have many thoughts! Overall, I really liked it!

I got the TodayTix Rush tickets and the $20 off code worked on them, so they were only $33 a piece with fees! Our seats were Row C and GOSH is that stage high (and it gets higher during some parts of the show). I couldn't imagine being further forward than we were! It must be awful. We were also able to move back to row D for the second act, which actually helped a lot. Also, bless this show for being at the Hudson. My butt was definitely feeling the length of it, but at least I wasn't also squished into a tiny seat with no leg room!

I actually thought all the performances were solid, including Khris Davis. I can see some of what people were saying about him, but thought he was really strong in the second act. I was able to empathize with him much more than any other character.

I am Sharon D. Clarke's #1 fan. I absolutely adore her and thought she was fantastic here. There isn't really much to say about her because I just thought she was fantastic. I will always be here to defend from you haters

I've come to realize that Andre De Shields does not act, he delivers. If you need someone to be ethereal and deliver lines ethereally, you call Andre De Shields. Whether that be a Greek god or a wealthy ghost. Personally, it didn't really take me out of it because I thought it actually worked really well for the part.

Wendell Pierce and McKinley Belcher III are a bit harder to nail for me. Both are giving good performances, Pierce especially, but I just found the characters so supremely unlikeable. By the end, I wanted to get out of my seat and slap them both. I haven't read it since high school, so I'm not sure if it's the writing, direction, or maybe the performances and I'm lying to myself, but they're just awful people.

I thought the singing was a nice addition actually and I can't imagine it adds that much time to the run-time.

The set was really cool. It was more minimalist than a lot of Elliot and Harper stuff, but still had some of their hallmarks like all the movement on and of the stage and things popping out of places or being revealed in some way.

I also thought the race changes worked well. It was subtle, but I couldn't stop myself from feeling the implications of Willy's race on his success. Of course, this story works with white Lomans, but, with Black Lomans, I thought it was heightened. It's just another reminder of the failures of the American Dream. It is not equally applied to all people for reasons outside of their control.

"

How goes it get higher 

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 11:36pm

Wow I think I felt differently than most other folks. There were definitely moments that didn’t quite nail it but I think for me there were just as many here that took my breath away. I thought the direction was beautiful and poetic and that Andre DeShield character totally worked. Khris Davis was just okay as Biff until his big “I’m nothing” scene, which for my money was the best moment of the show—I could feel the air shift in the room and hear folks stifling cries around me.  Loved Wendell Pierce and Sharon D Clarke but they more or less delivered what was expected—which was great. 
 

I cannot stand long shows but other than the first 20-30 minutes it flew by for me. 

Updated On: 10/7/22 at 11:36 PM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/20/22 at 9:36am

On the Buy/Sell board, I just posted a great center orchestra seat on the aisle for Tuesday, 10/25. $75

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/20/22 at 11:48am

BroadwayGirl107 said: "I cannot stand long shows but other than the first 20-30 minutes it flew by for me."

I felt the same way. I was mentally prepared to tough it out, but the performances and overall direction were so captivating for me, it didn't feel like a 3 hour long play. Loved the stage design too. 

Unfortunately, I made a mistake of attending a mid week matinee, and of course I wound up surrounded by a several groups of high schoolers. But even those 3 or 4 times phones went off or rustling of chips bags didn't break the spell for me.

 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 12/8/22 at 2:24am

Saw this tonight.

First let me just say I don't think I have ever heard so many phones go off during a show and this after the ushers gave mini speeches to every section.

I rather enjoyed this, I never felt the three hours and it was interesting to have seen how naturalistic the 2012 staging was...and how modernist and surrealist this production felt. Wendell Pierce has almost turned Lowman into King Lear which is a fascinating and super compelling idea, watching his lucidity come and go and him talking to himself versus Hoffmans slow boil rage/sad sackness which was also very good I think is a major reason to see this 

I think this theater was the wrong physical place for this production, half the seats have some kind of obstruction.

I feel like Biff and Happy really have found a rhythm that maybe wasn't present early on or now isn't as awkward considering they were in previews with two leads who already had gone through two runs of the show. 

TodayTix rush is super easy and now $6 lower, for $37 this is a pretty good night at the theater