The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
#1The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 5:43pm
Someone has to pick for me because I can not come to a decision with my family.
And why that one?
Thank you for helping me out!
#2re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 5:52pm
Well if you have to order tickets RIGHT NOW, I'd think that THE SEAGULL or ALL MY SONS would be your best choice; THE SEAGULL more if your family wants something naturalistic and "true to life" (it's been raved for as the best Chekhov production of THE SEAGULL to come out of England, with a great performance by Kristin Scott Thomas), and ALL MY SONS more if they want something very "theatrical" and conceptual (as in, but not exactly like, John Doyle's production of SWEENEY TODD).
SPEED-THE-PLOW has a fantastic cast, but I put it lowest on the list only because it hasn't begun previews, and no one knows if it will (God forbid) be a disaster.
If you can afford to wait, however, I'd see how SPEED-THE-PLOW is received: again, it has a fabulous cast.
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
Updated On: 9/29/08 at 05:52 PM
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#2re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 6:00pm
Your family will be mad at you if you settle on THE SEAGULL. It's very dull, inspite of its movie-star cast.
SPEED-THE-PLOW is an interesting play but can be boring if performed poorly (that's not likely though)
ALL MY SONS seems to be raking in most of the dough, tourists, and attention. Great play, great cast. Probably your best bet if you're wanting to keep your family pleased.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#3re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 6:03pm
THE SEAGULL is being given the best Chekov production NY has seen in years, I'm told.
And I wouldn't call Thomas and Sarsgaard movie stars. I'd call them actors.
ALL MY SONS features movie stars.
Updated On: 9/29/08 at 06:03 PM
#4re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 6:04pmAs much as I *loved* The Seagull, I would say you and your family should go see All My Sons.
#5re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 6:06pm
Family = Adults, if this does clarify anything...
Thanks!
WiCkEDrOcKS
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
#6re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/29/08 at 6:13pm
ALL MY SONS.
It's the most surprisingly enjoyable thing I've seen in a long while. I expected a total mess and I really liked it quite a lot.
Bobby Maler
Featured Actor Joined: 1/8/07
#8re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/30/08 at 2:04am
I've actually heard from some friends that The Seagull is surprisingly dull...
Speed The Plow is a better play than All My Sons, in my opinion.
ArtMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/08
#9re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/30/08 at 5:42pmI saw Speed the Plow with Madonna. It was boring.
Chrysanthemum62001
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/04
#10re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 9/30/08 at 7:04pmOh, man I think this would be a hard decision. I LOVE The Seagull...it's probably my favorite play in the whole world. I've never read All My Sons, and though the cast doesn't excite me that much, the story sounds amazing. And well, Speed the Plow, you have an awesome playwrite and two of the most talented male actors ever, in the company. Very difficult indeed! I would say go with The Seagull, just because the content is TOP NOTCH. Not that the other two aren't, it's just wow...a difficult choice. Though I have this feeling Speed the Plow and All My Sons would have bigger mass appeal.
"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL
#11re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 10/1/08 at 12:17amI'm not a big Mamet fan, though I'll see Speed-the-Plow for that cast. I haven't seen this production of All My Son yet, but it's one of a major playwright's lesser works (at least in my estimation). Everything I've heard about the production has been wonderful, but I'm not that enthused about it. Then you have The Seagull which I just got back from seeing. What a stunning production. I was dazzled by the performances, and plays don't come much better than this one. I'm surprised to see people here thinking it was dull. I was riveted. And Kristin Scott Thomas is ridiculously amazing. I'm off to digest it more.
WishingOnlyWounds2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/25/08
#12re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 10/1/08 at 12:29amAll My Sons
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
#13re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 10/1/08 at 6:47amOf the three plays you listed, The Seagull is the only one I've seen so far. I was bored stiff at that one, and couldn't wait for it to end. So, I'd see one of the other two.
#15re: The Seagull, All My Sons, or Speed-the-Plow?
Posted: 10/1/08 at 1:26pm
I say All My Sons. Yes, The Seagull is stunning, but it's not exactly entertainment central. And no one knows anything about Speed-The-Plow. The great cast is not indicative of anything. Great casts can mean horrible shows (fingers crossed that it won't be, though).
I vote All My Sons.
