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These aren't shows that require much in the way of analysis, so there really isn't a lot to say about them.
Arms and the Man: It's amazing how big of a set Constellation has managed to cram into the Source. Which is not to say that the set is more impressive than the cast, but just that it's a huge set that barely fits for the change, and I'm impressed they've made it literally as big as it can be and still work for their needs.
Was at first preview, so things will get a little cleaner, but the show is great. They fully play up the humour to farcical proportions, and it works, and it's fun. Very much enjoyed, highly recommend.
The downside was the crazy bitch sitting next to me. See, we were in the front row. And that put us, at times, about a foot away from the actors (ok, a little more than a foot, but less than a yard, I swear). So, in a comedy, it is incumbent on the audience to laugh at the jokes. And the cast was funny. So, I'm laughing at the jokes. Crazy bitch next to me (who looked in her 70s and is officially old and funless) at one point muttered loudly enough for me to hear, and for the people behind me to hear, so possibly loudly enough for the *actors* to hear, something like "Why can't you people shut up?" In my head, I'm going, "Whoa, bitch, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Obviously, I just sort of glare at her and don't say anything, since, you know, I'm not doing anything wrong. People behind me come up to me at intermission, as I'm telling![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
10littlebullets about crazy bitch, to tell me "wow, she's crazy, we enjoy that you're enjoying the comedy, please continue to laugh at the jokes". Crazy bitch moved at intermission to a seat all the way on the edge, as far away from me as she could get. Because heaven forbid people laugh at the comedy.
Nevermore: I saw the original production at Signature, and I think Matty has improved on several aspects of it. First, there is no Jacqui Piro doing the worst southern accent ever, which helps a lot. Second, there are no distracting as hell costumes, like Jacqui Piro's half-wig. (seriously, the weird shit seemed clustered around Jacqui.) I mostly have the same feelings about the book now that I did then, but I do think this production made some real improvements to how the show feels. Most importantly, Priscilla Cuellar is a much more sympathetic Mother than Flo Lacey was. Flo was an imperious, mocking figure; Priscilla more obviously loves and cares about her son, and her jabs at him aren't deliberately venomous. Second, there's a greater connection in Matty's production between the act of writing and the act of sex. In a way, one sort of has to put the two productions together. In the original, Lauren Williams as Virginia masturbates while Poe tells his stories; in this production, Poe writes his poems across the arms, back, legs of the whore during Eldorado, then does the same to Virginia as he tells - creates - his stories. There's also a better ending staging, apparently - it starts out in more of a dream world than the original production did, so the way the show ends doesn't need to circle back to the beginning as the original should have done and didn't.
The cast is very good - Sean Thompson as a much younger Poe than Dan Cooney is a real asset, and Karissa Swanigan as a sweet but practical Elmira is a huge improvement over Jacqui Piro (no horrifically fake accent and a complete lack of theatricality make her seem so much more real and really show up the reason there could never be a relationship between her and Edgar). The others had rather iconic actors originating the roles - could anyone compete with Lauren Williams when it comes to 13 year olds in creepy situations? - but were good performances in their own ways.
Matty's music will always be beautiful, and I will always be a fan, and I'm so glad this production happened.
Coming up: LM tour again, Saturday Night (finally! even if it is just in concert), Boys from Syracuse (in concert) are the next major things. And hopefully I will never see crazy bitch again. I'm sure she hopes she doesn't see me again.
Arms and the Man: It's amazing how big of a set Constellation has managed to cram into the Source. Which is not to say that the set is more impressive than the cast, but just that it's a huge set that barely fits for the change, and I'm impressed they've made it literally as big as it can be and still work for their needs.
Was at first preview, so things will get a little cleaner, but the show is great. They fully play up the humour to farcical proportions, and it works, and it's fun. Very much enjoyed, highly recommend.
The downside was the crazy bitch sitting next to me. See, we were in the front row. And that put us, at times, about a foot away from the actors (ok, a little more than a foot, but less than a yard, I swear). So, in a comedy, it is incumbent on the audience to laugh at the jokes. And the cast was funny. So, I'm laughing at the jokes. Crazy bitch next to me (who looked in her 70s and is officially old and funless) at one point muttered loudly enough for me to hear, and for the people behind me to hear, so possibly loudly enough for the *actors* to hear, something like "Why can't you people shut up?" In my head, I'm going, "Whoa, bitch, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Obviously, I just sort of glare at her and don't say anything, since, you know, I'm not doing anything wrong. People behind me come up to me at intermission, as I'm telling
10littlebullets about crazy bitch, to tell me "wow, she's crazy, we enjoy that you're enjoying the comedy, please continue to laugh at the jokes". Crazy bitch moved at intermission to a seat all the way on the edge, as far away from me as she could get. Because heaven forbid people laugh at the comedy.Nevermore: I saw the original production at Signature, and I think Matty has improved on several aspects of it. First, there is no Jacqui Piro doing the worst southern accent ever, which helps a lot. Second, there are no distracting as hell costumes, like Jacqui Piro's half-wig. (seriously, the weird shit seemed clustered around Jacqui.) I mostly have the same feelings about the book now that I did then, but I do think this production made some real improvements to how the show feels. Most importantly, Priscilla Cuellar is a much more sympathetic Mother than Flo Lacey was. Flo was an imperious, mocking figure; Priscilla more obviously loves and cares about her son, and her jabs at him aren't deliberately venomous. Second, there's a greater connection in Matty's production between the act of writing and the act of sex. In a way, one sort of has to put the two productions together. In the original, Lauren Williams as Virginia masturbates while Poe tells his stories; in this production, Poe writes his poems across the arms, back, legs of the whore during Eldorado, then does the same to Virginia as he tells - creates - his stories. There's also a better ending staging, apparently - it starts out in more of a dream world than the original production did, so the way the show ends doesn't need to circle back to the beginning as the original should have done and didn't.
The cast is very good - Sean Thompson as a much younger Poe than Dan Cooney is a real asset, and Karissa Swanigan as a sweet but practical Elmira is a huge improvement over Jacqui Piro (no horrifically fake accent and a complete lack of theatricality make her seem so much more real and really show up the reason there could never be a relationship between her and Edgar). The others had rather iconic actors originating the roles - could anyone compete with Lauren Williams when it comes to 13 year olds in creepy situations? - but were good performances in their own ways.
Matty's music will always be beautiful, and I will always be a fan, and I'm so glad this production happened.
Coming up: LM tour again, Saturday Night (finally! even if it is just in concert), Boys from Syracuse (in concert) are the next major things. And hopefully I will never see crazy bitch again. I'm sure she hopes she doesn't see me again.