| The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Meandering,pretentious, endless drivel. The cast did their noble best. Although Tracey Letts and Marisa Tomei began to look bored as things slogged on to the end. I'm with you, folks. I had some interest in Will Eno years ago with his Thom Paine. He is best to stay with his quirky 40 minute one-acts. | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | Culturemom 09:11 am EDT 03/16/14 |
| In reply to: | The Realistic Joneses - colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Saw Realistic Joneses last night. Really liked it. The cast is terrific...especially Michael C. Hall. Thought the show was witty and interesting. I like the concept of being a fly on the wall, watching the day to day conversations happening in these people's lives. I understand that traditional structure of a play generally has a beginning, middle and an end. What is unique is that this piece tends to focus on the middle. I didn't find it meandering and pretentious, I found it clever and intelligent and the emotional plight of these two couples to be very relatable. As oppose to Open House, which I found somewhat annoying and predictable. Eno continues to push the envelope. Good for him! | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | BroadwayLouBlaze 11:45 am EDT 03/16/14 |
| In reply to: | re: The Realistic Joneses - Culturemom 09:11 am EDT 03/16/14 |
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| Yep.....very nicely put. Had a similar though even stronger response when I saw this in New Haven. Sorta like watching something from a hidden camera. The scenes suggest only the most basic of construction. The dialogue, conversational. But I felt immersed in their world. And by the end of 90 min. I felt a real connection to the characters , fearing for the future of their relationships and their physical well being. It also reminded me of just how, with the simplest turn of phrase, a solid, nuanced partnership can become fragile. suggesting all that "do we ever really know ourselves or each other" kinda stuff." Still, basing it only on the Yale experience, I would imagine this will elicit a love it/hate it reaction. It has to gross over 350k, just to break even each week. That is a big number for a play like this. Most plays period. Gonna give the actors a couple of weeks before I see it here. | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | BroadwayLouBlaze 01:48 am EDT 03/16/14 |
| In reply to: | The Realistic Joneses - colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Really liked this at Yale Rep with a mostly different cast. There at least, it was quite funny and very moving. Parker Posey was incredible., A brilliant performance? Letts was great as well. . Glad he is still with it. However, I read it a few months ago and I had the same reaction as you did to this production. It does not read well at all. It's rather short but reading it, is very difficult. I think it is one of those plays, like some early Mamet one-acts, where its degree of clarity depends on the strength of the choices that the actors make for each scene. Sam Golds Yale production really nailed it so maybe the actors need more time. After reading it, I realized how different every production of this play will be. I am looking forward to this but if it is playing like it reads, whew....that could tough to get through. | |
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| re: Will Eno defines relentless slog | |
| Posted by: | NewtonUK 11:23 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | The Realistic Joneses - colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| thru pretentious drivel. Stock in trade. I recall Charles Isherwood writing about the amount of 'hate mail' he got after people went to see Thom Paine based on his over the top rave. Thom Paine had an actual running time of about 48 minutes. I looked at my watch after about an hour, and realized we were only 10 minutes into the show. | |
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| re: Will Eno defines relentless slog | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 01:26 pm EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Will Eno defines relentless slog - NewtonUK 11:23 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| i loved thom paine. | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | seeseveryshow 12:06 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | The Realistic Joneses - colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| Thank you for reminding me that this is the same Will Eno who also wrote Thom Pain, about which Isherwood wrote: "It's one of those treasured nights in the theater - treasured nights anywhere, for that matter - that can leave you both breathless with exhilaration and, depending on your sensitivity to meditations on the bleak and beautiful mysteries of human experience, in a puddle of tears. Also in stitches, here and there. Speechless, in any case." I recall it was tedious and pointless, a waste of time and just a bore, and vowed not to believe anything Isherwood wrote from that time forward. I suspect he will love this new play. | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | lowwriter 12:33 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: The Realistic Joneses - seeseveryshow 12:06 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| I hated Thom Paine and was trapped in an aisle that I couldn't escape without making the whole role stand up. I thought The Realistic Joneses was enjoyable and at times funny, at least the version I saw at the Yale Rep. It reminded me of Detroit but I liked this play more. I think this is a play to see near the end of previews because of some of the quirks. | |
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| re: The Realistic Joneses | |
| Posted by: | davei2000 12:16 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: The Realistic Joneses - seeseveryshow 12:06 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| He already does. But he didn't love The Open House. I doubt he's taken any vows... | |
| Link | http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/theater/reviews/the-realistic-joneses-at-yale-repertory-theater.html?_r=0 |
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| I loved The Open House... | |
| Posted by: | Allinsparetime 12:03 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | The Realistic Joneses - colin 11:05 pm EDT 03/14/14 |
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| ...so much more than Realistic Joneses. In this case starry cast does not equal better production. The Open House is Eno at his best - funny, moving, surprising depth. Stuck with me for days. Im gonna try and see it again before it closes. Really loved it. | |
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| re: and I was thinking of selling my ticket to The Open House | |
| Posted by: | lowwriter 12:36 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | I loved The Open House... - Allinsparetime 12:03 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| To see London Fall or Forbidden Broadway instead. | |
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| re: and I was thinking of selling my ticket to The Open House | |
| Posted by: | summertheater 12:43 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: and I was thinking of selling my ticket to The Open House - lowwriter 12:36 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| I also would highly recommend The Open House - got a great review in the NY Times, flies by at 85 minutes, and is excellently acted. | |
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| re: and I was thinking of selling my ticket to The Open House | |
| Posted by: | davei2000 02:33 am EDT 03/15/14 |
| In reply to: | re: and I was thinking of selling my ticket to The Open House - summertheater 12:43 am EDT 03/15/14 |
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| Isherwood approved of the twist, but that was after calling the play "disappointingly hollow" with "not much of a discernible human pulse." Not that great a review. | |
| Link | http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/theater/in-will-enos-the-open-house-dysfunctional-dynamics.html |
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