I have rarely gone to a first preview where "something" hasn't gone wrong. Sometimes it's an actor flubbing a line, other times it's a set piece not working. Usually it's a rhythm or confidence that hasn't quite jelled yet. Often what balances out these flaws is a great energy and enthusiasm or just plain terror, which can translate into something very entertaining and gripping.
But to charge full price for the first week of previews is just cruel to both audience and actor.
A role like Hickey is a mountain, cut or uncut. And O'Neill in general can be a bitch to learn: there's a reason his plays run so long: he has his characters go over the same terrain with the same words and it is a challenge to solidify them in your mind. That fluency and ease can only be perfected with an audience present.
I think when they were paying preview prices, audiences would be generous of spirit, especially if a director as charming as George C. Wolfe were to do a curtain speech explaining where they were in the process. I'd say that unless the text is being altered significantly, a week of previews is usually enough to bring a show to the level where you would wish it "frozen" (something that hopefully won't ever happen).
I'm surprised that in this age of instant appraisal that producers don't buy themselves some forgiveness by doing this and advertising it more explicitly. Most not-for-profits do it as a matter of course. |
