Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: 1776 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 01:14 am EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: re: 1776 - StageDoorJohnny 11:22 am EDT 07/05/20 | |
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| Reports at the time suggested that it was believed that the London theatregoing public would demand an intermission, although it may be that the union was part of it and they just didn't want to report that. But bolstering the idea that the public was unhappy is that when La Mancha first played in London in 1968, it opened with no intermission but one was added during the run. When it came back in 1969 with Kiley, there was an intermission. Thanks for the La Mancha announcement info. I don't remember hearing it, which makes me wonder if perhaps it wasn't done at matinees but only at evening performances (more likely perhaps to have attendees with babysitters at home). But I know you saw La Mancha many times, including (I would imagine) at matinees. |
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| 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 04:08 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: re: 1776 - AlanScott 01:14 am EDT 07/06/20 | |
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| I have often wondered if after the scene outside Jefferson's rooms might be a better place for the intermission than after "Momma Looks Sharp." There just really isn't a great place for an intermission no matter where you put it, which is usually the case for plays and musicals that were originally performed without intermissions (or they would have been originally performed with intermissions). I did a bit of searching in the ProQuest database and I found this from the Daily News of November 28, 1967. It appeared in Robert Sylvester's "Dream Street" column: "The most tactful management in town must be at the ANTA Theatre, where 'Man of La Mancha' plays. Each night before the curtain time the following announcement is made: 'The show will be performed without intermission. Telephones are available in the rest rooms if you wish to call your baby sitter now." |
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| re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 10:03 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement - AlanScott 04:08 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
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| I actually like the intermission after "Momma" - in a show that's often very entertaining, ending the act with that song really brings us back to the seriousness of the moment. I like that. Ending with the "Violin" tag (or even "The Egg") might have that more traditional "end the act upbeat" feeling, but I don't know if this show has to have that. I like the sobering feel to "Momma" being the last thing we take in before intermission. I've never seen a production done without intermission (same with Follies) and I'd love to see it done that way sometime. I've done La Mancha twice - once with a break after "Golden Helmet" and once with no intermission (with the only cut being the Moorish dance scene). I have to say I really liked it much much better without the intermission. ;-) |
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| re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 11:57 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement - Chromolume 10:03 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
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| I feel that neither break particularly makes for the audience to feel that they must come back. Of course, everyone does know the end. The acts are just so lopsided if the intermission comes after "Momma." It's 95-100 minutes, and then 40-45 minutes. But it probably is a better spot. |
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| re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement | |
| Posted by: StageDoorJohnny 07:05 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement - AlanScott 04:08 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
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| well, I was close :) | |
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| re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 11:54 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
| In reply to: re: 1776 intermission placement and La Mancha announcement - StageDoorJohnny 07:05 pm EDT 07/06/20 | |
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| Oh, you may have been closer than Sylvester, who may well have been doing it from memory, too. And if you're remembering what was said at the Martin Beck, it may be that there was no lower lobby at the ANTA Washington Square, which he calls just the ANTA, which of course was on 52nd (and still is on 52nd just with a different name now). So they may have changed it a bit at the Martin Beck, which would be fresher in your memory. I wonder why I don't remember it. I wonder if I got to the theatre a bit last minute when I saw it at the Martin Beck, but in those days I usually got to the theatre well before curtain. And then I saw it again at the Eden, where I suppose it's possible they didn't make the announcement. Did you ever see it at the Eden? Or at the very end, at the Hellinger? |
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