detlef Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 (edited) Basically, they're lame and I have told my wife that I am never going to another one as long as I live. There are a number of art forms that can be better experienced live and in person. Music, for instance. While the live performance may lack the polish and production quality of a well made album, the visual element and spontaneous nature of the performance more than make up for that. There, of course, are others. Somebody please explain to me what a play has that a movie doesn't? Especially if it's at some hack local theater with second rate actors. I was just going on about this to my floor manager here at work and she nailed one of the issues on the head. "Is it the 'stage voice'?" Actually, yes, that's a big freaking part of it. Nobody ever talks in real life the way people talk on stage. The conversations are about as natural as basically all the dialog in Revenge of the Sith (a movie widely regarded as having about the worst dialog of any movie ever made). But, the thing is, you don't go to Star Wars III for the dialog. That is, however, exactly what you go to a freaking play for because that's all there is!!! People talking. Lastly, why in god's name would I want to drop an absolute minimum of $15 (and easily more) to see less? That's like me charging you only $8 for a completely prepared and cooked meal or $20 for box of raw meat and vegetables so you can make it yourself. I wont go into specifics about why the particular play that I suffered through the first half of before my wife and I decided we were going to make up some story to tell her friends about an emergency at the restaurant so we could bail at intermission. Let's just say that there was a whole lot of talking about the typical BS that plagues basically every family out there. It was the cheery story about a bunch of friends that share a vacation house every year but learn how much they hate each other and try to figure out which between two, now divorced people, they're going to continue to allow to endure their annual week of torture and self important BS. Somebody pass the freaking cyanide tablets. Edited May 5, 2007 by detlef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 i have never been disappointed with the plays i've seen on broadway (and in sf). but, i also know what i like and what i don't. i've seen movie versions of some of the plays... about 50/50 on whether i liked them as much as in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Looks like you need to be pickier in the plays you go to. Plays HAVE to be well-written and well-acted to be entertaining (classic examples are Neil Simon plays on Broadway)! Anything less than that is a waste of time, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Looks like you need to be pickier in the plays you go to. Plays HAVE to be well-written and well-acted to be entertaining (classic examples are Neil Simon plays on Broadway)! Anything less than that is a waste of time, IMO. big fan of neil simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 (edited) Well, truth be told, I have seen a few large production plays and enjoyed them somewhat. However, you rarely get away from the "stage voice" issue. I remember we went to see "Rent" at the large theater in Raleigh and it allegedly had a top-shelf cast. It certainly did not inspire the level of hatred that last night did, but I still couldn't get past the forced nature of things. Then again, that had the almost equally annoying element of people breaking into freaking song every 10 minutes. Showtunes, like Country songs, have waaayyyy to many words in them. Edited May 5, 2007 by detlef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Well, truth be told, I have seen a few large production plays and enjoyed them somewhat. However, you rarely get away from the "stage voice" issue. I remember we went to see "Rent" at the large theater in Raleigh and it allegedly had a top-shelf cast. It certainly did not inspire the level of hatred that last night did, but I still couldn't get past the forced nature of things. definitely... the closer you are the more exaggerated it seems. i think it is so those in the back get some of the effect. saw rent in 02 or 03 and liked it... i generally don't like musicals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grits and Shins Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 You weren't in the right frame of mind. Had you cleansed yourself first your mind would have been open to the truely artistic nature of the play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 The only live theater I go to is for musicals. I've seen Riverdance, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia and Fame, all of which were very good to excellent. I was given freebies to Romeo and Juliet once but was by half time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliaz Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Personally I'd rather go to the local community theatre and watch a production of “Hound of the Baskerville” (Sherlock Holmes mystery) then any movie that Hollywood releases. The Theater is a dying art form that is being replaced by the internet, DTV, iPods, downloading movies and the such. I find the hard work and personal attention to detail that this “Second Rate” stage actors put into a production more appealing then all of the FX of all the star wars movies rolled up into one big ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 All the world's a stage, and we are but merely cranky detlef's throwing rotten tomatoes at the crap which passes before us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 All the world's a stage, and we are but merely cranky detlef's throwing rotten tomatoes at the crap which passes before us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 6, 2007 Author Share Posted May 6, 2007 All the world's a stage, and we are but merely cranky detlef's throwing rotten tomatoes at the crap which passes before us. Fit for a sigline to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 I don't care for Broadway plays much either. I do enjoy off-off Broadway plays though. That is simply a reference to the size of the theatre. Less that 75 seats, and the actors don't have to throw their voices like that. I've seen some really good comedies and some dramas (that always have at least a few funny lines in them as well) in NYC. In the smaller venues, it's not so forced. Heckuvalot cheaper, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Plays? Meh. Plays are fine. I hate opera. And Nascar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Love Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Well, truth be told, I have seen a few large production plays and enjoyed them somewhat. However, you rarely get away from the "stage voice" issue. I remember we went to see "Rent" at the large theater in Raleigh and it allegedly had a top-shelf cast. It certainly did not inspire the level of hatred that last night did, but I still couldn't get past the forced nature of things. Then again, that had the almost equally annoying element of people breaking into freaking song every 10 minutes. Showtunes, like Country songs, have waaayyyy to many words in them. For both plays and musicals, comedies are the way to go (at least for me). That takes a lot of the figurative spotlight off of the believability/realistic aspect of it. You weren't in the right frame of mind. Had you cleansed yourself first your mind would have been open to the truely artistic nature of the play. Jeebus H. Christ. Can you let anything go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grits and Shins Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Jeebus H. Christ. Can you let anything go? You think I need to cleanse myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Jeebus H. Christ. Can you let anything go? Wouldn't be the true Grits if he did. Grits' Motto: "Beat it until it's dead and then beat it some more." You think I need to cleanse myself? No doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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