tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post187371163484161557..comments2023-12-27T05:20:26.800-05:00Comments on BAM blog: In Context: Julius CaesarUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-15311439552237173392013-04-28T12:13:10.973-04:002013-04-28T12:13:10.973-04:00I concur with all the above criticism, the acousti...I concur with all the above criticism, the acoustics was bad, done in an african dialect, was horrible, i love The HARVRY center, but they need to work on the sound, and stop selling partial ochestra seats, a lot of people didn't show up, the ushers could have at least, came to the ones with obstructed views, be offerred another seat. I hope management consider, all these comments, and make it better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-53785730106960318232013-04-27T23:32:49.724-04:002013-04-27T23:32:49.724-04:00Play was ruined because we couldn't hear/ unde...Play was ruined because we couldn't hear/ understand what was being said. Seems like it was a mixture of bad acoustics, especially for the gallery, and the accents they put on which I thought were unnecessary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-8675815921707733012013-04-26T12:41:56.170-04:002013-04-26T12:41:56.170-04:00Horrible. Left at the end of Act 3. Worst Julius C...Horrible. Left at the end of Act 3. Worst Julius Caesar I've ever seen. Shame on the RSC. I should have known better after their passé theater for self-satisfied bourgeois masses at the Park Avenue Armory a couple seasons ago. In this productions, actors were screaming their lungs out and very visibly ACTING; most of all the Caesar. I've never been so happy to see Caesar die: the end of his vacuous and pompous declamation. <br /><br />There was no nuance and many actors did not even know how to walk a stage! Also, Mark Anthony was very disappointing. He played the role anticipating the end of the play. His eulogy for Caesar was flat. All the "and Brutus is an honorable man" were like rocks sinking in water. This Mark Anthony was victorious since he appeared on stage. All signs of political intelligence and inner thinking through words, gone.<br /><br />Compare this Julius Caesar to the Roman tragedies at BAM a few months ago... now, that was an inspired Caesar with a clear directorial point of view.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-24057066799433621832013-04-25T23:46:57.552-04:002013-04-25T23:46:57.552-04:00Compelling, well acted production. Agree with oth...Compelling, well acted production. Agree with other comments that either the acoustics are bad, especially for those in the upper part of the house (row R for me) or the actors are not playing to the entire house. I missed more than half the dialogue with the exception of Mark Antony and Portia . it took real work understand the lines of many of the others. That said, it was thrilling to watch and an interesting interpretation. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-25527224756019305892013-04-24T12:05:57.800-04:002013-04-24T12:05:57.800-04:00The acting and facial expressions were superb but ...The acting and facial expressions were superb but the dialogue difficult to understand (and we were in the fifth row) surprising for an English Company. First half much more engaging than second. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-54100905001888502772013-04-24T00:52:05.124-04:002013-04-24T00:52:05.124-04:00Excellent performances throughout and the music wA...Excellent performances throughout and the music wAs an added plus for sure, but I wish I'd known that the musicians would be playing for some time before curtain; I would've taken my seat even earlier.<br /><br />I think the performance space is lovely ... And very convenient to the subway. If you mistakenly head to the wrong BAM building there are even staffers outside to point you in the right direction.<br /><br />I highly recommend Row N. Nobody sitting in front of you. Excellent views, comfortable seats. I thought that my missing some of the dialogue was due to my not brushing up on the piece beforehand but having read the above comments, I wonder if it was partly the acoustics? Still, well worth seeing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-57938985452298073622013-04-21T22:41:41.677-04:002013-04-21T22:41:41.677-04:00I thought this was a brilliant production of Juliu...I thought this was a brilliant production of Julius Caesar, and I now can't imagine it being done any other way. So timely. The actors were incredible. However I agree with some of the other comments about the theatre - sub-optimal. Particularly the huge pillar obstructing my view -- pity I still paid a lot of money for the seat. Please fix this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-48594011391721096072013-04-20T22:48:57.863-04:002013-04-20T22:48:57.863-04:00An effective restaging of the Shakespeare classic ...An effective restaging of the Shakespeare classic in an African mode with particularly captivating music and dance, albeit without any alteration of interpretation in the move from Rome to Africa. Upper Orchestra Row N was very comfortable and roomy with good visibility. Intense and energetic acting, but the combination of rapid speech by the two leads and suboptimal acoustics (despite infrared listening devices) did make for too much missed dialogue.DrDavidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-39456027519423760042013-04-20T16:02:19.138-04:002013-04-20T16:02:19.138-04:00The conception and the energy of the production an...The conception and the energy of the production and the performances were terrific. Like the others who've written here, I too had trouble with the sound and understanding what the actors were saying. I lost more than half in the second act. The actors should have been made more aware of problems with enunciation and accent for us ferners. Acoustics too?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-9668034322021955522013-04-19T15:55:54.732-04:002013-04-19T15:55:54.732-04:00I enjoyed the production. It helped that I had re-...I enjoyed the production. It helped that I had re-read the play just before the performance. During acts I-III, the sound was better although it was hard to hear Cassius. Either the actors or the sound were not as clear in the second part. I have been to other performances at the Harvey where the sound hasn't been a problem. For me the issue wasn't the accents. Nevertheless I loved the setting of the play. I felt it gave it freshness and a new perspective. Mark Anthony, Portia and Calpurnia were particularly good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-82896752205339768302013-04-19T10:10:22.508-04:002013-04-19T10:10:22.508-04:00JC was an interesting production which had its hig...JC was an interesting production which had its highs and lows. The theater space offers only lows. The acoustics in the Harvey (the echo, esp in the louder scenes) made it impossible to hear more than 1/2 the dialogue. Seats in Gallery are very uncomfortable, though providing leg room. Lobby traffic flow awkward and poorly marked access points to seating areas is among the worst of any theater I can recall attending in and around NY. Not high on my list of theater facilities to revisit. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-87049256509400402982013-04-17T00:42:38.027-04:002013-04-17T00:42:38.027-04:00I agree with every point. Left at intermission be...I agree with every point. Left at intermission because of sound problems and discomfort. A Shakespeare student (Stratford-upon-Avon) this was a big disappointment. The donning of black "hoodies" was particularly disappointing. There was no classical geist in this production. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658202452707400073.post-60164192409604431202013-04-15T00:04:31.703-04:002013-04-15T00:04:31.703-04:00This is my second visit to the Harvey Theater (Ric...This is my second visit to the Harvey Theater (Richard III and Julius Caesar). Richard III production was brilliant. Current production also very impressive though accents of actors made it more difficult to understand. Glad to have attended. My most serious criticism is the seating in the Harvey balcony. The seats are poorly cushioned and very uncomfortable. The discomfort wears on you with time. My family reluctantly has decided not to attend any more productions at the Harvey until the balcony seating problem is corrected. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com