Arlington Reviews

[porschesrule]

Thank you, atreyu, for this "insider's" review of this production (after so many "professional" reviews from the press). You truly add the perspective of one who's seen the show many times and are able to compare this production to the others. I enjoy reading that aspect of a "superfan's" review.

Despite the few things you didn't like about this production, it's clear you enjoyed it immensely and have favorably compared it to many of the excellent productions you've seen in the past.

[angelenroute]

Having visited Arlington this past weekend (and meeting a couple other forum members), I would describe the Signature Theatre's production of BETM as a fine re-imagining of the Daldry/Hall/Darling classic. Although the stage is small and has characteristics of in-the-round presentations - including performers occasionally blocking sight lines

Ugh. How can a director or choreographer not think this kind of thing out? Seems like such a careless mistake.

[ERinVA]

With a small space such as this one with a thrust stage with seating on three sides, I doubt it would be possible to avoid this happening now and then for audience members seated on the sides. I expect that, in this case, seats that are higher up on the side that faces the stage are the ones with the best view.

[angelenroute]

With a small space such as this one with a thrust stage with seating on three sides, I doubt it would be possible to avoid this happening now and then for audience members seated on the sides. I expect that, in this case, seats that are higher up on the side that faces the stage are the ones with the best view.

Fair enough. I haven't seen the theatre. I've just seen that kind of bad staging on even the largest of Broadway stages, and it's always frustrating.

[kport]

With a small space such as this one with a thrust stage with seating on three sides, I doubt it would be possible to avoid this happening now and then for audience members seated on the sides. I expect that, in this case, seats that are higher up on the side that faces the stage are the ones with the best view.

I chose to sit in the higher seats. Not only were they less expensive , but the were no more than 30 feet from the stage. An added bonus was that I was at the height of the highest point of the flying scene. I could not imagine sitting 'ring side'....from my vantage point, on all three sides of the theatre, the sight line was perfect!

[kport]

WTOP (one of my favorite news radio stations) posted this Q & A with the two stars of the show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acPvfLR6VCI

[andrewcraig]

https://wtop.com/entertainment/2018/11/ ... ild-stars/\\So far in the show’s first few weeks, audiences have been leaping to their feet.

“It’s been full standing ovations,” Gardiner said. “They just leap to their feet for these two boys. People love it. I think we are aching for stories right now that celebrate community and celebrate the individuality in all of us. I think this story is really uplifting and special.”

[porschesrule]

Broadway World chimes in with its very positive review of the Signature Theatre production:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/washingto ... e-20181115

[andrewcraig]

https://www.metroweekly.com/2018/11/the ... signature/

[kport]

Billy Elliot is about many things—work inequality, strikes, masculinity, homophobia, parental death, expressing individuality, finding yourself, chasing dreams—but what it might be about most is chance. An 11-year-old boy from a coal mining town in North East England wants the chance to dance, to make it out of a place that everyone tells him is going nowhere when he’s going somewhere. In a world of chaos, instability, and conflict both in his community and at home, Billy finds that to get that chance, he needs the support of his father, brother, grandmother, and neighbors. They all have to come together and give him that fighting chance to get out and make something of himself. And in Signature’s sincere new production, they do.

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/art ... e-reviewed