Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 - Donmar Warehouse

[cirque]

anyone join me in hoping that Natasha,Pierre and The Great Comet may come to London.sounds a brilliant show.

[firefingers]

Far too interesting for the West End. I expect it'll turn up at Southwark in 5 years or something though.

[ali973]

Maybe at the National Theatre a la Here Lies Love. But it's too artsy and concept for West End. I'm seeing it in a few weeks.

[viserys]

Actually the Olivier's shape would be perfect for this, but I don't think they could change the layout that much as shows play in repertory. The only other theatre with a similar layout is the New London (I think) and I hope its present new resident will stay around for a while. Of course they could also take any other theatre apart.

I think the curiosity value and some starry casting à la Groban might propel it on for a few months, but yea, I think Southwark or Menier would be a better bet.

[xanady]

Any news on this coming to the UK?

[pianowithsam]

Big fan of Mr Malloy and his works. Very excited for Ghost Quartet & Preludes to traverse the pond and arrive here later this year.

The only real hint of Comet coming to the UK is this very vague tweet.

[Rukaya]

Jul 31, 2019 13:24:27 GMT pianowithsam said:

Big fan of Mr Malloy and his works. Very excited for Ghost Quartet & Preludes to traverse the pond and arrive here later this year.

The only real hint of Comet coming to the UK is this very vague tweet.

Bloody hell, looking back at that tweet, Dave is having a great year. Moby is happening at the ART having just done excerpts in NYC, Octet has happened and also raised enough funds for a cast recording, and Preludes and Ghost Quartet have been announced for London. Doesn't look like we'll be getting Great Comet any time soon but wow, what a year! 

[pianowithsam]

Jul 31, 2019 15:43:15 GMT Rukaya said:

Jul 31, 2019 13:24:27 GMT pianowithsam said:

Big fan of Mr Malloy and his works. Very excited for Ghost Quartet & Preludes to traverse the pond and arrive here later this year.

The only real hint of Comet coming to the UK is this very vague tweet.

Bloody hell, looking back at that tweet, Dave is having a great year. Moby is happening at the ART having just done excerpts in NYC, Octet has happened and also raised enough funds for a cast recording, and Preludes and Ghost Quartet have been announced for London. Doesn't look like we'll be getting Great Comet any time soon but wow, what a year! 

At least he deserves it.
His writing is an absolute breath of fresh air.

[intoanewlife]

The Great Comet is absolutely my favourite musical, by a mile. I saw it 8 times on Broadway. It's a magical experience and I hope we get it eventually.

I too would love to see it at The National. The Oliver would be perfect fit with a bit of shuffling. Other than that a tent somewhere would suffice.

Just bring it!

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Always get my hopes up when I see someone's posted in here only to have them dashed by a comment just hoping the same as me. Sorry to anyone who reads this and thinks it could have been something more as I have done countless times. I hope to God this comes soon but at least we have some other Malloy here in the meanwhile and Octet's cast recording soon.

[Stephen]

I enjoyed it on Broadway but mainly because I like Josh Groban, it has a couple of beautiful songs and the lighting design is stunning especially towards the end. I fould some of it quite boring though.

[Deleted]

Aug 18, 2019 15:19:37 GMT Stephen said:

I enjoyed it on Broadway but mainly because I like Josh Groban, it has a couple of beautiful songs and the lighting design is stunning especially towards the end. I fould some of it quite boring though.

Never seen it though do appreciate was a really innovative design and staging, hitting the "something different" spot.

But the CD is a massive struggle of a snooze fest (I just about managed to make it through once) IMHO. Makes Sondheim look like ALW.
I know some love it, but it really is niche and I think would die a pretty quick death here. Didn't exactly do well on Broadway once the star casting was removed. 

[intoanewlife]

I LOVE it, but it is a difficult work of genius, I still listen to it practically every day in some form 2 and a half years later.

To remain a kooky, brilliant little oddity playing off-wherever that one either loves or loathes, the show is already perfection.

For it to ever be completely fit for 'mass consumption' however, it needs some work.

If it were to ever be mounted in London on any sort of major 'money making' scale, it needs some snips and a narrator added to the mix.

Nothing major, just someone to come in and make clear what the audience have just seen and guide them between scenes.

With no set or dialogue it is just not palatable for the average theatre goer to rely on the lyrics to guide them through the story, even though it is a very simple one.

Most people can accept weird as long as they can tell wtf is going on and a lot of people (myself included on first viewing) had no idea what was happening most of the time.

A narrator would help up until the final section which plays fine in it's current form and maybe a sum up at the end of Pierre's final number because the power of the final scene is somewhat lost if you haven't been following.

Natasha's story is simple, it is basically Dangerous Liaisons/Cruel Intentions with a fiancé thrown in. Pierre's is a little more difficult because his role is slight and his path not as clear, even though his is the more emotionally powerful journey of the two.
.
As much as I loved the Broadway staging and feel so lucky to have seen done in such a fantastic way, it definitely added to the confusion of the piece. All the bell and whistles took you out of a story where every lyrics being understood is needed to fully appreciate the show.

I actually think Josh (although he was fantastic and he was made for the role) was a MAJOR hindrance to the Broadway production. For a good slab of the audience it became all about him and took attention away from the show itself, especially with him sat in the pit in full view for the entire performance. I imagine as a fan they just sat there all night waiting for him to reappear, which would've constantly taken them out the story. He also totally brought in the wrong audience. The production itself is pitched at the young and hip Hamilton crowd, who are far more likely to dig into the material once they've left the theatre and then return with a fuller appreciation of what they're watching. Most of them would've never even heard of Groban or avoided it at the mere thought of enduring him. Instead he brought in the oldies who for the most part seemed to have a very difficult time following/appreciating the material and its presentation and being pissed at the lack of Groban.

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

I hope to God they don't add a narrator or anything like that. I just don't think it should be a massive show tbh, it isn't built for a mainstream audience and there's nothing wrong with that. Housing it in a small intimate theatre would be best with lots of audience interaction. Somewhere relatively small that allows really flexible staging. I think it's about as difficult to follow as most sung through shows like an Evita or Hamilton.

[intoanewlife]

Aug 18, 2019 17:56:50 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

I hope to God they don't add a narrator or anything like that. I just don't think it should be a massive show tbh, it isn't built for a mainstream audience and there's nothing wrong with that. Housing it in a small intimate theatre would be best with lots of audience interaction. Somewhere relatively small that allows really flexible staging. I think it's about as difficult to follow as most sung through shows like an Evita or Hamilton.

I agree totally, for me it is already perfection and in the end I 'got it' on first viewing and I hear you on the rest.

I was totally lost (apart from the obvious) at the end of 1st Act, and I did sit there at intermission thinking 'ok this is possibly the greatest thing I have ever seen, but I really couldn't tell you what is going on' and flicking through the programme. Of course all is revealed in the 2nd act, but it was confusing, especially with the constant distractions of the immersive aspect of the Broadway production. I also think Balaga throws out the 2nd act a little, especially after the already confusing Abduction.

I didn't really appreciate it fully until after diving into the score and then returning to see it again (many times) once I knew the material better.

[Stephen]

I agree actually that Josh Groban probably did distract a bit however if this show did ever open in the West End it would need some starry casting to make it a success.

Dust and Ashes is such a beautiful song. I do love it. That, No One Else and the ending of the show. All beautiful.

[intoanewlife]

Aug 18, 2019 18:33:11 GMT Stephen said:

I agree actually that Josh Groban probably did distract a bit however if this show did ever open in the West End it would need some starry casting to make it a success.

Dust and Ashes is such a beautiful song. I do love it. That, No One Else and the ending of the show. All beautiful.

I'd actually love to see it open at the Young Vic. 

I don't think anyone would dare open it directly in the West End first even with a big name.

It'd need a lot of good word of mouth before a successful pre-sales West End run would happen and I don't believe the general West End crowd would give it very good word of mouth straight off the bat, it's too out there.

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Aug 18, 2019 18:25:38 GMT intoanewlife said:

Aug 18, 2019 17:56:50 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

I hope to God they don't add a narrator or anything like that. I just don't think it should be a massive show tbh, it isn't built for a mainstream audience and there's nothing wrong with that. Housing it in a small intimate theatre would be best with lots of audience interaction. Somewhere relatively small that allows really flexible staging. I think it's about as difficult to follow as most sung through shows like an Evita or Hamilton.

I agree totally, for me it is already perfection and in the end I 'got it' on first viewing and I hear you on the rest.

I was totally lost (apart from the obvious) at the end of 1st Act, and I did sit there at intermission thinking 'ok this is possibly the greatest thing I have ever seen, but I really couldn't tell you what is going on' and flicking through the programme. Of course all is revealed in the 2nd act, but it was confusing, especially with the constant distractions of the immersive aspect of the Broadway production. I also think Balaga throws out the 2nd act a little, especially after the already confusing Abduction.

I didn't really appreciate it fully until after diving into the score and then returning to see it again (many times) once I knew the material better.

I suppose I'm biased having listened to the cast recording so many times that I now know what's going on but I do think that the prologue really helps, especially since it's repeated so many times it's hard to forget each character's "thing", which is why I don't think Balaga is too much of an issue because it's just a "fun" interlude as the prologue says - you don't really need to know what's going on with him. However, I'm obviously coming at this from a point of view of someone who hasn't ever seen it so I can't comment on how much it all works live in the theatre itself. Still I think it deserves to be seen in its original form warts and all because there's not much else like it out there and I'd rather it not compromise to be more appealing to the masses but lose all of its charm (something Hadestown is teetering on the edge of doing with many of its lyrical changes on Broadway though I still love it).

[pianowithsam]

As said, seeing new comments in this thread make me think there’s been a new announcement. Sigh.

Just to build upon what others have said, I think it’d suit the National perfectly. Hadestown was something that many hadn’t heard about (and still haven’t today, despite its Broadway success). However, with it completing a sold out run, I think it’s definitely achievable with the Comet. If the audience is findable for Hadestown, I think it’s definitely doable here.
It would be nice to see such a work of art in London. However, unfortunately, it isn’t often that we’re privelaged enough to see such a crafted piece upon the stage. Will just keep hoping.

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Aug 18, 2019 18:38:36 GMT intoanewlife said:

Aug 18, 2019 18:33:11 GMT Stephen said:

I agree actually that Josh Groban probably did distract a bit however if this show did ever open in the West End it would need some starry casting to make it a success.

Dust and Ashes is such a beautiful song. I do love it. That, No One Else and the ending of the show. All beautiful.

I'd actually love to see it open at the Young Vic. 

I don't think anyone would dare open it directly in the West End first even with a big name.

It'd need a lot of good word of mouth before a successful pre-sales West End run would happen and I don't believe the general West End crowd would give it very good word of mouth straight off the bat, it's too out there.

I was thinking of the Young Vic too. A very flexible and equally intimate space that's a still a decent size.

[intoanewlife]

Aug 18, 2019 19:48:42 GMT pianowithsam said:

As said, seeing new comments in this thread make me think there’s been a new announcement. Sigh.

Just to build upon what others have said, I think it’d suit the National perfectly. Hadestown was something that many hadn’t heard about (and still haven’t today, despite its Broadway success). However, with it completing a sold out run, I think it’s definitely achievable with the Comet. If the audience is findable for Hadestown, I think it’s definitely doable here.
It would be nice to see such a work of art in London. However, unfortunately, it isn’t often that we’re privelaged enough to see such a crafted piece upon the stage. Will just keep hoping.

Apparently Malloy had meetings with the National last year when he was over to see Hadestown, so here's hoping.

[intoanewlife]

Aug 18, 2019 20:10:08 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

Aug 18, 2019 18:38:36 GMT intoanewlife said:

I'd actually love to see it open at the Young Vic. 

I don't think anyone would dare open it directly in the West End first even with a big name.

It'd need a lot of good word of mouth before a successful pre-sales West End run would happen and I don't believe the general West End crowd would give it very good word of mouth straight off the bat, it's too out there.

I was thinking of the Young Vic too. A very flexible and equally intimate space that's a still a decent size.

The setup they had for Death of a Salesman would be perfect for Comet.

[intoanewlife]

Aug 18, 2019 19:03:27 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

Aug 18, 2019 18:25:38 GMT intoanewlife said:

I agree totally, for me it is already perfection and in the end I 'got it' on first viewing and I hear you on the rest.

I was totally lost (apart from the obvious) at the end of 1st Act, and I did sit there at intermission thinking 'ok this is possibly the greatest thing I have ever seen, but I really couldn't tell you what is going on' and flicking through the programme. Of course all is revealed in the 2nd act, but it was confusing, especially with the constant distractions of the immersive aspect of the Broadway production. I also think Balaga throws out the 2nd act a little, especially after the already confusing Abduction.

I didn't really appreciate it fully until after diving into the score and then returning to see it again (many times) once I knew the material better.

I suppose I'm biased having listened to the cast recording so many times that I now know what's going on but I do think that the prologue really helps, especially since it's repeated so many times it's hard to forget each character's "thing", which is why I don't think Balaga is too much of an issue because it's just a "fun" interlude as the prologue says - you don't really need to know what's going on with him. However, I'm obviously coming at this from a point of view of someone who hasn't ever seen it so I can't comment on how much it all works live in the theatre itself. Still I think it deserves to be seen in its original form warts and all because there's not much else like it out there and I'd rather it not compromise to be more appealing to the masses but lose all of its charm (something Hadestown is teetering on the edge of doing with many of its lyrical changes on Broadway though I still love it).

During the Prologue there is so much going on around you you rarely even looking at whats going on on the main stage. Not to mention depending on where you are sitting there are dancers dancing on a stage in front of you blocking it, or a violinist in your ear and all you can hear is the violin, it's all a bit full on. Any of the big production numbers are like that. Not that I'm complaining as it's amazing, but it does take you out of the narrative of the show at some important points.

 

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Aug 18, 2019 20:21:12 GMT intoanewlife said:

Aug 18, 2019 19:03:27 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

I suppose I'm biased having listened to the cast recording so many times that I now know what's going on but I do think that the prologue really helps, especially since it's repeated so many times it's hard to forget each character's "thing", which is why I don't think Balaga is too much of an issue because it's just a "fun" interlude as the prologue says - you don't really need to know what's going on with him. However, I'm obviously coming at this from a point of view of someone who hasn't ever seen it so I can't comment on how much it all works live in the theatre itself. Still I think it deserves to be seen in its original form warts and all because there's not much else like it out there and I'd rather it not compromise to be more appealing to the masses but lose all of its charm (something Hadestown is teetering on the edge of doing with many of its lyrical changes on Broadway though I still love it).

During the Prologue there is so much going on around you you rarely even looking at whats going on on the main stage. Not to mention depending on where you are sitting there are dancers dancing on a stage in front of you blocking it, or a violinist in your ear and all you can hear is the violin, it's all a bit full on. Any of the big production numbers are like that. Not that I'm complaining as it's amazing, but it does take you out of the narrative of the show at some important points.

 

that does sound distracting though this isn't necessarily a weakness of the show itself but of the direction of that specific production. I don't think either of Malloy's shows that are being done here are being directed by their original directors - Chavkin I believe directed Preludes so although she has experience working here and a continued relationship with Malloy she may not necessarily direct this whenever it arrives and so these issues might be done away with. Also I imagine in a smaller space it would be harder to be distracted.

[pianowithsam]

Aug 18, 2019 21:06:36 GMT juicy_but_terribly_drab said:

Aug 18, 2019 20:21:12 GMT intoanewlife said:

During the Prologue there is so much going on around you you rarely even looking at whats going on on the main stage. Not to mention depending on where you are sitting there are dancers dancing on a stage in front of you blocking it, or a violinist in your ear and all you can hear is the violin, it's all a bit full on. Any of the big production numbers are like that. Not that I'm complaining as it's amazing, but it does take you out of the narrative of the show at some important points.

 

that does sound distracting though this isn't necessarily a weakness of the show itself but of the direction of that specific production. I don't think either of Malloy's shows that are being done here are being directed by their original directors - Chavkin I believe directed Preludes so although she has experience working here and a continued relationship with Malloy she may not necessarily direct this whenever it arrives and so these issues might be done away with. Also I imagine in a smaller space it would be harder to be distracted.

She also did Hadestown at the National.
In my eyes, Hadestown is an echo of Mr Malloy’s work. Mitchell has said that some of it is directly inspired by Comet.