No more email delivery

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To the few of you who subscribe to this blog - I'm giving up.  I'll still right the posts but they'll go directly on Facebook.  I still can't figure out how to get the screwed up graphics to work so I've been manually posted them here and on Facebook.  Only 3 or 4 people are looking at these posts where, on Facebook, it's usually a hundred or so. If you're a friend on Facebook, you'll still see things there.  If not, sorry.  I may try another blogging service and see if I can solve the problem but, until then, FB only.
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Network

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Image result for network broadway
First a disclaimer - this review is from a strange point of view.  We ended up with seats on the stage for this performance.  Essentially, a third of the stage was set up as the restaurant/bar where some of the action takes place.  Maybe a dozen people at tables and another ten at the bar.  During the show, we were served drinks and a full meal (food was actually good!).  In full view of the audience and, at times within an arms length from the actors.  This made for a really cool experience but I'm sure we got a somewhat distorted view of the show.  We're talking about going back in the spring to see it from the audience.  Not sure I understand why the stage seats were there, but it was a fun and different experience.

During the pre-show, many of the actors are wandering around the stage working out and taking photos of the guests and having short conversations.  Like with a real news broadcast, as the countdown display got towards zero, the stage became more and more frenetic and the whole show continued very fast-paced and a little crazy.

The minute Bryan Cranston hits the stage, things go from frenetic to careening out of control (in a good way).  Cranston is absolutely amazing.  I can't see anybody contending for the Tony over him.

For the most part, the rest of the play is a mixed bag.  The staging is intense and gorgeous with a huge TV screen at the back of the stage and a full control room across the stage from us.  The plotline - what divides TV news from TV entertainment - is relevant and a little frightening.

There's a side plot involving the relationship between the head of the news division and the hard-charging woman who wants to pull the news division in to entertainment.  Have to say I was a little disappointed in Tatiana Maslany who is so incredible on the TV show, Orphan Black.  The side plot probably could have been eliminated completely without any harm to the show.

That said, it did lead to the moment in the show where I suspect the audience left talking about Carolyn and I.  At one point, there's an extremely explicit sex scene.  It happened at the table right between us and the audience - close enough that I could have joined in without stretching my arm too far.  I'm guessing a lot of the audience was wondering who the two stunned old people are watching this!

Overall, this play is good but the sets, Cranston and, ok, I'll admit it, the sex scene, push this up to a 9 for me!

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