Passion at Signature Theatre- Page 2

[JBC3]

Posted: 8/14/18 at 11:22pm

I remember the nudity causing laughter in the original Broadway production the night that I saw it.

[GetUp&LiveIt]

Posted: 8/14/18 at 11:31pm

I saw the show tonight too. It was just absolutely perfect from beginning to end. Natascia Diaz and Claybourne Elder are perfect in their roles. Steffanie Leigh is radiant. I was in tears in the final bedroom scene. And what a thrill to hear that full orchestra unlike the terrible tiny orchestra they used at CSC. The design is stunning, especially the costumes. 

As for the nudity, I thought it was very tastefully done. I mean the show begins with Clara's orgasm. It's in the orchestration. They should be naked, unlike the CSC production where they both were fully clothed in the opening moments of the show. The blue robe she wears is not totally see through and she only wore it the one time. After that she always had something on underneath it. I thought it was beautifully done.

I was floored by this production. It's remarkable. 

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 9:04am

I LOVED it. Clara's nudity didn't bother me at all and I thought it was actually pretty tasteful and artistic.  When she puts the robe on, it covers everything, and when she has the robe on later she actually has white undergarments on underneath.

The only thing that bothered me just a little was the sound.  I don't know if it was because I was sitting on the side where the orchestra was, but the instrumentals sometimes overpowered the singing from where I was at.

Claybourne surprised me and I am glad I kept an open mind about him.  He did seem stiff, but his facial expressions were on point and you can tell he was really into it.  Natascia Diaz was fricken incredible.  

I have never seen a "first" show that seemed so put together before.  And Ruther Bader Ginsberg was in the audience, although I'm pretty sure she was sleeping the entire time (gotta love her).

SO glad I finally saw this show live!  PS, they are selling shirts in the lobby that say "Loving Sondheim is not a choice, it's who I am" in a pretty blue color.  I always buy their season shirts because they are the SOFTEST things in the world.  I still have mine from two years ago and it hasn't lost a bit of softness or show any wear.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 11:43am

I'm probably going to head out to DC for this one. Passion is a favorite of mine and I was probably the only person on the planet that adored the original
production.

Also, yes, Passion has always had nudity. I've never found it gratuitous. Our culture just likes to clutch pearls and request a fainting couch if they see a nipple.

I'd like to come to the defense of CSC's production. I thought the reduced orchestrations sounded incredibly lush for such a small space and I thought they handled the opening orgasm very well by making her golden dress look like the bed. Doyle's direction isn't always perfect but I did think his Passion was perfection.

[newintown]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 11:47am

I saw the original Broadway production several times (last week of previews and after opening), and the only nudity I ever saw was Mazzie's breasts, very briefly, at the beginning of the show. Shea may have been nude, but he always had the bedsheet pulled up to stomach level.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 11:53am

Whoa can anyone take a picture of those Sondheim shirts they’re selling?

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 12:10pm

ljay889 said: "Whoa can anyone take a picture of those Sondheim shirts they’re selling? "

https://imgur.com/a/hjDvANl

I hope that link works!

[sit&dither]

Posted: 8/15/18 at 2:47pm

Does anyone have a promo code valid for September performances?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/16/18 at 8:08pm

promisespromises2 said: "ljay889 said: "Whoa can anyone take a picture of those Sondheim shirts they’re selling? "

https://imgur.com/a/hjDvANl

I hope that link works!"

Thanks so much!! I love it.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/16/18 at 11:39pm

GeorgeandDot said: "I'm probably going to head out to DC for this one. Passion is a favorite of mine and I was probably the only person on the planet that adored the original
production...."

No, not the only one. We are relatively few, but we are devoted!

I found it the most uncompromising musical I had ever seen on Broadway. It simply refused to pander for the sake of "likability". And I had to admire that. Later, with some work on my part, it became one of my favorite Sondheim scores.

(And I think back to olden times when some viewers and many critics found Company and Follies unbearably frank. Little did they know...)

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 1:40pm

As a lifetime Sondheim fan, from the early days of WSS, GYPSY, FORUM and ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, I admit that PASSION took some work on my part. I attended the final Broadway performance and us rabid Sondheim fans, who were screaming and cheering, had to deal with a Saturday night audience looking for a good time, and staring us down as crazy people.

What finally won me over was was the televised production, with a dream cast of Patti Lupone, Raul Esparza and Audra McDonald. Try to get a copy of this PBS version, it is quite amazing. I am now a total convert, have added it to my list of favorites, and can barely believe that it is, so far, the last Sondheim score we have. 

[GetUp&LiveIt]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 1:47pm

jayinchelsea said: "What finally won me over was was the televised production, with a dream cast of Patti Lupone, Raul Esparza and Audra McDonald. Try to get a copy of this PBS version, it is quite amazing. I am now a total convert, have added it to my list of favorites, and can barely believe that it is, so far, the last Sondheim score we have."

The concert included Michael Cerveris not Raul Esparza. I personally think that's the worst of any version I've seen. Patti Lupone is horribly miscast and over the top.

 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/19/18 at 3:57pm

I did not get Passion when I listened to the original album and watched the filmed version of the stage show. But I listened to the CSC revival album a little while ago and found it very moving. I wish I could have seen it in person.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/19/18 at 5:31pm

jayinchelsea said: "I am now a total convert, have added it to my list of favorites, and can barely believe that it is, so far, the last Sondheim score we have."

Are you deliberately ignoring Bounce/Road Show? 

[somecheapfrenchthing]

Posted: 8/20/18 at 10:12am

I saw this production last week and enjoyed it very much. The CSC production was one of my favorite revivals of all time, so admittedly it was difficult for me not to compare. Natascia Diaz was amazing. All of her songs were beautifully performed. Her voice is perfect for this role (notably powerful at certain points) and her interpretation was very unambiguous in intent - purer and less acerbic than I’ve seen it played before, which was heartbreaking to watch. Steffanie Leigh was a lovely Clara. It was compelling to see her become more and more vexed with every mention of Fosca in Giorgio’s letters. There was a change made in Sunrise Letter that left me disappointed - we don’t get to fully see/hear her distress over the gray hair. Instead, Giorgio sang most of this section alone, letter in hand. I’ve always enjoyed watching Clara’s concern escalate here and it feels to me like too important a moment to miss. Other than that, she’s able to shine throughout and I really enjoyed her performance. The ensemble is solid and I thought the set was beautiful (I wish the floors weren’t so loud, but it’s understanble in such an intimate space). It was wonderful to hear the full orchestra, though I also loved CSC’s smaller one. For anyone in the DC area or willing to travel, I’d definitely try and catch this production. I enjoyed it - and Natascia Diaz’s performance is worth the trip!


 

Updated On: 8/20/18 at 10:12 AM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/20/18 at 10:41am

Those shirts are incredible. I wish they made them available for purchase online. 

[JBC3]

Posted: 8/20/18 at 11:55am

Given how the show is staged, any pros and cons related to seating options? I know the space is small so probably everything works pretty well. Someone at ATC said sitting center and in front was tiring for her as she kept having to turn to either side for the staging at the ends.

[GetUp&LiveIt]

Posted: 8/20/18 at 7:48pm

JBC3 said: "Given how the show is staged, any pros and cons related to seating options? I know the space is small so probably everything works pretty well. Someone at ATC said sitting center and in front was tiring for her as she kept having to turn to either side for the staging at the ends."

I sat on the extreme side closest to the main entrance to the theatre. It was sold as obstructed or limited view for $40. I could see everything.

[phan24]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 12:50pm

Caught the show on Sunday, what a treat!

The better seats are towards the back on either side where you can see the whole action happening without hurting your neck turning constantly. The show ran a little under 2 hours (no intermission) but the time flew by.

The show is beautifully staged in that long “in-the-round” catwalk fully using both ends of the stage, with emotional tableaus towards the end. The orchestra and score make you fall in love with theater.

The highlight is Natascia Diaz. What a perfect marriage of actress to character, she fully embodied the role without any trace of ‘doing work.’ Her voice reminds me of Bernadette Peters while she looks like a Donna Murphy clone, but overall she makes the role her own and her portrayal got tears of out me.

The rest of the cast is great too, Claybourne Elder and Stefannie Leigh are good and have some moments where they really shine, but again, this is Natascia’s show.

My only small complaint is with the sound mixing of microphones, I assume because it’s in the round it has its difficulties, but during spoken lines there was a small echo that came and went which was the only distraction in an otherwise perfect production (that and also the way the ensemble set up the dining table in the first few scenes, it was crooked in a weirdly obvious but perhaps-delibatere way? My OCD-ness was not having it)

Highly recommend making the trip if you’re on the fence.

[a12la]

Posted: 8/24/18 at 2:34am

Great reviews all around.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/fall-for-the-ravishing-music-in-passion-not-the-love-triangles-melodrama/2018/08/23/2f4032cc-a679-11e8-b76b-d513a40042f6_story.html

https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/08/23/review-passion-at-signature-theatre/

https://thezebra.org/2018/08/23/stephen-sondheims-passion-will-embrace-you-at-signature-theatre/

[JBC3]

Posted: 8/24/18 at 4:51am

From WaPo review—
His (Elder) vocal skills are estimable, even if there isn’t much in his Giorgio to account for the pivot the character executes late in this intermission-less musical, from denouncing Fosca’s “endless and insatiable, smothering pursuit of me” to declaring that he is hers, forever, just a few short scenes later.

So Elder still cannot act. Damn.

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 8/29/18 at 10:12am

Saw this show last night! Wow! This was my first time listening to the score, and it blew me away.

Everything about this show was gorgeous. Natascia Diaz was absolutely perfect in this role. Last year I saw her in Olmec Theatre’s production of In The Heights (starring Robin De Jesus) she played Daniela and she was absolutely fabulous as well.

Last night’s performances had a talk back with the cast afterwards. Listening to Natascia speak of Fosca was so wonderful, you could tell she really made a connection with the character. They also brought up a very interesting discussion of who the “Villan” of the story was, and how Sondheim and Lapine consider the Doctor to be the “Villan”. The person who posed the question felt as if Giorgio was really the “Villan” of the story.

They also mentioned a song that was cut from the show on broadway in previews but restored in the 2002 kennedy center production called “I love Fosca”. I was looking to see a video of someone singing it but I didn’t find anything. If anyone knows where to find a video or an audio, please let me know. I would love to hear the song.

Definitely come see this show, it’s a truly wonderful piece and an amazing production.

[mattiek17]

Posted: 8/29/18 at 10:33am

Hi thebookofwhizzer. The London cast recording starring Michael Ball as Giorgio has that restored song. You can listen to it here.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/29/18 at 11:53am

JBC3 said: "From WaPo review—
His (Elder) vocal skills are estimable, even if there isn’t much in his Giorgio to account for the pivot the character executes late in this intermission-less musical, from denouncing Fosca’s “endless and insatiable, smothering pursuit of me” to declaring that he is hers, forever, just a few short scenes later.

So Elder still cannot act. Damn."

I'm not sure that can be placed entirely on Mr. Elder; it seems the writer and director should share some responsibility, to wit:

"[Giorgio] begins in sweet, physically passionate, love in the light of the afternoon with Clara and, after lengthy resistance, is drawn into Fosca’s far darker, more dangerous, single-minded devotion. The transition has created credibility problems from the show’s beginnings. How could someone like Giorgio ultimately come to love someone like Fosca?"

Updated On: 8/29/18 at 11:53 AM

[Geoff]

Posted: 9/3/18 at 10:04am

Hi folks.  I saw this production last night and really enjoyed it.  I have seen Passion at least three times before, and it is truly an extraordinary work of art.  I do have a question, though -- this is the first production I can recall where Giorgio gets the final bow.  Is anyone aware of another production in which that has happened?  Of course, I may simply be mistaken, but I am virtually certain that both Donna Murphy and Judy Kuhn had the final bows in their productions.  It's not particularly important, but I was curious.  Thanks.