OCTET at Signature Theatre

[NYfanfromCA]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 12:12pm

The world premiere of Dave Malloy's chamber choir musical, Octet, starts today, April 30, 2019 at Signature Theatre, and is scheduled to run through June 16.

Who's going? Did anyone go to the invited dress on Sunday?

[annang]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 1:41pm

I’ve been pretty eagerly awaiting this for a while. Can’t wait to hear how it is. I have a ticket in a few weeks.

[jawjuhh]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 2:08pm

Going tonight, very excited! 2 hours is a little too much for me without an intermission tho IMO (per the reminder email they sent). 

[sm33]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 2:17pm

I have tickets for mid-May, looking forward to hearing about it! 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 5:33pm

My tickets are for June, but I'm definitely interested in hearing how it goes!

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 5:43pm

I'm seeing it this Sunday! Very excited- I might try to go twice since the tickets are very affordable!

Updated On: 4/30/19 at 05:43 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 6:12pm

dearalanaaaa said: "they were giving out a few free tickets to this through Be More Chill and I happened to snag one"

What does that even mean?  Are you saying people from Signature Theatre walked down the aisles at BE MORE CHILL handing out free tickets to OCTET?

 

 

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 7:32pm

JSquared2 said: "dearalanaaaa said: "they were giving out a few free tickets to this through Be More Chill and I happened to snag one"

What does that even mean? Are you saying people from Signature Theatre walked down the aisles at BE MORE CHILL handing out free tickets to OCTET?
"

Actually, yes. Not this specific show, but there was a raffle with a bunch of tickets to any sig show this year. They originated BMC at the sig, so it was a marketing thing I'd assume.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 4/30/19 at 9:35pm

Looks like tonight's first preview was cancelled due to a tech issue.

[DuoSonic]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 8:27am

Anyone go? I’m dying to hear about it.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 8:47am

By a weird coincidence, I was there last night! My friend and I absolutely loved it. I don’t want to say too much, as it benefits so greatly by going in blind. It’s as weird and Dave Malloy-y as you imagine, and he proves once again how brilliant a writer he is. I cannot recommend it enough, it’s definitely one of, if not the best, original musical in nyc right now. 110 minutes, no intermission. Flies by.

For those who won't see it/want to be spoiled, here's a brief breakdown:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Set in an immersive church basement, a group of 8 "Friends of Saul" gather for their weekly meeting. Their meeting is about addiction to technology, and it's brilliantly written. All 8 characters get their moment to share with the group, and do so in a "chamber choir musical" manner - no instruments, just the group and their voices. It's not necessarily acapella, but it has a similar vibe. 

I have absolutely no idea how Malloy wrote 8 part harmonies for 110 minutes of near constant singing, or how the actors have memorized each melody to a T, with no conductor.

The show is broken into two parts, and the second part is some of the most thrilling theater I've experienced in a theater this year. The first part is good as well, but follows a very traditional format, that I'm sure the whole audience will appreciate they break quickly. 

It's relevant without being forced, and it's engaging without being cliche. The cast is diverse and epic, with each performer really making their mark subtly on the whole evening. There's one only one scene/song I think needs work, as it features no singing and is a bit long. 

Show is mostly sung-through, there are is some dialogue here and there, with one of the aforementioned character scenes being spoken, not sung. Entire cast is on stage the whole time. Truly thrilling.

 

Updated On: 5/2/19 at 08:47 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 9:01am

Very talented people on stage, and they give it their all.

But the show itself, I'm sorry to say, is dreary, repetitious, and joyless. It plods along for what seems to be an eternity. 

Nearly two hours of this, with no intermission?

Come on!

 

 

 

Updated On: 5/2/19 at 09:01 AM

[Caye2]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 9:11am

I was there last night as well, and I agree with VotePeron.  A very unique, creative, and thought-provoking new musical that takes risks that work so well.  I also went in completely blind, and did not know what to expect.  Without giving away too much, when you first enter the theater the setting deceives you into thinking that this will be a basic and simple show.  However, you quickly realize this is anything but simple!  The performances were outstanding and since the theater is so small, you are practically right next to the actors (I was in the first row so there were times when I was right next to some performers!).  The music was constantly changing and kept your attention throughout the evening while the lyrics were extremely clever.  Thrilling evening, and so excited I got to see this.

Updated On: 5/2/19 at 09:11 AM

[raddersons]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 9:20am

These couple reports are a surprise. I was really expecting this to be a throw-away. I should know better than to expect that from Dave Malloy. 

Very excited to see this next month!

Updated On: 5/2/19 at 09:20 AM

[Danielle49]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 10:04am

Stoked to hear these reports. I’ll be there tonight!

[annang]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 10:12am

Based on some hints I’ve read, I have to ask: is there audience participation? That is, will anyone in the audience be asked to do anything, do the performers touch or talk to anyone, and do the performers come into the audience?

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 10:29am

Good news!  You don't have to actually see it to review it, apparently,

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 11:32am

No instruments? So it is acapella?

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 12:14pm

So it’s In Transit set in a basement ? 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 12:15pm

^^ No audience participation, although the first row of seats are folding chairs, to blend in with the enviornment

 

^ No instruments. And technically acapella, but not like Pitch Perfect or In Transit - Malloy defines it as a "Chamber Choir musical"

[Jessryn]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 12:33pm

^ No instruments. And technically acapella, but not like Pitch Perfect or In Transit - Malloy defines it as a "Chamber Choir musical""

So they are not attempting to mimic or replace the sounds of instruments like a Pitch Perfect or In Transit. 

I'm looking forward to attending in June. 

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 12:59pm

"So it’s In Transit set in a basement ? "

In Transit was better.

The lack of intermission was really annoying.  After two songs, I was ready to flee. Except one couldn't depart without disrupting the actors on stage. (The theatre has seating on three sides.) So with no intermission, I was forced to stick it out to the bitter end. And bitter is the word.

We audiences simply cannot catch a break!

Updated On: 5/2/19 at 12:59 PM

[DuoSonic]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 2:05pm

Thanks for the responses. It's interesting to see such mixed feedback. I have a ticket in a little less than two weeks for this and another show, and have to figure out soon which one I'm going to see. Short trip and it's the last slot I haven't finalized. Looking forward to hearing more opinions. Thank you!

[willep]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 2:36pm

DuoSonic said: "Thanks for the responses. It's interesting to see such mixed feedback. I have a ticket in a little less than two weeks for this and another show, and have to figure out soon which one I'm going to see. Short trip and it's the last slot I haven't finalized. Looking forward to hearing more opinions. Thank you!"

Mixed feedback? Of the three reports, the only one who didn’t love it was After Eight, who hasn’t had a good word to say about theatre in 30 years.

[DuoSonic]

Posted: 5/2/19 at 2:57pm

Ha! Gotcha. I'm still new around here