I saw Arcadia (Broadway), but I don't remember exactly when. Overall, I'd say it was a 5-star rating. I'd summarize it by saying “arcadia MUST be experienced!!!!”

i saw ARCADIA years ago... the lincoln center production... i didn't know anything about it... i went alone, i guess i had heard good things... i remember making a deal with myself... if i don't like it, if i get bored... i'll just leave... stand up and go...

i suppose i bought a tkts ticket... i ended up in the first row... anyway, i had no idea who billy crudup was, but when the show started and the little girl on stage kept addressing SEPTIMUS....

SEPTIMUS... SEPTIMUS....

i was THRILLED to see that SEPTIMUS was this gorgeous, silky-haired actor -- billy crudup... i was ENTRANCED... his presence and performance became a gateway... it sucked me into the play and i LOVED IT... LOVED IT...

i saw it many times after that... and i, of course, bought the play and loved reading it...

i was excited to see this revival... and the "billy crudup growing into the older part" touch made me that much MORE excited... i have to be honest... the "mary louise parker pregnacy break up stuff" still kinda freaks me out, but i wasn't going to let that get in the way... and it didn't...

I LOVED THE SHOW!

i went with a friend... we bought our tickets at tkts... and we ended up in the first row... kinda cool, huh?... for information's sake, row bb is the first row at the barrymore theater... i don't understand that at all...

anyway, the curtain went up and there was that little girl... sitting at that table...all these years later...

SEPTIMUS... SEPTIMUS...

we were off!

now, the play is basically split in two... the past... and the present...

the scenes set in the past open the show and they were a little creaky for me... i actually started to get concerned about this production... BUT...

when the show turns to the present, it is ELECTRIC... immediately! the MAJOR source of energy is, well, billy crudup... his star is shining at FULL BLAST... he grabs you and throws you into the story... just like he did way back when.... (how could he leave her while she was pregnant?!!!!! i will never understand that!!!! it disturbs me.... sorry...) he is REALLY fun to watch...

now, raul esparza is THE HEART of this show... wow, wow and wow... he's so good, he delivers those profound and thoughtful lines so beautifully, resonantly and, i don't know, kinda sensually... weird to say, but yeah... it was so cool to watch him... just plain excellent...

ok, now, i have some suggestions and a question....

suggestions....

a) why on earth is the set so drab? i remember the lincoln center production as kinda sparkly and just so pleasant to look at... i am not saying you have to copy that... BUT... beige? the whole set is... beige... why beige? i understand it has to double for the past and the present... and there can't be too many specific design statements... but, BEIGE?!!!

here is my suggestion... PLEASE get a few cans of eggshell paint... or some sort of pearl shade and repaint that set... PLEASE!!! i am not asking you to go crazy... clearly, you want things muted... i am cool with that... but, the beige is a REAL buzz kill... the actors DEFINTELY overcome it... but, really... this would be such an easy fix!!!

b) okay, this septimus is NOT billy crudup... and billy crudup is a VERY striking man... that is fine... but, clearly, septimus is supposed to be an attractive character... i would say QUITE attractive... when the curtain went up, i was disappointed when i saw septimus... i thought, wow, he is NO billy crudup... then i felt bad... i mean, it is not his fault he's not billy crudup... we all can't look like billy crudup...

i was VERY distracted my inabilty to see this septimus as attractive... it is pretty essential to the arcadia experience, i think... septimus should be a bit of a turn on... well, just when i was about to blame casting... i realized... this guy IS attractive... great eyes, great cheekbones, ruddy look... he is just badly styled.... they managed to make this VERY good-looking actor, tom riley, less attractive than he actually is....

please fix this... i think it is the hair... please raise the volume on septimus' attractiveness... tom riley is giving you a GREAT start... he should be in FULL septimus, sexy glory !!!

ok, my question...

is raul esparza wearing padding? or is that his real stomach?

only 3 weeks ago, i was at the gym and raul was RIGHT THERE... inches away from me... he did not appear to have much of a gut... barely one at all... yeah, he was wearing a loose t-shirt, but nothing prominent was going on there...

in the show, he clearly has a gut... but, in one of the scenes, he is blatantly eating a sandwich... the fact that they included this "eating" scene made me think he was padded on purpose?

so, is he being padded for this role? i am really curious now... and, if so, why?

padding or not.... please see this great production of ARCADIA!!!