GIANT Previews

The winner of the 2025 Olivier Award for best new play, Giant — by Mark Rosenblatt — starts up tomorrow (March 11) at the Music Box Theatre. The London import, which follows the children’s book author Roald Dahl at a turbulent point in his career, stars the 2-time Tony winner John Lithgow as Dahl, alongside Aya Cash, Elliot Levey, Rachael Stirling, Stella Everett, and David Manis. Giant officially opens on March 23 and runs in New York until June 28; Nicholas Hytner directs.

“It’s the summer of 1983, The Witches is about to hit shelves, and Roald Dahl is making last-minute edits. But the outcry at his recent, explicitly antisemitic article won’t die down. Across a single afternoon at his family home, and rocked by an unexpectedly explosive confrontation, Dahl is forced to choose: make a public apology or risk his name and reputation.”

Who here is planning a trip to the Dahl house?

The show I am most looking forward to this season!

It was also difficult to hear the dialogue from the 6th row at the Pinter in London.

Have they redesigned the set from London? Or does it still have that plastic construction zone curtain backdrop?

I admit to being in the minority on this play. I did not like any of the characters, found each one annoying in his/her own way.

The play (in London) did not live up to my expectations.
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To answer the queries:

1) I also had some issues hearing in rear orchestra, but they seemed to resolve partway through Act 1. I’m not sure if it’s the actors or the sound design, but either way, I and others around me had the same feelings.

2) Yes, they still have the plastic backdrop curtain.

3) This show is almost exclusively performed in and around a kitchen table in the center of the stage (think Purlie Victorious). I can’t imagine going for an extreme side seat being any form of impediment unless you are going for closer toward the front, at which point your neck is gonna get a workout.

Oddly enough, I’m going to the first official preview tomorrow as well since I checked my email at intermission and found out I won the lottery and claimed the tickets just under the gun. Good thing I enjoyed the play 😂

Giant MERCH

Updated On: 3/11/26 at 12:20 AM

There were 19 in line when the box office opened today. I was 5th (arrived at 8:38), and I got front row orchestra (said to be one of the last $45 seats, with more discounted at $79). The seller said the front row may miss Lithgow's face when he's sitting at the desk, but maybe I'm tall enough.

I was in the front row in London for this and, I realize these are two COMPLETELY different theatres, I def missed a lot of facial acting from Lithgow and there were moments when others sit at the table center stage that obstructed my view but I wasn’t angry at it. The majority of the story still got through and it was very affecting. I loved this production, even if I missed some of the up close moments. Enjoy the extra leg room though! It’s truly an excellent play!

2:15 runtime listed on the website, including an intermission.

Did we enjoy the show tonight?

I’ve yet to hear NY reports on Elliot Levey, who plays Lithgow’s publisher. The two of them both won acting Oliviers last year.

On TKTS tonight. 40% off.

I did not realize he was 80 until his appearance this week on Colbert. What a lifetime of memorable performances he has given us ... with more to come.

KingOfTheMine said: "Can anyone who's seen Giant say how often the cast smokes during the show? Was the smell overwhelming in the theater? I see herbal cigarettes areused, and someone in my party is sensitive to smoke. They had to leave Hangmen early for this reason."

Only the wife smokes, and it’s fairly infrequent. It’s barely enough for the smoke to register across the footlights.

It’s definitely less than Salesman for a recent example.

Caught this last night as well. Hard to see Lithgow not winning as much I as liked Lane and Strong earlier this season.

If Levy misses a nom (I’d probably even give him the win as of right now), that’d be a massive miss by the committee. I think his monologue in Act 2 could be enough of a moment to get him in.

I could see Cash getting in but

Could see Stirling getting in as well.

Play is good with some great sparring scenes. I think the middle of act 2 stumbles a bit but it recovers nicely.