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re: A DELICATE BALANCE This Week

Posted by: Delvino 06:21 am EST 01/19/15
In reply to: A DELICATE BALANCE This Week - sergius 02:13 pm EST 01/18/15

I'm intrigued with this report, and the specific performances, because I saw the show mid-preview period, and didn't really care for any of the performances other than Clare Higgins. Close was struggling, not just with the words but to bring something to Agnes other than her spot-on casting. I can think of few actresses of her (my) generation as perfect for Agnes. What she hadn't done was in any way surprise us. The role being an easy fit seemed to put Close in her comfort zones in the negative sense. I kept waiting for her to excavate the nooks and crannies. What we saw then was just a polished outline that made no real impression. It was one of the disappointments of this season.

The two performances that you found most at fault were skewed, ultimately as unmemorable. One of the critics said that Duncan seem to grow dimmer, to disappear as the evening wore on, rather than to deepen or become a fuller character. Such was my experience. And Plimpton, who seems perfect for Julia, seemed one note, loud and generic.

One note was the production for me. Intelligent, obviously thoughtfully considered but the result in no way compelling, despite its star power. Only Higgins took what Albee gave her and ran with it (despite a dreadful costume for most of the play that almost undermines her work). She is wisely placed center stage in the blocking, which allows her interpretation to take hold. The night I saw it, she ran away with the play. If I could afford it, I'd go take a second peek. But I found the play's direction surprisingly flat. If the actors have grown, this remains a BALANCE that doesn't enhance the wonderful play's reputation.


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totally opposite reaction

Posted by: bradlyb 10:42 am EST 01/19/15
In reply to: re: A DELICATE BALANCE This Week - Delvino 06:21 am EST 01/19/15

I saw the play after it opened and Close was stunning. She had the speeches down cold and gave a thrilling performance as did Lithgow and Duncan. Higgins was wonderful but in no way shape or form stole the production from the three stars. I found it far superior to the
Lincoln Center Production.


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re: totally opposite reaction

Posted by: AlanScott 01:52 pm EST 01/19/15
In reply to: totally opposite reaction - bradlyb 10:42 am EST 01/19/15

I'm with you on this. I felt like I was finally getting the play this time, much more than in the film or the 1996 revival. Everyone was strong, but most of all Close. When I saw her, she was still stumbling (just slightly) over lines in a couple of places, and perhaps she was paraphrasing in other places, but for the first time I was able to see the play from Agnes's point of view. And that makes a huge difference.

Everyone else was equally good. I felt that Lithgow struggled a bit to make the big third-act aria work, but so did Scofield and Grizzard, each in his own way.

In the Times Talk, Lithgow and Duncan said that they'd decided that Clare was the girl whom Tobias and Harry had "upended" that summer, but fortunately I didn't see that in their performances (as I don't buy that). But what they did say that I think is right and helped the production is that Tobias loves her and she loves him.


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