| I saw it in Boston, via a friend connected to the production. Famous for playing larger than life high achieving women, Dunaway might've been considered a logical candidate for Callas. Yet once she'd run through her bag of tricks quite early, the identifiable mannerisms and vocal tics, she had nowhere to go. And never got there. The play, which I'd seen Caldwell and Lupone dig into, became a portrait of a demanding teacher's hubris and impatience. When she reached the second act reverie, Dunaway was forced to push a famously disciplined and impassioned artist toward caricature, further recycling trademark signatures from other roles. Maybe it fascinated those who hadn't seen the superb priors, but it felt like an acting exercise, and left us far more interested in the students. |
