This is not a casting I have a complaint about, but I do think it makes a difference as to the character's attitudes and motivations (there are probably better words to use than those, but that's what I'm coming up with now) if you are perceiving her as being 20 vs 30 vs 40. Those are very different points in a person's life. Now, if you can just ignore any perception of her age, which some people must have been able to to do in previous productions, it's not an issue. But I think it's fair if it is.
This is Laura Benanti's dream role and, if I were to see it with her, I think I would be happy to go along for the ride with her. I have no doubts about her talents. But, personally, for other shows (and when I saw Ambrose, who was a new entity as a stage actor), I might think about what age the actor is presenting the character to be, and what that means for the character. |
