(spoilers)
I think the ending worked better with Ambrose. With her, I think there was a more of a sense that a romantic relationship with this bullying, belittling man would not be good for her, and her walking off stage was an effective way of communicating that the door to reconciliation was not even open a tiny bit. There was definitely an "I'm done here" sense about it, and I think also a sense that Ambrose's Eliza was stepping out into a new adventure -- by herself. Ambrose seemed to communicate more that she was making a leap into a new life, not just walking away from an old one. She was running TO something, not just running away from something.
Now that Higgins is softer and Eliza is tougher, I don't think it works with Benanti at all. And I didn't think it worked as well with Kerstin Anderson, either. |
