No problem. Always good hearing from you . I think your thoughts concerning Jeeter are valid. He is creepier than Jud and Fish's Jud is a whole lot creepier than R&H Jud. The Fish Jud could definitely be capable of rape and murder. This comes not just from the interpretation of the actor but mainly from the manner in which Fish directs two important scenes involving Jud and Curly and then Jud and Laurey. And, as in most top notch productions of OKLAHOMA!, the majority of audience sympathy for Jud comes from the actor/director interpretation of "Lonely Room". This is the case, in my view, of the Fish production as well. And the Fish final scene certainly invokes sympathy along with a very large dose of shock bordering a bit too close to a true WTF moment.
Upon reflection, I think my view of Jeeter as sympathetic comes not so much from a close reading of the play as it does from perhaps projecting more than appropriate on several interviews I have read with Riggs.
A contrast/compare discussion of "Lonely Room" and the Judge's "Johanna" would be a lot of fun. |
