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| I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. | |
| Posted by: Amiens 03:47 pm EST 02/12/20 | |
| In reply to: Tony Kushner's National Theatre adaptation of THE VISIT; could it be Broadway-bound? - portenopete 07:35 am EST 02/12/20 | |
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| The self-indulgent length and sluggish pacing at 3 & 1/2 hours with two intermissions killed any momentum of danger. Cutting an hour could only help. I especially thought the lugubrious jazz underscoring also defeated the imminent sense of violence and tragedy, a very curious and inappropriate choice of music at odds with switching the action to a small rural town in upstate New York. And the new American setting didn't really seem authentic, at least in the hands of this British director and cast. Most importantly, the balance of black comedy with dark tragedy was clumsy and ineffectual. Though she's clearly a great stage actress, I was disappointed in Lesley Manville's performance. I felt she was miscast. Her slight physical stature and bird-like delicacy was too soft and never scary enough. She seemed too young; I couldn't quite imagine her living the long checkered history of the character. I, too, imagined what either Meryl or (better yet) Glenn might do as I watched Manville onstage (Are they actually much older than her? I don't know). Hugo Weaving fared much better, though he seemed more European than American. Letts is a great idea for the role of Ill, who actually has far more stage time in this version than Claire. If this comes to NY, I think the Public or BAM would be better venues than commercial Broadway. I would also hope that an entirely new creative team and cast be assembled. |
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| re: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. | |
| Posted by: lonlad 07:18 pm EST 02/12/20 | |
| In reply to: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. - Amiens 03:47 pm EST 02/12/20 | |
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| Tracy Letts is a great idea for Ill but, having seen the play tonight, this doesn't have a hope in hell of surviving in NYC in this iteration at least -- sluggish, overwritten, deeply attenuated, and tonally uncertain. Manville is hugely watchable but forced by the writing to play a one-note sardonicism throughout and the result is an unrewarding, tendentious slog that ain't goin' anywhere. Ben Brantley was in the house tonight, apparently. |
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| re: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. | |
| Posted by: winters 06:35 am EST 02/13/20 | |
| In reply to: re: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. - lonlad 07:18 pm EST 02/12/20 | |
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| Well. You’ve gotten me working my dictionary app bright and early this morning. | |
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| re: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 08:32 am EST 02/13/20 | |
| In reply to: re: I saw it over the weekend and had an opposite reaction. - winters 06:35 am EST 02/13/20 | |
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| It's never hard to tell the writers from the performers on All That Chat. | |
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