Significant Other - OBC Livestream - 5/14/20- Page 3

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 1:24pm

I thought Glick was good- but his constant smile- and those teeth constantly showing- seemed a bit much. STOP WITH THE TEETH.

[Skip23]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 1:34pm

Maybe Glick’s physical presence onstage changed his characterization. But onscreen he came across as just another self-involved milenn. Babe, not everyone exists to feed your needs. You gotta put yourself out there and create your own life.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 1:59pm

Part of me thinks the real reason Gideon wasn't nominated was voters thought it wasn't a stretch, that he was a young nebbishy gay man playing a young nebbishy gay man. Voters maybe didn't know enough about Gideon as a person to realize there was actual superb acting involved. Reminds of when Nathan Lane wasn't nominated for The Birdcage, because it was a gay man playing a gay man, so there wasn't much "range."

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 2:20pm

His only other performance that was anything like this character was maybe...Speech & Debate? Before his character was cut in Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark? How many people saw him in those? I don’t know enough about Gideon personally to know what he’s naturally like. I doubt the nominating committee would know much more. Just because the play makes it seem like this is how the actors themselves would talk and act doesn’t mean that’s true. Also, it’s not like this stopped them from nominating Patti LuPone for all her diva roles (not that we should be comparing Gideon to Patti). I think the nominators didn’t respond to the play in general and he got nudged out by more famous names and performances from more well-received plays. You can tell by the featured actress nominees that they just didn’t like the play (two actresses each from Sweat and A Doll’s House Part 2, plus the eventual winner Cynthia Nixon; no room for Barbara Barrie).

Anyone who saw this live would remember how hilarious Gideon was in the scene where he sends that cringeworthy email. It was masterful physical comedy.

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 4:01pm

Glick's demeanor is off for this character- he is always smirking and smiling a big toothy grin- and rarely seems depressed or low energy. This is not a convincing performance in my opinion- he is way too lit and sparkly to inhabit the role of a very needy, insecure and lonely guy. That is why I would think he was not deemed award worthy- I love this play- but the character of Jordan needs to be lower key- moody, unhappy- and then his kvetching would seem more in character with his outward behavior. My opinion- but I do not think Glick realistically captured the character of Jordan.

Updated On: 5/16/20 at 04:01 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 4:09pm

''Anyone who saw this live would remember how hilarious Gideon was in the scene where he sends that cringeworthy email. It was masterful physical comedy.''

I couldn't agree more. For me, Gideon was perfection, equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, and totally Tony-caliber. For fans of his work, you'll enjoy this interview he did for ''Significant Other.''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VACVlNEvZlk

Updated On: 5/16/20 at 04:09 PM

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 4:13pm

Yes- that scene with the email was excellent- but did that constant smirk not bother anyone but me?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 5:15pm

BWAY Baby2 said: "Yes- that scene with the email was excellent- but did that constant smirk not bother anyone but me?"

It was an acting/directing choice, that reflects how some people behave. (It is called a façade.) You don't have to like it, but hopefully you can appreciate that there are people who behave this way. Just as someone above who does not like people who act like self involved millennials apparently doesn't like people who act/direct/write characters they don't like. Yes, obviously, Jordan has mental health issues. Are we not supposed to have plays about folks with behavioral issues? Sounds dull.  

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 5:48pm

I do understand facades- and of course, people who might be unhappy might react as overly happy to compensate. And I do not view Jordan at all as a self-involved millennial- I view him as a confused and needy person who has not found his way. He is not confident and a poor self concept is probably sabotaging relationships that might actually have some potential to work. I, personally, have experienced, as a younger person- and still as an older person-  though I am in a long term relationship with a great guy- 24 years and counting- some  degree of loneliness and self- doubt- so I can very much relate to the character of Jordan. I thought the ending, where he does wish his friend Laura well- showed some degree of self awareness- and the ability to grow and self correct. So the ending, to me, was hopeful and might signal a degree of maturity and self respect. I thought this play was very relatable. And at age 29, Jordan really does many chapters oohed of him. He seems to be capable of being a good friend- and probably would be a loyal and loving partner - when and if he is able to gain a bit more self respect and self confidence. My problem with Glick's portrayal was, for me, he was too genuinely sparkly and smiley- and he did not capture at all the angst of this character- except only occasionally when a dramatic scene occurred. I thought he did not realistically capture the character as written- and that of his mugging actually detracted from his performance. I love the play- and love all of the plays of the Harmon- loved Bad Jews and also loved Skintight- and had tickets to Admissions in London in March- which of course, I had to cancel due to caronvirus. Anyway, that is my take on it. 

Updated On: 5/16/20 at 05:48 PM

[EthelMae]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 6:06pm

Loved it Off Broadway, Broadway and Virtually the other night. Love the cast. Barbara Barrie was particularly poignant virtually.
Mr. Glick, to address some here, has so many “sad” “non-smiling”, “non-showing his teeth”, “morose” moments in his performance that I won’t point out each one here. IMHO, Mr. Glick’s performance is up there as one of the best I’ve seen.

Slow curtain. The end.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 6:38pm

Fair enough, BBaby2. I've known people who smile in a maybe creepy, inappropriate way and I think that was the choice here. Obviously, it took you somewhere you wish it hadn't. (FWIW I DO think that is Jordan's character.)

Another point or two here. Jordan is undernourished and underdeveloped emotionally. The key, however, is in the interaction with his grandmother. Listen to those convos, not the window dressing. And one more thing: note that it is his grandmother he talks to; what brought that about? Harmon is too good a playwright to tell us.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 7:33pm

^ tell me? I genuinely don't know where you're going with this.

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 7:33pm

I also loved Barbara Barrie- very touching, emotional and real- and her take on life- and her very knowing advice to Jordan- was great advice to us all. Harmon, for me, is one of my favorite authors- up there with my other favorites- Albee and O'Neill- all three are different- but all three seem to speak to me. Harmon is young and I hope has many more plays in him. Have to say I thought Skintight was one of the most entertaining nights in the theater I have had- loved that play- but love all of his work so far that I have seen. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 8:13pm

Valentina3 said: "^ tell me? I genuinely don't know where you're going with this."

where are his parents? what might he not have learned about relationships from them? 

@BWAY Baby2 what I was suggesting (not to you really but to Skip's comments) is to pay attention to what Jordan said to HER (and then let me know if you still think he is worthy of dismissal on that basis).

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 9:26pm

i related very much to Jordan. I’ve had people who knew me in high school and before comment about how much I laughed and smiled back then which is interesting because I was in my own private hell in my childhood, increasingly in my teenage years. That humorous demeanor disguised an anguished interior. And then I spent about three decades (20’s to end of my 40’s at least) intermittently thinking there was something wrong with me because I couldn’t find anyone to love me. And I was a mental health professional. Granted, all the guys I picked were all emotionally unavailable. That I picked them was on me. That they were emotionally unavailable was on them. I turn 56 on Friday and I’ve accepted a long term relationship is probably not meant for me. And that’s okay. Not sure I would even want one now anyway. I’ve had a pretty great life overall. Granted I had mental health issues back then, BUT those were partially the result of society’s homophobia which I and other men I tried to date internalized. I love Jordan. I was him. So many scenes ran parallel to my own life. To dismiss him as a mental case is to miss the point. He may have mental health issues, but that is in part a reaction to the society he finds himself in. Mostly, he’s trying very hard, but is still very lonely.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 9:40pm

Nice post, Miles, happy birthday, and good to see you here. (Maybe you have been posting in threads that I did not read, but I noticed not seeing you and that, of course, is a concern nowadays.)

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 9:42pm

Thanks. Not as much to post about these days it seems. LOL.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/17/20 at 7:30am

Kad writes: it’s not clear if it’s a play about modern gay experience, or a play about a troubled character who happens to be gay. Frankly, I think Harmon tries to have it both ways and it ends up being successful at neither.

I see so much of younger self in Jordan that it's hard to be objective. I think he's a troubled character whose problems were exacerbated by growing up gay without access to gay peers. That was my experience in a small town but, I agree, not the typical experience for the affluent New Yorker Harmon has written. If he were to write about the modern gay experience he would have needed to flesh out the other gay characters. As is we only see them through Jordan's eyes.

(I've also seen how Jordan-types end up in ten years, after grandma dies and the friends stop returning his calls. It's not a pretty picture. That adds a layer of darkness to the play for me.)

Updated On: 5/17/20 at 07:30 AM

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/17/20 at 8:15am

MrsSally- I do not see the ending as necessarily dark- the character of Jordan had a lot of things going in his favor- he was a very sincere kind of guy- capable of real friendship- capable of listening to good advice- he was humble enough to go to Laura's wedding and wish her well- he enjoys being with people- and his desire to meet and greet guys has not diminished. Perhaps he will continue to plug away, until he finds someone who he loves and loves him- kind of like I did. Another thing in his favor that could point to a happier life in the future- he does not abuse drugs or alcohol- he is capable of expressing deep feelings to his friends- and he is a loving grandson. So, though he is going through that rough chapter- I see the ending as basically open ended- a very good ending to a very good play.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/17/20 at 8:59am

I like the ambiguous nature of the ending. It allows the actor, and the audience, to interpret it multiple ways.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 11:47am

Does anyone know if this is still available to stream anywhere?