you are not alone. I felt the same thing. Thought he was doing an exact copy of Nathan Lane from Birdcage. While well executed it wasn't in any way original for the material that was written.
I'm with you. I thought his performance was tiresome to watch as he seemed to hoard and strain every moment into his own over-the-top-imitation of someone else's take on someone else.. (I don't know whose, just that none of it seemed authentic). I saw the show weeks ago, and had settled for chalking it up to one of those "maybe I saw him on an off night?", but now that you've brought it up, I can also say I just don't feel the special love...I don't think he was particularly funny or original in the role and - boy can he NOT sing.
Oh, you mean Douglas Hodge. Sorry. When I care enough about someone's performance to devote a thread to it, I show them enough respect to make sure their name is spelled right.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
Oh, you mean Douglas Hodge. Sorry. When I care enough about someone's performance to devote a thread to it, I show them enough respect to make sure their name is spelled right"
I really enjoyed his performance. I've only seen 2 other ZaZas - Hearn (who was a big shchlub in a gown) and Beach (who was good for community theatre). Hodge seemed like an authentic drag performer (of a certain school) to me. And I appreciated the European sensibility he brought.
Thought he was doing an exact copy of Nathan Lane from Birdcage.
Whether you like his performance or not, what he's doing in this production is about as far from Nathan Lane you can get. If you want to see an exact copy of Nathan Lane in The Birdcage, search for videos of Gary Beach in the last revival.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Saw the original cast twice, saw the revival once very disappointed, saw all three of the French movies as well as the Birdcage...and felt this version sublime. To me it was the definitive version, heart felt and far removed from Hearns hamminess. I LOVED this production, moreso knowing I paid $65 while the guys seated one foot away paid $350.
this was the hardest I laughed at La Cage since the original film with French subtitles.
^ hmm... given the title and subject line of this thread, maybe you should post on one those many other threads where you can say you loved Hodge's perfomance, rather than say we are wrong and you feel sorry for us for having a different opinion.
I thought he was just fine. I left more impressed with Grammer. Some people are treating Hodge's performance like it's Patti LuPone in Gypsy or Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens. It is far from that type of performance for me.
His performance makes a complete mockery of the entire show. I found nothing real or heartfelt in his entire performance. I felt as if I were watching a bad Jerry Lewis movie...am I the only one??
I think so. I don't think there has been a single post that expressed any displeasure in Hodge's performance until this started was started.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
^ I cannot tell if you are being sarcastic or not. But some people definitely have expressed displeasure in Hodge's performance before on here. Updated On: 5/10/10 at 01:21 PM
Do you think they would ever bring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams into this revival of La Cage. I would LOVE to see both of them take on their roles in musical form!