I detest this casting and I adore Danny Burstein. (Lukewarm on Linda Emond.) The effectiveness of the casting of the last revival was that the older couple was truly the right age for the roles-and you felt more invested in them-you wanted to see them succeed.
This seems like a very misguided choice. I cannot imagine Linda Emond singing "grown old like me" when she doesn't LOOK old enough to be singing that. (I know who I'd have preferred but I'll bite my tongue.) Now, my excitement is just at a REALLY low ebb. (I actually love the older couple and wanted them to cast people the right ages for these roles.)
Yes, I can't imagine how they will ever make them appear older than they actually are. If only there were some make up tricks they could apply. Hmmmmm....maybe someday.
And no, in pre WWII, 55 was not ancient - by any means.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Emond and Burstein are both stunning actors and will be more than fine in these roles. Lest we forget how successfully Emond played older just last year in DEATH OF A SALESMAN.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
In 1931, the life expectancy for women (in the US at least) was 63. So...55 would be the winter of her discontent.
Now...of course 55 in 2013 is something entirely different. But I don't think Linda Emond is out of the realm of suitability to play Frau Schneider. I also happen to think she's sensational, so I'm pleased with this casting.
Sara Kestelman is such a gem in that Donmar recording - she won the Olivier award that year for her performance and rightly so; it's chilling. Mary Louise Wilson also did wonders in the last Broadway revival.
I forgot Linda Emond had been cast. I thought she was lackluster in Death of a Salesman, but that was probably because I couldn't help comparing her to the perfection that was Elizabeth Franz. Do we still not have a Cliff, or am I forgetting that too? Honestly I don't particularly care who's cast aside from Alan, but I hope they don't go the way of casting someone perfect-looking as Cliff. I don't think that's ever really been an issue, but since it does appear that they're going with younger actors than usual for this production it makes me worry that they could fall into that trap.
I feel that the reference to age is not about the number of years but how she 'feels' due to the current situation surrounding her--life in general affects her physically-it is her body that is old and tired-that can happen at any age due to circumstances.