#1
Posted: 9/17/08 at 9:37am
Thanks in advance to many BWW posters who had seen A Man For All Seasons, for the warning of just how cold it gets inside the American Airlines Theatre! It was chilly.
Fortunately, that was the only bit of advice I took to heart, as most first-preview reviews echoed a "ho-hum" about the show. I have to disagree entirely. Unlike Hunter Bell's character in [title of show], I hold opinions for shows only after seeing them. If you'd like my two-cents, here it is.
One word: Exceptional. I went into this show completely blind to the material and its message; and left feeling as if I'd been told an all-too-familiar story. A story we're living today.
Been said before and will be said again: Theatre holds a mirror to society. A Man for All Seasons, written in 1961, screams "ALLEGORY!" as loudly as Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
Roundabout has picked a script riddled with today's headlines. Conviction without trial. Suspicion. Unjust imprisonment. A dictator twisting the Law of Man under the Law of God for personal gain. A man with morals and a conscious blamed for treason when he chooses to remain silent.
Cromwell=Rove. Henry VIII=Bush. Thomas More=Guantanemo. It doesn't need to be spelled out, but it certainly needs to be recognized. These issues ARE important and dancing right under our nose. It takes a trip to Broadway (or just as providing, Off- and Off-Off) to slap us in the face.
Moments when I said: "Mmm!" outloud included such lines as:
Cromwell: "We will find the law. Or make one ourselves."
More: "It is not that I write about the King. It is that I write. In times like these, that's enough."
Margaret: "He was going to hit you, Father"
Definitely started crying during the final sequence, because I started thinking about all the victims of The Patriot Act and how sick-and-tired I am of American politics.
This was my first time seeing Frank Langella perform live. And he was so top-notch, I do not weep for missing his past shows, but am elated in anticipation to see him on-stage again. His power to utterly silence an entire theatre as he stands literally two-inches from the edge of the stage to deliver his final testament!
Most admirable about Langella is not just his superb acting (my gawd, what a force) but how much he LIFTS UP his fellow actor. This is not a man who desires the spotlight for himself, but instead clearly revels in sharing it. His scenes with Patrick Page were sublime. But all-the-more admirable is how he provides to Broadway-newcomers Hannah Cabell and Michael Esper (both actors I impartially fancy), who shine together.
An excellent play, aptly revived. Timely and precise.
Fortunately, that was the only bit of advice I took to heart, as most first-preview reviews echoed a "ho-hum" about the show. I have to disagree entirely. Unlike Hunter Bell's character in [title of show], I hold opinions for shows only after seeing them. If you'd like my two-cents, here it is.
One word: Exceptional. I went into this show completely blind to the material and its message; and left feeling as if I'd been told an all-too-familiar story. A story we're living today.
Been said before and will be said again: Theatre holds a mirror to society. A Man for All Seasons, written in 1961, screams "ALLEGORY!" as loudly as Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
Roundabout has picked a script riddled with today's headlines. Conviction without trial. Suspicion. Unjust imprisonment. A dictator twisting the Law of Man under the Law of God for personal gain. A man with morals and a conscious blamed for treason when he chooses to remain silent.
Cromwell=Rove. Henry VIII=Bush. Thomas More=Guantanemo. It doesn't need to be spelled out, but it certainly needs to be recognized. These issues ARE important and dancing right under our nose. It takes a trip to Broadway (or just as providing, Off- and Off-Off) to slap us in the face.
Moments when I said: "Mmm!" outloud included such lines as:
Cromwell: "We will find the law. Or make one ourselves."
More: "It is not that I write about the King. It is that I write. In times like these, that's enough."
Margaret: "He was going to hit you, Father"
Definitely started crying during the final sequence, because I started thinking about all the victims of The Patriot Act and how sick-and-tired I am of American politics.
This was my first time seeing Frank Langella perform live. And he was so top-notch, I do not weep for missing his past shows, but am elated in anticipation to see him on-stage again. His power to utterly silence an entire theatre as he stands literally two-inches from the edge of the stage to deliver his final testament!
Most admirable about Langella is not just his superb acting (my gawd, what a force) but how much he LIFTS UP his fellow actor. This is not a man who desires the spotlight for himself, but instead clearly revels in sharing it. His scenes with Patrick Page were sublime. But all-the-more admirable is how he provides to Broadway-newcomers Hannah Cabell and Michael Esper (both actors I impartially fancy), who shine together.
An excellent play, aptly revived. Timely and precise.
Updated On: 9/17/08 at 09:37 AM
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