#1
Posted: 3/27/05 at 12:17am
Let me start off by saying that I’m so happy that we have two of Tennessee Williams best plays on Broadway this season. These are shows that I could see all the time and never got tired of. Sadly, neither of them are being done very well. Natasha Richardson and John C. Reilly started performances tonight at Studio 54 and after sitting through it’s almost three hour running time, I wondered if they might want to hold off for a few more weeks of rehearsals. But after thinking about I came to the conclusion that that might not even solve this shows problems. I’ll say that the direction and staging were fine. The set is like you would imagine it to be, if you’ve ever seen this show on stage. The blocking is fine, and even the ensemble work nicely. Chris Bauer and Amy Ryan as Mitch and Stella were by far the best parts of this show. They each understood their characters and what motivated them. I wish I could say the same for the leads. And it kills me to say that because they are each such fine actors.
I’ll start with John C. Reilly. I, like a lot of people was confused when casting was announced. He’s not your “typical” Stanley. I thought they must know what they’re doing and he brought something special to the role. What he brought was a Stanley that came off as a drunken oaf who showed no signs of the sexually aggressive man that he needs to be. I couldn’t for the life of me find one reason for Stella to walk down those stairs and let him carry her to the bed after he beats her. There is not one solid ounce of chemistry between him and Richardson so when she submits to him in Act Two, I rolled my eyes and looked at my watch. This show is about sex. It’s about passion and desire, none of which he can offer either of these ladies.
Natasha Richardson’s Blanche suffered from an entirely different problem. Her problem was that she has no clue who or what a southern woman really is. There’s a complexity to them that can’t be faked. Every word that comes out of Blanche’s mouth and every movement is specific. She knows what she’s doing and the reason why. Her words are said a certain way and said any other way, they take on a new and possibly lesser meaning. Mrs. Richardson’s southern accent went in and out all evening and I didn’t believe she was this woman at all. Except for the scene between her and the paperboy. The chemistry between them was remarkable and I got angry that it only lasted for all of three minutes. We, for a very brief moment, got to see the sexually manipulative woman she really is. It was a shame to see that magic end.
I’m not sure if these things can be fixed by the time the show opens. It seems like these problems are bigger than these actors and what they can offer these characters. Maybe you have to come from the south to see the things I saw wrong. Maybe not.
All I know is that this show deserves more.
I’ll start with John C. Reilly. I, like a lot of people was confused when casting was announced. He’s not your “typical” Stanley. I thought they must know what they’re doing and he brought something special to the role. What he brought was a Stanley that came off as a drunken oaf who showed no signs of the sexually aggressive man that he needs to be. I couldn’t for the life of me find one reason for Stella to walk down those stairs and let him carry her to the bed after he beats her. There is not one solid ounce of chemistry between him and Richardson so when she submits to him in Act Two, I rolled my eyes and looked at my watch. This show is about sex. It’s about passion and desire, none of which he can offer either of these ladies.
Natasha Richardson’s Blanche suffered from an entirely different problem. Her problem was that she has no clue who or what a southern woman really is. There’s a complexity to them that can’t be faked. Every word that comes out of Blanche’s mouth and every movement is specific. She knows what she’s doing and the reason why. Her words are said a certain way and said any other way, they take on a new and possibly lesser meaning. Mrs. Richardson’s southern accent went in and out all evening and I didn’t believe she was this woman at all. Except for the scene between her and the paperboy. The chemistry between them was remarkable and I got angry that it only lasted for all of three minutes. We, for a very brief moment, got to see the sexually manipulative woman she really is. It was a shame to see that magic end.
I’m not sure if these things can be fixed by the time the show opens. It seems like these problems are bigger than these actors and what they can offer these characters. Maybe you have to come from the south to see the things I saw wrong. Maybe not.
All I know is that this show deserves more.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
Updated On: 3/27/05 at 12:17 AM
Nobody stands in my way to Tony glory!
