A TOUCH OF THE POET (all Reviews welcome)

Don't forget Tony nominee Dearbhla Molloy as Nora.

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I don't know if there is any buzz yet - this is only the second week of rehearsal. But it is a pretty stellar cast. Molloy played Nora a few years ago in Boston opposite Daniel J. Travanti and received great notices, which I'm trying to find online but for some reason am not having much luck.

Besides her Tony-nominated performance in LUGHNASA, I saw her in JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK for Roundabout 4 or 5 years ago, and she blew me away. I was also fortunate to see her in DEATH AND THE MAIDEN in London 10+ years ago. She's a brilliant performer.

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Thanks, popcultureboy!

And Raith, is Dearbhla Molloy actually from Ireland like Byrne?

Buzz, anyone?

oOoh, aye love a tech o' the Ayerish i' the brrogue

And what stage plays has anyone seen any of these actors in lately?

I believe it was Emily Bergyl performing with Fishburne in a great production of The Lion in Winter which I saw at the Roundabout on Broadway a couple of years ago...

Here are pieces of a couple of reviews from the last time Molloy was on a NYC stage, in 2001:

A CurtainUp Review:

Juno and the Paycock
Acting excellence describes the entire cast. Even the cameo roles are finely polished gems. But it is Dearbhla Molloy and Jim Norton who dominate as the title characters...But in the end even this human fortress collapses. Coming after two hours of emotional restraint her cry to turn "hearts of stone into hearts of flesh" makes for a shattering ending and a memorable performance.

Bruce Weber, New York Times:

The strongest of the principals here are the two native Irish actors, Jim Norton as Jack Boyle and Ms. Molloy as Juno, both of whom command the stage with the force of authenticity and, even at the distance their characters keep from each other, engage with an animosity born of long proximity.

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Thanks for the scoop, Raith.

Any more about these actors or this play...?

Updated On: 10/24/05 at 06:43 PM

I've always found this to be a dirge of a play -- too long, too melodramatic, too static. Not one of O'Neill's better efforts (Moon is FAR superior). Byrne should be fine (the role is right up his alley), but not sure about the rest (Bergel -- a talented actress -- strikes me a bit too contemporary for this kind of role). I'll probably go, but I'm NOT looking forward to sitting through it again.

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The reviews over on ATC have been somewhat mixed. Bergl has been especially the subject of criticism, with some complaining about her accent and that she comes off a bit too contemporary.

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Sorry Margo: have to totally disagree with you on this. I think this is one of O'Neill's strongest and most vivid pieces of Theatre. I have worked for nearly 30 years on his writings and directed nearly a dozen of the works and in the right hands this piece is the mount everest of drama. O'Neill doesnt just sketch characters he lives inside them. These were people he knew I think this will prove to be a gem of a production and suprise many audience members. But Margo: its only my opinion.

I know I'm looking forward to this. It's probably the only O'Neill work I really enjoyed reading. I reading through it again now...for the first time in about fifteen years and liking it more now that when I was teen trying to impress my teachers.

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I don't know this play at all, but I have a friend in it...I want to wait until close to or after opening to see it since they're still working hard on it.

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