Actors Looking Bored on Stage

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:42pm

I saw Spamalot yesterday and did not enjoy it. Why? Because it seemed to me that most of the actors weren't enjoying it themselves. Their performances just seemed so forced and they looked so tired of it. Does anyone agree? Has anyone seen anything else like this?
Updated On: 8/18/05 at 08:42 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:45pm

Yeah, THOU SHALT NOT. The cast looked tired. The orchestra looked tired. The audience fell asleep.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:51pm

hmm it seems like Spamalot has been having a lot of cast issues. You'd think that after winning the Best Musical Tony would have given the cast some spark.

[StarbuckQAF]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:51pm

The only time I've ever really seen a performer looking really really bored on stage was when I saw Wicked the 2nd time in Dec. 04...

Michelle Federer looked bored out of her bloody mind! And... well, I think she is. I like the girl, but she needs a new job.

I've never seen an entire cast look out of it though. That's sucky.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:55pm

"That's sucky". What a quaint phrase!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:56pm

Starbuck, you may hate me for saying this, you may love me....I saw Lennon and personally thought it was slow and dull in some spots. After seeing Spamalot, I realized that Lennon, with its many flaws, had something that Spam didnt: a cast that enjoyed doing what they do. For that, Lennon was, in all respects, the better show.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:07pm

well at least they're bored but still playing their characters as scripted as opposed to certain unmentioned rent stars who slip into accents and try their damndest to make everyone break character

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:09pm

I'm a bit surprised to read this. In your review, you were admittedly not overly impressed with the show, but you mentioned the three leads were "spot on," and that Sara was a standout. Are you referring to performers other than those, or did you think they did a good job in spite of seeming forced?

If the "Spamalot" performers *are* starting to look bored, it's a shame. When I saw the show back in April, they all looked as if they were having every bit as much fun as the audience.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:14pm

wat i meant was that, despite looking bored, they were perfect for the parts, especially Sara. the one time they looked like they had fun was when the pulled up Lori (with some really jewish last name) in seat C101. when she told Tim her name, she said after a 2 second pause "And I'm A Jew!" the cast cut up, as did the audience. that was the one moment they seemed to enjoy.

[cindy013]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:14pm

I'm going to get killed for this, but I thought Idina looked kind of bored during Wicked. Especially in the scene during Popular, when she just sat there and responded to everything in a monotone... "you really don't have to do that..*yawn*..."

*runs and hides*

[LittleBitRacist]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:22pm

for the person who said michelle federer looks bored, i know it isnt an excuse but she IS bored. she came to my camp and told us that its a struggle for her to go through the performances every night, and when her contract ends in january shes out. i dont blame her, its been forever.

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:25pm

I may be wrong, but when Idina says "You don't have to do that", I think she looks bored on purpose. Elphaba is bored with Glinda's perkiness and narcisism.(sp?)

[Dre2387]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:28pm

when i saw Spamalot, I really thought Tim Curry was bored and didn't care at all about his character. Everyone else did great (this was before the Tonys, so, that might have helped). But Time Curry was not good at all.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:33pm

Every performance of Chicago since it moved to the Ambassador?

Oh wait, it was me.. I was the one who was bored.

(yes, yes Im kidding)

As for Spamalot, the entire cast was hamming it up when I saw it... I loved every second of it. The great time they were having onstage made me enjoy myself even more

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:33pm

No you're not wrong Justafan. You beat me to posting the same response.

[cindy013]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:09pm

I liked it when the Elphabas said it like "You REALLY don't have to do that" Like they're thinking "no way are you getting your hands on me Glinda you are insane!" Oh well. Everyone views it differently:)

[Marlene]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:25pm

It's all character and scene interpretation. Michelle...let's hope the girl finds a new gig. I would be bored out of my mind as well.

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:33pm

Laura Benanti in Into the Woods. I swear she yawned during On the Steps of the Palace.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:35pm

When i saw Wicked with OBC Andy Pellick was so bored out of his mind during Dancign Through Life......then during the freeze frame part in the song he starts blowing his hair out of his face......IT WAS SO ANNOYING

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:43pm

I've seen this too many times in shows and it really annoys me. If I acted bored or tired at work, I got yelled at by my managers. And I worked in a clothing store! So actors on stage should be held accountable for their onstage behavior. The person yawning in the back and rolling their eyes is definitely going to draw more attention from me as an audience member than the person centerstage. If they're not enthused by the material, why should I be?

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:47pm

Brad Anderson from All Shook Up always looks extremely bored on stage.

[EffieWhite]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:50pm

I saw CHITTY last week and Raul looked like he was going to answer his cell-phone mid-scene. I have NEVER in MANY years of theatre going seen an actor so miserably bored. When he asked Truly to marry him I think that it was the first time that he actually looked at her all evening.

[BwayFan4]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:54pm

When i saw La Cage Gavin creel looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was. I was looking forward to seeing him be cause everyone here loves him so much but i was underwhelmed to say the least. He sang well but not a great actor....just arms dangling and no reactions to anything else.

[neocomposer]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:55pm

i don't know what its like...but i can imagine getting bored at some point. i have never been in a show for THAT long.

although it is a shame for the audience to view a bored cast.

and...poor michelle

[CJR]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 11:44pm

You're kvetching about it being a shame that people in Wicked have been in it since the beginning? Look at a show like Chicago.. and actors like Donna Marie Asbury and Michelle Marie Robinson who've been with it since the beginning....

Talk about boredom

Oh yes, and PJ Benjamin. He needs to be replaced. Yesterday. He's so bored IM phoning it in from the audience.