Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7 — Page 3

#51

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:01am

I thought Kevin Kline was very good in his own right. He still didn't come close to either Murray Abraham who gave an amazing performance of the role at Baltimores Center Stage in the late 70s and Derek Jacobi , who was absolute perfection in the RSCs production in the 80s.

#52

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:23am

This was brilliant. The BEST version of this play I have EVER seen.

I adore Kevin Kline, so I might be a little biased He was spectacular.

Jennifer Garner overacted and over-pronounced, but in the end it worked for her and the character.

The finale was breathtaking.

Thank GOD this was filmed

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"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES--- "THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS

#53

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:27am

I was lucky enough to see this on opening night, sitting across the aisle from Ben Affleck. I thought the entire production, with the exception of Chris Sarandon, was brilliant. Kline was truly amazing, and was robbed of a nomination, if not a Tony.

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#54

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 9:29am

I thought Kline was fantastic.He brought tears to my eyes. But Jennifer Garner almost ruined it for me. She was awful.

#55

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 9:31am

Director, I remember that 70s ACT Donat/Mason/Singer CYRANO production. Where is it available from?

I kept watching for a while last night, and found that way too many bits of business were being lost, and they kept cutting away from Kevin Kline mid-sentence. A shame, really, why on earth would anyone cut away from Kevin Kline?

I also found myself wondering why everybody except Kline was shouting. John Douglas Thompson's Le Bret was a particularly serious offender, I kept wanting to tell him to calm down.

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"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

#56

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 9:53am

As one of the few people who actually saw this on Broadway--and the strike and the fact that it was a limited run really hurt it--I can say that in person, it really was wonderful, and that in my opinion, all the actors--including Garner, who didn't seem to be overacting when I saw it, at least--did a great job. The only place where it didn't quite meet my expectations was that the ending fell a tiny bit flat. But otherwise, terrific, and it was ridiculous that it didn't get any Tony noms...one of the very few shows I've payed full price for--because even though it showed up at TKTS, they wouldn't even offer up a discount code otherwise--and didn't regret it at all.

#57

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 10:19am

Oh, I am sad I missed this! I saw the play January with my Dad and we both just loved it. Kline was wonderful. I liked Garner, but I could see who her over-pronounciation of words came across as a bit over the top on the filmed version.

Does anyone know if there will be a replay?

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I'd rather be reckless than rockless.

#58

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 11:47am

I checked to see when it's repeating:
(all times Eastern time)

Today, 1:30pm (WGBX)
Friday, 3:00am (WGBX)
Sunday, 2:00pm (WGBH)
Monday, 1:00am (WGBH)
Monday, 3:00am (WGBX)

#59

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 2:33pm

Director, I remember that 70s ACT Donat/Mason/Singer CYRANO production. Where is it available from?

It's available on amazon.

#60

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 2:46pm

"Any screen-to-stage actors should take a cue from Jennifer Garner. She's excellent."

She was a stage actress before she ever was on television. Cyrano was not her Broadway debut.

Updated On: 1/8/09 at 02:46 PM

#61

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 3:06pm

I have never seen this production before and I watched it last night and thought it was wonderful. Kevin Kline was amazing!!!! What a beautiful touching story....I loved it!!! I am a big Jennifer Garner fan but I was a little disappointed in her performance. I also thought she was over enunciating but I thought maybe she was directed to do so? But I thought she was much better in the 2nd act. And her final scene with Kline was fantastic....both actors were truly heartbreaking.

#62

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 4:08pm

I enjoyed this production on stage but the tv version only magnified the director's horrible mistakes. How could a mortally wounded man walk down two flights of stairs? Geeze!

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#63

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 5:37pm

I thought Kevin Kline was great and of course I loved Euan Morton. But Jennifer Garner drove me up the wall.

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"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL

#64

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 6:17pm

She was a stage actress before she ever was on television. Cyrano was not her Broadway debut.

Jennifer Garner's only other Broadway credit was as an understudy in A Month in the Country for Roundabout in 1995.

#65

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:21pm

I just meant in light of the recent onslaught of famous TV and film actresses who don't fare as well onstage as they do in film. I thought she was great.

#66

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:39pm

I liked Garner. The part of Roxanne is plagued by the fact that she is an overly-emotional, not-too-bright young woman who is used to being fawned over. She falls in love at first sight based on Christian's beauty and never notices that he writes beautiful letters but can't seem to put a sentence together in person. She is the Lois Lane type, not noticing Superman under Clark Kent's glasses. The irony is that Cyrano loves her for her beauty just as she loves Christian for his. Roxanne simply cannot be played at all realistically because she has such a tenuous grasp on reality.

#67

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 9:28pm

Roxane as written isn't that interesting of a character. It all depends on what the actor playing the role brings to her take on the role. Jennifer Garner brought little. The last time I saw Cyrano onstage, the woman who played Roxane had played Becca in Rabbit Hole, Margaret in Henry VI and Richard III, Beatrice in Much Ado, Hedda, Irene in Idiot's Delight, Portia in Merchant, Rosalind in As Your Like It and Olivia in 12th Night. In addition, she is a wonderful actor. Her Roxane was an interesting character who grew from a young girl to a wise woman.

#68

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/8/09 at 11:11pm

What was the music playing under the beginning credits? Like under the title of "Great performances" ? I loved it!

#69

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 2:26am

This was my first exposure to the play and I loved it! Kevin Kline was phenomenal. His performance definitely deserved a nomination... or a Tony!

#70

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 12:15pm

I was wondering: is Cyrano supposed to be the same age as Roxane, or older? Obviously Kevin Kline is older than Jennifer Garner, but I wasn't sure if that was intentional or not.

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#71

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 12:20pm

Cyrano is supposed to be older than Roxanne, although the internal references as to how much older are a little ambiguous, as I recall.

#72

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 3:16pm

ColortheHours - thanks so much for posting the times to catch a replay!! I am going to record this!!

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I'd rather be reckless than rockless.

#73

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 6:14pm

I just watched this last night, it was excellent. I really enjoyed it, which is saying a lot since I've tried and failed to watch the film with Gerard Depardieu and Vincent Perez like three times.

And Euan Mortan is just as cute as he was years ago. He hasn't changed a bit.

#74

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 6:17pm

I am so angry that I missed this.

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Gypsy - Betty Buckley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUN5XoB5vFs&feature=youtu.be

#75

re: Cyrano de Bergerac on PBS January 7

Posted: 1/9/09 at 6:24pm

Jennifer Garner ruined it for me. She was awful. The only reason I kept watching was because of Kevin Kline. Truly amazing.