Direct from Rob Ashford- Scarlett Johansson CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF will preview late 2012

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 2:16pm

Opening is January 2013.
http://www.broadway.com/buzz/163963/rob-ashford-on-evita-reviews-scarlett-johannson-as-maggie-the-cat-and-the-new-musical-finding-neverland/

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 3:00pm

Honest question question for the people who saw her in A View From the Bridge, did you go easy on her in her debut (because you like her, because she's a name, because at least she was taking a risk & maybe she'd grow from it, etc) or did you really find her performance in Bridge to be compelling?

Updated On: 9/12/12 at 03:00 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 3:03pm

She really was that good. Her Tony and slew of raves were well-deserved. The entire production was practically flawless, actually, with Schreiber giving (IMO) the best performance of his career.

I think she's less well-cast as Maggie than she was a Catherine, but I'd be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt because her performance in BRIDGE was that compelling.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 4:37pm

I do like the casting, but between the fact that there have been a number of mediocre Cat revivals recently, and Rob Ashford is directing it (will he update it to the 60s just so he can have a chorus of his favorite 60s style jazz dancers come in to add "depth"?), I still wish they were bringing in Sweet Bird of Youth instead--which hasn't been done since the 70s, I believe.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 4:39pm

She was FANTASTIC in that show.

[DeNada]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 4:49pm

Eric, Rob Ashford has directed a couple of very well received revivals of classic American plays in London - his Anna Christie won Best Revival at the Oliviers this year, and Rachel Weisz won Best Actress for Streetcar the year before that.

I didn't get to see either of them, and I know you're being amusing, but I wouldn't necessarily dismiss him straight away.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 4:54pm

Fair enough--and thanks for pointing that out. Honestly, I only really know his musical theatre work, which seems to be getting increasingly mediocre and samey (I suppose it doesn't help that he recently did two 1960s shows). I remember reading good things about that Streetcar, but didn't remember his name...

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 5:10pm

Maggie is an infinitely more complex and central character in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF than Catherine is in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE. But she was strong in BRIDGE, so I hope she can impress with this production as well. That mounting of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE remains one of my favorite theater-going experiences and Schreiber's performance ranks high on my list of best stage performances I've witnessed. It was electric. He and the production should have won the Tony that year over the overrated production of FENCES and Denzel's good but unimpressive portrayal. I don't think I'll ever understand the hoopla around that production, save for Viola Davis' devastatingly brilliant performance.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/13/12 at 10:13am

I agree that the entire A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE revival was incredibly special, you could just feel it as you were watching it, and the entire ensemble was top notch. Johansson was wonderful, there was nothing "movie star"-ish about her performance, and she fit the ensemble so well, at no point did you feel you were watching a celebrity try to do Broadway. I think she definitely has it in her to play Maggie.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 9/13/12 at 8:30pm

As a huge fan of Tennessee Williams, I don't approve! I find Scarlett incredibly boring and have never really understoo the hype! She's no Elizabeth Taylor and I feel she lacks the death and stylistically isn't right for this part. The orginal maggie was a dirty blonde, relax, I know that! I mean I don't think she has the style needed to be in the world of that play and is far too modern and lazy as an actress to pull this off. I wish Broadway would get this character right in one of these revivals!

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 9/13/12 at 8:33pm

Watch Bryce Dallas Howard in The Loss of the Teardrop Diamond to fully understand my point about style, I feel I was inarticulate. I just don't feel she can transport me to The Pollitt Plantation. We shall see I guess.