Methinks you guys are letting your (negative) feelings towards the play cloud your judgment/evaluations. Surveying the Tony contender landscape at the present moment, my money would be on Williams WINNING the Leading Actor in a Play award.
Do I think he's the lead? No, I don't think anyone is - in my view, all the characters are featured (it's clearly an ensemble play). But he's playing the title character, he bookends the production (he's front-and-center when the play begins and when it ends), he's in it as much/little as any of the other actors, and, frankly, he's Robin Williams - they will be pushing him for lead. And with his only real competition being - who? Brian Bedford? I think he's going to take this one.
When you look at the history/trajectory of past Tony winners, quite frequently, just being a big-name film actor on Broadway has proven enough for the voting body, and here -- while not a powerhouse role, per se -- he's not falling back on his Robin Williams schtick (which is the main point of sketicism for those reluctant about the play based on his involvement).
He's giving a genuinely interesting, off-kilter performance, which I happen to think he did a spectacular job with. And in addition, (perhaps this shouldn't play a factor, but it does) he will likely earn the admiration of his fellow actors for choosing such an unconventional, uncommercial play to participate in as his Broadway debut, when he really could have done anything he wanted to, and been another screen-to-stage commercial sellout.
I'm not saying this is a certainty - and clearly, my enthusiasm for the play/production seems to be in the minority on this particular thread - but I think you'd be silly to count him out.
Updated On: 3/23/11 at 01:22 PM
