Hal Holbrook in MARK TWAIN TONIGHT!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 4:33pm

There's a news item on BWW that Holbrook will be doing his one-man show again (but the article doesn't say WHERE).

When I last saw him do the role, he was getting lost time and again; frequently walking over to an on-stage podium and looking things up while the audience stared in silence.

Holbrook used to be marvelous in the role, but he should know when it's time to give it up.

[nmartin]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 5:27pm

I've only seen him do it once. It was about twenty years ago. He was superb at the time.

[wonkit]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 6:15pm

I also saw Holbrook many years ago and then again during the last NYC revival. First, a disclaimer. I absolutely adore the guy, so this isn't at all impartial. He was phenomenal when younger because of the acting chops it takes to portray an older person without becoming a slightly comic figure. But I also appreciated the fact that as an older man playing an older man, there was a poignancy to much of his timing. I didn't see it as a flaw as much as an understanding that the aging Twain himself would not have been as adept on stage, would have had to refocus and remind himself constantly of what he was doing. My concern was not so much his hesitancy as his choice of what to recite. In the Age of Bush, I thought some of his choices were TOO pointed, too topical. And I honestly think that the Huck Finn excerpt should always be done last as it is impossible to top it. I am just astounded that he has the stamina to return to it again.

[johng428]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 6:23pm

He will be in Cleveland on March 21st at the Palace Theatre.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 7:05pm

I wonder if you saw him on a bad night, Dollypop. When I saw him do it the last time he was in New York with it (2005), he seemed confident and sure of himself. I wouldn't be surprised if there were nights when he had problems. Happens even to younger people.

[wonkit]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 10:34pm

Holbrook has committed so much material to memory that he could probably do eight shows a week and never repeat a segment. Some of his checking of notes is looking at his list to see what he wants to present - he doesn't do the same set show every time.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:55am

I missed the chance to see this a few years ago, wish I had gone. Is he related to Curtis Holbrook? Or is that coincidence?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:02am

Curtis is his father.

I don't think they're related. Anyway, Hal is not his father.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:04am

Ha, okay. I was confused by "Curtis is his father." ha. Just wondering because I thought Curtis got into the business young, didn't know if that was because of his father, or whatever.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 10:20am

Hal told me he has over 12 hours of TWAIN material that he has written, and that he is careful never to repeat a complete performance in the same venue. It is rare you would ever truly see the same performance twice.

[Jon]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:12pm

At least he no longer has to do the two hour make-up transformation he did when he was in his 30's. Now, he can pretty much just glue on the mustache and eyebrows, slap on the wig, and - Ta-Da! - he's Twain.

[Sally]

Posted: 2/27/09 at 5:29pm

I saw him do the show a couple of years ago, and he was fine---as good as when I saw him years ago.