IRENA'S VOW - One of the Best Theatrical Experiences of My Life- Page 2

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 3:25pm

I think I'm gonna rush tomorrow's performance. I'm so excited...it sounds incredible.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 3:53pm

You will not be disappointed. Sorry if it seems like I'm on a crusade to promote this show (which after last night I kind of am!), but I haven't been so moved by a show in a while. Can't wait to hear what you think about it too.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:04pm

Tovah is a true actress and although I haven't seen it yet I'm looking forward to it. Her work in Golda's alcony and Hello Dolly at the Papermill were both wonders!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:10pm

Is Tovah going to take the Tony?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:11pm

"Is Tovah going to take the Tony?"

Absolutely. Without question. She deserves it.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:21pm

Glad to hear she's doing a wonderful job on this. I, on the other hand, found her work in Papermill's Hello, Dolly to be horrendously bad.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:27pm

Dolly was definitely not the right role for her...I agree.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:32pm

>"Is Tovah going to take the Tony?"

Absolutely. Without question. She deserves it.<

There are still some very significant performances to come: Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter in Mary Stuart, Carla Gugino in Desire Under the Elms. I wouldn't hand out a Tony to Tovah just yet.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:51pm

OK. I'll weigh in again after I see MARY STUART (March 30) and DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS (April 16), but as of right now, I'd give it to Tovah. And frankly, I never thought my opinion would change about handing the Tony to Kristin Scott Thomas. Tovah and her incredible performance has really shaken things up this season.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:59pm

Sadly, I think "The Seagull" will be forgotten, which is a shame. What an excellent show, and an excellent performance at the center.

I'm so excited to see this show now. I'm going to try and rush it sometime this week. A beautiful show at a beautiful theater - can't get any better!

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 5:04pm

The Seagull will not be forgotten by the nominators though.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 5:15pm

You don't think? It seems so long ago, and it seems like it might be forgotten. And maybe "Hedda Gabbler" put a bad taste in their mouth for the director.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 5:20pm

The nominators do quite well remembering fall productions, even if voters don't. (And occasionally, the voters do - look at Julie White defeating her four famous co-nominees a couple of years ago).

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 5:21pm

Touche!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 6:11pm

Thank you for posting such beautiful reviews.

Great, ANOTHER show to put on my must see list in the next few months. I should just have them direct deposit my paycheck into an account to ticketmaster/telecharge!


I've been a fan of hers since the mini-series "The Holocaust". If memeory serves me, she played opposite of James Woods. (This was late 70's perhaps?)

Updated On: 3/11/09 at 06:11 PM

[bwayfascination]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 10:02pm

Not to throw water on the enthusiasm, but I saw this play at Baruch and was so moved that I bought the book, "In My Hands," the actual story written by Irene Gutowna Opdyke of her experiences. That book is beautiful. And, not to spoil things, the actual story is much more compelling and complicated than the play. There are some aspects of the play (at least as it was at Baruch) that seem to be flat-out mischaracterizations. So much so that it made me lose respect for this script, which simplifies events to a level that it actually changes their meaning. That only bothers me because so much effort is put into claiming that the events of the play are true. It's a phenomenal story, but read the book!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 10:10pm

It's too bad Theater for a New Audience hasn't decided to snap up the Longacre to immediately move OTHELLO, 'cause you could have added Juliet Rylance into the mix.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 11:42pm

I'm not sure how I feel about this play. I saw it tonight (the 3rd preview), and while I totally get the hype over Tovah, I'm not sure how I feel about the play as a piece. A lot of it is a monologue spoken directly to the audience therefore loosing some dramatic effect. Granted, Tovah does one hell of a job portraying all the different characters, but it might have been more interesting to see the moments acted out rather than just spoken. That said, I was still moved by the piece as a whole, and for some reason I could not stop crying during the Q & A with Irena's daughter. The only thing I wish that would have changed was the ending. I wish more time was spent on what happens afterwards. The ending was so abrupt. But I totally think Tovah deserves that Tony. What an extraordinary performance.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/12/09 at 1:49am

Thanks for the wonderful review Rentboy, and thanks to Smaxie too, for his wise and informed opinion. I love how informed he is about theatre and the Tony Awards!