"Importance of Being Earnest" Revival
#25re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 5:14pm
As much as I love Clive Owen and want to sit on his face, can he bring the funny?
Cause there are some FABULOUS actors who have a hard time bringing the funny (paging Ms. Moore...Ms. Julianne Moore, please pick up the white courtesy phone).
#26re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 5:33pmSince when is Lady Bracknell a larger role than Gwendolyn or Cecily?
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#28re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 6:37pm
The bigger role isn't the point here. This play has never been revived solely because an actress wanted to play Gwen or Cecily. It is often revived because an actress of a certain stature has an urge to show her take on Bracknell. Or an actor - William Hutt took on the role at the Stratford Festival quite successfully.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#29re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 6:46pmThe role of Lady Bracknell seems to be a badge of honor for British women to play: Penelope Keith, Judi Dench, Patricia Routledge, Maggie Smith, Edith Evans, Joan Plowright and now Diana Rigg. But the role has a lot of offstage time. It seems to be one of those supporting roles always played by a star.
#30re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 6:53pmYeah, it's a British tradition for the grande dames of the theatre to take on Bracknell. But it's much less of a Broadway tradition, where our last Bracknell was Elizabeth Wilson. Though Bracknell exerts tremendous influence over the play and the characters, she really doesn't have a lot of stage time. I just wonder whether Broadway audiences expecting a star turn from Diana Rigg in Earnest, might be disappointed by how much she's actually in it.
#31re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 6:59pm
i always thought that Lady Bracknell was played better by a man.
Or was that Miss Prism? I did the damn play and I don't remember!
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#32re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 9:02pmActually, it's too bad that they can't use stunt casting for Lady Bracknell. One month Rosie O'Donnell, one month Glenn Close, one month Meryl Streep, one month Lauren Bacall, one month Mary Tyler Moore
#33re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 9:04pm
Mary Tyler Moore???? Hell no!!!
Replace that with Carol Burnett!
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#34re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/6/05 at 10:52amIt looks as if this production might originate in LA - along with Annette Benning in The Cherry Orchard.
#35re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/6/05 at 12:36pm
Earnest will be part of the 2005-2006 season at the Ahmanson. Other Ahmanson shows:
Sidney Kingsley’s rarely produced American epic, Dead End, the first production of Michael Ritchie's inaugural season at CTG/Ahmanson Theatre,
The American premiere of the new musical The Drowsy Chaperone,
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and Robert Wilson/Tom Waits/William S. Burroughs’ The Black Rider,
and the fifth and final production of the season, scheduled for the summer of 2006, will be a new, pre-Broadway musical, which will be announced soon.
In addition, two bonus options of the 39th season include the return of Matthew Bourne’s Tony Award-winning Swan Lake and Dame Edna: Back With A Vengeance! in limited engagements.
pattifan2
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/12/04
#36re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/6/05 at 2:22pmThe best Algie I ever saw was Rupert Graves - in the days of the 'Room With A View' hair. Sublime casting. A real HOT Algie would be Jake Gyllenhaal - Robert Sean Leonard would be a better Jack.
#37re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/6/05 at 3:25pmThis is exciting, I love this show, for those of you who have just read it you NEED to see it performed. Personally I saw it in Dublin and really enjoyed it. again this is great news.
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