Fair enough on the play itself - different strokes and all that. Though you have to know that the play itself caused some pretty divisive reactions.
I'm not so sure I see your angle on why this isn't going to be an extremely close race though between Rylance and Pacino?
Rabe is fantastic but it isn't a battle between Rabe and Pacino after all - and the story of that production is both of them (and Dan Sullivan).
In Pacino, you have perhaps the leading Hollywood/stage actor of his generation, a two-time Tony winner, bringing (an American) Shakespeare to the masses in a huge box office success, a widely acclaimed "event" production. He's a genuine legend - and it's possibly a career summation award.
I love Rylance to death, but bestowing the award on him as if he's not going to have any competition from someone as revered and beloved as Pacino isn't realistic as far as I can tell.
What if he takes votes away from himself? He won 2 seasons back - there could easily be an (undeserved) backlash just for that.
It won't surprise me at all if he were to win because I've seen the performance and he was dynamite - but I'm just bristling at this idea that he's peerless.
Edit : Merchant is only extending 3 weeks to February? If that's the case......advantage Rylance.
Updated On: 12/20/10 at 07:24 PM